Wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system and its synergistic control method

Abstract

The present application belongs to wave energy technology, and discloses a wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system and a collaborative control method thereof. The wave energy is converted into compressed air energy, combined with pressurization and pressure stabilization, intelligent directional air supply and compressed air resource collaborative scheduling mechanism, dynamic switching and optimized operation between air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning functions are realized, the utilization efficiency of compressed air and the comprehensive benefits of the system are improved, the operation energy consumption and maintenance cost of the system are reduced, the dependence on external power equipment is reduced, long-term unattended operation of the system is realized, and a green, low-carbon, efficient and reliable new technical solution with intelligent and adaptive operation capability is provided for port channel engineering, breakwater engineering, ocean engineering and offshore photovoltaic system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention pertains to wave energy technology, and in particular to a wave-driven air curtain system for silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, and its synergistic control method. Background Technology

[0002] Ports, waterways, breakwater fronts, and intake / discharge points are prone to siltation due to the influence of waves, currents, and sediment transport, affecting the normal operation of ports and waterways. Currently, engineering practices commonly employ mechanical dredging, dredging vessels, and hydraulic dredging to treat silted areas (e.g., the AAO process wastewater treatment equipment disclosed in CN223722934U for easy removal of settled sludge). Traditional dredging methods generally suffer from high energy consumption, high maintenance costs, and the need for periodic repetitive operations.

[0003] In recent years, air curtain siltation reduction technology has been gradually applied to areas such as ports, waterways, and water intake / discharge outlets. Existing air curtain siltation reduction systems typically rely on air compressors or compressor stations for continuous air supply (e.g., the combined river dredging device disclosed in CN112459149A), requiring continuous power consumption and resulting in high operating costs. Furthermore, actual marine siltation exhibits significant non-uniformity, while most existing air curtain siltation reduction systems use a fixed air supply method, making it difficult to dynamically adjust according to the siltation conditions in different areas, leading to insufficient siltation removal effects in some localized areas.

[0004] Chinese patent application CN121738124A discloses a method and system for controlling scouring and sedimentation in estuaries based on the acquisition and release of water column wave energy. This method utilizes an oscillating water column air chamber with a bottom opening to capture wave energy. A bidirectional airflow is converted into a unidirectional high-pressure airflow through an airflow rectification unit and stored in a high-pressure energy storage container. The system monitors the channel flow velocity and the air pressure in the storage container in real time. Only when the flow velocity meets the preset ebb tide transport conditions and the air pressure is above a critical threshold is a trigger command generated, and the high-pressure gas is injected into a bottom-sedimentary gas-liquid displacement excitation chamber, forming a high-speed hydraulic jet that impacts the bottom sediment. After the jet is completed, the chamber is depressurized and the ambient hydrostatic pressure causes the external water to flow back in the opposite direction, entraining suspended sediment. However, this method is geared towards a single scouring and sedimentation condition. Compressed air is only used for scouring and sedimentation operations, without directional air supply control for different areas of sedimentation or dynamic scheduling of compressed air resources across multiple tasks. Therefore, the overall efficiency of the system still has room for improvement.

[0005] On the other hand, with the development of offshore floating photovoltaic and near-shore photovoltaic power stations, photovoltaic modules are exposed to the marine environment for extended periods, making them susceptible to dust, salt crystallization, and particulate matter buildup, leading to decreased light transmittance and reduced power generation efficiency. Currently, photovoltaic panels are mainly maintained through manual rinsing, mechanical brushing, or cleaning robots, which not only consumes additional freshwater and electricity but also incurs high maintenance costs. Examples include the self-cleaning photovoltaic module disclosed in CN122178826A and the compressed air cleaning device and method for photovoltaic panels disclosed in CN121669616A.

