EP2048455A2. Automatic solar panel cleaning system. Google Patents
Publication number EP2048455A2 EP2048455A2 EP08380284A EP08380284A EP2048455A2 EP 2048455 A2 EP2048455 A2 EP 2048455A2 EP 08380284 A EP08380284 A EP 08380284A EP 08380284 A EP08380284 A EP 08380284A EP 2048455 A2 EP2048455 A2 EP 2048455A2 Authority EP European Patent Office Prior art keywords drive unit longitudinal rails solar panel cleaning brushes cleaning Prior art date 2007-10-09 Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.) Withdrawn Application number EP08380284A Other languages German ( de ) French ( fr ) Other versions EP2048455A3 ( en Inventor Juan Jose Castellano Diaz Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.) Brown Advance SA Original Assignee Brown Group Spain SA Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.) 2007-10-09 Filing date 2008-10-07 Publication date 2009-04-15 2008-10-07 Application filed by Brown Group Spain SA filed Critical Brown Group Spain SA 2009-04-15 Publication of EP2048455A2 publication Critical patent/EP2048455A2/en 2012-04-04 Publication of EP2048455A3 publication Critical patent/EP2048455A3/en Status Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current
Links
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 39
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000003213 activating Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000295 complement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
- F — MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24 — HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S — SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S40/00 — Safety or protection arrangements of solar heat collectors; Preventing malfunction of solar heat collectors
- F24S40/20 — Cleaning; Removing snow
- H — ELECTRICITY
- H02 — GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02S — GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
- H02S40/00 — Components or accessories in combination with PV modules, not provided for in groups H02S10/00. H02S30/00
- H02S40/10 — Cleaning arrangements
- B — PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08 — CLEANING
- B08B — CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B1/00 — Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools, brushes, or analogous members
- B08B1/001 — Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools, brushes, or analogous members characterised by the type of cleaning tool
- B08B1/002 — Brushes
- B — PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08 — CLEANING
- B08B — CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B1/00 — Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools, brushes, or analogous members
- B08B1/04 — Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools, brushes, or analogous members using rotary operative members
- F — MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24 — HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S — SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S50/00 — Arrangements for controlling solar heat collectors
- Y — GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02 — TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E — REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00 — Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/40 — Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y — GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02 — TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E — REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00 — Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50 — Photovoltaic [PV] energy
Abstract
This system comprises:. longitudinal rails (1). cleaning brushes (3). a drive unit (2) mounted with possibility of linear displacement along the longitudinal rails (1) and provided with at least one motor element (4) for the rotational actuation of the cleaning brushes (3) and the movement of said cleaning brushes (3), together with the drive unit (2), along the longitudinal rails (1). an electric control panel (5) and. a rain sensor (6) for the automatic start-up of the drive unit (2).
Description
Currently, the use of solar panels for the collection of solar energy is a common practice. Obviously, these solar panels are installed outdoors in order to achieve a direct impact from the solar light, and when dealing with facilities of a certain scope, in the countryside or rural areas.
Given that solar panels are kept at a slope, which can be variable or fixed, dust and particles in suspension are left on the surface of the panel, forming a layer or film which makes the impact of the solar rays on the surface of the solar panel difficult and consequently considerably reduces its performance.
In order to achieve an optimal performance of the solar panel it is necessary to clean it periodically and eliminate the dirt accumulated thereupon. This operation is currently carried out manually, which poses several drawbacks, such as: high maintenance personnel costs, risk of accidents of the operators who have to use ladders or other lifting means to access the surface of the panel and the drawback of transporting tools and water or other cleaning products to the area where the panels are located.
In order to solve the previously mentioned problems, the automatic solar panel cleaning system object of the invention has been invented, which features constructive special features aimed at permitting its assembly on the support structure, fixed or mobile, of the solar panel and to carry out the cleaning of the solar panel automatically and without the intervention of operators, using rain water for said purpose. This system provides advantages of use; whereamongst should be mentioned a considerable reduction in the cleaning costs of the solar panels and the maintenance of the clean panels, which optimizes its performance.
In order to do that, and in accordance with the invention, this system comprises: longitudinal rails intended to be fastened exteriorly on opposite sides of the support structure, so that said rails are disposed on a plane parallel to the solar panel. cleaning brushes positioned transversally with respect to the longitudinal rails and mounted with possibility of rotation with respect to a drive unit. a drive unit mounted with possibility of linear displacement along the longitudinal rails and provided with at least one motor element for the rotational actuation of the brushes and the movement of said cleaning brushes, together with the drive unit, along the longitudinal rails. an electric control panel and. a rain sensor that sends a signal to the electric control panel and causes the start-up of the drive unit when it receives rain water.
The longitudinal rails are fastened by means of supports suitable in each case to the support structure of the panel, said longitudinal rails defining the alternative movement direction of the drive unit and the cleaning brushes.
In accordance with the invention, the cleaning brushes form at least one alignment which covers the existing distance between the two longitudinal rails, or what is the same, the total width of the solar panel, so that when the brushes move along the rails due to the action of the drive unit, said brushes will clean the entire surface of the panel in a single passing.
According to the invention, the drive unit is connected to at least one of the longitudinal rails by means of a linear displacement transmission mechanism.
This transmission mechanism is in charge of causing the linear or longitudinal displacement of the drive unit and the cleaning brushes along the rails when said drive unit enters into operation. Said linear displacement transmission mechanism can be a rack and pinion mechanism or of any other type, since that does not change the essence of the invention.
