Remote Autonomous and Real-Time Fault Detection System for Solar Power Plants Using Thermal Imaging Method

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for remote, autonomous and real-time fault detection of panel arrays and auxiliary electrical equipment in solar power plants (SPPs) using thermal imaging. The system in question includes photovoltaic panels (1), outdoor transformers (2), inverters (3), cable lines and connection points (4), drone with thermal camera (5), SIM card / internet line (6), central server / maintenance management system (7).

Description

1 TARIFF Remote Autonomous and Thermal Imaging Method for Solar Power Plants Real-time fault detection system. Technical Area The invention relates to panel arrays and auxiliary electrical equipment in solar power plants (SPPs). A system that enables remote, autonomous, and real-time fault detection using thermal imaging. It is related to the system. State of the Art Existing thermal inspection methods and drones used in solar power generation facilities. Applications based on this technology fall short in several aspects. These shortcomings are as follows: These can be summarized under the following headings: Most current drone systems require manual or semi-autonomous flight. This 15 The situation is that it is susceptible to human error, requires different operator skills in each field, and the flight... problems such as the inability to standardize routes and the lengthy duration of inspections in large areas This leads to... In current practices, thermal images are transferred to a computer after the flight, and the operator... It is manually reviewed, and fault classification is based on experience or individual interpretation. 20 This approach is dependent on problems such as misinterpretation, delayed diagnosis, and low accuracy. Why does that happen? In current systems, data processing is not done until the drone flight is complete; analysis is only done in the office or This is performed later by the operator, in case of critical failures (overheating, cable melting, etc.) and Production losses cannot be reported immediately. This results in delayed reporting, especially in large-scale solar power plants. This results in maintenance and production losses. Most of today's drone solutions do not include internet connectivity, field SCADA, or maintenance. It is not dependent on software; data transfer is done manually via the SD card. Therefore, it is instantaneous. Fault reporting and simultaneous data transmission to remote centers are not possible. Current software often cannot distinguish between hotspots and shadowing, and the PID effect is 30. It cannot detect or perform cell-based heat anomaly analysis. Due to these shortcomings, solar panels Most of these malfunctions are misclassified or go undetected. In current applications, each drone produces data in a different format, reports are prepared manually, and the panel... The coordinates cannot be standardized. This leads to irregular recording, tracking difficulties, and maintenance problems in the field. It creates uncertainty in planning. 35 2 Current drones cannot change course when they detect thermal anomalies, nor can they approach critical areas. It may slow down or be unable to perform high-resolution scanning. Therefore, it prioritizes these malfunctions. There is no focused, dynamic flight system. Manual flight operations for solar power plants above 50–100 MW take days due to low battery efficiency. The scan is interrupted, and comprehensive analysis cannot be performed. This leads to a decrease in throughput and a time-consuming process. It causes performance losses. Today, its autonomy, fault classification with artificial intelligence, and internet infrastructure are all important factors. use and periodically access the central server and / or maintenance management system. There is no system in place to connect all the missing pieces in the reporting. In conclusion, due to the negative aspects described above and the current solutions regarding topic 10 Due to its shortcomings, it has become necessary to make improvements in the relevant technical field. Purpose of the Invention The invention represents a new breakthrough in this field, unlike the structures used in existing technology. It aims to create a structure with different technical specifications that bring about different results. 15 The main purpose of the invention is to create panel arrays and auxiliary electrical systems in solar power plants (SPPs). Remote, autonomous, and real-time troubleshooting of equipment using thermal imaging methods. It is about developing a system that enables detection. Another purpose of the invention is to integrate photovoltaic panels, outdoor transformers, inverters, cable lines, 20 temperature anomalies that may occur at connection points and in-field electrical equipment to identify, classify these anomalies, and automatically report faults to maintenance teams. It is the development of a system designed for transmission. Another objective of the invention is to enable continuous and 25-hour data transmission in the field to the drone device equipped with a thermal camera. integrating a SIM card with an internet connection to ensure uninterrupted operation This integration allows the drone to transmit fault data it detects during flight. It can periodically transmit data to the central server or maintenance management system; sun Compared to existing thermal monitoring methods used in power plants, the database The goal is to provide significant technical improvements, increased efficiency, and operational advantages through its contribution; 30 By analyzing the temperature anomalies detected by the drones during flight, the malfunction can be identified instantly. The goal is to enable the transmission of this data to the central server or maintenance teams. Thanks to this feature... Delayed diagnosis is eliminated, rapid response to critical malfunctions is ensured, and the panel and Fire risks originating from cables are minimized; flight paths suitable for the system's panel arrangements. 35 This feature provides standardized data production and eliminates human error. 