[0006] Furthermore, due to the random and intermittent nature of wave energy, the compressed air resources generated by wave-driven processes are limited, while the demand for sediment deposition and photovoltaic panel cleaning dynamically changes with environmental conditions. Existing technologies lack a coordinated scheduling mechanism for compressed air resources, making it difficult to achieve a reasonable allocation of limited compressed air resources between air curtain sediment reduction and photovoltaic panel cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems of existing air curtain dredging systems, which rely on external air compressor stations for air supply, have high energy consumption, high operating costs, and are difficult to adjust according to the siltation conditions in different areas. At the same time, it addresses the shortcomings of existing photovoltaic panel cleaning technologies, such as complex structure, high maintenance costs, and the need for additional water and electricity consumption. The invention provides a wave-driven air curtain siltation reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system and its coordinated control method.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system includes a breakwater body, multiple parallel floats positioned on the wave-facing side of the breakwater body, and multiple parallel independent cavities within the breakwater body, each corresponding to a float. Each independent cavity contains a piston connected to a float via a connecting rod. One side of each independent cavity is connected to a pressurization chamber via a connecting pipe, and the pressurization chamber is equipped with an air outlet pipe for silt reduction. An air supply pipe extending to the top of the breakwater body is located within each independent cavity, with its top connected to a T-junction. One end of the T-junction is connected to a photovoltaic panel cleaning unit, and the other end is connected to the outside atmosphere. Valves controlled by a control system are installed on the two ends of the T-junction connected to the photovoltaic panel cleaning unit and the outside atmosphere, the end of the air supply pipe, the connecting pipe, and the air outlet pipe.

[0009] The two adjacent independent chambers are connected by valves controlled by the control system.

[0010] The connecting rod is a hollow tube with a valve controlled by a control system at its top. The upper end of the hollow tube passes through a float and is connected to the atmosphere, while the lower end passes through a piston and is connected to an independent cavity.

[0011] The outer wall of the hollow tube is sealed and fixedly connected to the contact parts of the float and piston. This ensures that the inside of the float is not connected to the outside atmosphere and also ensures the sealed sliding performance of the piston within the cavity.

[0012] The photovoltaic panel cleaning unit includes a pressurization station connected to one end of a three-way pipe. The air outlet of the pressurization station is connected to the main air pipe. Several branch pipes opposite to the photovoltaic panels are connected in parallel on the main air pipe, and nozzles are installed at the ends of the branch pipes.

[0013] Sediment monitoring devices connected to the control system are installed along the front of the breakwater and in the area to be silted up, and photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring devices connected to the control system are installed on the photovoltaic panels.

[0014] A method for coordinated control of wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning includes: During system operation, the sediment monitoring device collects real-time sediment status information of the breakwater front and the area to be silted up, and establishes siltation demand status parameters based on the collected information; at the same time, the photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device acquires real-time pollution status information of the photovoltaic panel surface, and establishes photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameters based on the collected information. The control system dynamically schedules compressed air resources based on the siltation demand status parameters, the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameters, and the system's current air supply capacity. When the siltation demand parameters reach the set value, the control system prioritizes entering the air curtain siltation reduction mode and controls the valves between the chambers to adjust the connection status between different chambers, so that the compressed air in the adjacent chambers is concentrated to the severely silted area, increasing the air supply volume of the corresponding area's air outlet pipe and the local air curtain intensity, thereby achieving directional air supply and precise siltation reduction. When the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameter reaches the set value and the siltation demand status parameter is lower than the preset value, the control system switches to the photovoltaic panel cleaning mode, so that compressed air is delivered to the main air pipe and the branch pipe through the pressurization station, and high-speed airflow is formed through the nozzles set near the photovoltaic panel to achieve non-contact cleaning of the photovoltaic panel surface. When both reach the set value, the inlet valve closes and the hollow tube valve opens, allowing external air to enter the independent chamber through the hollow tube and preventing gas from overflowing from the independent chamber. The control system supplies air to the outlet pipe and the main air pipe simultaneously according to the preset distribution ratio, realizing the synchronous operation of air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, thereby realizing the cascade utilization of compressed air resources and improving the overall operating efficiency of the system.

