SOLAR PANEL CLEANER

A project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for

the 5th semester of the degree of

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY

in

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Submitted by

Rohit Kamra
(21001007507)

Under the Supervision of

Dr. SAKSHI KALRA

Department of Electrical
Engineering Faculty of
Engineering and Technology
J.C. Bose University of Science and Technology, YMCA,
Faridabad, Haryana-121006
DECEMBER 2022
 DECLARATION

We Rohit Kamra and hereby certify that the work which is being presented in this project report
entitled “SOLAR PANEL CLEANER”, in partial fulfillment of requirements for the 5th
semester of degree of BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY in ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING,
submitted to the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology,
J.C. Bose University of Science and Technology, YMCA, Faridabad, Haryana-121006 is an
authentic record of my work carried out during period from September, 2022 to December, 2022,
under the supervision of Dr. SAKSHI KALRA. I have not submitted the matter presented in this
project report to any other University/Institute for the award of B.Tech. or any degree or diploma.

ROHIT KAMRA
(21001007507)

(ii)
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project entitled “SOLAR PANEL CLEANER” submitted to
Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, J.C. Bose
University of Science and Technology, YMCA, Faridabad, Haryana-121006 by Dr. SAKSHI
KALRA in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the 5th semester of degree of BACHELOR
OF TECHNOLOGY in ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, is a bonafide work carried out by Rohit
karma under my supervision and guidance. This project work comprises of original work and has
not been submitted anywhere else for any other degree to the best of my knowledge.

Project Supervisor
Dr. Sakshi Kalra
Asst. Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering
J.C. Bose UST, YMCA
Faridabad

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We are overwhelmed in all humbleness and gratefulness to acknowledge our depth to all those
who have helped us to put these ideas, well above the level of simplicity and into something
concrete. We would like to express our special thanks of gratitude to our honorable, esteemed
guide, Dr. Sakshi kalra, Professor & Dean (R & D), Dept. Of Electrical Engineering. His
endless patience, guidance, continual encouragement, constant and energetic supervision,
constructive criticism and valuable advice have made it possible to complete this project. Any
attempt at any level can 't be satisfactorily completed without the support and guidance of our
mentor. We would like to thank our friends & course-mate, who took part in this project and
helped us a lot while completing the circuit design work. Lastly, We express our heartily regards
to our parents whose blessings have always been a continuous source of inspiration to engage
ourselves in higher pursuits.

ROHIT KAMRA

(iv)
 ABSTRACT
Solar power generation has become one of the main sources of power resources, but solar power
stations are mostly built in desert areas with large wind and sand, and solar panel arrays need to
be cleaned frequently to ensure power generation efficiency. 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, an automatic cleaning system has
been designed, which senses the dust on the solar panel and also cleans the module
automatically. In terms of daily energy generation, the presented automatic- cleaning scheme
provides about 30% more energy output when compared to the dust accumulated PV module.

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 CONTENTS

Declaration ii

Certificate iii
Acknowledgment iv
Table of contents v
Abstract vi
List of Figures vii
List of Tables viii
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO SOLAR PANEL CLEANER 1
1.1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.2 APPLICATION 1
1.3 LITERATURE SURVEY 2
CHAPTER 2 OBJECTIVE AND MATERIAL USED 3
2.1 INTRODUCTION 3
2.2 DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS 3
CHAPTER 3 WORKING OF SOLAR PANEL CLEANER 15
3.1 INTRODUCTION 15
3.2 WORKING 15
3.3 GLIMPS
CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK
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4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK

ANNEXURE 13
REFERENCES 14

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 LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE NO. FIGURE NAME PAGE NO.

Figure 1 FRAME
Figure 2 GEAR MOTOR
Figure 3 SWITCH
Figure 4 WIRE
Figure 5 AC ADAPTER
Figure 6 SOLAR PANEL
Figure 7 ROLLER
Figure 8 AXLE/ SHAFT
Figure 9 BEARING
Figure 10 SPROCKET
Figure 11 CHAIN
Figure 12 ARC WELDING
MACHINE
Figure 13 DRILLING MACHINE
Figure 14 METAL CUTTING
MACHINE
Figure 15 MEASURING TAPE
Figure 16 JUNCTION BOX
Figure 17 CONNECTION OF
SOLAR PANEL
CLEANER
Figure 18 FLOW CHART OF
SOLAR PANEL
CLEANER
Figure 19 VIEW OF SOLAR
PANEL CLEANER
Figure 20 I-V
CHARACTERISTICS

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 LIST OF TABLES

Sr. no. Title Page no.

Table 1 Equipment used 5

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO SOLAR PANEL CLEANER

1.1 INTRODUCTION

There is more than enough solar radiation available around the world to satisfy the demand for
solar power systems. The proportion of the sun’s rays that reach the earth’s surface is enough to
provide for global energy consumption 10,000 times over. On average, each square meter of land
is exposed to enough sunlight to produce 1,700 kWh of power every year. Solar Panel has a huge
effect on our world. It can helps our environment to be better without using other power
generation plants that can harm the environment, but solar power plant needs to be cleaned at least
every 3 days. It generally depends on the country for example in the Middle East, it needs to be
cleaned every day so it will cost so much. There are a lot of techniques for cleaning the solar
panels; our idea is to design a smart solar panel that cleans itself automatically and remotely in
order to maintain a high level of efficiency of the solar panel.

