Smart PV panel cleaning

Project Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) Panels on Mars are subject to unpredictable weather including high speed “dust devils” which can leave the panels covered with dust. This adversely affects the panels’ efficiency. Current cleaning methods rely on Martian winds to keep the panels dust free. The purpose of this project is to develop a smart, autonomous cleaning mechanism to clean the PV panels and increase their efficiency. The goal is to develop this prototype in under $500. The environment on Mars is simulated in a lab using halogen lights and lunar dust and the performance of a 25W PV panel is tested. By measuring the short circuit current of the panel under different light levels, a linear regression model is developed and programmed into an Arduino. The control system then automatically cleans the panel when its output drops below the expected value for a certain light level. Cleaning is done by driving a roller or brush across the surface of the panel using a stepper motor controller. The SOLAR-500 Maximum Power Point Tracker is used to measure the power output of the panel before and after cleaning to test the effectiveness of the cleaning mechanism.

Schematic

The schematic below shows the cleaning system components and the power and data flow between them.

Power Distribution Board

Over the coming months I will design a power distribution board to provide the different components with the voltage levels required from the battery. We will also install the sensors and assemble the electronics box, and develop the Arduino code for autonomous cleaning. I will update the post with out progress!