# US 2013/0239343 A1 · Vehicle for cleaning mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0239343 A1 - Document ID: US20130239343A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/885,501 - Filed: 2010-11-15 - Published: 2013-09-19 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-15 - Assignees: Logistica Y Acondicionamientos Industriales, S.A.U - Inventors: Jesús Lacalle Bayo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130239343A1 ## CPC - F24S 40/20: Cleaning; Removing snow - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in solar thermal energy installations, includes an operating cab (2), a body (3) for housing and holding the different items, a rolling system for moving the vehicle, a clean water tank, an assembly for discharging the clean water, at least one structure for spraying clean water (100)) onto the surfaces of the mirrors (22) and a tray (46) for collecting the water used in cleaning the mirrors; a set of lifting columns (5, 6); and supports (53, 63) for the cleaning and/or drying assemblies able to slide along the lifting columns, and in which the cleaning assembly includes a structure fitted with a rigid bar (91), which assumes the profile of the mirror to be cleaned, the bar being provided with an external rotation assembly for a brush. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, in which the collector mirrors are held to the ground by a set of supports arranged at normally regular distances, which hold a shaft around which said mirrors are adapted to turn, said mirrors being aligned in rows normally facing north-south and having a collecting surface with a concave section, said collector mirrors being adapted to face east to west during the day, said concave section of the collecting surface having a parabolic section reflecting solar radiation onto a collector tube which covers a focus of a parabola formed by said mirrors, and said vehicle comprising: an operating cab; a body for housing and holding different items for cleaning said collector mirrors; a rolling system for moving the vehicle; a clean water tank; an assembly for discharging clean water; at least one body for spraying clean water onto the surfaces of the mirrors; a set of lifting columns; and supports for providing at least one of: at least one cleaning assembly and at least one drying assembly able to slide along said lifting columns; at least one said cleaning assembly formed of a rigid structure which in a cleaning zone thereof comprises a bar with a curved concave shape of at least one said mirror which is to be cleaned, said bar being rigid and fixed on the rigid structure and said rigid bar being covered with a rotating body which rotates around said rigid bar; and the rotating body comprises a rotating head fitted with a motor with a drive pulley, a transmission which includes one of a belt and a chain, and a driven pulley wheel which rotates around one end of the bar, an opposite end of the bar including a free pulley wheel, such that the rotating body being movable by said driven pulley wheel and resting at least on the free pulley wheel, wherein the lifting columns comprise a body rotating in respect of a vertical axis by means of which the lifting columns are adapted to move between a retracted position and an operating position. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 21, wherein the lifting columns are formed of two parts which include a lower part and an upper part. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 22, wherein the upper part and the lower part of the lifting columns are joined by means of a removable articulation device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 23, further comprising a housing, at a top of the housing body for containing the upper part of the lifting column, in a dismantled position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 23, further comprising a support body at a rear of the body for housing and holding different items for cleaning. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 22, wherein the upper part of the lifting columns is provided with different support struts on the housing body. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 22, wherein each of the lifting columns comprises an extendible lifting body, with said extendible lifting body including a pulley wheel for driving a chain for providing the upward and downward movement of the supports of the at least one of the cleaning and drying assemblies. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 21, wherein the supports of the at least one cleaning and drying assemblies which are adapted to slide along the lifting columns, include substantially flat bodies, provided with different extending bodies comprising extendable elements, with said extendable elements being provided with at least one pair of anchorages, at free ends thereof, for each of said cleaning and drying assemblies. ### Claim 29 (depends on 38) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 38, wherein the tray is held by a support assembly which comprises lateral supports fixed to the vehicle and provided with different shafts, and different sustaining bodies for the tank which are adapted to articulate in respect of the lateral supports and the shafts. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 29, wherein the sustaining bodies comprise different anchorage plates and an extending device between said anchorage plates and the lateral supports. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 30, wherein the anchorage plates comprise different slots for adjusting the extending device. ### Claim 32 (depends on 29) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 29, wherein the tray comprises a set of joining bodies coupling free ends of the sustaining bodies with said joining bodies and comprising: an articulation axis; a lower projection external to the tank; and a support surface for the sustaining body. ### Claim 33 (depends on 38) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 38, wherein the tray for collecting the water used in cleaning the mirrors has a longitudinal section formed of a plurality of concavities. ### Claim 34 (depends on 38) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 38, wherein the tank comprises a set of wheels for pulling the tank and a drainage conduit. ### Claim 35 (depends on 21) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 21, wherein the rigid bar comprises a plurality of bearings along its length, on which a flexible casing is sheathed. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 35, further comprising a cleaning brush on the flexible casing. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 36, wherein the cleaning brush is formed of the juxtaposition of a set of fragments of brush, each of which rests on a portion of the flexible casing and which in turn rests on at least two bearings. ### Claim 38 (depends on 21) A vehicle for cleaning collector mirrors in installations for collecting solar thermal energy, according to claim 21, further including a tray for collecting the water used in cleaning the mirrors.