JP6411253B2 - Solar power generation system and AC module - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a photovoltaic power generation system and an AC module.

  In recent years, attention has been paid to the introduction of a photovoltaic power generation system into a detached house, an apartment house, an office building, etc., to generate photovoltaic power, due to recent attention to renewable energy.

  In a solar power generation system, a solar cell module is configured by connecting a plurality of solar cells that convert solar energy into electric energy in series. The plurality of solar cell modules are connected in series or in parallel by a cable. The electric power generated by each solar cell module is converted into appropriate electric power by a PCS (Power Conditioning System) provided at the subsequent stage of the solar cell module.

JP 2014-522627 A

  In recent years, it has been proposed to use a micro inverter (MIC) that individually controls a plurality of solar cell modules in place of the PCS. In many cases, the MIC is usually attached to a back surface of a solar cell module installed on the roof of a building or a frame that supports the solar cell module. It is necessary to visually inspect the MIC for any abnormalities such as ignition or smoke, but it is not easy to visually inspect the MIC that is at a high position on the roof of the building and is hidden in the solar cell module. Absent.

  The present embodiment has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a highly convenient solar power generation system and an AC module that facilitate inspection of a micro inverter.

The photovoltaic power generation system of the present embodiment includes a panel-shaped solar cell module having a light receiving surface and a back surface, a micro inverter that is attached to the back surface of the solar cell module and performs output control of the solar cell module, and the micro A camera capable of imaging the appearance of the inverter , wherein a plurality of the solar cell modules are arranged adjacent to each other, the micro inverter is attached to each back surface of the plurality of solar cell modules, and the camera is attached to each micro inverter. The micro inverter of the solar cell module that is attached and adjacent to the solar cell module to which the micro inverter is attached is imaged .

  The AC module of the present embodiment includes a panel-shaped solar cell module having a light receiving surface and a back surface, a micro inverter attached to the back surface of the solar cell module and performing output control of the solar cell module, and the micro A camera capable of imaging the appearance of the inverter.

It is a figure showing the whole solar power generation system composition concerning a 1st embodiment. (A) is a perspective view which shows the structural example of a solar cell module and a mount, (B) is sectional drawing which shows the structural example of a solar cell module and a mount. (A) is a figure which shows the structure of AC module, (B) is a figure which shows the external appearance of a micro inverter. It is a schematic diagram which shows the aspect of the imaging of the micro inverter by a camera. It is a schematic diagram which shows the aspect of the imaging of the micro inverter by a camera. It is a schematic diagram which shows the aspect of the imaging of the micro inverter by a camera. (A) shows the whole structure of the solar energy power generation system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, (B) is a figure which shows a partial structure. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the micro inverter in the solar energy power generation system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a solar power generation system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

1. First Embodiment (1) Configuration FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a photovoltaic power generation system 100 according to a first embodiment. The solar power generation system 100 of this embodiment includes a plurality of AC modules 2 each including the solar cell module 20. The photovoltaic power generation system 100 is a system that converts the DC power generated by the solar cell module 20 provided in the AC module 2 into AC power and supplies it to the main circuit in the house or flows backward to the external power system. is there.

  The solar cell module 20 is configured by arranging a plurality of solar cells 22 vertically and horizontally, sandwiching the light-receiving surface side with a glass plate, the anti-light-receiving surface side with a back sheet 23, and surrounding the frame with a frame to form a rectangular panel. . In this specification, the light receiving surface is also referred to as the front surface, and the anti-light receiving surface is also referred to as the back surface.

  It is desirable to install the solar cell module 20 in a place where there are few obstacles that block sunlight in order to secure the amount of received light. As such installation locations, the roof of the building, the rooftop, the upper wall surface, etc. can be considered. Or, a plain or the like with no large buildings around it can be considered. Here, the example installed in the roof R of a building is demonstrated.

