Drainage device applied to floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure

Abstract

A drainage device applied to a floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure relates to the field of floating type offshore photovoltaic power generation, takes a gravity response type check valve as a core control unit, adopts a modular structural design, comprises a valve core, an upper valve body assembly and a lower valve seat assembly, and is integrated with a photovoltaic panel and a waterproof membrane structure through a standardized flange interface. By means of the hydrodynamic principle, a drainage channel is automatically opened when water accumulated in the waterproof membrane forms low hydrostatic pressure, and sealing locking and backward flowing prevention are rapidly achieved under the action of reverse wave pressure. The upper valve body optimizes a flow guide structure to reduce flow resistance, and the lower valve seat is provided with a filter assembly to ensure stable operation, the overall size is small, the weight is light, and installation is convenient. Experiments prove that the device is excellent in drainage efficiency under the working condition of water accumulation of more than 5cm, deformation and damage of a waterproof membrane structure and failure of electrical elements can be effectively avoided, the operation and maintenance cost is reduced, and safe and reliable operation of an open-sea photovoltaic system is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to floating offshore photovoltaic power generation technology, and mainly to drainage schemes and check valve devices for floating offshore photovoltaic fields. Background Technology

[0002] Compared to onshore photovoltaic systems, floating offshore photovoltaic power stations have the locational advantage of being close to the load center of the southeast coast, which can significantly reduce transmission losses. Current industrial practices mainly focus on nearshore fixed photovoltaic arrays, but due to the constraints of nearshore space resources and ecological protection requirements, the development of floating photovoltaic systems in deep-sea areas has become an inevitable trend. In the open marine environment, photovoltaic floating platforms are subjected to complex hydrodynamic load coupling effects for a long time, including but not limited to wave overshoot impact, salt spray erosion, and precipitation accumulation. Especially when the wave crest exceeds the freeboard of the floating platform, seawater intrusion will cause continuous water accumulation on the surface of the flexible membrane structure, leading to three major technical challenges: First, the contact between the accumulated water and the electrical contacts of the photovoltaic modules can easily cause electrochemical corrosion, resulting in a decrease in power generation efficiency; second, the flexible membrane structure undergoes plastic deformation under hydrostatic pressure, reducing the structural sealing performance and accelerating material aging; third, the structural resonance caused by dynamic water loads may cause the mooring system to fail.

[0003] Current offshore membrane structure drainage solutions have significant limitations: First, accessibility is poor in harsh sea conditions at sea, making it difficult to respond promptly to sudden flooding events; second, workers must perform drainage operations on the surface of the flexible membrane structure, posing a dual safety hazard of personnel falling into the water and structural damage; third, passive drainage methods cannot cope with frequent, small-scale flooding conditions, resulting in high operation and maintenance costs. Furthermore, some existing solutions are unable to meet drainage requirements under low head conditions.

[0004] Comprehensive analysis shows that existing technologies have not effectively solved the following core problems: (1) lack of self-starting drainage function under low head conditions; (2) safety risks and high operation and maintenance costs caused by manual operation. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a new type of drainage device suitable for open marine environments and propose innovative solutions to address the above-mentioned technical bottlenecks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems existing in current technologies, this invention discloses a drainage device and control method for floating marine photovoltaic membrane structures, effectively removing surface water from the membrane through an active drainage mechanism. The device uses a pressure-responsive check valve as its core control unit, automatically opening the drainage channel under low hydrostatic pressure caused by water accumulation on the membrane, and sealing off when encountering reverse pressure from external water. This technical solution effectively prevents large deformations of the membrane structure, avoiding damage and functional failure of electrical components due to excessive deformation, thereby ensuring the overall operational safety of the photovoltaic system. The specially designed check valve structure optimizes fluid dynamics performance, ensuring reliable sealing while featuring a simple structure and convenient installation, enabling modular integration with floating photovoltaic membrane structures.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] The first aspect of this invention aims to provide a drainage device for a floating marine photovoltaic film structure, comprising an annular float, drainage valves, photovoltaic panels, and a waterproof membrane; the waterproof membrane is connected to the inner side of the annular float, and multiple photovoltaic panels are arranged on the waterproof membrane on the side away from the seawater; multiple drainage valves are arranged between or around the photovoltaic panels; the drainage valves include an upper valve body, a valve core, and a lower valve seat, forming a coaxial rotationally symmetrical structure, and the guide rod provided in the valve core is axially slidably disposed within a central guide sleeve provided in the upper valve body.