Nevertheless, depending on the average rainfall in the installation area of the solar panels, the electronic control panel also permits the programming of additional cleanings during summertime or long periods of drought, so that the brushes make a dry sweep of the dust gathered on the solar panel, improving the performance of the panels.
In inoperative position, the cleaning brushes and the drive unit will be disposed at one of the ends of the longitudinal rails so that they do not interfere in the impact of the solar rays on the panel. When the system enters into operation the cleaning rollers begin rotating and advancing due to the action of the drive unit along the longitudinal rails, said rollers actuating on the entirety of the surface of the panel. During the work cycle, said cleaning rollers can perform one of more paths along the rails, depending on the parameters of the work cycle introduced previously in the electric control panel, finally remaining positioned at one of the ends of the rails.
In the event that the system has been activated by the rain sensor, after performing the cleaning cycle, the system will remain inactive for a pre-established time, preventing the rain sensor from activating it again during said period of time.
In order to complement the description being carried out and with the aim of helping towards the understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present specification is accompanied with a set of drawings wherein the following, in an illustrative and non-limitative manner, has been represented:
In the example of embodiment shown in the figures, the automatic solar panel cleaning system comprises longitudinal rails (1) whereupon is mounted a drive unit (2) with possibility of alternative linear displacement.
Said drive unit (2) is bearer of cleaning brushes (3), appreciably cylindrical which form an alignment positioned transversally with respect to the longitudinal rails (1), covering the existing space between said rails.
In the example shown, the drive unit (2) comprises two motors (2) which, when activated simultaneously cause the rotation of the cleaning brushes (3) and the linear displacement of the assembly formed by the cleaning brushes (3) and the drive unit (2) along the longitudinal rails (1).
The motors (4) of the drive unit are connected to the longitudinal rails (1) by means of transmission mechanisms for the linear displacement of the drive unit (2) along the rails. In this example of embodiment the transmission mechanisms are composed of two pinions (41) actuated by the motors (4) and respective racks (11) fastened to the longitudinal rails (1).
The simultaneous actuation of the motors (4) guarantees a linear displacement of the drive unit (2) and the cleaning brushes (3) in a perfectly parallel direction to the longitudinal rails, which facilitates the guided movement of the drive unit on said longitudinal rails (1).
The system additionally comprises an electric control panel (5) for the activation and de-activation of the drive unit (2) and a rain sensor (6) connected to the aforementioned electric control panel (5).
When the rain detector (6) receives rain water it sends a signal to the electric control panel (5), automatically causing the start-up of the drive unit (2) and consequently the advancement of the drive unit (2) along the longitudinal rails (1) and the rotation of the cleaning brushes (3) which use the rain water to carry out the cleaning of that solar panel (7) whereon the cleaning system is installed.
The assembly of the system is carried out by fastening the longitudinal rails (1) by means of suitable supports to the support structure of the solar panel (7) in question, so that the cleaning brushes (3) are parallel to the solar panel (7) and make contact during the operation of the system on the upper surface of said solar panel (7), performing the cleaning thereof.
The nature of the invention having been sufficiently described, as well as a preferred example of embodiment, it should be mentioned for the appropriate purposes that the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements described can be modified, as long as that does not mean an alteration of the essential characteristics of the invention, which is claimed below.
Claims ( 4 )
Automatic solar panel cleaning system; characterized in that it comprises:. longitudinal rails (1) intended to be fastened exteriorly on opposite sides of the support structure of the solar panel (7), on a plane parallel to said solar panel (7). cleaning brushes (3) positioned transversally with respect to the longitudinal rails (1) and mounted with possibility of rotation with respect to a drive unit (2). a drive unit (2) mounted with possibility of linear displacement along the longitudinal rails (1) and provided with at least one motor element (1) for the rotational actuation of the cleaning brushes (3) and the movement of said cleaning brushes (3), together with the drive unit (2), along the longitudinal rails (1). an electric control panel (5) and. a rain sensor (6) that sends a signal to the electric control panel (5) and causes the start-up of the drive unit (2) when it receives rain water.
System, according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning brushes (3) form at least one alignment which covers the distance existing between the two longitudinal rails (1).
System, according to previous claims, characterized in that the drive unit (2) is connected to at least one of the longitudinal rails by means of a transmission mechanism which causes the linear displacement of the drive unit (2) along the longitudinal rails (1) when said drive unit (2) is activated.
System, according to claim 3, characterized in that the transmission mechanism comprises at least one pinion (41) actuated by a motor (4) and a rack (11) fastened to one of the longitudinal guides (1).
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| ES200702658A ES2322745B1 ( en ) | 2007-10-09 | 2007-10-09 | AUTOMATIC SOLAR PANEL CLEANING SYSTEM. |
Family Applications (1)
| EP08380284A Withdrawn EP2048455A3 ( en ) | 2007-10-09 | 2008-10-07 | Automatic solar panel cleaning system |
Cited By (62)
| US20100293729A1 ( en ) | 2009-05-19 | 2010-11-25 | Chang Chi Lee | Cleaning apparatus for solar panels |
| US20110000525A1 ( en ) | 2009-07-03 | 2011-01-06 | Wu Wenxiang | Solar energy panel frame and installation system device thereof |
| ITTO20090741A1 ( en ) | 2009-09-30 | 2011-04-01 | Attilio Ricchetti | SOLAR PANEL UNIT WITH CLEANING DEVICE AND FLUID CLEANING GROUP INCLUDING SUCH SOLAR PANEL UNIT |
| DE102009060518A1 ( en ) | 2009-12-23 | 2011-06-30 | Mann Hummel GmbH, 71638 | Solar system has multiple flat or slightly curved solar mirrors, particularly flat mirrors, which are rotatably supported around rotational axis |
| ITPE20100010A1 ( en ) | 2010-03-18 | 2011-09-19 | Emidio Spinosi | BRUSHED AUTOMATED SYSTEM TO WASH PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES DURING OPERATION. |
| CN102280498A ( en ) | 2011-07-04 | 2011-12-14 | 上海电力学院 | Intelligent cleaning system for solar photovoltaic photo-thermal panel |
| EP2437001A1 ( en ) | 2010-10-01 | 2012-04-04 | Fachhochschule Regensburg | Service device for cleaning and maintenance of a solar panel arrangement |
| ITMC20100102A1 ( en ) | 2010-10-18 | 2012-04-19 | Cristian Leonardi | DEVICE FOR CLEANING SOLAR PANELS. |
| WO2011128085A3 ( en ) | 2010-04-13 | 2012-08-09 | Solar Power Group Gmbh | Solar installation comprising a transport device |
| EP2515348A1 ( en ) | 2011-04-21 | 2012-10-24 | Helios Tech., a.s. | Mechanical device for increasing the power of photovoltaic panels |
| ITPR20110053A1 ( en ) | 2011-06-17 | 2012-12-18 | Mario Fontana | DEVICE AND METHOD OF CLEANING A PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL |
| ITPR20110054A1 ( en ) | 2011-06-17 | 2012-12-18 | Mario Fontana | CLEANING DEVICE FOR A PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL |
| EP2549199A1 ( en ) | 2011-07-21 | 2013-01-23 | Giancarlo Cannizzo | Automatic cleaning device for a solar panel |
| ITTO20110717A1 ( en ) | 2011-08-02 | 2013-02-03 | Ferrari S R L | SYSTEM FOR CLEANING SOLAR PANELS. |
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| US20100293729A1 ( en ) | 2009-05-19 | 2010-11-25 | Chang Chi Lee | Cleaning apparatus for solar panels |
| US20110000525A1 ( en ) | 2009-07-03 | 2011-01-06 | Wu Wenxiang | Solar energy panel frame and installation system device thereof |
| ITTO20090741A1 ( en ) | 2009-09-30 | 2011-04-01 | Attilio Ricchetti | SOLAR PANEL UNIT WITH CLEANING DEVICE AND FLUID CLEANING GROUP INCLUDING SUCH SOLAR PANEL UNIT |
| DE102009060518A1 ( en ) | 2009-12-23 | 2011-06-30 | Mann Hummel GmbH, 71638 | Solar system has multiple flat or slightly curved solar mirrors, particularly flat mirrors, which are rotatably supported around rotational axis |
| DE102009060518B4 ( en ) | 2009-12-23 | 2011-11-10 | Mann Hummel Gmbh | Solar system with solar mirrors |
| ITPE20100010A1 ( en ) | 2010-03-18 | 2011-09-19 | Emidio Spinosi | BRUSHED AUTOMATED SYSTEM TO WASH PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES DURING OPERATION. |
| WO2011128085A3 ( en ) | 2010-04-13 | 2012-08-09 | Solar Power Group Gmbh | Solar installation comprising a transport device |
| US11560125B2 ( en ) | 2010-04-23 | 2023-01-24 | Steam Tech, Llc | Surface wiper system |
| US10994703B2 ( en ) | 2010-04-23 | 2021-05-04 | Steam Tech, Llc | Surface wiper system |
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Assessing vibrations in solar modules due to robot cleaning
Qatari researchers have looked at the degree to which cleaning robots could threaten the physical integrity of solar panels. They found that cleaning machines have a very minimal impact and that modules of similar sizes tend to exhibit roughly the same amount of vibration.
Image: Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute
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Scientists at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), part of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), have tried to assess the mechanical stress to which solar modules are exposed during robotic cleaning operations.
“One specific concern is vibration – how much do the modules shake as a robot brushes them,” researcher Ben Figgis told pv magazine. “We found that the key factor was how large the modules were and that, regardless of differences in glass thickness and framing, modules with similar sizes tended to exhibit roughly the same amount of vibration.”
The study identifies the threshold of deflection at which solar cell damage can occur. The scientists set up an experimental setting at the QEERI testing facility in Doha and ran several tests on five crystalline silicon panels and on a thin-film module based on copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) tech. All of the panels were south-oriented and mounted in landscape orientation, with a tilt angle of 22 degrees.
“The modules had various frame thicknesses, so to achieve the same height of the module upper surface spacers were added beneath the frames of some modules, at the clamps,” they explained. “The thin-film CIGS, module F, was mounted with clamps on vertical metal profiles, also bringing its front surface to the same height as the other modules.”
For their experiments, the academics used a linear rotating dry-brush robot provided by Saudi manufacturer Nomadd Desert Solar Solutions. “ The vibration re sults observed in this study are particular to the robot used, and other robots are likely to produce different vibrations,” they warned. “Each module was measured three times, i.e. with three robot passes in one direction, on non-windy days.”