  When there are a plurality of solar cell modules 20, the solar cell modules 20 are arranged adjacent to each other. For example, when twelve solar cell modules 20 are arranged, they can be arranged in three stages × four rows as shown in FIG. The solar cell module 20 is fixed to the roof R using the mount 4. There are various configurations of the gantry 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the vicinity of both ends of the back surface of the solar cell module 20 is supported by two parallel columnar support members 40. 2 (B), the support member 40 is fixed to the roof R with the fixing bracket 41. The solar cell modules 20 in the same row are preferably supported by the same support member 40.

  FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the AC module 2. The AC module 2 includes the above-described solar cell module 20, a micro inverter (MIC 12) 12, and a junction box 13. The junction box 13 is a terminal for taking out the output power of the solar cell module 20, is connected to the MIC 12 with a cable, and sends the power generated by the solar cell module 20 to the MIC 12.

  The MIC 12 is a combination of a power conversion function and a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) function. The MIC 12 includes a power control component such as a DC / DC converter, a transformer, a rectifier, and a DC / AC converter, and a microcontroller (MCU: micro control unit) as a control device that realizes the power conversion function and the MPPT function. I have. As shown in FIG. 3B, these components are accommodated in a metal casing 14. The casing 14 is filled with a sealing material such as epoxy. The MIC 12 is connected in parallel with the MIC 12 of the other AC module 2 by a cable.

  The MIC 12 also includes a communication device, and communicates with a gateway that is a remote monitoring device of the photovoltaic power generation system 100 by wire or wirelessly. The gateway communicates with an operation terminal such as a management company or a user operation terminal. An instruction from the operation terminal is transmitted to the MIC 12 via the gateway, and information acquired by the MIC 12 is transmitted to the operation terminal via the gateway.

  The MIC 12 and the junction box 13 are attached to the back sheet 23 on the back surface of the solar cell module 20. The installation position of the MIC 12 and the junction box 13 is not limited to a specific location. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the MIC 12 is arranged at the corner of the back sheet 23 and sandwiched between the frames of the solar cell module 20. You may install as follows. For example, the junction box 13 is disposed between the center of the back sheet 23 and the MIC 12.

  The AC module 2 of the present embodiment further includes a camera 25 that captures the appearance of the MIC 12 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 2B. By installing this camera 25, even if the solar cell module 20 is installed on the roof R, it is possible to check whether the MIC 12 has any abnormality such as ignition or smoke.

  Although the kind of camera 25 is not limited to a specific thing, in order to image MIC12 which exists in the narrow space between the solar cell module 20 and the roof R, it is good in a small thing. The installation position of the camera 25 is not limited to a specific place as long as the appearance of the MIC 12 can be captured. Here, an example will be described in which the camera 25 is attached to the MIC 12 and the MIC 12 of the adjacent solar cell module 20 is imaged instead of the MIC 12 itself. When the camera 25 is attached to the MIC 12, the power supply of the camera 25 and the MIC 12 can be made the same, so that the equipment cost can be reduced, but the camera 25 cannot take an image of the attached MIC 12. Therefore, the lens direction of the camera 25 is adjusted to take an image of the MIC 12 attached to the adjacent solar cell module 20.

  In the arrangement example of FIG. 1, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the camera 25 provided in the MIC 12 of each solar cell module 20 may image the MIC 12 of the right solar cell module 20. That is, the camera 25 attached to the MIC 12 in the first row of each stage images the MIC 12 in the second row of each stage. The camera 25 attached to the MIC 12 in the second row of each stage images the MIC 12 in the third row of each stage. By arranging the camera 25 in this way, the camera 25 can image not only the MIC 12 on the right side but also the junction box 13 of the AC module 2 in which the camera 25 is installed. As a result, the junction box 13 can also detect abnormalities such as ignition and smoke.

  Since only the MIC 12 in the first row of each stage cannot be imaged by the camera 25 of the adjacent MIC 12, another camera 25 is attached to each of the solar cell modules 20 in the first row of each stage. It is better to be able to image In addition, since the camera 25 in the third row of each stage does not have the MIC 12 on the right side, it is preferable to capture only the junction box 13 installed in each solar cell module 20.

