Solar Panel Washer

[Dhar]

Hi folks,

 

I was asked at work to create a device that would wash solar panels. A dusty solar panel can have an efficiency reduction of 40%. The forensic lab [attachmentid=17841] that is under my care (I'm a stationary building engineer), has the whole roof covered with photovoltaic (solar) panels that generates its own electricity (under optimum conditions). Cleaning the dust from such a massive solar farm proved to be difficult, so, I devised this hi-pressure water sprayer that guides itself on the panel and the operator simply pushes the pressure line up and down the panels.

 

This is a simple illustration I made this week, (roughly 9 total hours), tha tillustrates how this machine is supposed to work.

 

The dust is a simply material on a grid with bones, placed on top of each panel, that hide under the panel after the washer passes over.

 

Thanks to johnl3d, Heath Hash & James Hash for their help on this project.

Solar_Panel_Washer.mov

[noewjook]

Simple but effectife !

That counts twice , one for the animation solution and one for the panel cleaning thing.

[ddustin]

Nice job, nothing sell an idea like an animation.

 

David

[MMZ_TimeLord]

More a curiosity question than anything... How does the operator clean the last section of the top panel in the series? Seems the sprayer is a ways from the edge. Does the unit roll until the first set of wheels goes off the edge? I guess that question would also apply to the beginning of the panel in the series too...

 

Other than that... great animation Dhar!

[Dhar]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your comments. Nothing fancy about this animation, very much business :/

 

You got it Jody, that's one of the reasons why it has 3 axles.

[Rodney]

Very cool Dhar.

Such simple yet effective use of animation.

 

Outstanding work... I want to see the real thing in action too!

[johnl3d]

Glad I almost helped...

[robcat2075]

Hey, that looks good.

 

Did you ever consider a brush like those car-duster things? Would save on water.

 

Cleaning the dust from such a massive solar farm proved to be difficult

Try to hire a cleaning lady these days and the first thing they say is "I don't do rooftop solar panels."

[Dhar]

Glad I almost helped...

 

Don't sell yourself short John, you helped a lot. Heath & James helped me see what I was overlooking.

 

Did you ever consider a brush like those car-duster things? Would save on water.

 

Yes I did, the problem is it gets hard to control after 10 feet. Those panels are 30 feet up.

 

I want to see the real thing in action too!

 

I'll be sure to post it once it's finished.

[Stuart Rogers]

(I'm a stationary building engineer)

I'm a stationary engineer too - so stationary my colleagues often think I'm asleep at my desk.

Cleaning the dust from such a massive solar farm proved to be difficult, so, I devised this hi-pressure water sprayer that guides itself on the panel and the operator simply pushes the pressure line up and down the panels.

How do water smears affect efficiency? If it's noticeable you could always guide the waste water down the wheel channels. (Maybe you do and chose not to animate this.) If there's a water shortage you could also collect that used water and filter it before pumping it up for re-use.

Yes I did, the problem is it gets hard to control after 10 feet. Those panels are 30 feet up.

How do you safely move the trolley ffrom one column to the next? Given some clever animatronics and the budget of NASA you could design a system that hops from column to column all by itself.

[DanCBradbury]

Your machine seems very long. If it always stays on the roof, would it not cover a large part of one of the panels? I think a very long very narrow device that spans all the rows of solar panels would be much easier to design, because you would not need to develop some way for the machine to turn and move onto the other rows.

[Dhar]

How do water smears affect efficiency? If it's noticeable you could always guide the waste water down the wheel channels. (Maybe you do and chose not to animate this.) If there's a water shortage you could also collect that used water and filter it before pumping it up for re-use.

 

How do you safely move the trolley ffrom one column to the next? Given some clever animatronics and the budget of NASA you could design a system that hops from column to column all by itself.

 

The water will simply run down the panel, onto the roof and into the roof drain. Water shortage was not mentioned when I was asked to make this device, although, you make a valid point. California had its share of water shortages in past summers and this issue may come up again in the next water shortage. Mind you, this device will mostly be used during non-rainy season, the other time the panels are washed by the rain.

 

This trolly is 24" long and 36" wide. Each row will get an up-wash and a down-wash, then the operator simply pick it up, place it on the next panel and repeat. It would be nice to haveNASA's budget to create one that operates with the push of a button and clean the whole farm in five minutes, but, this is county mindset, penny wise and pound foolish