The research group found that displacements of the modules from their neutral position, or deflection magnitudes, under robot cleaning were “very small” for all panels.
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“ There was moderate consistency in the severity and number of vi brations over the three robot passes that were conducted for each module,” they said, noting that the robot does not pose a threat to the modules. “Overall, it seems the main factor in a module’s vibration amplitude is its size.”
The scientists also determined that an hour of strong wind made the panels vibrate more than when exposed to the cleaning robot.
“This reinforces the earlier conclusion that this particular robot seems unlikely to be a risk for flexing-related PV module degradation, because natural wind has a stronger influence;” they said.
They presented their findings in “ PV module vibration by robotic cleaning,” which was recently published in Solar Energy.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
Emiliano Bellini
Emiliano joined pv magazine in March 2017. He has been reporting on solar and renewable energy since 2009.
How To Clean Solar Panels (DIY Tips Advice)
It’s 6 am on a Sunday morning. You’re lying in bed, half-asleep, but you just can’t wait to kick off your day by getting stuck into some solar panel cleaning. Sound familiar? We didn’t think so. Let’s be honest, the idea of cleaning solar panels isn’t exactly exciting, but they are a long-term investment. As such, they require long-term maintenance, especially if you want to get your money’s worth. At some point, you’ll have to decide whether you want to go the DIY route or if you want to make extra room in your monthly budget for a professional solar panel cleaning company. If you’ve chosen to go the DIY route, there is plenty to consider:
- How should you clean your panels?
- Does rain help at all?
- What detergents, if any, should you use?
- How often should you clean your panels?
Unfortunately, when it comes to cleaning solar panels, there’s a lot of false information out there.
This is why we’ve decided to do a deep dive and gather all of the necessary information on solar panel cleaning on your behalf.
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How To Clean Solar Panels
Gather Your Cleaning Materials
This will include the following:
- Extendable poles
- Pressurized hose or water-fed pole
- Soft brushes. These can come as a separate attachment to your poles or as a combo.
- Angle adapters for your poles
- Anything else you may require
(Do NOT use abrasive materials, this will void your warranty)
Choose Your Time Of Day
Before you get stuck in, choose the right time of day. Solar panel cleaning should take place in the early morning or evening. Alternatively, when temperatures are below 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celcius)
Take Safety Precautions
Take all the necessary safety precautions, particularly if you work on the roof (use safety ropes or harnesses if necessary). Ensure all of your equipment is in working condition, i.e., ladders, ropes, etc.
Prep Your Cleaning Solution
Pure water, remember? If you don’t have access to this, hook your hose up to any rainwater collector that you may have. As a last resort, use your regular water, but again, this is not advised. (No soaps, no detergents!)
Bleed Your Hose
Run the water out of your hose for a bit before using it. Water that has been sitting in a hose for some time can either be too hot or too cold, depending on recent temperatures. This will prevent your panels from going into thermal shock.
Prep Your Panels
Spray them with a light mist of water before cleaning them. This will get them up to temperature.
Pre-Rinse
The pre-rinse will rinse off that top layer of dirt, dust, and debris. The water will sit there and soak into all the hard elements that are difficult to scrub off.
You might even want to let the water sit on the solar panels for 5-10 minutes to let it soak into those hard elements to let them soften up. This will make the scrubbing a lot easier
Scrub
Next, you’ll want to conduct a soft yet abrasive scrub. You don’t want to scrub too hard as solar panels have an anti-reflective coating that you don’t want to scratch.
Ideally, you’ll want to do this step with a soft, water-fed brush.
Final Rinse
Now you’ll need to follow up with a final rinse.
This will push the remaining dirt, dust, and debris off of your panels.
If you don’t do this final rinse after doing the soft abrasive scrub, you may find leftover dirt and dust in the water on your panels.
Drying
If you have used pure water to clean your solar panels, you can let them dry naturally. This is because pure water leaves behind no residue or water impurities.
Unsightly watermarks are a thing of the past!
What Are The Best Cleaning Agents For Solar Panels?
Contrary to much of the information out there, you do not need to use any form of special soap, detergent, or bleach when cleaning solar panels; it simply isn’t necessary. In fact, you should avoid it.
Soaps can leave a film or residue that encourages dirt to stick and build up quicker. Worse yet, using a harsh chemical agent while cleaning solar panels can cause scaling. This can potentially work its way under the frame and damage the silicon.
If not soaps or detergents, then what?
Pure Water
What you really want to use is pure water. You can do this by using a deionization (DI) unit, reverse osmosis (RO) unit, or a combo (DI/RO) filter.
These units excel at removing contaminants and minerals from water.
Deionization
Deionization (DI) removes total dissolved solids (TDS) from water using ion-exchange resins. This controls the electric charge of ions in the water to remove the TDS.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis (RO) works by using a high-pressure pump to increase the pressure on the salt side of the RO and force the water across the semi-permeable RO membrane. This leaves almost all (around 95% to 99%) of dissolved salts behind in the reject stream.
Role of DI and RO
Both deionization and reverse osmosis help to alter hard water (water with a significant amount of dissolved minerals) into water appropriate for solar panel cleaning.
This is necessary because the minerals in hard water can leave behind a residue on the panels. This causes stains or scaling that damages the panels and reduces the amount of sunlight being absorbed.
Alternative Options
But what if you don’t have the budget for these filtration systems?
You can use rainwater or tap water with low mineral content and a total hardness that is less than 75 ppm.