  Of course, the example shown in FIG. 4 is merely an example. For example, the camera 25 of the MIC 12 may capture an image of the MIC 12 located on the left side instead of the right side. Further, for example, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5, the camera 25 of each MIC 12 may take an image of the MIC 12 and the junction box 13 located at the lower, upper, diagonally lower, and diagonally upper sides in addition to the right side. good. In addition, the imaging target is not limited to the MIC 12 and the junction box 13, and the imaging target within the range that can be captured by the camera 25 may be appropriately selected. For example, the camera 25 attached to another MIC 12 may be captured. Further, for example, as shown by an arrow in FIG. 6, the entire back surface of the solar cell module 20 to which it is attached or the adjacent solar cell module 20 may be imaged. The imaging target of the camera 25 can be appropriately determined according to the installation mode of the solar cell module 20. Also, the number of cameras 25 need not be attached to all the individual MICs 12, and can be appropriately increased or decreased according to the imaging range of the cameras 25.

  An image captured by the camera 25 in each MIC 12 is transmitted to the management company or user's operation terminal via the gateway, and the management company or user confirms the image, so that an abnormality occurs in the MIC 12 or the junction box 13. You can check if it is not.

(2) Operational Effects As described above, the AC module 2 and the photovoltaic power generation system 100 of the present embodiment are attached to the panel-shaped solar cell module 20 having the light receiving surface and the back surface, and the back surface of the solar cell module 20. The MIC 12 that controls the output of the solar cell module 20 and the camera 25 that can capture the appearance of the MIC 12 are provided. Thereby, even when the MIC 12 is at a high position on the roof of the building and is hidden behind the solar cell module 20, the appearance of the MIC 12 can be easily confirmed. Since the efficiency of the inspection work of the photovoltaic power generation system 100 can be improved, the convenience is high. In addition, since the camera 25 can always capture the appearance of the MIC 12, the safety check can be performed flexibly without being constrained by periodic inspections, and a flexible and highly reliable photovoltaic power generation system 100 is provided. can do.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the several solar cell module 20 is arranged adjacently, MIC12 is attached to the back surface of each solar cell module 20, and the camera 25 is attached to each MIC12. The camera 25 images the MIC 12 attached to the solar cell module 20 adjacent to the solar cell module 20 of the attached MIC 12. As a result, the power of the MIC 12 can be made the same for the camera 25, and the equipment cost can be reduced.

2. Second Embodiment (1) Configuration A photovoltaic power generation system 100 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the following embodiments, only points different from the above-described embodiment will be described, and the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the camera 25 is not installed in the AC module 2. Instead, a guide 42 that can insert a cable (hereinafter referred to as a camera-equipped cable 26) with a camera attached to the tip of the gantry 4 is provided.

  There are various configurations of the gantry 4 as described above. For example, both ends of the back surface of the solar cell module 20 are supported by two parallel support members 40, and the support member 40 is fixed by a fixing bracket 41. It is fixed to the roof R. The solar cell modules 20 in the same row are supported by the same support member 40. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7A, if the camera-equipped cable 26 is moved along the support member 40 of the gantry 4, the back surface of the one row of solar cell modules 20 is collectively imaged by the front-end camera. be able to. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7B, a guide 42 through which the cable 26 with a camera can be passed through the support member 40 is provided.

  Various structures of the guide 42 are conceivable. For example, when the support member 40 is a prism, a longitudinal groove may be formed on the side surface of the support member 40, and the cable 26 with a camera may be passed through the groove. For example, the groove may be provided in the support member 40 that is away from the MIC 12. Accordingly, the camera-equipped cable 26 that passes through the groove provided on the side surface of the one support member 40 can image the MIC 12 installed near the other support member 40. Further, the junction box 13 provided in the vicinity of the MIC 12 can also be imaged.

