Solar Panel Docking Platform for Robot Transfer Across Array Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar panel cleaning systems face inefficiencies and safety hazards due to the need for manual cleaning and the high cost and low usage efficiency of multiple cleaning robots for solar panel arrays, which are not arranged in a complete block, resulting in gaps that cleaning robots cannot cross.
Innovation Solution
A docking method that employs a docking robot to transfer a cleaning robot between solar panel arrays, utilizing a docking platform with adjustable height and angle to facilitate the cleaning robot's movement between panels, and a data processing system to remotely dispatch and control the robots for efficient cleaning operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple cleaning robots are provided on each solar panel, then cleaning coverage is improved, but hardware cost increases and usage efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot is designed as a universal device that can serve multiple solar panel arrays. Instead of having dedicated cleaning robots on each panel, a single cleaning robot is transferred between multiple arrays using the docking robot, making the cleaning robot multi-functional and reducing overall hardware requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking robot acts as an intermediary device that transfers the cleaning robot between different solar panel arrays. This mediator enables the cleaning robot to access multiple locations without requiring multiple cleaning robots, thus reducing hardware cost while maintaining comprehensive cleaning coverage.
2Device complexity
If manual cleaning is used, then hardware cost is reduced, but cleaning efficiency decreases and safety hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning robot performs autonomous cleaning operations on solar panels without human intervention. The robot navigates, docks, and cleans automatically, eliminating the need for manual cleaning while significantly improving cleaning efficiency and removing safety hazards associated with high-level manual operations.
3Productivity
If cleaning robots are deployed on each solar panel array, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but resource waste increases due to low usage efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically allocates the cleaning robot between different solar panel arrays based on cleaning needs. The docking robot enables the cleaning robot to be transferred and redeployed to different locations, maximizing its utilization rate and avoiding the resource waste associated with having idle cleaning robots stationed at each array.
4Area of stationary object
If solar panels are arranged in non-blocking patterns, then space utilization is improved, but cleaning accessibility decreases due to gaps between panels
Solution Approach 1:
The docking robot serves as a mobile intermediary platform that bridges the gaps between solar panel arrays. It transfers the cleaning robot across these gaps, enabling access to panels arranged in non-blocking patterns and maintaining cleaning accessibility despite the spatial separation between arrays.
Data Source
AI summary
A docking method for docking a cleaning robot between a plurality of solar panels includes a docking area setting step, an approaching cleaning area step, a docking platform adjustment step, a cleaning robot first control step, and a leaving cleaning area step. The present invention uses a cleaning robot to complete cleaning on the solar panels or a solar panel array, a docking robot to transfer the cleaning robot between the solar panels or multiple solar panel arrays, and a data processing system to realize dispatching and controlling of the cleaning robot and the docking robot, so that a number of cleaning robots and docking robots can be dispatched properly according to a number of the solar panels needing to be cleaned, and a cleaning operation on all solar panels and panel arrays can be completed in a photovoltaic power station in a shortest time.