[0015] The expression for the siltation demand state parameter SI is:

[0016] Where h represents the current sediment deposition thickness, and h0 represents the allowable deposition thickness; dh / dt represents the sediment deposition rate, and (dh / dt)0 represents the reference deposition rate; C represents the suspended sediment concentration, and C0 represents the reference concentration; α, β, and γ represent the weighting coefficients corresponding to each parameter, and satisfy α+β+γ=1; the weighting coefficients can be determined based on actual engineering experience, historical monitoring data, fuzzy control algorithms, neural network algorithms, or machine learning methods.

[0017] The expression for the photovoltaic panel cleaning requirement state parameter DI is:

[0018] Among them, P th P represents the theoretical output power of the photovoltaic module under current illumination conditions. real This indicates the actual output power of the photovoltaic module; when DI increases, it indicates that the surface of the photovoltaic panel is more contaminated and needs to be cleaned by blowing.

[0019] To achieve rational allocation of compressed air resources, the control system determines the corresponding weighting coefficients λ1 and λ2 based on the sedimentation demand state parameter SI and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI, and their expressions are as follows:

[0020]

[0021] Where λ1 represents the weighting coefficient of air curtain silt reduction demand, λ2 represents the weighting coefficient of photovoltaic panel cleaning demand, and λ1+λ2=1.

[0022] Furthermore, the control system establishes a comprehensive system demand function U, the expression of which is:

[0023] When SI≥S0, S0 is the system's preset threshold for the activation of the air curtain silt reduction mode, which is used to determine whether the current area needs to activate the air curtain silt reduction mode. Its value can be preset according to factors such as water depth, sediment particle size, siltation rate, and waterway maintenance requirements in the engineering area, or optimized and adjusted according to historical operating data. When SI>DI, the control system will prioritize entering the air curtain silt reduction mode and adjust the opening status of the valves between the cavities to concentrate the compressed air in the adjacent cavities to the severely silted area and increase the local air curtain intensity. When DI≥D0, D0 is the system's preset threshold for photovoltaic panel cleaning requirements, used to determine whether the photovoltaic panel needs to start the self-cleaning mode. Its value can be preset according to factors such as the degree of contamination on the photovoltaic panel surface, the rate of decrease in light transmittance, the rate of decrease in output power, the running time and environmental conditions, or it can be optimized and adjusted based on historical operating data. When DI>SI, the control system prioritizes entering the photovoltaic panel cleaning mode. When SI and DI reach the set thresholds simultaneously, the inlet valve closes and the hollow tube valve opens, allowing external air to enter the independent chamber through the hollow tube and preventing gas from overflowing from the independent chamber. The control system supplies air to the outlet pipe and the main air pipe according to the preset ratio, realizing the synchronous operation of air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, thereby realizing the cascade utilization of compressed air resources and improving the overall operating efficiency of the system.

[0024] Furthermore, the control system uses the real-time pressure value P obtained from the pressure sensor inside the pressurization chamber to provide feedback adjustment to the system output process. When the pressure inside the pressurization chamber is lower than the preset pressure P... min The system continues to store gas; when the pressure reaches the set working pressure P... set When the pressure exceeds the safe pressure P, the air release process begins; max When compressed air is released, it is prioritized to ensure stable air curtain output and improve system reliability.

[0025] Furthermore, to improve the efficiency of compressed air resource utilization, the control system dynamically allocates the total compressed air flow rate Q currently generated by the system based on the sedimentation demand state parameter SI obtained by the sediment monitoring device and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI obtained by the photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device; wherein, the air supply flow rate Q1 allocated to the air curtain sediment reduction system and the air supply flow rate Q2 allocated to the photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system satisfy the following:

[0026]

[0027]

[0028] Where Q is the total compressed air flow currently available from the system, Q1 is the air supply flow that is delivered to the outlet pipe to form an air curtain, and Q2 is the air supply flow that is delivered to the pressurization station and then delivered to the photovoltaic panels for purging and cleaning via the main air pipe and branch pipes.

