Robot-Server Architecture for Optimizing Solar Panel Power Output

Authors

  • Ernesto Zamora Ramos University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Maria Ramos University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Konstantinos Moutafis University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Evangelos A. Yfantis University of Nevada, Las Vegas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14738/tmlai.44.2141

Keywords:

Robotic Vision, Solar Power Optimization, Pattern Analysis, Autonomous Vehicles

Abstract

Solar panel facilities for generating electricity have increased exponentially in the recent years. Dust and bird droppings on the solar panels inhibit the energy production. Having people to inspect them and, if needed, clean them is expensive and increases the energy cost. In this research paper we introduce a robot-server architecture for the purpose of inspecting the panels and cleaning them if there is a need for it. The general architecture of the robot consists of a mechanical part, an electromechanical part, an electronic part, and a software part. The mechanical and electromechanical parts consist of an all-terrain vehicle, two electric brushless motors, a telescopic vision system, and telescopic cleaning system with a brush, stepper motors controlling the telescopic vision system, and the telescopic vacuum system with a brushless electric motor. The electronic system consists of three electronic speed controllers, navigation sensors, a computer board, a hard disk, a transceiver, and an antenna for wireless communication. The software consists of a scalable operating system, an intelligent vision system with pattern recognition, a communication software system, an intelligent navigation system, and a file server with a database, TLS security, network communication software based on UDP, and internet communication based on websockets and TCP-IP. In addition to that for street solar lights we designed a PCB board with a sensor that activates a mechanism similar to windshield wipers that cleans the glass of the solar panels powering the lights automatically when needed.

References

(1). E. Zamora Ramos, S. Ho, and E. A. Yfantis, Using spectral decomposition to detect dirty solar panels and minimize the impact on energy production. Journal of Advances in Image and Video Processing, 2015. 3(6): p. 1-12.

(2). E. A. Yfantis, Telemedicine: The present and its future. In Plenary Lecture: 14th International Conference in Applied Computer Science.

(3. E. A. Yfantis, Dynamic redundancy bit allocation and packet size to increase throughput in noisy real time video wireless transmission. The Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing JCMCC 86, 2013. p. 163-169.

(4). E. A. Yfantis et al, Pollution detection in urban areas using the existing camera networks. International Journal of Multimedia Technology, 2013. 3(3): p. 98-102.

(5). E. A. Yfantis and A. Fayed, Authentication and secure robot communication. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems, 2014. 11: p. 1-6.

(6). E. A. Yfantis and A. Fayed, A camera system for detecting dust and other deposits on solar panels. Journal of Advances in Image and Video Processing, 2014. 2(5): p. 1-10.

(7). E. A. Yfantis and A. Fayed, Robot vision and distance estimation. In 14th International Conference in Applied Computer Science, Cambridge, MA, Jan 2014. p. 215-220.

(8). E. Zamora Ramos et al. A Robot Architecture for Detecting Dust and Cleaning Solar Panels. In 31st International Conference on Computers and Their Applications, CATA 16, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2016.

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Published

2016-09-14

How to Cite

Zamora Ramos, E., Ramos, M., Moutafis, K., & Yfantis, E. A. (2016). Robot-Server Architecture for Optimizing Solar Panel Power Output. Transactions on Engineering and Computing Sciences, 4(4), 09. https://doi.org/10.14738/tmlai.44.2141