Photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system and method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of photovoltaic power generation, and relates to a photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system and method. Comprising a data acquisition module which comprises a sensor unit and a camera unit; the sensor unit is used for collecting structural response data of a support structural member; the camera unit is used for performing video monitoring on the support structure and the surrounding environment to obtain video data; the preprocessing module is used for preprocessing the structure response data and the video data; the display module is used for receiving the preprocessed data through the data transmission module and carrying out visual display; and the early warning module is used for comparing the preprocessed data with a preset threshold value, and generating early warning information when the preprocessed data exceeds the preset threshold value. According to the invention, accurate detection and intelligent early warning of the performance of the photovoltaic flexible support are realized, and intelligent guarantee is provided for safe operation of the photovoltaic flexible support.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of photovoltaic power generation, and relates to a photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system and method. Background Art

[0002] With the growing global demand for clean energy, photovoltaic power generation, as an important renewable energy utilization method, has received widespread attention and large-scale development and application. In the construction of photovoltaic power generation systems, photovoltaic brackets are the key structures supporting photovoltaic modules. The stability and reliability of their performance are directly related to the operating efficiency and safety of the entire photovoltaic power station.

[0003] Traditional photovoltaic mounting systems mostly utilize rigid structures, which present limitations in terms of adaptability to installation sites, resistance to complex environments like wind and snow, and space utilization. In recent years, flexible photovoltaic mounting systems have gradually emerged as a new type of mounting structure. Their unique structural characteristics enable them to better adapt to complex terrains, improve land utilization, and demonstrate significant advantages in certain specialized application scenarios. When constructing photovoltaic power stations across valleys, rivers, wetlands, and other areas, flexible mounting systems can effectively minimize environmental damage and reduce construction costs.

[0004] However, due to the flexibility and complexity of their structures, flexible photovoltaic racks face a more complex mechanical environment and multiple potential risks during operation. Compared to rigid racks, flexible racks experience more significant changes in the stress distribution, deformation, and vibration characteristics of their structural components under dynamic loads such as wind and snow. If these changes exceed a certain range, they can cause fatigue damage, loose connections, or even structural instability in the rack structure, potentially affecting the normal operation of photovoltaic modules, shortening the service life of the photovoltaic power station, and even causing safety accidents.

[0005] Currently, there is a relative lack of means to monitor the structural performance of photovoltaic flexible supports. While some large-scale engineering projects employ regular inspections, this approach suffers from long inspection cycles, an inability to monitor support status in real time, and difficulty identifying potential hazards. Some projects install simple monitoring equipment, but these devices often have limited functionality and are unable to simultaneously and accurately monitor multiple performance parameters, such as stress, deformation, and vibration characteristics of structural components. Furthermore, they lack effective data recording, transmission, and display systems, hindering the full utilization of monitoring data and making it difficult to meet the demand for comprehensive, real-time, and accurate monitoring of the structural performance of photovoltaic flexible supports. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve the problems in the prior art, the application provides a photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system and method, which realizes accurate detection and intelligent early warning of photovoltaic flexible support performance, and provides intelligent protection for safe operation of the photovoltaic flexible support.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the application adopts the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, the application provides a photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system, comprising: A data acquisition module comprising a sensor unit and a camera unit; the sensor unit is used for acquiring structural response data of a support structure component; the camera unit is used for video monitoring of the support structure and the surrounding environment to obtain video data; A preprocessing module used for preprocessing the structural response data and the video data; A display module receiving data after preprocessing through a data transmission module and performing visual display; An early warning module used for comparing data after preprocessing with a preset threshold value, and generating early warning information when the data after preprocessing exceeds the preset threshold value.

[0008] Preferably, the sensor unit comprises: A plurality of cable meters arranged on the steel cable for monitoring the stress of the steel cable; An inclination sensor and an acceleration sensor arranged on the photovoltaic panel for monitoring displacement and vibration; A pull wire displacement meter arranged on the column foundation for indirectly obtaining the displacement of the steel cable; A vibrating wire surface strain gauge arranged on the surface of the column for monitoring the stress of the column; An anchor cable pressure sensor arranged at the front end of the steel cable for monitoring the cable force at the end of the steel cable in real time during tensioning.

