Solar Panel Cleanerbot. Robert Gabriel

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Solar Panel Cleanerbot Robert Gabriel Inquiry Statement:

The Solar Panel Cleanerbot is an electrical engineering junior and senior design project. The objective is to build a robot that can clean the solar panels on the roof of Holmes Hall in order to maintain optimal efficiency. While it will first be designed for use on the Holmes Hall panels, we want to create a robot that can be modified easily to fit different photovoltaic arrays so that it can be used on both commercial and residential arrays. With little to no technology currently available to clean solar panels efficiently, the outcome of this project could have a tremendous impact on solar panel life and clean energy efficiency.

Objectives and Methods:

Currently, there is little to no way to cheaply and affordably clean solar panel arrays. While some robots have been designed and are used to clean massive solar arrays, there is no technology developed and readily available to clean home installations and smaller commercial installations of photovoltaic cells. Without regular cleaning, solar panels collect particulates such as but not limited to bird droppings, dust, small seeds, small leaves, very small rocks, and other small particles. These not only prevent the solar panel from absorbing energy from the sun at the spot that is blocked, but corrosive elements in bird droppings eat away at the protective coating on the solar panel and create a small short circuit in the panel itself. In time as more bird droppings collect, more short circuits will form and the panel efficiency will decrease. While the panels have a projected lifetime, this lifetime is highly dependent on the fact that the panels are not being cleaned regularly. Having an effective and affordable method of keeping the solar panels clean can lengthen the life and efficiency of the panels. This in turn will promote more investment in clean, renewable energy, which photovoltaic cells can provide.

The current design of the robot is a simple one. The robot will clean the solar panels a certain amount of times per day, and will run on a timer. When it is time to clean, the robot will spray a cleaning solution onto the panel and sweep across it with a cleaning tool of some type, which is being developed. It will sweep once across the panels, and then back again to its rest position. The number of times we want to have it sweep is will also variable. It will be powered by its own set of photovoltaic cells, though much smaller than the array it is cleaning, and will only need to have the cleaning solution replaced every so often. Other than that, we want to create a robot that does not need to be monitored or checked on, and to run on its own without human interaction or maintenance. It will rest on rails that will be installed on the panels, and will rest off to the side of the array so as to not block any part of the solar panel while not performing its cleaning sweep.

Ideally we want to create a robot that is affordable so that most if not all photovoltaic arrays can have one. Since one robot is needed for each array, it will be best suited to cleaning medium-sized to large arrays, although massive arrays could also benefit from a small robot. We want it to be affordable to residential owners of arrays, but we also want the quality of the set up to be at the highest to make sure that neither the robot nor its installation components need to be replaced.

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Timeline:

Applicant’s Role:

I will aid in the mechanical design and construction of the Solar Panel Cleanerbot. After thorough research and observation of the mechanical aspects of robots similar to the one we are designing, I will help to design the robot’s chassis and housing of the electrical components, transportation mechanism which will allow the robot to move efficiently across the panels, and panel-cleaning apparatus using Computer Automated Design (CAD) programs we have available. Compiling a list of available, cost-effective materials to construct the robot will be an additional task I will assist in. Upon approval and finalization of our design, I will work on constructing a prototype of the robot with the mentioned mechanical aspects along with his group members. After the prototype stage of our robot is complete and whatever modifications we deem necessary to make to our robot are made, I will assist in creating the final Solar Panel Cleanerbot product.

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Biographical Sketch:

I’m a senior at The University of Hawaii at Manoa studying electrical engineering. Currently, I am working with the electrical engineering consulting firm MK Engineers, Ltd, where I have gained experience in basic power engineering and electrical design. With that in mind, this project is important to me because it will not only allow me to become one step closer in earning my degree, but it is also a way to apply the concepts that we learn from our courses. Renewable energy is a major concern in our society and that is another reason why I think this project is significant. I believe that we should continue to find ways of cutting our carbon footprint and hopefully, with this project, we can make a difference.

