Design, Development, And Experimental Validation Of An Automatic Solar Photovoltaic Panel Cleaning System Under Real Outdoor Conditions

Abstract

Solar Energy Is One Of The Most Widely Utilized Renewable Energy Sources For Electrical Power Generation. However, The Performance Of Photovoltaic (PV) Panels Is Significantly Affected By The Accumulation Of Dust, Bird Droppings, And Other Environmental Contaminants On The Panel Surface, Which Reduce Solar Radiation Absorption And Consequently Decrease Power Output. Conventional Cleaning Methods Are Often Labor-intensive, Consume Large Amounts Of Water, And Are Unsuitable For Continuous Or Automated Operation. To Address These Challenges, This Paper Presents The Design, Development, And Experimental Validation Of An Automatic Solar Photovoltaic Panel Cleaning System Under Real Outdoor Conditions. The Proposed System Incorporates A Mechanically Fabricated Cleaning Mechanism Driven By A 12 V DC Geared Motor And Controlled Using An Arduino-based Controller. The Cleaning Unit Is Mounted On The Solar Panel Frame And Moves Across The Panel Surface To Remove Accumulated Dust Effectively Without Causing Damage To The Panel. Various Sensors Are Integrated Into The System To Enable Intelligent Condition-based Cleaning And Real-time Performance Monitoring. Experimental Investigations Were Conducted Using A 3 W Photovoltaic Panel Under Actual Outdoor Operating Conditions. Meteorological Parameters, Including Solar Irradiance And Ambient Temperature Corresponding To The Experimental Period, Were Obtained From A Meteorological Database. The Developed System Effectively Removed Dust Deposits And Enhanced The Electrical Performance Of The Photovoltaic Panel. Experimental Results Showed That The Output Power Increased From 0.79 W Before Cleaning To 1.05 W After Cleaning, Corresponding To A 32.91% Improvement In Power Output. The Proposed System Provides A Low-cost, Energy-efficient, And Reliable Solution For The Automated Maintenance Of Photovoltaic Panels, Thereby Enhancing Energy Generation And Reducing Manual Maintenance Requirements.

Keywords