3 It provides low operator costs; a temperature anomaly during drone scanning. When it detects this, it instantly re-optimizes the flight path and assigns a high-altitude zone to that area. The aim is to provide high-resolution scanning. This ensures that critical faults are not overlooked, and the scan... Quality is improving, unnecessary flight time and energy loss are being reduced; the system's thermal performance is improving. The goal is to enable it to automatically identify the source of the malfunction from the images. This will allow 5 Operator dependency is eliminated and assessment accuracy is significantly increased; Thanks to the SIM card integrated into the drone, data collected during flight can be synchronized. timely processing, transfer to off-site centers, and historical records. The aim is to make a comparison; the detected fault is reported via SMS, WhatsApp / Telegram, email, The goal is to ensure that data is automatically transmitted through channels such as SCADA monitoring systems. This is 10 Thanks to this feature, maintenance processes are accelerated and work losses are reduced; every aspect of the system The goal is to enable the production of highly sensitive thermal and visual data in the same format during flight. This makes it easier to compare field-based data and generate performance monitoring reports. Accuracy is increasing, standardized audit records are being created; autonomous flight, AI Thanks to analysis and automated reporting, audit time can be shortened by up to 70%, resulting in 15% annual savings. reducing maintenance costs, detecting panel-based losses at an early stage, and The aim is to increase efficiency; with the data the system collects over time, specific The aim is to enable monitoring of thermal trends occurring in panels or strings. This allows for troubleshooting. Predictions can be made before formation, and panel health can be monitored in the long term. It is possible to detect cable melting thanks to instant fault reporting and thermal anomaly detection. 20 connector burnout, panel-related localized overheating, inverter input / output overload, etc. The goal is to identify risks early. This way, damage from fire or cable melting can be prevented. Early warning is provided beforehand; solar power plants in different cities are connected via the internet. The aim is to enable the monitoring of all facilities from a single monitoring center. This will allow the existing It offers multi-site real-time monitoring capabilities that are not available in other systems. 25 Figures that will help understand the invention. Figure 1 shows the general architecture of the system that is the subject of the invention. Explanation of Part References 1. Photovoltaic panels 30 2. Outdoor transformers 3. Inverters 4. Cable lines and connection points 5. Drone with thermal camera 6. SIM card / Internet line 35 7. Central server / Maintenance management system 4 Detailed Description of the Invention In this detailed explanation, the preferred configurations of the invention are not merely for better understanding the subject. This is intended to facilitate understanding and will not create any limiting effects. The invention relates to solar energy. Thermal imaging of panel arrays and auxiliary electrical equipment in power plants (GES) 5 It is a system that provides remote, autonomous, and real-time fault detection using this method. The system in question consists of photovoltaic panels (1), outdoor transformers (2), inverters (3), and cables. lines and connection points (4), drone with thermal camera (5), SIM card / internet line (6), It includes a central server / maintenance management system (7). Photovoltaic panels (1) are the main panels that convert sunlight into electrical energy. Outdoor transformers (2) convert the electricity from the panels (1) to match the grid voltage and They are transformers that regulate power. Inverters (3) are devices that convert DC electricity to AC electricity. 15 Cable lines and connection points (4), panels (1), inverters (3) and transformers (2) between They are conductors that enable energy transmission. Drone with thermal camera (5) detects temperature anomalies by flying over the field. It is a device. SIM card / internet line (6) transmits the data detected by the drone (5) to the central server (7). It is the connectivity infrastructure that provides this. Central server / maintenance management system (7), where detected failures are recorded and maintenance It is the system through which the information is conveyed to the teams. In the system described in the invention, photovoltaic panels (1) generate energy while a drone with a thermal camera (5) The thermal sensors on the panel (1) continuously monitor the surfaces and electrical connections. The recorded data is transferred to the data collection unit, where it is analyzed by the control unit. When an abnormal situation is detected, the necessary warnings are sent via the communication module. It is sent and the maintenance process is quickly initiated. The system is thus remote, autonomous, and in real time. 30 It provides timely fault detection.

Claims

REQUESTS 1. Panel arrays and auxiliary electrical equipment in solar power plants (SPPs) Remote, autonomous, and real-time fault detection using thermal imaging. It is a system that provides the following features: • photovoltaic panels that convert sunlight into electrical energy (1), 5 • converts the electricity coming from the panels (1) to match the grid voltage and power regulating outdoor transformers (2), • Inverters that convert DC electricity to AC electricity (3), • cable providing energy transmission between panels (1), inverters (3) and transformers (2) lines and connection points (4), 10 • Drone equipped with thermal cameras that detects temperature anomalies by flying over the field. (5), • connection that enables the drone (5) to transmit the data it detects to the central server (7) SIM card / internet line with infrastructure (6), • Central server / maintenance 15 where detected faults are recorded and communicated to maintenance teams management system (7) It includes.

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