[0009] Preferably, the cable meters are arranged in the following manner: For a steel cable with a length of more than 50 meters, 1-2 cable meters are arranged at the midspan, near the support and in the region where the stress changes by more than a preset value; For a steel cable with a length of less than 50 meters, at least one cable meter is arranged at the midspan and near the support; A cable meter is additionally arranged at the intersection node of the steel cable.

[0010] Preferably, the anchor cable pressure sensor is installed in the following manner: the anchor cable pressure sensor is clamped into the clamping groove of a fixing seat, the fixing seat and a steel strand connecting component are bolted, and the installation direction of the anchor cable pressure sensor is consistent with the tension direction of the steel strand.

[0011] Preferably, the tilt sensor is arranged at the center of the photovoltaic panel, and the acceleration sensor is arranged at the center and edge of the photovoltaic panel.

[0012] Preferably, the pre-processing module includes: A data format conversion unit, used to convert structural response data into a standardized format; Video compression unit, which compresses video data using the H.265 encoding standard; Time synchronization unit, adding a unified time stamp to all data through GPS or NTP protocol; The data cleaning unit uses the sliding window method to identify and eliminate abnormal structural response data.

[0013] Preferably, the data transmission module adopts wireless communication technology; the wireless communication technology includes at least one of cellular mobile communication technology, low power wide area network technology and satellite communication technology.

[0014] Preferably, the display module includes: Data visualization unit, used to convert structural response data into dynamic charts and curves, and to display the changing trend of structural response data over time in real time; The video fusion unit is used to superimpose the structural response data and the video data, and mark the abnormal position and abnormal information in the video.

[0015] Preferably, the warning information includes warning time, warning type, warning value, warning location information and warning level.

[0016] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the performance of a photovoltaic flexible support structure, comprising the following steps: The sensor unit collects structural response data of the support structure components, and the camera unit performs video monitoring of the support structure and the surrounding environment to obtain video data; Preprocessing the structural response data and the video data; Visualize the preprocessed data; The pre-processed data is compared with the preset threshold, and when the pre-processed data exceeds the preset threshold, an early warning message is generated.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present application realizes full-dimension real-time monitoring of data such as stress, displacement and vibration of the support structure and the surrounding environment by integrating multi-source data collection of high-precision sensor units and industrial-grade camera units, combining data cleaning and fusion of the preprocessing module; the visual display module facilitates the operation and maintenance personnel to quickly locate the abnormality; the early warning module can identify potential risks such as cable slack and node fatigue through data comparison, and effectively reduces the probability of structural failure. The present application realizes rapid and accurate monitoring of the performance of the photovoltaic flexible support, shortens the response time, and improves the operation and maintenance efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present application, and therefore should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can also be obtained without creative labor.

[0019] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the system of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more clear, the following will combine the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are some of the embodiments of the present application, not all the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present application described and shown in the drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0021] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present application provided in the drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed present application, but only represents selected embodiments of the present application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in the present application without creative labor are within the scope of the present application.

[0022] It should be noted that: similar reference numbers and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in the subsequent drawings.

[0023] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that if the terms "upper," "lower," "horizontal," "inner," etc. appear, the orientation or positional relationship indicated is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the inventive product is typically placed when in use. These terms are merely for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc. are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0024] In addition, if the term "horizontal" appears, it does not mean that the component must be absolutely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0025] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "disposed," "installed," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on specific circumstances.

[0026] The present invention is described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings: The first object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system, comprising: The data acquisition module includes a sensor unit and a camera unit; the sensor unit is used to collect structural response data of the support structure components; the camera unit is used to perform video monitoring of the support structure and the surrounding environment to obtain video data; A preprocessing module, configured to preprocess the structural response data and the video data; The display module receives the pre-processed data through the data transmission module and displays it visually; The early warning module is used to compare the pre-processed data with the preset threshold. When the pre-processed data exceeds the preset threshold, it generates early warning information including early warning time, early warning type, early warning value, early warning location information and early warning level.

