Design And Manufacture

Of Solar panel Cleaning

Robot

Guided By -:
Yogesh Vanjari Sir
Present By -:
• Patil Pushpak Tulshidas
• Bhangale Yash Rajendra
• Narkhede Rohan Sanjay
• Khan Shumail Aslam
 Introduction
Growing interest in renewable energy has led the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry to expand
notably in the last decade. In the year 2014 a staggering a 3.03-million gigawatt hours (GWh) of
electricity was produced in the European Union covering 3 percent of the total electricity demand [1].
Because Photovoltaic energy is an accessible technology, it has become a popular investment for
companies as well as for residential users. Consequently, this demand has stimulated the research for
increasing the overall output power of PV systems causing laboratories all over the globe to work hard
on making the technology both more efficient and cost effective.

However cleaning solar panels is not always as straightforward. To begin with, there is the issue
of accessibility. Due to the fact that PV panels often are situated on dangerous and difficult to reach
places, it might be hard to clean them manually and it takes time to do it safely. Secondly, cleaning a
panel only once a year might not have a significant impact on the yearly energy yield for the simple
reason that dirt stacks up again in a short period of time making the difference negligible. Especially if
you need to contract someone to clean the panel for you, it might just not be economical. However,
leaving panels uncleaned might not be wise either since soiling can lead to permanent damage of the
glass limiting the lifespan of the installation.
 ABSTRACT
With growing costs of electricity and concern for the environmental impact of fossil fuels,
implementation of eco-friendly energy sources like solar power are rising. The main method for
harnessing solar power is with arrays made up of photovoltaic (PV) panels. Accumulation of dust and
debris on even one panel in an array reduces their efficiency in energy generation considerably and
emphasizes the need to keep the panels’ surface as clean as possible.

The goal of our project is to create an automated solar panel cleaner that will address the adverse
impact of soiling on commercial photovoltaic cells. Specifically, we hoped to create a device that increases
the maximum power output of a soiled panel by 10% (recovering the amount of power lost).

     This project is developed for the betterment of the solar panel users. We providing transparency in
cleaning system by using the most newly invented technology, which provide a better performance,
integrity, consistency, cost-effective and scalable solution for the removal of dust and speck. The presented
cleaning system provides about 32% more energy output compared to the dust accumulated solar panel.
This system is control by application from whole world. Also this system reduces manpower for cleaning
of solar panel. This is automatic solar panel cleaning system
 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.
MOTIVATIONS AND IMPORTANCE

The full generating capacity of PV solar in Jordan will not be realized due
to accumulation of dirt and debris (i.e. "soiling") on photovoltaic solar panels that
decreases power output. Many are located in dusty, arid climates where long dry
periods are common.

Furthermore, run-off on the panels from the rainwater leaves stains and
scales that reduce their efficiency. Existing cleaning technologies are expensive,
dangerous (e.g. manual cleaning on residential roofs), or impractical for arid PV
solar installations (e.g. water-based cleaning in desert locals). PV Cleaner is an
inexpensive, autonomous, and waterless mechanical device that maximizes solar
panel power output while minimizing owner involve men.
 OVERVIEW
With significant progress in the field of innovation cleaning solar panels there are many ways of cleaning PV cells,
each method has advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost and efficiency, it is possible that the way to be effective but
high cost, or less expensive but low efficie ncy.

TRADITIONAL PV CLEANING METHODS

Manual cleaning using mops and potable water .
As shown in the Figures (1.1 and 1.2), this method is easy to use and the equipment doesn’t cost much, but since it
need water and man power the coast of this operation is very high.
 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
ADVANTAGES:-
• Increases efficiency of solar plate.
• Sometime dust or other particles remains long time on a solar panel, so it damages the aluminium strip of solar plate. So
we avoid these damages by this system.
• Increases the gain as much as 5 to 30% in output from your solar panels.
• Eliminate build-up of dirt and debris and potential damage to solar panels.
• Automatic self-cleaning mechanism that can be attached to solar panels and operated without human operation.
• Minimise the cost of cleaning as compared to manual.
• Remote control is possible.
• The entire plant can be handled by using single PLC system.

DISADVANTAGES:-
• “Wiper Blade” which consists of an rubber band would need to be changed.
• Needs to be scaled for a larger project (ex: increase the torque of the motor ).
• To take care of cleaning water, to avoid nozzles blockages.
• Skilled labour is required to handle the system
 SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN
Our robot is a water-free robotic cleaning process combines a powerful-soft microfiber brush
supposed to remove 99% of dust daily and keeping panels at optimal production rates.
We focus in this robot on decrease power sources used to observe rareness this sources like water, and
guarantee work the robot in any location without need water, because the most of PV farm derivate in
the desert, and we know the difficult to existence water in this location, and we can say that other aim is
facilitation the robot structure and ease to control it.