[0008] Furthermore, the upper valve body of the present invention includes an upper valve body shell, an upper valve body flange, a central guide sleeve, and a support rib with a support rib flange. The upper valve body shell is disposed on the upper part of the upper valve body flange, and the upper valve body shell is provided with a rounded triangular upper valve body hollow water passage hole. The central guide sleeve is disposed on the downward extending part of the center of the upper valve body shell. The flow guiding support rib is arranged radially at a specific angle at the bottom position of the upper valve body shell. The support rib flange is disposed on the inner side of the upper valve body flange at the radial end of the support rib and forms an integral part with each of the provided support ribs.

[0009] Furthermore, the valve core of the present invention includes a sealing top cover, a guide rod, and a sealing disc. The guide rod is located at the center of the sealing disc, and the sealing top cover is located on the upper part of the guide rod and is mechanically connected to the guide rod by screws. The sealing disc is located on the side away from the seawater and contacts the support rib flange of the upper valve body when in a sealed state. The outer peripheral edge of the sealing disc is provided with an annular elastic sealing component.

[0010] Furthermore, the lower valve seat of the present invention includes a filter plate and a lower valve seat flange. The filter plate has a rounded triangular water passage hole for the lower valve seat. The lower valve seat flange is circumferentially configured with assembly interfaces distributed at equal angles. The assembly interfaces correspond to the openings on the upper valve body flange and are used to connect with the upper valve body flange of the upper valve body through fastening bolts to form a mating assembly surface, so that a sealing interface is formed between the lower valve seat and the upper valve body.

[0011] Furthermore, the upper valve body of the present invention has 5-8 hollow water passage holes, and the upper valve body flange has 5-8 openings, all of which are evenly distributed.

[0012] Furthermore, the filter plate of the present invention has 5-8 water passage holes on the lower valve seat and 5-8 assembly interfaces.

[0013] Furthermore, the drain valves are arranged in two ways: multiple drain valves are arranged circumferentially along the gaps of the photovoltaic panels arranged in a ring, or the drain valves are arranged evenly in the intersection gaps of the rectangular photovoltaic panels.

[0014] The second objective of this invention is to provide a layout and installation scheme for a floating marine photovoltaic drainage device.

[0015] This example provides an exemplary model of a floating photovoltaic thin-film system for marine applications. The system includes an outer ring of floats, a waterproof membrane for arranging photovoltaic panels, and the photovoltaic panels themselves. The waterproof membrane has fixing points around its perimeter, securing it to the inner ring of the floats to maintain tension. The photovoltaic panels are positioned on the side of the waterproof membrane away from the sea surface. The upper valve body of the aforementioned drain valve is positioned on the side of the waterproof membrane away from the seawater, and the lower valve seat is positioned on the other side of the waterproof membrane. The upper valve body and lower valve seat are fixed together by bolts for sealing. The arrangement of the drain valves on the waterproof membrane can be varied, including but not limited to a two- or multi-layered ring arrangement, or placement around, between, or below each photovoltaic panel. To control the weight of the drain valves, avoid affecting the wave-following and deformation properties of the flexible waterproof membrane, and consider the width of the photovoltaic panel gaps and the difficulty of installation, the circular drain valve should be 5-10 cm in size; in this example, 7 cm is preferred. During installation, first pass the valve core guide rod through the central guide sleeve, fix the sealing top cover to one end of the guide rod, align the upper valve body and lower valve seat with the reserved hole positions, and connect the flange using fastening bolts.

[0016] The technical effects of this invention are:

[0017] This invention provides a drainage device and method for a marine thin-film photovoltaic system. When the water level on the membrane reaches the height of the valve body sidewall, it can be discharged through the perforated drainage holes and the lateral perforations of the support ribs. Water pressure causes the valve core to move downwards, allowing water to drain circumferentially from the valve core sealing disc. When the thin-film photovoltaic system is in waves, the backflowing seawater moves the valve core sealing disc upwards, preventing seawater from flowing back onto the membrane.