[0029] When the siltation demand state parameter SI is greater than the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI, the system prioritizes the allocation of compressed air to the air curtain siltation reduction system to increase the air supply volume of the air outlet pipe and the local air curtain intensity. When the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI is greater than the siltation demand state parameter SI, the system prioritizes the allocation of compressed air to the photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system to improve the cleaning effect of the photovoltaic panel. When the sedimentation demand status parameter SI and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameter DI both reach the set threshold, the controller dynamically adjusts the air supply ratio according to their relative magnitudes, so as to realize the synchronous operation of air curtain sedimentation reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, thereby realizing the cascade utilization of compressed air resources and improving the overall system operating efficiency and energy utilization rate.

[0030] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention utilizes the heave motion of a float driven by waves to drive the reciprocating motion of a piston, thereby achieving automatic air intake, compression, and delivery. It eliminates the need for a dedicated air compressor station for continuous air supply and also eliminates the need for additional large amounts of electricity. It can fully utilize the wave energy widely present in the ocean to form an air curtain, preventing and reducing siltation in areas prone to siltation such as the front of breakwaters, harbor basins, and waterways, thereby reducing system operating costs and improving energy efficiency.

[0031] This invention incorporates a pressurization chamber between the sealed cavity and the exhaust pipe. By temporarily storing and pressurizing compressed air, the air is released only after reaching a certain pressure, thus improving the stability of the air curtain and the intensity of bubble jetting. Compared to traditional direct exhaust methods, the resulting bubble cluster generates stronger induced flow and turbulence, enhancing its ability to disturb surface sediment on the seabed and thereby improving siltation reduction.

[0032] This invention, by setting valves between cavities and combining them with a sediment monitoring device, adjusts the connection state between adjacent cavities according to the degree of sediment accumulation in different areas, so that more compressed air is concentrated and delivered to the severely silted areas. This achieves dynamic distribution of air volume and enhanced local silt reduction, improves the utilization rate of compressed air, overcomes the shortcomings of traditional air curtain systems that provide overall air supply and are difficult to adapt to non-uniform siltation conditions, and realizes intelligent and precise silt reduction.

[0033] This invention incorporates multiple valves that allow the system to switch between an air curtain siltation reduction mode and a photovoltaic panel cleaning mode by altering the airflow direction. When siltation is relatively light, compressed air originally intended for siltation reduction can be transported to a pressurization station and then delivered via the main air pipe and branch pipes to the photovoltaic panel surface, forming a high-speed airflow. This airflow sweeps away dust, salt crystals, and adhering particles from the photovoltaic panel surface, achieving non-contact cleaning of the photovoltaic panel, improving the light transmittance and power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic modules, and thus realizing the cascade utilization of compressed air.

[0034] Compared with traditional methods such as manual cleaning, water spraying, and mechanical scrubbing, this invention uses compressed air to clean photovoltaic panels. It does not consume fresh water resources, does not cause wear on the surface of the photovoltaic panels, and does not require special cleaning equipment and drive devices. This can reduce the operation and maintenance costs of offshore photovoltaic systems and improve the long-term reliability of offshore photovoltaic systems.

[0035] This invention, by setting up a pressure sensor, a sediment monitoring device, a photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device, and a controller, can acquire real-time information on the internal pressure of the pressurization chamber, the sediment accumulation status, and the pollution status of the photovoltaic panels. Based on the monitoring results, it can automatically adjust the working status of the inlet valve, outlet valve, inter-chamber valve, and other position valves, realizing autonomous switching of system operation modes and dynamic control of the gas supply process, improving system operation stability and environmental adaptability, reducing manual intervention, and lowering maintenance costs.

[0036] This invention establishes a sedimentation demand state parameter (SI) and a photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter (DI), and dynamically allocates compressed air resources based on the system's air supply capacity. This allows compressed air to be prioritized for either air curtain sediment reduction or photovoltaic panel self-cleaning according to actual needs, and enables coordinated air supply when both functions are in demand simultaneously. This improves compressed air utilization efficiency and overall system benefits, avoiding the problems of traditional systems with single air supply methods and low energy utilization. By introducing a coordination mechanism based on demand state parameters, the dynamic optimization allocation of compressed air resources among different functions is achieved. This allows the system to adaptively adjust its operating mode according to the sedimentation state and photovoltaic panel contamination state, improving the utilization efficiency of limited compressed air resources, enhancing the system's adaptability to complex marine environments and multi-objective task requirements, and achieving coordinated operation and synergistic efficiency between air curtain sediment reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning.