Advantages:

1.Increases the efficiency

2.Avoids the damage of solar plate strip
3.Working principle is quite easy
4.It is an efficient art.

Disadvantages:
1.Manual assistance is required
2.Maintainance of brush is required
3.Difficult to transfer from one string to another.

1.2 APPLICATIONS

1.2.1 Solar Park

1.2.2 Solar Water Plants
1.2.3 Solar house

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1.3 LITERATURE SURVEY

As accumulation of dust on the PV panel reduces its transmittance which results in the reduction of
the power output, thus resulting in loss of power generation. At a point of time density of dust
increases to level where power output declines to the extent which is not able to support its vital
functions. Further this problem has also resulted in huge losses for the solar power plant operators
which suffer from reduced power output because of frequent dust storms. Most widely used method
of cleaning the solar panels is through the manual labour. Apart from being time taking and
cumbersome, there is also a risk of damage to the expensive solar panels by the unskilled labour
which is involved in this method. The purpose of this project is to develop a semi-automatic self-
cleaning mechanism for cleaning the solar panel so that the process can become more reliable and
fast, thus increasing the power output of the solar power plant.

Various technologies being developed around the world for self-cleaning of solar panels are
discussed below:

 Removal of dust using Mechanical Methods:

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.. The factors that are considered in this process include driving methodologies.

 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Solar panels work by allowing light into the solar cells. The more light that hits a panel, the more
power it will generate. Due to the upwards angle of solar panels, they are more prone to bird
droppings and a build-up of general dust, sand, moss and dirt that does not wash off with just rain.
This reduces the amount of light hitting the panel and reduces its output. As the projected energy
figures claimed by solar panel manufacturers and installers are based on the optimum performance of
clean solar panels, this build-up of dirt can adversely affect the panel's ability to meet those
projections. Therefore, it is important to clean solar panels in order to protect and maintain your
investment. Regular solar panel cleaning will also help you to make the most of the
government feed-in tariff.

 OBJECTIVES
1.Design a solar panel cleaning system which can increase the efficiency of solar panels.
2. Increase the use of solar panels.
3. Make the cleaning of solar panels simple and automated.
4. Minimize human intervention.
5. A cleaning system that does not affect the quality of the original solar panel.
6. An environmentally friendly cleaning system.

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 CHAPTER NO. 2

OBJECTIVE AND MATERIAL USED

2.1 INTRODUCTION

As we know the basic need to make any project the basic need is the equipment which are used to
make the project. Each and every equipment which are used plays an important role which are
explained below.

List of Equipment used are as follow:

S.NO. EQUIPMENT USED

01. FRAME
02. DC GEAR MOTOR
03. TWO WAY SWITCH
04. WIRE
05. AC ADAPTER
06. SOLAR PANEL
07. ROLLER
08 AXLE/SHAFT
09. BEARING
10. SPROCKET
11. CHAIN
12. ARC WELDING MACHINE
13 BENCH DRILLING MACHINE
14 METAL CUTTING MACHINE
15 MEASURING TAPE
16 JUNCTION BOX

Table 1

2.2 DESCRIPTIONS OF COMPONENTS:

Frame : The frame of the project is made up of hard iron of 8 Gauge and provide support to
solar frame.

Figure:1 FRAME
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WIRE: A wire is a flexible metallic conductor, especially one made of copper, usually
insulated, and used to carry electric current in a circuit.

Figure:4 Wire

AC ADAPTER:- An AC adapter or AC/DC adapter is a type of external power supply, often

enclosed in a case similar to an AC plug. Other common names include wall wart, power brick,
wall charger, and power adapter. Adapters for battery-powered equipment may be described as
chargers or rechargers (see also battery charger). AC adapters are used with electrical devices that
require power but do not contain internal components to derive the required voltage and power
from mains power. The internal circuitry of an external power supply is very similar to the design
that would be used for a built-in or internal supply.

Figure:5 AC Adapter

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SOLAR PANEL: Solar panels are those devices which are used to absorb the sun's rays and
convert them into electricity or heat. 

Figure:6 SOLAR PANEL

ROLLER: For best results and to ensure that you don't scratch your solar panels in any way,
simply use water and a soft, non-abrasive sponge or cloth, roller to clean away dirt and debris.

Figure:7 ROLLER

AXLE SHAFT: An axle is a rod or shaft that connects a pair of wheels to propel them and
retain the position of the wheels to one another.

Figure:8 AXLE SHAFT

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BEARING: Bearings are "parts that assist objects' rotation". They support the shaft that rotates
inside the machinery.

Figure:9 BEARING

SPROCKET: A sprocket is a simple mechanical wheel with teeth or small notches which are
designed to rotate and engage with the links of a chain or belt.

Figure:10 SPROCKET

CHAIN: Chain drive is a type of mechanical power transmission system that uses chains to
transfer power from one place to another.

