Patent ID: 8771432

Claim:
A solar panel waterless cleaning system for cleaning solar panels of a plurality of solar rows, the solar rows being substantially parallel to each other and each solar row including a plurality of solar panels, each solar row having a length and a width, and each solar row being inclined and having an upper end and a lower end in the width direction of the respective solar row, the upper end being elevated to a position higher than the lower end, the cleaning system comprising: a movable frame that is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the solar rows; at least one waterless cleaning apparatus mounted on said movable frame, and being selectively operable to clean a solar panel surface of a solar row to be cleaned, without using water; a support frame that supports said at least one cleaning apparatus, said support frame being configured to selectively move said at least one cleaning apparatus in both said width direction and said length direction over a surface of the solar panels of a solar row to be cleaned; a controller coupled to said at least one cleaning apparatus and to said support frame to selectively move said at least one cleaning apparatus in said length direction of a solar row being cleaned, and to selectively move said at least one cleaning apparatus up and down in said width direction of the solar row being cleaned, between said upper and lower ends, and to cause said at least one cleaning apparatus to waterlessly clean a solar panel surface of the solar row being cleaned during a downward movement of said at least one cleaning apparatus in said width direction of the solar row being cleaned; a drive mechanism for driving said movable frame to a position in alignment with a next of said plurality of solar rows such that said at least one cleaning apparatus is operable to clean the solar panels of said next solar row, without using water; wherein said at least one waterless cleaning apparatus comprises at least one air stream creating apparatus that creates a directional air stream flowing in the width direction of the solar row such that said air stream pushes dust particles on the solar panels down the incline and off the solar panels without using water; and said at least one air stream creating apparatus including fins that move in the direction of said air stream and touch said solar panels to enhance cleaning of said solar panels by said air stream.