[0037] Furthermore, this invention establishes a closed-loop operation mechanism comprising wave energy acquisition, compressed air generation, pressurization and stabilization, status monitoring, demand assessment, resource scheduling, mode switching, and execution control. A monitoring-judgment-scheduling-execution feedback loop is formed through a sediment monitoring device, a photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device, a pressure sensor, and a controller, enabling real-time perception and autonomous adjustment of the system's operating status. Compared to traditional systems requiring manual operation and periodic maintenance, this invention can automatically switch between air curtain silt reduction mode and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning mode based on environmental changes. It also dynamically adjusts the compressed air distribution ratio based on the siltation demand status parameter SI and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameter DI, achieving long-term stable and unattended operation, thus improving system reliability and intelligence.

[0038] Furthermore, this invention features a simple structure and convenient installation. It can be arranged using single or multiple float units according to actual engineering needs and can be used in conjunction with breakwaters, harbor basins, waterways, and offshore photovoltaic systems, demonstrating good environmental adaptability and promising engineering applications. By organically combining wave energy utilization, air curtain silt reduction, pressurization and stabilization, intelligent directional air supply, dynamic scheduling of compressed air resources, and self-cleaning of photovoltaic panels, it achieves efficient utilization of wave energy and multi-functional collaborative operation. This provides a green, efficient, low-cost, intelligent, adaptive, and multi-objective collaborative optimization solution for port and waterway silt prevention, marine environmental management, and offshore photovoltaic operation and maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of the present invention (excluding the photovoltaic panel self-cleaning unit). Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a single part of the system; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a photovoltaic panel self-cleaning unit; Among them, 1. float, 2. breakwater body, 3. connecting rod, 4. connecting pipe, 5. gas supply pipe, 6. pressurization chamber valve, 7. piston, 8. pressurization chamber, 9. gas outlet pipe, 10. cavity valve, 11. hollow pipe valve, 12. hollow pipe, 13. inlet valve, 14. outlet valve, 15. gas supply pipe valve, 16. pressurization station, 17. main gas pipe, 18. branch pipe, 19. photovoltaic panel. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0041] The structures, proportions, and sizes illustrated in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes and to aid those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the invention. They are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, provided they do not affect the effectiveness or purpose of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention's implementation.

[0042] like Figures 1-3As shown, based on the wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system, the breakwater body 2 is set in the sea area to resist wave impact; multiple parallel floats 1 are set on the wave-facing side of the breakwater. Waves are reflected in front of the breakwater, and energy is concentrated in the area in front of the breakwater, enabling the floats 1 to generate a greater motion response in the vertical direction under the action of strong waves.

[0043] The breakwater body 2 has multiple parallel independent cavities. Adjacent independent cavities are connected by inter-cavity valves 10 controlled by the control system to control the connection status between adjacent cavities.

[0044] Each independent cavity corresponds to a float 1, and each independent cavity is equipped with a piston 7. The piston 7 is connected to the float 1 via a connecting rod 3. The upper end of the connecting rod 3 is fixedly connected to the float 1, and the lower end passes through the sealed cavity and is fixedly connected to the piston 7, which is used to transmit the rising and falling motion of the float 1 to the piston 7. The piston 7 is located inside the sealed independent cavity and divides the sealed independent cavity into a variable volume compression space.

[0045] An air supply pipe 5 extends to the top of the breakwater within the independent chamber. The top of the air supply pipe 5 connects to a three-way pipe. One end of the three-way pipe connects to the photovoltaic panel cleaning unit, and the other end connects to the outside atmosphere. Valves controlled by the control system are installed on the two ends of the three-way pipe connecting to the photovoltaic panel cleaning unit and the outside atmosphere, the end of the air supply pipe 5, the connecting pipe 4, and the outlet pipe 9. The valve on the end of the three-way pipe connecting to the outside atmosphere is an inlet valve 13, used to control the entry of outside air into the system. An air supply pipe valve 15 is installed between the air supply pipe 5 and the independent chamber to control the entry of air from the air supply pipe 5 into the sealed independent chamber, preventing compressed air backflow. The valve on the connecting pipe 4 only allows outside air to leave the sealed chamber, preventing compressed air from the pressurization chamber from flowing back into the sealed independent chamber.