Ideally, though, you want water with a TDS of 0-30ppm for cleaning your solar panels. You can measure this with a TDS meter.
Water Pressure
Watch out for your water pressure; most manufacturers recommend nothing more than 40-50 lbs of pressure on PV modules. Any more can cause microfractures and/or damage the joints in the panel frame.
Water Temperature
The temperature of your water is vital when cleaning solar panels. This is because they are vulnerable to thermal shock damage.
Thermal shock damage occurs as a result of a sudden change in temperature.
Ideally, you want the temperature of your water to be similar to the temperature of your panels at the time of cleaning.
If the temperature difference is too great, you will increase the likelihood of your panels cracking or shattering.
The Proof Is In The Pudding
If you STILL aren’t convinced that pure water is the way to go, then take note of the following:
U.S.-based solar maintenance companies like Bland Company and Premier Solar Cleaning use deionized water with a rolling or vehicle-mounted brush to clean solar panels.
This allows them to do without the need for soap or harsh detergents. This is because soap leaves a residue that not only shades panels but attracts dirt.
Is Cleaning Your Solar Panels Necessary?
It’s vital that regular maintenance is carried out on your solar system — this includes cleaning.
Regular maintenance will ensure that your panels operate correctly, safely, and efficiently.
Dust, debris, vermin, bird poop, hail, snow, water stains – all of these elements your panels will have to deal with. Each of them can damage your PV system.
The following scientific experiments demonstrate the effect that dust can have on solar panel efficiency:
Experiment
Analyzed the effects of dust on the performance of PV panels by using artificial dust (mud and talcum) particles on solar panels.
Result
Reduction in the peak power generated can be up to 18%. The accumulated dust on the surface of photovoltaic solar panels can reduce the system’s efficiency by up to 50%.
Experiment
Conducted an experiment on the effect of dust on solar photovoltaic systems. Soiling losses have their largest impact during the long dry summers.
Result
The losses caused by dust accumulation were estimated to be.0.0021 per day in relative solar conversion efficiency. After the rain event in the fall, the efficiency increased to 7.1%, a similar value to that observed in the spring, further suggesting that dust had accumulated on the site.
Experiment
Studied the electrical performances of photo-voltaic panels for the effect of deposited dust particles.
Result
Results showed the following: maximum efficiency of 6.38%, minimum of 2.29% without dust, maximum efficiency of 0.64%, and minimum 0.33% with dust.
Does Rain Help Clean Your Solar Panels?
Years ago, many people, including some solar panel manufacturers, would happily tell you, “don’t use anything but rainwater.” Sadly, many solar panel owners took that information and ran with it.
While rainwater can rinse your solar panels somewhat (especially if they have a significant tilt), it is not capable of doing a good enough job on its own.
Not entirely convinced? Let’s use an analogy involving a car.
If a car is dirty and has been standing outside for some time, what would it look like after rainfall? The answer – not that much better.
Why? Because even though some of the dirt has been washed away, most of it will have just shifted to different areas of the car.
All of that dirt will accumulate and turn into muddy streaks that run down and stick to the outside of your car. The exact same thing happens to solar panels.
During rainfall, the dust and dirt begin to shift further down your solar panels, causing streaks. Even worse, it accumulates at the bottom of the solar panels, obstructing the lower cell row and hindering production efficiency.
Sure, very heavy rain may help a little bit more, but it is not a substitute for mechanical solar panel cleaning.
How Frequently Should You Clean Solar Panels?
Most professionals or manufacturers will tell you to clean your panels approximately every 6 months.
While this is a helpful guideline, the truth is that location dictates everything.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to solar panel cleaning frequency. You need to consider your immediate environment as well as the harshness of the seasons in your area.
For instance, a solar system close to the sea will require more cleaning due to the salt crust that forms on outside surfaces.
Your panels will also require extra cleaning if you’re in a particularly pollen-heavy area.
In the end, be mindful of the outside conditions and pay attention to general surfaces that are exposed to the elements. If things are looking very dirty, chances are your solar panels will be too.
Note to our readers: The best time of day to clean solar panels is in the morning or early evening when they are at a cooler temperature.
Should I Clean Them Myself Or Call Professional Solar Panel Cleaners?
While some of you enjoy going the DIY route, many would rather rely on professional solar panel cleaners.
In doing so, your solar panels are guaranteed to receive the best treatment out there. But how do you decide between the two?
Here are some things to consider:
Time Constraints
What does your schedule look like and how much free time do you have available? Cleaning solar panels is not something that you want to rush. If you don’t have the time to get the job done properly, get in touch with your local professionals.
Finances
What does your monthly budget look like? If you won’t compromise yourself financially, then it is advised to call in the experts.
Safety
Safety is so important when it comes to cleaning solar panels, as it can be hazardous, particularly when rooftop panels are involved. There is no point in having a great PV setup if you end up in a hospital while trying to clean it.
So before deciding on the route, you’d like to go, consider your age, how sprightly you are, and the setup you have – do you have ground-mounted or rooftop panels?
The answers to those questions will go a long way in determining which route is best suited to you.
Solar Panel Cleaning Tips
Time Of Day
Choose an overcast day or a time early in the morning or later in the evening to clean your panels.
Temperature
If you can’t clean during those times, pay attention to the outside temperature when cleaning. Stop when it hits 95-105 degrees Fahrenheit (35-40 degrees Celcius). These temperatures put your panels at a higher risk of cracking.