[0027] The photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system provided by the present invention realizes full-dimensional real-time monitoring of support structure stress, displacement, vibration and other data and the surrounding environment by integrating multi-source data acquisition of high-precision sensor units and industrial-grade camera units, combined with data cleaning and fusion of the pre-processing module. The system of the present invention significantly improves the accuracy and reliability of monitoring data. Its visual display module facilitates operation and maintenance personnel to quickly locate anomalies; the early warning module can identify potential risks such as loose steel cables and node fatigue through data comparison, effectively reducing the probability of structural failure. Compared with traditional manual inspections, the present invention realizes rapid monitoring of photovoltaic flexible support performance, shortens response time, and improves operation and maintenance efficiency.

[0028] Wherein, the sensor unit includes: (1) Multiple cable meters are installed on the cable to monitor cable stress. The specific locations include: The mid-span location is typically one of the areas where the cable is subjected to the greatest stress. When the cable is loaded, significant bending moments and stresses are generated in the mid-span. Placing a cable meter at this location can monitor stress changes in the cable under maximum stress, providing critical data for assessing the cable's load-bearing capacity and safety.

[0029] Near the supports, which connect the cables to the support structure, these cables may be subjected to a variety of forces, including bending moment and shear, in addition to tension. Cable meters are placed near the supports to monitor stress concentration at the cable connections. This allows for the timely detection of stress anomalies caused by connection problems or localized uneven stress, thus preventing failure of the entire cable structure due to localized damage.

[0030] Node locations, including the connection nodes between the cable and other components, and the turning nodes of the cable, are prone to stress concentration and fatigue failure. Focus on monitoring the stress state of the nodes, assessing their reliability and safety, and providing a basis for their design and optimization.

[0031] In addition, for steel cables with a length of more than 50 meters, 1 to 2 cable gauges shall be arranged at the mid-span, near the supports, and in areas where stress changes exceed preset values; for steel cables with a length of less than 50 meters, at least 1 cable gauge shall be arranged at the mid-span and near the supports; additional cable gauges shall be arranged at the intersection nodes of the steel cables.

[0032] (2) The inclination sensor and acceleration sensor installed on the photovoltaic panel are used to monitor displacement and vibration. For the photovoltaic panel at the middle of a single span, since its displacement is the largest compared to other photovoltaic panels, the rotation angle and vibration of the photovoltaic panel at this position are monitored in detail. Select a suitable inclination sensor according to the maximum rotation angle range that the photovoltaic panel may have. Generally speaking, the rotation angle of the photovoltaic panel under normal working conditions will not change too much. A inclination sensor with a range of ±5° or ±10° can be selected. Install the inclination sensor near the center of the photovoltaic panel. This position can best reflect the overall rotation angle change of the photovoltaic panel. During installation, ensure that the inclination sensor is tightly fitted to the surface of the photovoltaic panel. Select multiple installation points at the middle of the span of the photovoltaic panel. Acceleration sensors can be installed at the edges of the photovoltaic panel (such as the four corners of a rectangular photovoltaic panel) and near the center to fully monitor the vibration of the photovoltaic panel.

[0033] (3) A wire displacement meter is installed on the column foundation to indirectly obtain the displacement of the steel cable. The present invention gives priority to selecting a column foundation with a stable structure, clear force and direct connection with the steel cable, and arranges a wire displacement meter on the column foundation and connects it to the steel cable. The displacement of the steel cable is obtained through the reading of the displacement meter and mathematical deduction. In a large-scale photovoltaic flexible support system, if one end of the steel cable is fixed on the column, the foundation of the column can be selected as the arrangement point of the wire displacement meter. Ensure that the column foundation has no obvious settlement, tilt and other defects to ensure the accuracy of the displacement meter measurement. Install the wire displacement meter on one side of the column foundation, and keep the wire direction consistent with the extension direction of the steel cable as much as possible. If the steel cable is arranged at an angle, the installation position of the displacement meter should ensure that the wire and the steel cable are in the same plane during the deformation process to avoid measurement errors caused by spatial position deviation.