System Description :-
PV cells cleaning robot consist of a frame that move horizontally along the array and make a
path where the robot body can move vertically to clean the cells, The brush settled to the robot body and
made of microfiber to guarantee that the PV cells will not scratched, and it generated by a high speed
DC motor. The robot controlled using a limit switches, proximity sensors and encoder connected to
Arduino mega controller.
System Design :-
The design of the robot is a rolling brushes connected to a body that traverses vertically along the frame
and the frame will move horizontally along the array, the device would not use water and would not need to be
connected to any source of water

Frame Design :-
Aluminum rectangle with dimensions of 2 m by 0.4 m to cover a whole module at each time with two
motors, the first one move the frame horizontally along the array and the other one to move the robot body
vertically and two proximity sensors to stop the frame when it reach the edges of the array and an encoder to
start the cleaning cycle after a certain distance.
The frame dimensions chosen to cover an area equals to quarter of plant. Width equals 0.4 meters, and length
equals 2 meters, which is the width of the plant and a distance reserved for the spool and power system.

Robot Body Design :-

Aluminum square with dimensions of 0.3m contains two microfabric brushes that move vertically from the
top toward the bottom to guarantee that the dust gets swept towards the bottom and not just transported
sideways. There will be two strokes (top to bottom, bottom to top) to make sure that dust swept perfectly.
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 Component
• Components
•  Robotic Chassis
•  DC Motors
•  Wheels
•  Rubber Tracks
•  Brush
•  Controller Circuitry
•  RF Remote
•  Motor Shafts
•  Mounts & Couplings
•  Screws & Bolts
•  Supporting Frame
Each chapter should begin with an introduction that tells what you will cover in the chapter. It
should tell the reader what is in the chapter as well as its importance to the overall thesis/report. This
introduction should occur directly below the chapter heading and does not require its own header.

Drive Systems

Motor Selection and Description

A stepper motor would have a couple advantages in terms of controllability over a DC
motor; each step has a defined angular rotation. In addition, it can deliver a lot of torque at low
speeds and have reasonable currents at stall torque, so it would be the reasonable option.
However, for making the robot be a product that is easy to install, the motors are preferably
built into the robot.
For the brushes, a motor with a high speed and a low torque is the best choice, since that the
brushes are light and cleaning process needs high speed.
 Motor Selection analysis
 Summation of forces = 0 Fmotor-fload=0 Fm=fload Fm=mg=2*9.81=19.62n
 Torque=fm X r=19.62*0.03 = 0.5886n. m
 We chose motor with 0.6nm and speed of 95rev/min to maintain the horizontal movement in 1 sec
 Distance severed per 1 revolutin of motor * number of revolutions/60 = 2*3.14*0.03*95/60=0.298m/sec
 Speed desired = 30 cm/sec
 DC motor with right angled drive reduction gerbox and rubber tyred wheel. This unit is ideal for robot or toy
vehicle construction. Ideal for Arduino and other development systems.
 Light weight plastic construction gearboxmetal motor rated at 3-6VDC and soft rubber tyre.
 wheel can fit to the left or right of the gearbox and motor can be run in both forward and reverse directions.
 Voltage: 3-6VDC Current: 80-150mA
 No Load Speed: 3V-125 rev/min 5V-200 rev/min 6V-230 rev/min Load Speed: 3V-95 rev/min 5V-160
rev/min 6V-175 rev/min Output Torque: 3V-0.8kg.cm 5V-1.0kg.cm 6V-1.1kg.cm
 Wheel Diameter: 65mm including tyre Wheel Width: 25mm
 Gearbox/Motor Dimensions: 20mm x 22mm x 65mm Weight: 50grams
 DC motor with Speed encoder code disk 41 lines Voltage Load CurrentSpeed
 5V 60mA 1600 rpm
 12V 80mA 4300 rpm
 24V 120mA 8600 rpm

Power System
Since the motors selected were a DC motor, since the high speed motor needs 24 volts to
operate at its rated speed and the other motor needs 12 volts, two 12 volts batteries are needed.
Specifications:
 Voltage: 12 Volt
 Amperage: 7.2 AH
 Working
This solar panel cleaning system is operated by using mobile application. The power
supply is giving to the solar panel cleaning system through the rechargeable battery (12
volt) and it occur by triggering switch from mobile application. The cleaning tool (wiper
mechanism) is move horizontally by pushing button in mobile application, this give output
signal given through Wi-Fi to the gear motors. Gear motor is connected with rack and
pinion mechanism; and it give the movement to rubber wiper. This cleaning tool move
horizontally forward; after that by pushing backward button in application wiper moves
backward direction. This entire wiper movement mechanism is carried by the pinion.
Pinion is guided by rack and rack is guided by gear motor. During this cleaning tool
horizontal movement, simultaneously water pump (12 volt) is pump and spray water on the
top of the solar panel edge; this is done by pushing button in application. Water is forcedly
spray from up to down and simultaneously wiper wipe solar panel and the dirty water
flows it away at the bottom edge of the solar panel. Then give the off signal from mobile
application and the process is stop.
 Conclusions

In conclusion we expect the system will work properly we will get

the proper solar panel cleaning is done. Also this system will operate
form anywhere. In future by replacing the rack and pinion mechanism
system can be designed for different type of solar panel installation like
residential rooftop, commercial rooftop, solar farm, carport using
advanced technology applying in it. And it is also based on need of
cleaning dependent on continent`s weather and type of land. This model
can be implemented is small scale like solar pump, single panel cleaning
etc.
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