Ideas for a solar panel cleaner |
Ideas for a solar panel cleaner |
May 22 2008, 05:55 PM
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#1
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Director of Galilean Photography Group: Members Posts: 896 Joined: 15-July 04 From: Austin, TX Member No.: 93 |
Just had an idea for a solar panel cleaner. Place a small, black tank on top of the deck. At the bottom of the tank is a one-way valve pointing into the tank. At the side of the tank is a pressure-relief valve tied to the dust removal tubes.
This removes the need for storing a gas for the cleaning, as well as any need for a pump. Ready...Set...Rip 'er apart! -------------------- Space Enthusiast Richard Hendricks
-- "The engineers, as usual, made a tremendous fuss. Again as usual, they did the job in half the time they had dismissed as being absolutely impossible." --Rescue Party, Arthur C Clarke Mother Nature is the final inspector of all quality. |
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May 23 2008, 07:51 PM
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#2
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Junior Member Group: Members Posts: 33 Joined: 5-October 06 Member No.: 1223 |
The real answer is just to make the solar panels large enough so that they produce enough power throughout the mission even with dust accumulation. For long duration missions go nuke and have it powered by an RTG, they really are the way to go.
Those are the engineering choices Nasa have made and personally I think they are the best. Next to having an astronaut with a soft bristle brush brush that is. |
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May 27 2008, 03:27 AM
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#3
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Merciless Robot Group: Admin Posts: 8785 Joined: 8-December 05 From: Los Angeles Member No.: 602 |
For long duration missions go nuke and have it powered by an RTG, they really are the way to go. Gotta agree completely, here, Phoenix's solar arrays are sufficient for its mission, which has an environmentally constrained duration. Solar panels require maintenance in Martian conditions that's probably beyond the scope of automation for very long-term missions; might be also true for lunar conditions, but of course there's no wind transport of dust there so the effect should be smaller. -------------------- A few will take this knowledge and use this power of a dream realized as a force for change, an impetus for further discovery to make less ancient dreams real.
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