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Solar Panel Cleanerbot

Logan Gerber

Inquiry Statement:

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Timeline:

My main focus will be on materials and the mechanical aspect of the bot. I will be focusing on gauging what materials we will use to craft the chassis for the bot, as well as the rail system that will hold the bot on the solar panels. Ideally the materials will be environmentally friendly while still resisting the elements that the bot will be exposed to 24 hours a day. I will also be working on helping to design the arm that will clean the panels.

I am currently a senior in electrical engineering and intend to pursue a master's degree in education, so that I can go on to teach physics and beginner level electrical engineering and systems in high schools. This project is relevant to me because I will need all the experience I can get in real-world engineering applications to better apply it to any school lessons I will teach. Having electrical engineering experience will also allow me to look at being an engineer in case my teaching plans do not pan out the way I want it to.

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Solar Panel Cleanerbot

Mark Lester Hernandez

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Timeline:

Mark Lester Hernandez will contribute his ideas and know-how to produce the most efficient, cost-effective robot needed for the task at hand. As far as building the robot, he plans to be an integral part of the process in tasks such as programming the microprocessor, constructing the circuits, and testing the necessary components. As the group inches closer towards a working prototype, the tasks will become more defined and require more attention to detail, so he will be allocating his time to focus on the tasks best suited for him.

Mark Lester Hernandez is currently seeking his Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering studying under the Electrophysics discipline at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He also holds an Associates of Arts in Liberal Arts. He values clean and renewable energy and wants to apply his skills learned in Electrical Engineering to find solutions for power and energy related issues. The Solar Panel Cleanerbot project address energy issues relevant

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to his interest and also serves as his senior project; a requirement for his degree.

Itemized Budget and Justification

In Conclusion:

In prospect, the solar panel cleaner will benefit the College of Engineering as well at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa by sustaining its clean energy source efficiency. Dirty solar panels can reduce performance levels by up to 30% and this leads to a waste of the investments placed on them. It takes labor to routinely clean the panels in order to have them perform optimally and this exhausts time and effort. An autonomous solar panel cleaner will relieve any worry about unclean solar panels in addition to being cost effective by lack of manual maintenance.

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Solar Panel Cleanerbot

Shokoku Shigeta

The Solar Panel Cleanerbot is an electrical engineering junior and senior design project. The objective is to build a robot that can clean the solar panels on the roof of Holmes Hall in order to maintain optimal efficiency. While it will first be designed for use on the Holmes Hall panels, we want to create a robot that can be modified easily to fit different photovoltaic arrays so that it can be used on both commercial and residential arrays. With little to no technology currently available to clean solar panels efficiently, the outcome of this project could have a tremendous impact on the lifetime of solar panels and it could allow clean, renewable energy efficiency. Objectives and Methods:

Currently, there is little way to cheaply and affordably clean solar panel arrays. While some robots have been designed to clean large solar arrays, there is no technology developed and readily available to clean home installations and smaller commercial installations of photovoltaic cells. Without regular cleaning, solar panels collect particulates such as but not limited to bird droppings, dust, small seeds, small leaves, small rocks and residues. These particulates not only prevent the solar panel from absorbing energy from the sun at the spot that is blocked, but corrosive elements in bird droppings eat away at the protective coating on the solar panel which may create a small short circuit in the panel itself. As time progresses more bird droppings collect, thus more short circuits will form and the panel efficiency will decrease. While the panels have a projected lifetime, this lifetime is highly dependent on the how well the panels are maintained. Having an effective and affordable method of keeping the solar panels clean can lengthen the lifespan and efficiency of the panels. This, in effect, will promote the investment in clean, renewable energy. Finally, decreasing costs for PV panels and high costs for conventional electricity makes PV panels a better economic option.

The robot will clean the solar panels a certain amount of times per day, and will run on a timer. When it is time to clean, the robot will spray a cleaning solution onto the panel and sweep across it with a cleaning tool of which is currently in development. It will sweep once across the panels, and then back again to its rest position and alternate. The number of times we want to have it sweep can be varied depending on factors such as rainy weather. The robot will be powered by its own set of photovoltaic cells and will only need to have the cleaning solution replaced once in a while. Our main focus is to create a robot that can be self-sustained, that is, to run on its own without human interaction or maintenance. It will rest on rails that will be installed on the panels, and will rest off to the side of the array so as to not cast a shadow on the solar panel arrays while not performing its cleaning sweep.

