Maintaining a solar power module
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsJames Clyde Hassell, Jr., Luiz Gustavo DoVal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar power system includes a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame; a hemispherical reservoir mounted to the spherical frame to enclose at least a portion of the spherical frame such that a gap is defined between the spherical frame and an interior surface of the reservoir, the reservoir configured to hold a fluid that includes a solar cell cleaning solution; and at least one actuator mounted to the spherical frame and operable to rotate a portion of the spherical frame that supports the plurality of solar power cells through the gap.
Claims21
A solar power system, comprising:
- a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame;
- a hemispherical reservoir mounted to the spherical frame to enclose at least a portion of the spherical frame such that a gap is defined between the spherical frame and an interior surface of the reservoir, the reservoir configured to hold a fluid that comprises a solar cell cleaning solution, wherein the plurality of solar power cells are mounted on an upper hemispherical portion of the spherical frame, and the hemispherical reservoir is mounted to the spherical frame to enclose a lower hemispherical portion of the spherical frame, and another plurality of solar power cells is mounted to the lower hemispherical portion of the spherical frame;
- and
- at least one actuator mounted to the spherical frame and operable to rotate a portion of the spherical frame that supports the plurality of solar power cells through the gap.
A solar power system, comprising:
- a plurality of solar power cells mounted on a spherical frame;
- a hemispherical reservoir mounted to the spherical frame to enclose at least a portion of the spherical frame such that a gap is defined between the spherical frame and an interior surface of the reservoir, the reservoir configured to hold a fluid that comprises a solar cell cleaning solution;
- at least one actuator mounted to the spherical frame and operable to rotate a portion of the spherical frame that supports the plurality of solar power cells through the gap;
- an input conduit fluidly coupled between the reservoir and a source of the solar cell cleaning solution;
- and
- an output conduit fluidly coupled between the reservoir and a solar cell cleaning solution waste tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.