Sleepwalkers has developed an automated robotic device for cleaning solar panels that does not require an additional rail system.
Tamil Nadu-based Sleepwalkers has introduced the Zero Dirt-BOLT, an automated robotic device that waterlessly removes dust from solar panels. The device operates without rails and is suitable for ground and roof/RCC installations, including fixed, seasonal tilts and single-axis trackers.
The company claims the robotic device achieves a cleaning efficiency of 99 percent, making it ideal for solar installations in the desert. It is available in automatic and semi-automatic models that offer dry, wet or hybrid cleaning modes.
According to Sleepwalkers marketing manager Anil Zinjurke, the robot is powered by a lithium battery on board and can travel 2-3 kilometers on a single charge. It can clean more than 2 MW per day, depending on site conditions. Installation is easy, as no additional railings are needed.
“Automatic models charge themselves from the built-in solar panels. The pick-and-place model has the option of changing the battery,” said Zinjurke. “Our wet cleaning robots can cut water consumption in half compared to traditional manual wet cleaning.”
The PV cleaning robot is designed to handle unevenness between panels up to 25 mm and undulations of land slopes up to 15 degrees. It has a high-torque motor, an industrial-grade controller, SCADA and cloud connectivity, and weather monitoring.
The Zero Dirt-BOLT robots are UL certified and are currently in use with approximately 300 MW of solar capacity in various sizes from 2m to 8m.