Hose Temperature
Let the water bleed through the hose first before you use it. Water that has been sitting in your hose can either be too hot or too cold. Letting it bleed will allow it to reach a more regulated temperature.
Safety
Particularly when it comes to rooftop panels, make sure that your ladder is secure before climbing it. Safety ropes or a harness are also a good idea, as rooftops can become slippery.
Slow Down
Spray your panels with a light mist of water to get them up or down to the correct temperature before cleaning.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning solar panels can be a bit tedious, but as previously mentioned, you want to ensure that your panels are consistently firing on all cylinders.
With a little time and effort, you can go to bed at night knowing that you are steadily earning your money back from what is a truly wonderful, long-term investment.
We hope that this article has gone some way in alleviating any of your concerns when it comes to solar panel cleaning.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to include them in the comment section below!
Design Development of PV Solar Panel Cleaning Mechanism Using Arduino UNO
Authors: Rohit Shinde, Akash Rajput, Akash Mane, Yograj Jadhav, Nilesh Gurav, A. P. Dhawan
From ancient times the human beings are very aware about the cleanliness of the house and the parts neighbouring to it. The solar PV modules are generally employed in dusty environments which is the case in tropical countries like India. The dust gets accumulated on the front surface of the module and blocks the incident light from the sun. It reduces the power generation capacity of the module. The power output reduces as much as by 50% if the module is not cleaned for a month. In order to regularly clean the dust, a automatic cleaning system has been designed, which senses the dust on the solar panel and also cleans the module automatically. This automated system is implemented using 8051 microcontroller which controls the DC gear motor. This mechanism consists of a sensor (LDR). While for cleaning the PV modules, a mechanism consists of a slidingbrush has been developed. A number of environmental factors such as wind speed, humidity, ambient temperature, solar radiation, atmospheric dust and direction influences the power generation process using installed solar photovoltaic modules. Dust build-up on solar module surface is an issue of great worry, particularly in desert provinces where infrequent to regular dust storms do occur. The glass cover transmittance decreases because of accretion of dust on the surface of PV module, which ultimately decreases the amount of solar irradiation reaching the cells. The dust density of the surface, orientation, the tilt angle, exposure period, dominant wind direction, and site climatic conditions determines the reduction in glass transmittance. The density of deposited dust, the composition of the dust and its particle distribution determines the effect of the effect of dust on the power output and current.voltage (I~V) characteristics of PV modules When PV modules are exposed to real outdoor condition for a long period, it was observed that the performance decreases gradually with dust build-up lest the modules are cleaned by rain or human action. The power output decreases by more than half if no cleaning is accomplished on modules that exceeds six months. Reduction in power output due to dust build-up does not depend only on the length of module exposure, but also on the occurrence and strength of dust. Subsequently, it is suggested that installed PV modules should be cleaned at least once in two weeks. Nevertheless, in the time when sandstorm occurs, immediate cleaning of the solar modules should be performed. It was observed that rainfall improved the power production of dusty solar modules, yet it cannot be trusted upon for cleaning since it is not foreseeable.
I. INTRODUCTION
Most of the applications nowadays like electricity, agriculture and industrial applications use the solar panels as an electrical power source instead of relying on the generators or the ordinary sources for electricity. The most important part of these systems is the solar panel where the solar energy is converted to heat for water heating or converted to electricity for the others. There are many types of the solar panels. In the countries those have dusty environment accumulation of dust on the solar panels leads to reduction of the transmittance of the panel. Solar desalination plants in some of the middle-east countries like the solar desalination plant of Abu Dhabi suffers from the deposition of dust on its solar plates. The effect of the accumulated dust will be reduced with the increasing of tilt angle, since the tilt angle will affect the exposure time to the sunlight also. But the best way to eliminate the effect of the accumulated dust on the solar panels is to clean the panels. Cleaning the solar panels is normally by washing which is tedious and cumbersome and also expensive in terms of the labour involved and time. In practice cleaning of solar panels should be frequently done which makes the process more laborious and expensive. Hence in this paper an innovative method of automatic cleaning of solar panel has been proposed.
A. Removal of dust using Mechanical Methods
There are different types of methods that are used to clean solar panel. Few of them are mechanical vibration, ultrasonic cleaning, scrubbing and mopping. When brushing is used for cleaning, it is mainly done with the help of brush or scrubber. In these systems a brush is driven by using a machine, which are similar to automobile wipers. But this cleaning method is not that efficient because of the sticky nature and small size of the dust particle. It is also seen that difficult and harsh working condition of the solar power plant make the maintenance of these machines difficult. Also the solar power plant is present over a very large area which makes this cleaning method expensive and inefficient. The process of blowing of air on the surface of the solar panel is an effective method but it has some negative features such as low efficiency, huge energy usage and difficulty in maintenance of blower arrangement.
II. OBJECTIVE
Objective’s of the solar cleaning mechanism is,
- Design a mechanism to detect obstructions on solar panels causing significant loss of power
- Design a cleaning mechanism that runs across the length of the panel
- Improve overall solar panel efficiency. Enables the cleaning mechanism once an obstruction has been detected Is able to distinguish between whether the obstruction is partially shading the panel or not (e.g. complete Cloud shading)
III. LITERATURE SERVEY
In this chapter a brief theoretical background will be given in order to define the problem. First the FOCUS will lay on the working of the photovoltaic cell. Next this chapter will go deeper into the mechanisms of soiling and degradation as it is important to know what has to be done for cleaning purposes. Lastly there will be a brief comparison of existing cleaning robots pointing out their weaknesses and strengths.