[0018] The drainage control mechanism disclosed in this invention has the following innovative technical advantages: an autonomous triggering mechanism based on fluid dynamics principles enables reliable startup under low head difference conditions, achieves low threshold pressure response, and significantly reduces critical opening pressure; the drainage channel maintains a positive pressure gradient throughout, effectively blocking reverse fluid infiltration; the optimized axial displacement mechanism enables rapid switching between opening and closing states, greatly shortening the response cycle; this design ensures sealing reliability while taking into account drainage efficiency and structural stability, meeting the high reliability requirements of offshore photovoltaic devices for drainage systems, and possessing long-term sealing performance in complex environments.

[0019] This invention is small in size and light in weight, and has little impact on membrane deformation and floating structure; it adopts a modular structural design, which can be easily integrated with photovoltaic floating bodies, and the installation position is flexible and can be quickly arranged; the standardized flange connection structure and bolt fastening components enable rapid assembly, significantly improving the efficiency of engineering implementation.

[0020] Through experimental testing, this technical solution demonstrates excellent drainage performance under typical conditions with a water depth of 5-8cm, with a drainage efficiency reaching [percentage missing] under low head conditions. The drainage rate is significantly improved compared to existing technologies, enabling rapid drainage of accumulated water. For key motion degrees of freedom (including heave, roll, and pitch) where valve failure is highly risky in offshore environments, simulations were conducted in an experimental setting. The locking mechanism of this technology responds rapidly, achieving quick locking action with a low risk of backflow during failure. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 A top view of a floating marine photovoltaic drainage device arrangement provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2A top view of the arrangement of a floating marine photovoltaic drainage device provided for another embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 A top view of the gravity-type check valve for drainage of floating marine photovoltaic systems provided by the present invention.

[0025] Figure 4 A slanted second-view diagram of a gravity-type check valve for drainage of floating marine photovoltaic systems provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 The bottom view of the gravity check valve for floating marine photovoltaic drainage provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 A side view of a gravity-type check valve for drainage of floating marine photovoltaic systems provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure 7 An exploded view of the gravity-type check valve for drainage of floating marine photovoltaic systems provided by the present invention.

[0029] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the safety profile of a floating marine photovoltaic system under water accumulation, provided by the present invention.

[0030] Figure 9 A schematic cross-sectional view of the floating marine photovoltaic system under water-filled conditions provided by the present invention.

[0031] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional drainage streamline of a floating marine photovoltaic check valve provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional anti-backflow section of a floating marine photovoltaic check valve provided by the present invention;

[0033] In the diagram, 1. Float; 2. Drain valve; 3. Photovoltaic panel; 4. Upper valve body; 41. Upper valve body outer shell; 42. Upper valve body flange; 43. Upper valve body perforated water passage hole; 44. Central guide sleeve; 45. Support rib; 46. Support rib flange; 5. Valve core; 51. Sealing top cover; 52. Guide rod; 53. Sealing disc; 6. Lower valve seat; 61. Lower valve seat flange; 62. Filter plate; 63. Lower valve seat perforated water passage hole; 7. Waterproof membrane; 8. Drainage flow line. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] like Figure 1-2 , Figure 8-9 As shown, the drainage device for a floating marine photovoltaic film structure provided in this embodiment of the invention includes an annular float 1, a drainage valve 2, a photovoltaic panel 3, and a waterproof membrane 7; the waterproof membrane 7 is connected to the inner side of the annular float 1, and the photovoltaic panel 3 is arranged on the side of the waterproof membrane 7 away from the seawater; as shown... Figure 1 The drain valve 2 shown can be installed by arranging multiple photovoltaic panels 3 circumferentially spaced along a ring. For example... Figure 2 The drain valve 2 shown can also be arranged in a way that allows it to be evenly distributed in the gaps between the rectangularly arranged photovoltaic panels 3. The figure is only a simple example of the arrangement, and different arrangements and quantities are all within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0036] like Figure 3-7 As shown, the drain valve 2 of this invention includes: an upper valve body 4, a valve core 5, and a lower valve seat 6. The guide rod 52 passes along the axis through the guide rod sleeve 44 of the upper valve body 4 and connects to the sealing top cover 51 after passing through the top hole of the upper valve body 4.