[0046] One side of the independent chamber is connected to the pressurization chamber 8 via a connecting pipe 4, used to transport compressed air from the sealed chamber to the pressurization chamber 8. The pressurization chamber 8 is located between the sealed chamber and the outlet pipe 9, used to temporarily store and pressurize the compressed air, ensuring it reaches a preset pressure before being discharged, thereby improving the air curtain strength and air supply stability. The pressurization chamber 8 is equipped with an outlet pipe 9 for silt reduction, which is connected to the pressurization chamber 8 and arranged along the bottom of the breakwater or the area to be silted up. Multiple evenly distributed outlet holes are provided on its wall to release compressed air and form an air curtain. The valve on the outlet pipe 9 only allows air to flow from the pressurization chamber 8 to the outlet pipe 9, preventing fluid outside the outlet pipe 9 from flowing into the pressurization chamber 8. The connecting rod 3 is a hollow tube 12, with a hollow tube valve 11 controlled by the control system at its top. The upper end of the hollow tube 12 passes through a float 1 to communicate with the atmosphere, and the lower end of the hollow tube 12 passes through a piston 7 to communicate with the independent chamber. The outer wall of the hollow tube 12 is sealed and fixedly connected to the float 1 and piston 7, which ensures that the inside of the float 1 is not connected to the outside atmosphere, and also ensures the sealing and sliding performance of the piston 7 in the independent cavity.

[0047] The photovoltaic panel cleaning unit includes a pressurization station 16 connected to one end of a three-way pipe. The air outlet of the pressurization station 16 is connected to the main air pipe 17. Several branch pipes 18 opposite to the photovoltaic panel 19 are connected in parallel on the main air pipe 17. Nozzles are installed at the ends of the branch pipes 18.

[0048] Sediment monitoring devices connected to the control system are installed along the breakwater front and in the area to be silted up. When siltation is severe in a certain area, the valve 10 between the corresponding chambers is opened, causing compressed air from adjacent chambers to concentrate in the severely silted area. This increases the air supply and pressure of the air outlet pipe 9 in the corresponding area, enhances the local air curtain strength, and achieves directional air supply and precise siltation reduction. Photovoltaic panels 19 are equipped with photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring devices connected to the control system.

[0049] When the system is in the air curtain desilting mode, the control system controls the inlet valve 13 to be in the open state, the outlet valve 14 to be in the closed state, the pressurization chamber valve 6 on the connecting pipe 4 and the outlet pipe 9 to be in the normal working state, the hollow pipe valve 11 on the hollow pipe 12 to be in the closed state, and the air supply pipe valve 15 controls the airflow to be delivered from the air supply pipe 5 to the independent cavity.

[0050] When waves reach the vicinity of the breakwater, float 1 undergoes periodic up-and-down motion under wave excitation, driving piston 7 to reciprocate within the sealed cavity via connecting rod 3. When piston 7 moves upward, a negative pressure is created inside the sealed cavity, opening inlet valve 13 and opening gas supply valve 15 on gas supply pipe 5 into the independent cavity, allowing gas to flow only from gas supply pipe 5 into the independent cavity. External air enters the sealed independent cavity through gas supply pipe 5, while hollow pipe valve 11 on hollow pipe 12 closes to prevent air backflow. When piston 7 moves downward, the air inside the sealed cavity is compressed, closing gas supply valve 15 and opening pressurization chamber valve 6 within the independent cavity, allowing compressed air to enter pressurization chamber 8 via connecting pipe 4. When the pressure inside pressurization chamber 8 reaches a set value, pressurization chamber valve 6 within the pressurization chamber opens, releasing compressed air through outlet pipe 9 to form a continuous or intermittent air curtain. As bubbles rise, they form induced currents and turbulent structures, which disturb the surface sediment of the seabed, keeping the sediment suspended or transported to the open sea. This slows down the sediment settling rate and inhibits sediment accumulation in the breakwater front, harbor basin, channel and other areas prone to siltation, thus achieving the functions of silt prevention and silt reduction.