For solar power to be efficient, elimination of some environmental effects is needed. This section will discuss the PVs’ efficiency which is influenced by the environment, especially the effects of dust. The previous automatic cleaning methods that were used have been evaluated with the purpose of developing an i7 cleaning robot which will be efficient at removing dust and pollen from the PV panel’s surface. As Thames wants to be a renewable energy township, and as its locality is near the sea, tourism is especially important to the town in the summer months. The map of Thames location on the Coromandel Peninsula is shown in Figure 2-1. There are a lot of renewable energy projects for the township currently being undertaken. The largest renewable energy project is to install PV panels for most houses and businesses. As this project is located in Thames, there are some environmental effects on PVs’ output, which are sea salt, bird dropping and pollen, as Thames faces the sea and is surrounded by forest (B. Stanton (personal communication, 6 November 2013)).
IV. PROBLEM STATEMENT
A number of environmental factors such as wind speed, humidity, ambient temperature, solar radiation, atmospheric dust and direction influences the power generation process using installed solar photovoltaic modules. Dust build-up on solar module surface is an issue of great worry, particularly in desert provinces where infrequent to regular dust storms do occur. The glass cover transmittance decreases because of accretion of dust on the surface of PV module, which ultimately decreases the amount of solar irradiation reaching the cells. The dust density of the surface, orientation, the tilt angle, exposure period, dominant wind direction, and site climatic conditions determines the reduction in glass transmittance. The density of deposited dust, the composition of the dust and its particle distribution determines the effect of the effect of dust on the power output and current.voltage (I~V) characteristics of PV modules
When PV modules are exposed to real outdoor condition for a long period, it was observed that the performance decreases gradually with dust build-up lest the modules are cleaned by rain or human action. The power output decreases by more than half if no cleaning is accomplished on modules that exceeds six months. Reduction in power output due to dust build-up does not depend only on the length of module exposure, but also on the occurrence and strength of dust. Subsequently, it is suggested that installed PV modules should be cleaned at least once in two weeks.
Nevertheless, in the time when sandstorm occurs, immediate cleaning of the solar modules should be performed. It was observed that rainfall improved the power production of dusty solar modules, yet it cannot be trusted upon for cleaning since it is not foreseeable.
V. WOEKING PRINCIPLE
When a photovoltaic cell is exposed to sunlight it absorbs the photon’s hitting the semiconducting materials. Electrons are excited and move up to a higher molecular or atomic orbital. To dissipate the extra energy, the electron can either go back to it’s original orbital, converting the excess energy into heat, or it can travel through the material to an electrode, thereby cancelling the potential. Regardless of the size, a cell will generate roughly 0.45 volts DC. This implies that the available power generated by the cell will be strictly dependent on the area of the cell that is irradiated by the sun and the material used for the absorption of the photons. To reach higher voltages, cells are installed in series. The types of cells that are commercially available today can be divided into 3 main groups
- Crystalline silicon cells: by far the most used bulk material for PV cells.
- Thin Film cells: heavier but have a smaller ecological footprint.
- Multijunction cells: still experimental, originally only used in space but terrestrial solar concentrators make them effective on earth now as well.
These three types can all be divided into different subgroups, using different materials and methods dependent on the spectrum available and the cost-effectiveness of the cells. The two most used materials are monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon cells. The first has a higher efficiency but is also more expensive compared to poly cells. However, due to technological improvement, the price of mono cells has decreased and it’s application has grown again. The output power of a cell is the product of the solar intensity (I ≈ 100mW/cm2 ) and the conversion efficiency of the cell being around 16% for crystalline silicon cells. In 2014, scientists at the University of Cambridge succeeded at making solar cells based on a hybrid material that has an efficiency of 95% proving there is still a serious improvement potential. To protect the cells against the wear and tear of the operational environment, it gets encapsulated with a material (most often glass or polycarbonate) that has both good optical qualities in terms of transmittance and provide protection from impact, humidity, etc. Lastly they get hermetically closed off with silicone.
VI. PRAPOSED WORK IN MECHANISM
A. Design Development of PV Solar Panel Cleaning Mechanism
Specification of proposed mechanism
These machines are small enough to operate semiautomatic.
b. Power:- Solar powered battery.
c. Overall dimensions(Tentative): 600mm x 400mm approx.
d. Job capacity- within 5 min
The machine consists of a mechanism and chain drive and arduino timer and relay circuit.
Analysis of different critical parts of mechanism
Selection of materials and drives.
This project will undergo through following six phases.
a. Phase I : Literature Survey
A detailed literature survey will be carried out in the related area. Majorly the selected project is come under industrial field influence, So In this phase we will do small scale industrial visits, Feedbacks and problems faced by vendors.
b. Phase II: Concept Generation
In this phase, we are going to do schematic arrangement design and drawing of major component which we can use for completion of our project. In this phase we will generate the schematic drawing on the basis of problem statement and feedback and suggestion received from end customer and vendors.
c. Phase III: Design calculations
In this phase we are going to do the design calculations by referring the standards, catalogue and reference books. In this work we will finalise the design and components dimensions. We are also select the material according to parts and components fuction and loading conditions. In this phase we will decide the size and shape of components and its position in the assembly. Also we will decide the limit and tolerance between components and alos machining methods required to select to manufacture the components.
d. Phase III: Preparation of Drawings
In this phase we are going to prepare the design. The suitable component and assembly drawings will be prepared which will help visualize the actual project set up. In this phase we will prepare the drawing as per industrial format.
e. Phase IV: Structural Analysis of the Critical Components
In this phase we will do analysis of one components which is under critical loading condition. And by doing analysis we can decide the final dimensions and material of the component.