Figure:11 CHAIN

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ARC WELDING MACHINE: An arc welding machine is a device used for fusing metals.
The machine emits an electrical arc from an electrode which melts metal or supplies filler into a
joint between two pieces of metal. To produce the temperatures up to 3,600ºC needed to fuse
metals, arc welding machine consume significant quantities of energy.

Figure:12 ARC WELDING MACHINE

BENCH DRILLING MACHINE: Bench drills are designed to be bolted down to a

workbench and they enable components and materials to be drilled with much greater accuracy
and precision than can usually be achieved with a handheld drill.

Figure:13 DRILLING MACHINE

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METAL CUTTING MACHINE: Metal cutting is a manufacturing process in which a
larger piece of material is separated into smaller pieces or parts

Figure:14 METAL CUTTING MACHINE

MEASURING TAPE: A long, thin piece of plastic, cloth, or metal that is marked with units
of length (such as inches or centimeters) and that is used for measuring things.

Figure:15 MEASURING TAPE

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JUNCTION BOX: Main Circuit Box where all the connection can be done.

Figure:16 JUNCTION BO

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 CHAPTER 3

WORKING OF SOLAR PANEL CLEANER

3.1 INTRODUCTION
The main principle of the “Solar Panel Cleaner” is to clean the solar panel and increase the output
efficiency of the solar panel by removing the dust from the solar panel which is accumulated from
surroundings of nature.

3.2 WORKING

The cleaning unit moves on the solar panel in a back and forth motion. The cylindrical Brush
mounted on the cleaning unit rotates in the clockwise direction. The cleaning unit along with the
rotating brush moves along the solar panel towards the bottom of the panel. Along the entire path, it
forces the dust to move in the direction of the motion of the cleaning unit and finally blows it away at
the edge of the panel. Once the cleaning unit reaches the lower end of it, it again returns back. Once
it reaches the top of the panel, the cleaning unit stops there.

3.2.1 CONNECTION OF SOLAR PANEL CLEANER

FIGURE17. Connection of solar panel cleaner

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Figure:18 FLOW CHART OF SOLAR PANEL CLEANER

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 In this project, we make a solar panel cleaner which we operate manually. We use DPDT(Double
Pole Double Throw) Switch which is used to operate the motor in forward as well as in reverse
direction.
 The gear motor is fixed at a particular position with the help of some mechanical
arrangement. When the dust accumulates on the solar panel, we connect the switch to S1
position. Then by connecting the switch to S1 position, the gear motor starts rotating in the
forward direction.
 In the motor shaft, a roller is fixed with the help of a bolt. So, when the motor rotates in
forward direction then the roller rolls over the surface of the solar panel. Hence in this way
the dust that accumulates on the solar panel is removed easily.
 And if the dust remains on the solar panel then we connect the switch to position S2. In
this way the gear motor starts rotating in reverse direction.
 As a result again roller rolls over the surface of the solar panel. Thus all the dust has been
removed from the solar panel easily. Then we connect the switch to position S3 and as a
result the motor stops rotating.

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Figure:19 View of solar panel cleaner

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PV EFFICIENCY: Efficiency in photovoltaic solar panels is measured by the ability of a panel
to convert sunlight into usable energy for human utility.
Maximum efficiency= {(max power output) / (incident radiation flux*area of collector)}*100.

ANALAYSIS OF DUST ON PANEL: According to research, daily energy loss along a year
caused by dust deposited on the surface of the PV module is around 4.4%. During long periods
without rain, daily energy loss can be higher than 20%.

Figure:20 I-V CHARACTERISTICS

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 CHAPTER 4

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE

4.1 CONCLUSION

The Solar Panel Cleaning System project aimed to bring a better solution for maintaining solar
efficiency. The main scope was to develop a machine that can clean a solar panel by a proper
control system. This project is a developed prototype to expand on a new and increasing market.
The project team hit many obstacles along the way.
It highlights the effect of dust, dirt, pollen, sea salt, and bird droppings on the PV systems’
efficiency. Dust has a major impact on the efficiency and performance of the solar panels. The
reduction in the peak power generation can be up to 10 to 30%. Power reduction was observed
due to dust accumulation on the panels and this can be improved by using robotic cleaning
method. It has increased Power generation capacity of the solar panels. Easy maintenance, low
cost and less power usage are few advantages of this process. Finally, the reduction in the peak
power generation can also be overcome by using this cleaning robot.

4.2 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK

The device that is developed, reduces the number of workers needed to clean the arrays significantly.
Further development could be done to optimize the system to be smaller, lighter and easier to
assemble in higher volumes and to become more user-friendly

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 REFERENCES
1. International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology
(IJARSCT
2. Adinoyi, M. J., & Said, S. A. (2013). Effect of dust accumulation on the power outputs of
solar photovoltaic modules. Renewable energy, 60, 633-636.
3. EI-Shobokshy MS, Hussein FM. Degradation of photovoltaic cell performance due to dust
deposition on to its surface. J Renew Energy
4. https://youtube/cmmVwmEotFo

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