US 8,500,918 B1Granted

Solar panel cleaning system and method

AssigneeEcoppia Scientific, Ltd.

InventorsMoshe Meller, Eran Meller

Life of this patent

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Abstract

System and method for cleaning a solar row of solar panels. The solar row has an upper edge elevated from ground level more than a lower edge to provide an inclination of the solar row. A cleaning assembly operates to clean a surface of the solar panels. A support frame supports the cleaning assembly and enables the cleaning assembly to move (1) upwardly and downwardly in the width direction of the solar row, and (2) in the length direction of the solar row. Operation and movement of the cleaning assembly is controlled by a control unit to cause the cleaning assembly to clean a surface of the solar panels during downward movement of the cleaning assembly. The cleaning assembly is preferably not operative during its upward vertical movement. During the downward movement, the cleaning assembly removes dirt, debris and dust from the surface of the solar panels and generates an air stream to blow off the dirt, debris, and dust.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A solar panel cleaning system for cleaning solar panels of a solar row, the solar row having a length and a width, and the solar row being inclined and having an upper end and a lower end in the width direction of the solar row, the upper end being elevated to a position higher than the lower end, the cleaning system comprising:

at least one cleaning apparatus that is selectively operable to clean a solar panel surface of the solar row;
a support frame that supports said at least one cleaning apparatus, said support frame being configured to selectively move said at least one cleaning apparatus in both said width direction and said length direction over a surface of the solar row,
a controller coupled to said at least one cleaning apparatus and to said support frame to selectively move said at least one cleaning apparatus in said length direction of the solar row, and to selectively move said at least one cleaning apparatus up and down in said width direction of the solar row, between said upper and lower ends, and to cause said at least one cleaning apparatus to clean a solar panel surface of the solar row during a downward movement of said at least one cleaning apparatus in said width direction of the solar row.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/751,903Filed 28 Jan 2013 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 May 2012
Granted: 6 Aug 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

B08B 1/30
Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools: by movement of cleaning members over a surface
A46B 13/005
Cylindrical or annular brush bodies: made up of a series of longitudinal strips or segments
A46B 13/02
Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers: power-driven carriers
B08B 1/34
Using rotary cleaning members: rotating about an axis parallel to the surface