(01) Manufacturing of various components and subassemblies will be carried out by using suitable manufacturing processes.
(02) The components will be assembled per the drawing.
(03) Working trials of the project will be conducted to confirm and testing parameters (Time and speed) we will decide for to get best quality of product.
g. Phase VI: Experimental Investigations (Actual Field Trial)
The fabricated mechanism will be tested for the suitability to the intended application. This experimental testing will include the testing of machine at actual site.
VII. CONSTRUCTION WORKING
A. Arduino Microcontroller
Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software. Arduino boards are able to read inputs – light on a sensor, a finger on a button, or a message – and turn it into an output – activating a motor, turning on an LED, publishing something online. One can command the board what to do by sending a set of instructions to the microcontroller on the board.
Features Of Arduino Uno Board
- The operating voltage is 5V
- The recommended input voltage will range from 7v to 12V
- The input voltage ranges from 6v to 20V
- Digital input/output pins are 14
- Analog i/p pins are 6
- DC Current for each input/output pin is 40 mA
- DC Current for 3.3V Pin is 50 mA
- Flash Memory is 32 KB
Ten most common rooftop solar safety risks
Clean Energy Associates found a myriad of problems at solar installations around the world, noting that because most are caused by poor installation practices, many can be identified and resolved relatively easily before they lead to fires, safety risks and potentially costly liabilities.
CEA engineer performing a rooftop inspection.
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From pv magazine USA
Clean Energy Associaties, a clean energy advisory company, performed over 600 safety audits at sites all over the world and found that 97% had safety concerns.
The vast majority of these hazards are caused by poor installation practices, according to CEA. This means most of them can be identified and resolved relatively easily before they lead to fires, safety risks and potentially costly liabilities.
The top ten safety concerns include:
- Grounding issues
- Damaged modules
- Cross-mated connectors
- Poor terminations
- Improperly assembled connectors
- Module hotspots
- Cables on sharp edges
- Broken/damaged connectors
- Water ingress
- Enclosure hotspots
Nearly half of the sites surveyed had damaged modules caused by incorrect installation or cleaning methods, extreme weather, electrical short circuits in the module or heavy soiling on the modules. And while damaged modules can cause underperformance, they can also cause electrical faults, shock hazards and fire safety risk.
Cross-mated connectors were found in 41% of the sites. This typically occurs due to installer error or a lack of understanding UL-listed connector pairings, or the use of incorrect installation techniques. It can also happen when field-made connectors don’t match the module connector. The effect can be water intrusion or corrosion. Or it can potentially lead to fire from arcing in the connector housing.
Poor terminations were seen at 40% of the sites. The issue can be caused by untrained technicians using the wrong crimp, wrong die, poor wire stripping and/or trimming methods. Poor terminations can arc to one another or to wire clippings within the inverter housing. This can also increase heat at the terminal, causing safety and longevity concerns.
Improperly assembled connectors were found at 40% of the inspected sites, another risk possibly caused by untrained workers or lack of standards. The problem cannot be identified during a visual inspection and requires thermal imaging (shown below) or destructive testing. Left unchecked, poorly assembled connectors can cause extreme thermal signatures that result in safety and reliability issues.
Module hotspots were found in 31% of sites. Hotspots can be caused by manufacturing defects, module shading or soiling or damage during shipment. This issue can lead to voltage mismatch between modules, causing string underperformance. If the modules get too hot they can melt the backsheet, potentially causing arcing or fire.
Cables rubbing against sharp edges were found at 27% of sites surveyed. This can be caused by untrained workers or by weather variations. The expansion and contraction that takes place through seasonal heat changes can cause enough movement to allow sharp edges to eventually cut through the cable installation. Once the conducts is exposed, a short circuit can develop and may lead to fire.
Broken and damaged connectors were found in just over one-quarter of sites. While this can be cause by untrained workers or lack of standards, it can also be caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight, rain, etc.
All installations are expected to resist a certain level of water from rain and snow, however, water ingress was found to be an issue at 26% of sites. This can be caused by improperly installed equipment covers, missing or damaged conduit seals or missing weep holes, leaving no way for water to exit enclosures. Electrical failure and potential thermal events can result, caused by compromised component protection or the creation of unintended electrical paths.
Enclosure hotspots were identified at 19% of sites. These hotspots can be caused by installation problems or from faulty fuses or unsafe system operation. The issue can affect production output, or can risk component breakdown and electrical failure.
Co-authors Chris Chappell, CEA’s senior director of engineering services, and Ankil Sanghvi, engineering manager, will discuss these findings and their experiences inspecting solar rooftops for some of the largest retailers in the U.S. at 1 p.m. EDT June 29, on a free webcast, “From Sunlight to Spotlight: Avoiding Fire Hazards in Your Rooftop Solar Installations.”
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Anne Fischer
Anne Fischer is a senior editor at pv magazine USA. Anne is a seasoned writer, editor, and journalist.