Panel Maintenance System

• US 20200136553A1
• Filed: 12/20/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steam Tech, Llc
• Original Assignee: Steam Tech, Llc
• Inventors: Hartman, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 10,998,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/165 Scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/30 by movement of cleaning members over a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/0229 Suction chambers for aspirating the sprayed liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/024 Cleaning by means of spray elements moving over the surface to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 40/20 Cleaning; Removing snow
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/10 Cleaning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers

Abstract

Generally, a panel maintenance system including a panel maintenance assembly configured to move over a plurality of panel modules. Specifically, a panel module including a first frame including a first plurality of frame members joined to enclose a first panel. The first plurality of frame members including a first frame inner side configured to capture the first panel within the first frame and a first frame outer side configured to provide a first track axially extending between first and second ends of at least one of the first plurality of frame members. The first track configured to engage a drive element of a panel maintenance assembly which operates to move the panel maintenance assembly over the first panel. The panel maintenance assembly bears one or more components which function to maintain the first panel.

Claims

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A panel maintenance system, comprising:

a panel maintenance assembly having a drive element which moves said panel maintenance assembly over a panel;

a fluid reservoir carried by said panel maintenance assembly;

a fluid pump carried by said panel maintenance assembly, said fluid pump operable to generate a flow of fluid from said fluid reservoir; and

a fluid outlet disposed on said panel maintenance assembly, said fluid outlet adapted to deliver said fluid onto said panel.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising a fluid collection element coupled to said panel maintenance assembly, said fluid collection element configured to collect said fluid delivered onto said panel.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising a second fluid pump carried by said maintenance assembly, said second fluid pump operable to return said amount of fluid collected by said fluid collection element to said fluid reservoir.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising a fluid filter disposed between the fluid collection element and the second fluid pump to remove particles from said fluid prior to delivery to the second fluid pump.

43. The system of claim 42, further comprising a first blade coupled to said panel maintenance assembly, said first blade extending from said panel maintenance assembly to contact said panel.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising a second blade coupled to said panel maintenance assembly, said second blade extending from said panel maintenance assembly to contact said first panel at a distance from said first blade, said fluid outlet located to deliver said fluid onto said panel in a blade bounded passage between said first and second blades.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein a fluid collection element located to collect said fluid delivered onto said panel in a blade bounded passage between said first and second blades.

46. The system of claim 45, further comprising a first sweeper coupled to said panel maintenance assembly, said sweeper extending from said panel maintenance assembly to contact said first panel.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising a second sweeper coupled to said panel maintenance assembly, said second sweeper extending from said panel maintenance assembly to contact said first panel at a distance from said first sweeper.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said first and second sweepers disposed on said panel maintenance assembly adjacent sides of said first and second blade outside of said blade bounded passage.

49. The system of claim 48, further comprising a fluid level sensor fluidicly coupled to said fluid reservoir, said fluid level sensor sensing a fluid level of said amount of fluid in said fluid reservoir.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising a rechargeable power source coupled to said panel maintenance assembly, said rechargeable power source electrically coupled to one or more of said driver, said first fluid pump, and said second fluid pump.

51. The system of claim 50, further comprising a panel sensor coupled to said panel maintenance assembly, said panel sensor configured to sense an amount of light transmissivity of said first panel or an amount of light reflectivity of said first panel, said panel sensor generating a panel sensor signal that varies based on said amount of light transmissivity or light reflectivity of said first panel.

52. The system of claim 51, further comprising a controller including a processor coupled to a memory element, said memory element containing a panel maintenance program executable to control said driver to generate movement of said panel maintenance assembly over said panel between sensed first and second end limits.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein said panel maintenance program is further executable to operate said first fluid pump to deliver said amount of fluid through said fluid outlet onto said panel.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said panel maintenance program is further executable to operate said second fluid pump to return said amount of fluid collected by said fluid collection element to said fluid reservoir.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein said panel maintenance program is further executable to periodically determine said amount of fluid remaining in said fluid reservoir.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said panel maintenance program is further executable to periodically determine an amount of energy remaining in said power source

57. The system of claim 56, wherein said panel maintenance program is further executable to control said driver to generate movement of said panel maintenance assembly over said panel based on comparison of said light transmissivity value or said light reflectivity value to pre-selected light transmissivity threshold value or light reflectivity threshold value, wherein exceeding said light transmissivity threshold value or said light reflectivity threshold value causes movement of said panel maintenance assembly over said first panel.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein said panel maintenance program is further executable to dock said panel maintenance assembly with a docking station based on occurrence of an energy level remaining in said power source exceeding an energy level threshold or based on occurrence of a fluid level remaining in said fluid reservoir exceeding a fluid level threshold value.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein said docking station to which said panel maintenance assembly docks correspondingly including matable portions of a fluid supply connector or matable portions of a power supply connector.