[0034] Get the cable displacement: 1. Assume the column base is a fixed point, and the cable and guy wire are in the same plane. Let the horizontal distance from the initial installation position of the displacement meter to the cable connection point be L, and the initial reading of the displacement meter be x0. When the cable moves, the reading of the displacement meter changes to x.

[0035] 2. Based on the geometric relationship, a mathematical model can be established between the cable displacement y and the change in the displacement meter reading Δx = x - x0. Under small deformation conditions, the cable displacement can be approximately considered to be proportional to the change in the displacement meter reading, that is, y = k • Δx, where k is the proportionality factor.

[0036] 3. During the actual monitoring process, the displacement meter reading x is obtained in real time through the data acquisition equipment, the displacement meter reading change Δx=x-x0 is calculated, and then the real-time displacement y of the steel cable is calculated based on y=k•Δx.

[0037] (4) The vibrating wire surface strain gauge is arranged on the surface of the column, welded on the surface of the column, and arranged on each column to monitor the stress of the column under various loads.

[0038] (5) The anchor cable pressure sensor arranged at the front end of the steel cable is used to monitor the cable force at the end of the steel cable in real time during tensioning. During the tensioning of the prestressed steel strand, the anchor cable pressure sensor is preset to the front end of the steel cable to monitor the end cable force in real time, and the monitoring results are compared and analyzed with the monitoring results of the steel cable meter to improve the accuracy of the monitoring data. The installation method of the anchor cable pressure sensor is that the anchor cable pressure sensor is clamped into the clamping groove of the fixed seat, and the fixed seat and the steel strand connecting part are bolted, and the installation direction of the anchor cable pressure sensor is consistent with the tension direction of the steel strand.

[0039] The preprocessing module has stronger engineering adaptability and stability through a standardized and efficient data processing flow, including: A data format conversion unit is configured to convert structural response data into a standardized format, seamlessly integrate multi-source heterogeneous data, and ensure system compatibility with various sensors. A video compression unit is configured to compress video data using H.265 encoding standard, significantly optimize storage efficiency of video data under the premise of ensuring image quality. A time synchronization unit is configured to add a unified timestamp to all data through GPS or NTP protocol, and provide a precise time reference for multi-modal data fusion. A data cleaning unit is configured to identify and eliminate abnormal structural response data using a sliding window method, effectively improve the reliability and consistency of monitoring data.

[0040] The data transmission module adopts wireless communication technology, including at least one of cellular mobile communication technology, low-power wide-area network technology, and satellite communication technology. In actual application, appropriate communication technology is selected according to the field requirements, which can ensure real-time and stable transmission of monitoring information in remote areas or harsh weather conditions.

[0041] The display module effectively reduces the professional threshold of operation and maintenance personnel, provides intuitive basis for quickly locating problems, and significantly improves emergency response efficiency, including: A data visualization unit is configured to convert structural response data into dynamic charts and curves, and display the trend of structural response data over time in real time, so that operation and maintenance personnel can quickly grasp the overall evolution trend of the structure state. The video fusion unit overlays structural response data with video data and annotates anomaly locations and information in the video. By overlaying anomaly markers on the real-time image, operators can quickly locate anomalies and their locations. By combining data from various sensors, anomalies in the video data can be verified and supplemented, improving monitoring accuracy and reliability.

[0042] Exemplarily, the present invention also has an integrated remote measurement and control function, which enables operation and maintenance personnel to remotely adjust the shooting angle and focal length of the camera unit to accurately obtain high-definition video images of key parts, and dynamically retrieve real-time data and historical records of the sensor unit, significantly improving fault diagnosis efficiency and structural performance evaluation accuracy, thereby reducing operation and maintenance costs and ensuring the safe and stable operation of photovoltaic flexible brackets.

