Cleaning device for sunlight collecting devices in a solar thermal electric power generation system
First Claim
1. A cleaning device for cleaning a sunlight reflecting surface of a sunlight collecting device included in a solar thermal electric power generation system, which comprises:
- an air supply device; and
an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from said air supply device against said sunlight reflecting surface to clean said sunlight reflecting surface,wherein said air nozzle has a top end peripheral edge defining an air blowing opening at a top end of said air nozzle, said top end peripheral edge having a curvature or an inclination angle equal or approximate to a curvature or an inclination angle of said sunlight reflecting surface on an obverse side of said sunlight reflecting surface.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for cleaning a collector of a solar thermal electric power generation system is provided which does not need to secure any water source or the like and which improves the flexibility of selection of a place for installing the solar thermal electric power generation system. The cleaning device includes an air supply device and an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from the air supply device, which are mounted on a self-propelled truck. The cleaning device is capable of blowing air blown from the air nozzle against a sunlight reflecting surface of a collector to clean up the sunlight reflecting surface. The air nozzle is configured to be capable of moving up and down. The cleaning device further includes a soiling degree measuring device for measuring soiling degrees of the sunlight reflecting surface before and after air blowing by the air nozzle.
15 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A cleaning device for cleaning a sunlight reflecting surface of a sunlight collecting device included in a solar thermal electric power generation system, which comprises:
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an air supply device; and an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from said air supply device against said sunlight reflecting surface to clean said sunlight reflecting surface, wherein said air nozzle has a top end peripheral edge defining an air blowing opening at a top end of said air nozzle, said top end peripheral edge having a curvature or an inclination angle equal or approximate to a curvature or an inclination angle of said sunlight reflecting surface on an obverse side of said sunlight reflecting surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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10. A cleaning device for cleaning a sunlight reflecting surface of a sunlight collecting device included in a solar thermal electric power generation system, which comprises:
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an air supply device; an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from said air supply device against said sunlight reflecting surface to clean said sunlight reflecting surface; and a distance sensor for measuring a spacing between a top end of said air nozzle and said sunlight reflecting surface.
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13. A cleaning device for cleaning a sunlight reflecting surface of a sunlight collecting device included in a solar thermal electric power generation system, which comprises:
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an air supply device; an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from said air supply device against said sunlight reflecting surface to clean said sunlight reflecting surface; a soiling degree measuring device for measuring a soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface, wherein; said soiling degree measuring device includes a light projecting device configured to project a measuring light and a light receiving device configured to receive the measuring light reflected by said sunlight reflecting surface; and said soiling degree measuring device is configured to measure the soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface based on a degree of reduction in intensity of the measuring light reflected by said sunlight reflecting surface when compared with intensity of the measuring light projected and before said sunlight reflecting surface is subjected to the air blow by said air nozzle and the soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface after said sunlight reflecting surface has been subjected to the air blow, and comparison is made between the two soiling degrees measured to detect an effect of cleaning of said sunlight reflecting surface and said air supply device is configured to be capable of adjusting at least one of an air supply amount and an air supply pressure and adjusting at least one of an air blow amount and an air blow pressure based on at least one of the soiling degrees measured by the soiling degree measuring device and the cleaning effect detected.
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14. A cleaning device for cleaning a sunlight reflecting surface of a sunlight collecting device included in a solar thermal electric power generation system, which comprises:
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an air supply device; an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from said air supply device against said sunlight reflecting surface to clean said sunlight reflecting surface; a soiling degree measuring device for measuring a soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface; a driving device configured to extend and retract said air nozzle in an air blowing direction thereof for moving a top end of said air nozzle toward and away from said sunlight reflecting surface, wherein; the driving device is configured to adjust a range of extension and retraction of said air nozzle, a gap between the top end of said air nozzle and said sunlight reflecting surface is adjustable based on at least one of the soiling degree measured by said soiling degree measuring device and the cleaning effect detected; wherein said soiling degree measuring device includes a light projecting device configured to project a measuring light and a light receiving device configured to receive the measuring light reflected by said sunlight reflecting surface; and said soiling degree measuring device is configured to measure the soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface based on a degree of reduction in intensity of the measuring light reflected by said sunlight reflecting surface when compared with intensity of the measuring light projected and before said sunlight reflecting surface is subjected to the air blow by said air nozzle and the soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface after said sunlight reflecting surface has been subjected to the air blow, and comparison is made between the two soiling degrees measured to detect an effect of cleaning of said sunlight reflecting surface.
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15. A cleaning device for cleaning a sunlight reflecting surface of a sunlight collecting device included in a solar thermal electric power generation system, which comprises:
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an air supply device; an air nozzle configured to blow air supplied from said air supply device against said sunlight reflecting surface to clean said sunlight reflecting surface; a movable truck, wherein said air supply device and said air nozzle are mounted on said truck; and soiling degree measuring devices each located on a respective one of a forward side and a rearward side of said air nozzle in a direction of travel of said truck for measuring a soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface, wherein wherein each of said soiling degree measuring devices include a light projecting device for projecting a measuring light and a light receiving device for receiving the measuring light reflected by said sunlight reflecting surface; each of said soiling degree measuring devices are configured to measure soiling degrees of said sunlight reflecting surface based on a degree of reduction in intensity of the measuring light reflected by said sunlight reflecting surface when compared with intensity of the measuring light projected; and the two soiling degree measuring devices measure a soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface before said sunlight reflecting surface is subjected to the air blow and a soiling degree of said sunlight reflecting surface after said sunlight reflecting surface has been subjected to the air blow, and comparison is made between the two soiling degrees measured to detect a cleaning effect. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification