Solar panel and underwater glider with biofouling prevention

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of solar panels, and discloses a solar cell panel and underwater glider capable of preventing biological adhesion, wherein the solar cell panel comprises a solar cell panel, a light-transmissible encapsulation layer covering the solar cell panel, and an ultraviolet light source arranged in the encapsulation layer; the encapsulation layer is arranged on the side of the solar cell panel facing the sun; the encapsulation layer comprises a light guide body in which a light diffusion agent is compounded; and the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the light guide body in a cladding manner. When biological adhesion occurs on the encapsulation layer of the solar cell panel, the ultraviolet light source can be turned on to generate ultraviolet light. Since the light guide body is compounded with the light diffusion agent and the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the light guide body, the light guide body has good diffusion effect on the ultraviolet light, so that the ultraviolet light is diffused from a point light source to a surface light source, the entire light guide body diverges the ultraviolet light outward, and the adhering objects on the entire solar cell panel are eliminated, thereby achieving good biological adhesion prevention effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of solar panel technology, and in particular to a biofouling-resistant solar panel and an underwater glider. Background Technology

[0002] Underwater gliders and other underwater mobile vehicles require a sufficient energy supply for long-term continuous observation operations at sea. Existing underwater gliders mainly rely on batteries for power. As the requirements for diving depth and range of underwater gliders gradually increase, relying solely on batteries has greatly limited the endurance of underwater gliders. Currently, both domestic and foreign researchers are studying the use of solar cells to supplement the energy of underwater gliders, and some research work has been carried out on solar-powered underwater gliders and solar-powered underwater gliders.

[0003] Underwater gliders typically operate underwater for extended periods. During these long underwater operations, they inevitably become susceptible to biofouling, where plankton, microorganisms, and other organisms adhere to the surface of solar panels. This biofouling significantly reduces the light transmittance of the solar panels, affecting solar energy absorption and consequently reducing their power generation.

[0004] In the prior art, ultraviolet (UV) technology is commonly used to remove contaminants on solar panels. For example, Chinese patent application CN101552299B discloses a solar panel including a glass plate with a light-collecting surface, a bottom surface opposite to the light-collecting surface, and a side surface located between the light-collecting surface and the bottom surface. A photocatalyst layer is disposed on the light-collecting surface of the glass plate. A solar cell array is disposed opposite to the bottom surface of the glass plate and away from the light-collecting surface. At least one UV light-emitting diode is disposed opposite to the side surface of the glass plate so that the UV light emitted by the at least one UV light-emitting diode can irradiate the photocatalyst layer through the side surface of the glass plate.

[0005] In the aforementioned solar panel, ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are arranged on a glass plate. The UV light generated by these LEDs irradiates the photocatalyst layer, eliminating organic matter. However, due to its inherent properties, UV light has a high collimation rate, causing the UV light on the glass plate to concentrate near the UV LEDs, resulting in poor removal of adhering substances. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a biofouling-resistant solar panel to solve the problem of poor biofouling removal effect when using ultraviolet light to remove biofouling in existing solar panels; this invention also provides an underwater glider using this biofouling-resistant solar panel.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a biofouling-resistant solar panel, comprising a solar panel, a light-transmitting encapsulation layer covering the solar panel, and an ultraviolet light source disposed within the encapsulation layer. The encapsulation layer is disposed on the sun-facing side of the solar panel, and the encapsulation layer includes a light guide with a light diffusing agent, and the ultraviolet light source is encapsulated and disposed within the light guide.

[0008] Preferably, the light guide covers the solar cell panel, the light guide includes a first light guide portion and a second light guide portion, the light guide efficiency of the first light guide portion is greater than that of the second light guide portion, the light transmittance of the second light guide portion is greater than that of the first light guide portion, the first light guide portion and the second light guide portion are connected, and the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the first light guide portion.

[0009] Preferably, the first light guide portion has a grid structure, the first light guide portion covers the seam of the solar cell panel, the second light guide portion fills the grid of the first light guide portion, and the ultraviolet light source is arranged at the grid nodes of the first light guide portion.

[0010] Preferably, the light guide is disposed at the seam of the solar cell panel, and the encapsulation layer further includes a light-transmitting plate connected to the light guide.

[0011] Preferably, the ultraviolet light source is an ultraviolet LED lamp, and the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet LED lamp is UVC ultraviolet light.

[0012] The present invention also provides an underwater glider, including a glider body and a solar panel disposed on the glider body. The solar panel includes a solar cell panel, a light-transmitting encapsulation layer covering the solar cell panel, and an ultraviolet light source disposed within the encapsulation layer. The encapsulation layer is disposed on the sun-facing side of the solar cell panel, and the encapsulation layer includes a light guide with a light diffusing agent, and the ultraviolet light source is encapsulated and disposed within the light guide.

[0013] Preferably, the light guide covers the solar cell panel, the light guide includes a first light guide portion and a second light guide portion, the light guide efficiency of the first light guide portion is greater than that of the second light guide portion, the light transmittance of the second light guide portion is greater than that of the first light guide portion, the first light guide portion and the second light guide portion are connected, and the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the first light guide portion.

[0014] Preferably, the first light guide portion has a grid structure, the first light guide portion covers the seam of the solar cell panel, the second light guide portion fills the grid of the first light guide portion, and the ultraviolet light source is arranged at the grid nodes of the first light guide portion.

[0015] Preferably, the light guide is disposed at the seam of the solar cell panel, and the encapsulation layer further includes a light-transmitting plate connected to the light guide.

[0016] Preferably, the ultraviolet light source is an ultraviolet LED lamp, and the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet LED lamp is UVC ultraviolet light.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of the anti-bioattachment solar panel of this invention are as follows: An encapsulation layer is arranged on the solar panel, covering the solar panel. The light guide body inside the encapsulation layer contains a light diffusing agent. When bioattachment occurs on the encapsulation layer of the solar panel, an ultraviolet light source can be turned on to generate ultraviolet light. Since the light guide body contains a light diffusing agent, and the ultraviolet light source is arranged inside the light guide body, the light guide body has a good diffusion effect on ultraviolet light, causing the ultraviolet light to diffuse from a point source to a surface source. The entire light guide body radiates ultraviolet light outward, eliminating the adhering substances on the entire solar panel and achieving a good anti-bioattachment effect. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the anti-bioattachment solar panel of the present invention.

[0019] In the figure, 1 is the solar cell panel; 2 is the encapsulation layer; 3 is the light guide; 31 is the first light guide part; 32 is the second light guide part; and 4 is the ultraviolet light source. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0021] A preferred embodiment of the biofouling-resistant solar panel of the present invention, such as... Figure 1As shown, the biofouling-resistant solar panel includes a solar panel 1, an encapsulation layer 2, and an ultraviolet light source 4. The encapsulation layer 2 covers the solar panel 1 and is located on the sun-facing side of the solar panel 1. The encapsulation layer 2 has a light-transmitting structure, which can both protect the solar panel 1 and reduce the amount of biofouling attached to it, while also ensuring that sunlight passes through and irradiates the solar panel 1. The solar panel 1 is used to collect solar energy to generate electricity and store electrical energy to supplement the power of the underwater glider. The solar panel 1 can use existing solar panels, and its specific structure is prior art, which will not be described again here.

[0022] The encapsulation layer 2 includes a light guide 3, which covers the sun-facing side of the solar cell panel 1. An ultraviolet light source 4 is encapsulated within the light guide 3. The ultraviolet light source 4 generates ultraviolet light to eliminate attached organisms. Preferably, the ultraviolet light source 4 is an ultraviolet LED lamp. The ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet LED lamp is UVC ultraviolet light, which has a short wavelength, good bactericidal effect, and the ultraviolet LED lamp has low power and produces stable ultraviolet light wavelengths.

[0023] The light guide 3 is made of transparent material, which ensures that sunlight shines on the solar cell panel 1. The light guide 3 contains a light diffusing agent, which has excellent light-guiding properties, directing the ultraviolet light generated by the ultraviolet light source 4 to the entire light guide 3, thus covering the entire solar cell panel 1 and eliminating attached organisms. The light diffusing agent can be existing silica light diffusing agents, etc., and its specific composition is based on existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0024] Preferably, the light guide 3 covers the entire solar cell panel 1, and the light guide 3 has a rectangular plate structure. The light guide 3 includes a first light guide portion 31 and a second light guide portion 32. The content of the light guide agent in the light guide 3 is 1-4%, and the light guide agent is an opaque material. The proportion of the light guide agent in the first light guide portion 31 is higher than the proportion of the light guide ratio in the second light guide portion, so that the light guide rate of the first light guide portion 31 is greater than the light guide rate of the second light guide portion 32, and the light transmittance of the second light guide portion 32 is greater than the light transmittance of the first light guide portion 31.

[0025] The first light guide portion 31 is connected to the second light guide portion 32. The ultraviolet light source 4 is arranged inside the first light guide portion 31. After the first light guide portion 31 and the second light guide portion 32 are connected, the ultraviolet light generated by the ultraviolet light source 4 can be transmitted from the first light guide portion 31 to the second light guide portion 32, so that the entire light guide body 3 is covered with ultraviolet light.

[0026] Light conductivity and light transmittance are contradictory; high light conductivity inevitably leads to low light transmittance. Since the light guide 3 is arranged on the side of the solar cell panel 1 facing the sun, in order to ensure that sunlight can shine on the solar cell panel 1, the second light guide portion 32 with good light transmittance allows solar energy to pass through the light guide 3 and shine on the solar cell panel 1, ensuring that the solar cell panel 1 generates electricity. Meanwhile, the first light guide portion 31 with good light conductivity can reduce the energy loss of ultraviolet transmission. Placing the ultraviolet light source 4 in the first light guide portion 31 can ensure the intensity of ultraviolet rays in the first light guide portion 31, thereby ensuring the removal effect.

[0027] Preferably, the first light guide portion 31 has a grid-like structure, covering the seams of the solar cell panel 1. The second light guide portion 32 fills the grid of the first light guide portion 31, and the ultraviolet light source 4 is arranged at the grid nodes of the first light guide portion 31. The first light guide portion 31 has low light transmittance, and since the unsealed area of ​​the solar cell panel 1 is not used for power generation, the grid-like first light guide portion 31 can reduce the obstruction of sunlight and increase the area of ​​the second light guide portion 32, thereby increasing the area of ​​sunlight irradiating the solar cell panel 1, ensuring the power generation capacity of the solar cell panel, and balancing the light guideness and transmittance of the light guide body 3. The ultraviolet light source 4 is located at the grid nodes, and the ultraviolet rays emitted by the ultraviolet light source 4 can be transported along the interlaced first light guide portions 31 to various positions of the light guide body 3, so that the ultraviolet rays are evenly distributed on the surface of the solar cell panel 1.

[0028] In other embodiments, the encapsulation layer 2 also includes a light-transmitting plate connected to the light guide 3. The light guide 3 is arranged at the seam of the solar cell panel. The light guide 3 has a grid structure. The light-transmitting plate can be made of epoxy resin, PVC, or other materials. There is no composite light diffusing agent in the light-transmitting plate. The light-transmitting plate and the light guide 3 can be an integral structure or a separate structure to reduce the shading of sunlight by the light guide 3 and improve power generation efficiency.

[0029] The present invention also provides an underwater glider, including a glider body and a solar panel disposed on the glider body. The solar panel has the same structure as the anti-bioattachment solar panel in any of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

[0030] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention provide a solar panel and an underwater glider that prevent bioattachment. An encapsulation layer is arranged on the solar panel, covering it. A light-diffusing agent is incorporated into the light guide within the encapsulation layer. When bioattachment occurs on the encapsulation layer of the solar panel, an ultraviolet light source can be activated to generate ultraviolet light. Because the light-diffusing agent is incorporated into the light guide, and the ultraviolet light source is located within the light guide, the light guide has a good diffusion effect on ultraviolet light, causing the ultraviolet light to diffuse from a point source to a surface source. The entire light guide emits ultraviolet light outward, eliminating the bioattachment on the entire solar panel and achieving a good anti-bioattachment effect.

[0031] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and substitutions can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and substitutions should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A solar panel protected against biofouling, characterized in that, The solar cell panel, the light-transmissible encapsulation layer covering the solar cell panel, and the ultraviolet light source arranged in the encapsulation layer, the encapsulation layer is arranged on the side of the solar cell panel facing the sun, the encapsulation layer comprises a light guide body compounded with a light diffusing agent, the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the light guide body, the light guide body covers the solar cell panel, the light guide body comprises a first light guide part and a second light guide part, the light guide rate of the first light guide part is greater than the light guide rate of the second light guide part, the light transmittance of the second light guide part is greater than the light transmittance of the first light guide part, the first light guide part is in communication with the second light guide part, the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the first light guide part, and the proportion of the light guide agent of the first light guide part is higher than the proportion of the light guide agent of the second light guide part.

2. The solar panel of claim 1, wherein, The first light guide part is a grid structure, the first light guide part covers the joint of the solar cell panel, the second light guide part fills in the grid of the first light guide part, and the ultraviolet light source is arranged at the grid node of the first light guide part.

3. The anti-biofouling solar panel of claim 1, wherein, The light guide body is arranged at the joint of the solar cell panel, and the encapsulation layer further comprises a light-transmissible plate in communication with the light guide body.

4. The solar panel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the anti-biofouling agent is a quaternary ammonium compound. The ultraviolet light source is an ultraviolet LED lamp, and the ultraviolet light emitted by the ultraviolet LED lamp is UVC ultraviolet light.

5. An underwater glider, characterized in that The solar cell panel, the light-transmissible encapsulation layer covering the solar cell panel, and the ultraviolet light source arranged in the encapsulation layer, the encapsulation layer is arranged on the side of the solar cell panel facing the sun, the encapsulation layer comprises a light guide body compounded with a light diffusing agent, the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the light guide body, the light guide body covers the solar cell panel, the light guide body comprises a first light guide part and a second light guide part, the light guide rate of the first light guide part is greater than the light guide rate of the second light guide part, the light transmittance of the second light guide part is greater than the light transmittance of the first light guide part, the first light guide part is in communication with the second light guide part, the ultraviolet light source is arranged in the first light guide part, and the proportion of the light guide agent of the first light guide part is higher than the proportion of the light guide agent of the second light guide part.

6. The underwater glider of claim 5, wherein, The first light guide part is a grid structure, the first light guide part covers the joint of the solar cell panel, the second light guide part fills in the grid of the first light guide part, and the ultraviolet light source is arranged at the grid node of the first light guide part.

7. The underwater glider of claim 5, wherein, The light guide body is arranged at the joint of the solar cell panel, and the encapsulation layer further comprises a light-transmissible plate in communication with the light guide body.

8. The underwater glider according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein, The ultraviolet light source is an ultraviolet LED lamp.

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