  The groove serving as the guide 42 may have a slightly larger width than the cable so that the cable can be inserted and the cable can be moved straight in the guide 42 without shaking. Alternatively, a rail may be provided on the bottom surface of the groove so that the cable is not shaken, and the cable may be slid along the rail.

  The configuration and installation position of the guide 42 are not limited to those described above, and can be appropriately determined according to the installation mode of the solar cell module. For example, the guide 42 may be configured as a separate member from the support member 40 and may be installed on the support member 40 closer to the MIC 12. Specifically, the guide 42 is configured as a concave member whose upper surface is opened, and is attached to the support member 40 closer to the MIC 12. When the camera-equipped cable 26 is inserted into the concave member, the MIC 12 and the junction box 13 in the vicinity of the MIC 12 can be imaged through the opening on the upper surface.

  The camera-equipped cable 26 to be inserted into the guide 42 is not limited to a specific one, but for example, an endoscope used in medical treatment or the like can be applied and a cable with a CCD attached to the tip of the cable can be used. .

(2) Effects As described above, in this embodiment, instead of always installing the camera, the cable 4 with the camera is attached to the gantry 4 that supports the solar cell module 20 and is fixed to the installation location such as the roof R of the building. A guide 42 into which 26 can be inserted is provided. As a result, the installation cost of the camera can be reduced, and at the same time, the camera-equipped cable 26 can be easily imaged close to the MIC 12 installed on the back surface of the solar cell module 20, thereby providing high convenience. .

  The guide 42 may be a groove provided in the support member 40 that supports the back surface of the solar cell module 20, and a rail on which the cable can slide is provided in the groove. By providing a groove in the support member 40, it is not necessary to separately install the guide 42, which is economical. Further, by providing the rail in the groove, the cable moves in the groove without shaking, so that the operability is good.

3. 3rd Embodiment The solar power generation system 100 which concerns on 3rd Embodiment is demonstrated using FIG. The third embodiment shows a variation of the MIC 12, and can be applied to both the first and second embodiments. As described in the first embodiment, the MIC 12 is usually covered with the metal casing 14. Therefore, by imaging the appearance of the MIC 12 with a camera, it is possible to confirm abnormalities such as ignition and smoke, but it is not possible to confirm abnormalities inside the housing 14. Therefore, in the present embodiment, various modes in which an abnormality inside the MIC 12 can be confirmed will be described.

(1) As shown in FIG. 8, the electronic circuit of the MIC 12 is covered with a transparent sealing material and housed in a transparent housing 14, so that an internal abnormality can also be confirmed. The housing | casing 14 can be comprised with transparent materials, such as an acryl, for example. As the internal sealing material, a transparent material such as silicone or a fluorine-based material can be used.

  The entire MIC 12 may not be covered with a transparent sealing material. In order to check internal abnormalities, it is only necessary to be able to confirm part of the interior of the MIC 12, so for example, half of the inside of the housing 14 is often made of non-transparent material such as epoxy, and the other half is made transparent of silicone or fluorine-based material. It may be covered with a transparent material. Further, for example, only a portion important for inspection may be made transparent. For example, only a connection part such as a terminal block constituting the MIC 12 and the periphery of a component to be inspected such as a power device and a capacitor may be coated with a transparent material such as silicone or a fluorine-based material.

(2) The external connection terminals and cables of the MIC 12 may be coated with a paint whose color is easily visible due to heat. Or you may coat with the coating material which changes color with a temperature change. As a result, when the external connection terminal or cable of the MIC 12 is imaged by the camera 25 or the camera-equipped cable 26, an internal abnormality can also be found.

(3) When the casing 14 is made of a metal that is not transparent, a hole that allows the inside to be confirmed may be provided. In addition, a wide-angle lens may be attached to the hole so that the inside can be seen in a wider range. In this case, a transparent material such as silicone or a fluorine-based material is preferably used as the internal sealing material.

(4) A thermo label indicating the temperature inside the MIC 12 may be attached to the housing 14. Whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the MIC 12 can be confirmed by the change in the thermo label.