[0037] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the upper valve body 4 consists of an upper valve body shell 41, an upper valve body flange 42, a central guide sleeve 44, and a support rib 45 with a support rib flange 46. The upper valve body shell 41 is located on the upper part of the upper valve body flange 42, and the upper valve body shell 41 is provided with a rounded triangular upper valve body hollow water passage hole 43.

[0038] Specifically, in this invention, the upper valve body 4 adopts a shell structure with perforated water passage holes 43, including radially distributed flow-guiding support ribs 45, a coaxially arranged central guide sleeve 44, and circumferentially distributed flange assembly interfaces. The central guide sleeve 44 is located at the downward extension of the center of the upper valve body shell 41, and the support rib flange 46 is located inside the upper valve body flange 42 at the radial end of the support rib 45, and forms an integral part with each of the provided support ribs 45. In this invention, the perforated water passage holes 43 of the upper valve body are arranged in a specific manner, preferably using a uniformly distributed flow-guiding hole configuration, with 5-8 perforated water passage holes 43, preferably 6 in this example; the upper valve body flange 42 has 5-8 openings, preferably 6 in this example; the flow-guiding support ribs 45 extend at a specific angle at the bottom position of the upper valve body shell 41, and the upward tilt angle of the flow-guiding support ribs 45 can be set to 15°-30°, preferably 22.5°. In particular, the edges of the perforated water passage 43 on the upper valve body and the fluid contact surfaces of the flow guide support ribs 45 are provided with chamfered features to reduce flow resistance.

[0039] like Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the valve core 5 includes a sealing top cover 51, a guide rod 52, and a sealing disc 53. The guide rod 52 is located at the center of the sealing disc 53, and the sealing top cover 51 is located on top of the guide rod 52. The sealing top cover 51 and the axially arranged guide rod 52 are mechanically connected and assembled by screws. In particular, the sealing disc 53 is located away from the seawater and contacts the support rib flange 46 of the upper valve body 4 in the sealed state. To ensure the sealing effect, an annular elastic sealing component is provided on the outer peripheral edge of the sealing disc 53. A dynamic sealing pair is formed by adding a rubber sealing strip and a flow guide rib limiting structure to the contact area of ​​the sealing disc 53.

[0040] In this invention, the sealing interface configuration adopts a variety of designs, including but not limited to planar type, downward opening cone type and other fluid-optimized configurations. Based on manufacturing feasibility, the planar sealing configuration scheme is preferred.

[0041] like Figure 5 The lower valve seat 6 includes a filter plate 62 and a lower valve seat flange 61. The filter plate 62 has a rounded triangular water passage hole 63 for filtering foreign objects in seawater that may hinder the movement of the valve core 5 and limiting the stroke of the valve core 5 towards the water surface;

[0042] Specifically, in this invention, the filter plate 62 is provided with 5-8 water passage holes 63 for the lower valve seat, preferably 6 in this embodiment; the lower valve seat flange 61 is circumferentially configured with assembly interfaces distributed at equal angles, with 5-8 assembly interfaces corresponding to the openings on the upper valve body flange 42, used to connect with the upper valve body flange 42 of the upper valve body 4 through fastening bolts to form a mating assembly surface, so that a sealing interface is formed between the lower valve seat 6 and the upper valve body 4. In particular, the sealing interface cannot allow seawater to leak from all sides, forming a continuous circumferential sealing structure in the assembled state.

[0043] like Figure 3 , 5 As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the upper valve body flange 42 and the lower valve seat flange 61 are connected by bolts, and the clamping diaphragm 7 achieves circumferential sealing. In this invention, the upper valve body 4, valve core 5, and lower valve seat 6 constitute a coaxial rotationally symmetrical structure, and the guide rod 52 of the valve core is axially slidably disposed within the central guide sleeve 44. This device uses a gravity-responsive check valve to achieve dynamic fluid control and integrates the check valve into a standardized interface structure of the diaphragm structure. When the maximum opening stroke is reached, the sealing disc 53 and the flange of the support rib 45 form a surface contact seal. Under reverse wave flow pressure conditions, the valve core assembly is subjected to hydrostatic pressure and undergoes axial displacement to the locked position. At this time, the triple structure consisting of the sealing top cover 51, guide rod 52, and sealing disc 53 is pressed against the limiting surface of the flow guiding support rib 45 in a surface sealing form; when a positive water pressure gradient is formed, the valve core 51 undergoes downward displacement under the action of accumulated water hydrostatic pressure, forming an annular drainage channel.

