Problem Solving: The Maintenance of the Panels - Paper Example

The maintenance of the panels is one of the biggest problems that must be faced by those responsible for solar power plants that arise in arid or desert areas. They accumulate large amounts of dust, sand, and dirt, which can significantly reduce their effectiveness

Can the problem be solved?

The aforementioned problem can be solved. In this project, I aim to develop a solar panel cleaning robot that will remove dust particles on the surfaces of the solar panels. The system I aim to develop is robotic in nature and moves from one panel to the next using a cart. The robot will contain brushes, wheels, motors, connecting rods, side panels, wheel-driving system, and brush driving system. By using my proposed robot, the involvement of people in the cleaning process is minimized. This is beneficial since there are many health hazards when one is exposed to the scorching sun.

What are the effects of the problem?

The accumulation of dust particles on the panels of the solar photovoltaic (PV) system is a natural phenomenon. There are many adverse effects of these dust particles. First, they reduce the efficiency and the effectiveness of the entire system. Dust is not the only environmental factor that lowers the efficiency and performance of the PV panels. Other factors include shadows, snowing, bird droppings, pollen and sea salts, high temperatures emanating from inside the surfaces, and sea salt. There are also other factors such as fallen leaves and water streaking. All these factors reduce the efficiency of solar panels by up to 30%. Accumulation of dust particles reduces the efficiency and plant output of the solar system.

How long has the problem existed?

This problem has been in existence since the invention of solar panels. The maintenance of the panels is one of the biggest problems that must be .faced by those responsible for solar power plants that arise in arid or desert areas.

When did the problem occur?

This problem is an issue to all solar panel users around the world. All individuals, companies, and organizations that use solar panels are bound to be affected by this problem

What caused the problem?

Dust is not the only environmental factor that causes this problem. There are also other factors such as fallen leaves and water streaking. Other factors include shadows, snowing, bird droppings, pollen and sea salts, high temperatures emanating from inside the surfaces, and sea salt.

How many people are affected by the problem?

The current problem affects all solar panel users around the world. Companies have incurred losses because of reduced efficiency of their solar panel systems because of dust accumulation. Home users have been affected as well and the power output has been considerably reduced.

Who will benefit from the solution?

All users of solar panels will benefit greatly from the proposed solar panel cleaning robot. The system could be used in solar parks, solar houses, and solar water plants. Some of the advantages of this robotic cleaning system are that it increases the efficiency of solar plates, and avoids the damage of aluminum strips of solar plates that mostly happens by use of other systems. Besides, the shelf life of the panels is increased and the effectiveness of the PV panels is increased by more than 30%.

Who else is involved in solving the solution?

Other companies have come up with methods for cleaning solar panels. Some of the robotic methods include the sun brush robot, the PV cleaner V1 robot, the Heliotex technology and the cleaning vacuum i7 robot. Other commonly used cleaning systems include the pole and water cleaning system, the pressurized water cleaning system, and the compressed air system among others. The pole and water robotic system is the most common cleaning system. This system has several disadvantages. More water is spent than in other cleaning systems. A lot of time is lost (dead time) in water recharge and equipment displacement. At least two people are needed. Large tracking structures are difficult, and it is not automated.

What is needed to solve the problem?

The proposed automated solar panel cleaning robot will consist of four major parts. These parts include two brushes on the extreme ends, sensors and controller subsystems, four motors, and four wheels. The two motors will be placed on each side of the robot frames. The functions of the motors will be to drive the two wheels and the brush respectively. The driving system can be used in modifying the connecting rods and the brushes.

Conclusion

The accumulation of dust and other elements on PV panels reduces the efficiency, effectiveness and power output of the panels. Weather and dusty conditions pose a great challenge to the PV systems power generation potential. Most of the current systems have various shortcomings. This project aims to develop an automated cleaning system that ensures that all panels, whether many or few, remain free dirt. This will increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and useful life of all the solar panels. The system will be able to clean panels with little supervision. The robotic system that is proposed in the current paper will allow obtaining effective cleaning results at a lower cost than manual cleaning or with other devices that use water and that need hoses and connection cables.