(5) The MIC 12 or the camera 25 attached to the MIC 12 of the first embodiment may incorporate a heat sensing or smoke sensing sensor. Furthermore, you may install light-emitting devices, such as LED light which light-emits when these sensors detect abnormality. Although the light emission of the LED light can be confirmed from the camera 25, it can also be confirmed with the naked eye from under the roof, so that the occurrence of abnormality can be confirmed more easily. In addition, when confirming light emission of the LED light with the naked eye, the installation position of the MIC 12 or the installation position of the LED light may be shifted for each solar cell module 20. This makes it easy to visually recognize which MIC 12 has an abnormality with the naked eye. The above-described configuration can be applied not only to the MIC 12 but also to the junction box 13.

4). Other Embodiments (1) Although a plurality of embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof as well as included in the scope and gist of the invention.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the solar power generation system 100 including a plurality of AC modules 2 has been described as an example, but a single AC module 2 may be used. In that case, the camera 25 may be attached to a position where the MIC 12 of the back sheet 23 can be imaged instead of the MIC 12. Even when a plurality of AC modules 2 are used, the number and arrangement are not limited to the above example. The number and installation positions of the cameras 25 can be appropriately determined according to the number and arrangement mode of the AC modules 2. For example, the lens of the camera 25 may be movable, and a plurality of MICs 12 may be imaged with one camera 25.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the AC module 2 is installed on the roof R of the building has been described, but the installation location is not limited thereto. It may be provided on the roof or upper wall of the building. Or you may provide in the plain where there is no big building around.

2 AC module 4 Base 12 Micro inverter (MIC)
13 Junction box 14 Case 20 Solar cell module 22 Solar cell 23 Back sheet 25 Camera 26 Camera cable 40 Support member 41 Fixing bracket 42 Guide 100 Solar power generation system R Roof

Claims (10)

A panel-like solar cell module having a light receiving surface and a back surface;
A micro inverter that is attached to the back surface of the solar cell module and performs output control of the solar cell module;
A camera capable of imaging the appearance of the micro inverter ,
A plurality of the solar cell modules are arranged adjacent to each other, and the micro inverter is attached to the back surface of each of the plurality of solar cell modules,
The camera is attached to each micro inverter, solar power system for imaging the micro-inverter of the solar cell module and the adjacent solar cell module to which the micro-inverter is mounted. A panel-like solar cell module having a light receiving surface and a back surface;
A micro inverter that is attached to the back surface of the solar cell module and performs output control of the solar cell module;
A stand for supporting the solar cell module and fixing it to an installation location;
A solar power generation system comprising: a guide provided on the mount and capable of inserting a cable provided with a camera for imaging the micro inverter at a tip. The solar power generation system according to claim 2 , wherein the guide includes a groove provided in a support member that supports a back surface of the solar cell module, and a rail that is provided in the groove and on which the cable can slide. The micro inverter, photovoltaic system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 which is accommodated in a transparent housing segment over the electronic circuits of a transparent encapsulant. The solar power generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an external connection terminal or a cable of the micro inverter is coated with a paint having a color that can be visually recognized by heat. The solar power generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an external connection terminal or a cable of the micro inverter is coated with a paint that changes color by heat. The said micro inverter is the structure which accommodated the electronic circuit in the metal housing | casing, The sun as described in any one of Claims 1-3 with which the hole which can visually recognize the inside is provided in the said metal housing | casing. Photovoltaic system. The photovoltaic system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, the thermo label indicating the temperature inside the micro-inverter and subjected to the casing of the micro inverter. The solar power generation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the micro inverter includes a sensor that detects an internal abnormality and a light-emitting device that emits light when the sensor detects the abnormality. A panel-like solar cell module having a light receiving surface and a back surface;
A micro inverter that is attached to the back surface of the solar cell module and performs output control of the solar cell module;
An AC module comprising: a camera capable of imaging the appearance of the micro inverter.