Ideally we want to create a robot that is affordable so that most if not all photovoltaic arrays can have one implemented. Since one robot is needed for each array, it will be best suited to cleaning medium-large sized arrays. We want it to be affordable to residential owners of arrays, but we also want the quality of the set up to be at the highest to make sure that neither the robot nor its installation components need to be replaced. Our main focus is to build an economical and relatively self-sustaining system that ensures the optimal solar panel efficiency.

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Timeline:

I will contribute with the electric components of the design and maneuverability of the Solar Panel Cleanerbot. This includes fabricating the robot given constraints that include but are not limited to: (1) cost of materials; (2) size of the physical robot; (3) power source to maintain daily cleaning; (4) mechanical aspects for robot movement; and (5) water or additional solutions to aid the robot in cleaning. I will be focusing mainly on the expandability and simplicity of the design which is to allow the robot to function on a wide range of array dimensions whilst keeping material costs at a minimum. Finally, along with my group members, I will build a prototype that can be used to determine features that still need improvements and the productivity of the cleaner after its use on the roof of Holmes Hall.

I am currently a senior seeking a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering. I am also studying under the Electro-physics discipline at the University of Hawai`i at Mā_{noa. I decided to take the opportunity to commit} myself to this project because I believe that renewable sources of energy are necessary as coal and oil are continuously diminishing every year. Additionally, I seek a hands-on engineering experience that deals with

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circuitry and to practice designing efficient tools to serve the community. My interests involve a comprehensive understanding of basic power systems, electric circuit design and robot functionality given physical and economic constraints. As conventional electric costs are high, PV is becoming an economical option to help alleviate our usage of non-renewable resources. This project is relevant to my professional goals as it is a requirement for my major and I am planning to work for Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) in the future.

Conclusion:

In prospect, the solar panel cleaner will benefit the College of Engineering as well at the University of Hawai‘i at Mā_{noa by sustaining its clean energy source efficiency. Dirty solar panels can reduce performance} levels by up to 30% which leads to a waste of the investments placed on them. It takes labor to routinely clean the panels in order to have them perform optimally and this exhausts time and effort. A self-sustaining solar panel cleaner will relieve any worry about unclean solar panels in addition to being cost effective and environmentally friendly.

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Works Cited:

“Solar Panels (PV).” energysavingtrust.org.uk. Energy Saving Trust. Updated January 2013. Web. September 30, 2013. <http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generating-energy/ Choosing-a-renewable-technology/Solar-panels-PV>

“Clean Energy For Hawaii.” Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric, Hawai’i Electric Light. Hawaiian Electric Company. Web. October 1, 2013.

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Solar Panel Cleanerbot

Christina Yee

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Timeline:

I am organizing this group and leading the project. This project is not only for my senior capstone design project, but also my honors senior thesis. I am using my electronics design background and experience to develop several prototype designs, which can be used for testing, as well as my mechanical design background for implementing hardware. I am also advising other students who are working on this project.

I am currently a senior in electrical engineering, with plans on entering into patent and intellectual property law. This project is important to me because Hawaii is facing an energy crisis and being able to improve green technology that benefits UH Mānoa allows us to do our part as engineers. It also gives me the chance to

experience the process of taking an idea from paper to a fully fleshed out design. This is relevant to my professional goals as I am interested in practicing law that deals with innovative new technology.

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In Conclusion:

In prospect, the solar panel cleaner will benefit the College of Engineering as well at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa by sustaining its clean energy source efficiency. Dirty solar panels can reduce performance levels by up to 30% and this leads to a waste of the investments placed on them. It takes labor to routinely clean the panels in order to have them perform optimally and this exhausts time and effort. An autonomous solar panel cleaner will relieve any worry about unclean solar panels in addition to being cost effective by lack of manual maintenance.