[0044] In embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 8 As shown, when the water level on the waterproof membrane 7 is lower than the side wall of the upper valve body housing 41, no drainage will occur; when the water depth increases as shown... Figure 9 At that time, the accumulated water flows downward through the perforated water passage 43 in the upper valve body and out from the gap between the sealing plate 53 and the support rib flange 46, such as Figure 10 The drainage flow line is shown in Figure 8.

[0045] like Figure 11 When a surge occurs below, seawater acts on the sealing disc 53 through the water passage hole 63 in the lower valve seat. The sealing disc 53 moves upward under the action of the seawater and cooperates with the support rib flange 46 to achieve a seal. Based on the above-mentioned technical concept and implementation method of the present invention, a drainage device for a floating marine photovoltaic film structure is designed in this invention. When the accumulated water reaches a predetermined depth, the accumulated water flows out from all sides through the water passage hole 43 provided on the upper valve body 4 in the manner shown in the drainage flow line 8. When there is a risk of seawater backflow, seawater acts on the sealing disc 53 through the water passage hole 63 provided on the lower valve seat 6. The sealing disc 53 moves upward to close the passage and prevent seawater backflow.

[0046] It should be further noted that the above embodiments are merely for understanding the technical solution of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any obvious adjustments and modifications made to the above technical concept and technical solution of the present invention should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A drainage device applied to a floating offshore photovoltaic membrane structure, characterized in that, It comprises a ring-shaped floating block, a drain valve, a photovoltaic panel and a waterproof membrane; the waterproof membrane is connected to the inner side of the ring-shaped floating block, and multiple photovoltaic panels are arranged on the waterproof membrane away from seawater; multiple drain valves are arranged between or at the periphery of the photovoltaic panels; the drain valve comprises an upper valve body, a valve core and a lower valve seat, and forms a coaxial rotationally symmetrical structure; the valve core is provided with a guide rod which is axially slidably arranged in a central guide sleeve provided in the upper valve body.

2. The water draining device for floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper valve body comprises an upper valve body shell, an upper valve body flange, a central guide sleeve and a support rib provided with a support rib flange; the upper valve body shell is arranged on the upper part of the upper valve body flange, and a circularly-angled triangular upper valve body hollow water passage is arranged on the upper valve body shell; the central guide sleeve is arranged at the downwardly extending part of the center of the upper valve body shell, and the support rib is arranged at the bottom of the upper valve body shell in a radially extending manner at a specific angle; the support rib flange is arranged on the inner side of the upper valve body flange at the radially extending end of the support rib and is formed in one piece with each support rib.

3. The water draining device for floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve core comprises a sealing top cover, a guide rod and a sealing disc; the guide rod is arranged at the center of the sealing disc, and the sealing top cover is arranged on the upper part of the guide rod and is mechanically connected and assembled with the guide rod; the seaward side of the sealing disc is in contact with the support rib flange of the upper valve body in a sealing state, and the outer peripheral edge of the sealing disc is provided with an annular elastic sealing assembly.

4. The water draining device for floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower valve seat comprises a filter plate and a lower valve seat flange; the filter plate is provided with a circularly-angled triangular lower valve seat water passage, and the lower valve seat flange is circumferentially provided with equiangularly distributed assembly interfaces corresponding to the holes in the upper valve body flange; the assembly interfaces are connected to the upper valve body flange of the upper valve body by fastening bolts to form a matching assembly surface, so that a sealing interface is formed between the lower valve seat and the upper valve body.

5. The water draining device for floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper valve body is provided with 5-8 upper valve body hollow water passages, and the upper valve body flange is provided with 5-8 holes.

6. The water draining device for floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The filter plate is provided with 5-8 lower valve seat water passages, and the filter plate is provided with 5-8 assembly interfaces.

7. The water draining device for floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drain valve is arranged in the gaps between the photovoltaic panels arranged in a ring shape or is arranged in the gaps between the photovoltaic panels arranged in a rectangular shape.

8. The water draining device for floating type offshore photovoltaic membrane structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The upper valve body of the drain valve is arranged on the side of the waterproof membrane away from seawater, and the lower valve seat is arranged on the other side of the waterproof membrane; the upper and lower valve bodies are fixedly and sealingly connected by bolts.

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