[0043] A second object of the present invention is to provide a method for monitoring the performance of a photovoltaic flexible support structure, comprising the following steps: The sensor unit collects structural response data of the support structure components, and the camera unit performs video monitoring of the support structure and the surrounding environment to obtain video data; Preprocessing the structural response data and the video data; Visualize the preprocessed data; The pre-processed data is compared with the preset threshold, and when the pre-processed data exceeds the preset threshold, an early warning message is generated.

[0044] This invention organically combines physical sensor monitoring with video image analysis, ensuring the consistency of monitoring results through standardized processing procedures and utilizing dynamic visualization technology to intuitively present structural status. An intelligent early warning mechanism based on threshold determination enables the system to identify risks early and promptly detect potential structural hazards. This method significantly improves the comprehensiveness and accuracy of photovoltaic flexible support monitoring, providing a scientific basis for operation and maintenance decision-making while significantly reducing the safety risks and workload of manual inspections, thus possessing outstanding engineering practical value.

[0045] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system, characterized in that: include: The data acquisition module includes a sensor unit and a camera unit; the sensor unit is used to collect structural response data of the support structure component; The camera unit is used to perform video monitoring of the support structure and the surrounding environment to obtain video data; A preprocessing module, configured to preprocess the structural response data and the video data; The display module receives the pre-processed data through the data transmission module and displays it visually; The early warning module is used to compare the pre-processed data with the preset threshold value, and generate an early warning message when the pre-processed data exceeds the preset threshold value.

2. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor unit comprises: A plurality of wire rope meters provided on the wire rope for monitoring the wire rope stress; Tilt sensors and acceleration sensors installed on photovoltaic panels to monitor displacement and vibration; A wire-type displacement meter installed on the column foundation is used to indirectly obtain the displacement of the steel cable; A vibrating wire surface strain gauge is installed on the surface of the column to monitor the stress of the column; The anchor cable pressure sensor installed at the front end of the steel cable is used to monitor the cable end force in real time during the tensioning process.

3. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The arrangement of the cable meter is as follows: For cables longer than 50 meters, 1 to 2 cable gauges are placed at the mid-span, near the supports, and in areas where stress changes exceed the preset value. For cables less than 50 meters in length, at least one cable gauge shall be arranged at the mid-span and near the support; Additional cable gauges are arranged at the intersection nodes of the cables.

4. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The anchor cable pressure sensor is installed as follows: the anchor cable pressure sensor is inserted into the slot of the fixing seat, and the fixing seat is fixed to the steel strand connecting component with bolts, and the installation direction of the anchor cable pressure sensor is consistent with the tension direction of the steel strand.

5. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tilt sensor is arranged at the center of the photovoltaic power generation panel, and the acceleration sensor is arranged at the center and the edge of the photovoltaic power generation panel.

6. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pre-processing module comprises: A data format conversion unit, used to convert structural response data into a standardized format; Video compression unit, which compresses video data using the H.265 encoding standard; Time synchronization unit, adding a unified time stamp to all data through GPS or NTP protocol; The data cleaning unit uses the sliding window method to identify and eliminate abnormal structural response data.

7. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The data transmission module adopts wireless communication technology; the wireless communication technology includes at least one of cellular mobile communication technology, low power wide area network technology and satellite communication technology.

8. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The display module includes: Data visualization unit, used to convert structural response data into dynamic charts and curves, and to display the changing trend of structural response data over time in real time; The video fusion unit is used to superimpose the structural response data and the video data, and mark the abnormal position and abnormal information in the video.

9. A photovoltaic flexible support structure performance monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The warning information includes warning time, warning type, warning value, warning location information and warning level.

10. A method for monitoring the performance of a photovoltaic flexible support structure, characterized in that: The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9 comprises the following steps: The sensor unit collects structural response data of the support structure components, and the camera unit performs video monitoring of the support structure and the surrounding environment to obtain video data; Preprocessing the structural response data and the video data; Visualize the preprocessed data; The pre-processed data is compared with the preset threshold, and when the pre-processed data exceeds the preset threshold, an early warning message is generated.

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