[0051] When the monitoring system detects a low level of siltation, the system switches to photovoltaic panel cleaning mode. At this time, inlet valve 13 is closed, outlet valve 14 is open, pressurization chamber valve 6 on connecting pipe 4 and outlet pipe 9 is closed, and hollow pipe valve 11 on hollow pipe 12 is open to allow air to enter the independent chamber. Gas delivery pipe valve 15 switches the gas delivery direction, allowing air to flow from the independent chamber towards gas delivery pipe 5.

[0052] One end of the hollow tube 12 is connected to a sealed independent cavity, and the other end is equipped with a hollow tube valve 11, which is used to control the entry of external air into the independent cavity through the hollow tube 12 and to prevent gas from overflowing from the independent cavity. An outlet valve 14 is located between the device's air supply pipe and the pressurization station 16, used to control the compressed air output path. When the system is in photovoltaic panel cleaning mode, the air supply pipe valve 15 switches the airflow direction, allowing compressed air to enter the pressurization station 16 via the air supply pipe 5 and then enter the main air pipe 17, and be delivered to the vicinity of the photovoltaic panel 19 through the branch pipe 18. The high-speed airflow can blow away dust, salt crystals, and attached particles from the surface of the photovoltaic panel 19, achieving non-contact cleaning of the photovoltaic panel 19, improving the light transmittance and power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic modules, thereby realizing the cascade utilization of compressed air and improving the system's energy utilization efficiency.

[0053] The float 1 can be cylindrical, spherical, or other structural forms with good wave response characteristics; the sealed cavity and piston 7 can be square or cylindrical; the pressurization chamber 8 can be spherical, cylindrical, or other pressure-resistant structures; the air outlet pipe 9 can be arranged in a single row, multiple rows, or grid pattern according to the silt reduction range; the aperture, spacing, and arrangement density of the air outlet holes can be adjusted according to the water depth and sediment conditions of the target area to obtain the best air curtain effect; the main air pipe 17 and the branch pipes 18 can be arranged according to the distribution of the photovoltaic panels 19 to achieve airflow purging and cleaning of the photovoltaic panels 19 in different areas.

[0054] This invention also provides a wave-driven method for the coordinated control of air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, comprising the following steps: During system operation, the sediment monitoring device collects real-time sediment status information of the breakwater front and the area to be silted up. The sediment status information includes one or more of the following: sediment deposition thickness, sediment deposition trend, suspended sediment concentration, and sediment transport status. Based on the collected information, sedimentation demand status parameters are established. Simultaneously, the photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device acquires real-time pollution status information of the photovoltaic panel 19 surface. The pollution status information includes one or more of the following: dust adhesion degree, light transmittance change, output power attenuation degree, and image recognition results. Based on the collected information, photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameters are established.

[0055] The controller dynamically schedules compressed air resources based on the siltation demand status parameters, the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameters, and the system's current air supply capacity. When the siltation demand status parameters reach a set value, the controller prioritizes the system to enter the air curtain siltation reduction mode and controls the inter-cavity valve 10 to adjust the connectivity between different cavities, causing compressed air from adjacent cavities to concentrate in the severely silted area, increasing the air supply volume and local air curtain intensity of the corresponding area's outlet pipe 9, achieving directional air supply and precise siltation reduction. When the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameters reach a set value and the siltation demand status parameters are lower than a preset value, the controller switches the system to the photovoltaic panel cleaning mode, allowing compressed air to be delivered to the main air pipe 17 via the pressurization station 16. The system includes a branch pipe 18 and a nozzle located near the photovoltaic panel 19 to form a high-speed airflow, achieving non-contact cleaning of the photovoltaic panel 19 surface. When both reach the set value, the inlet valve 13 closes and the hollow pipe valve 11 opens, allowing external air to enter the independent cavity through the hollow pipe 12 and preventing gas from overflowing from the independent cavity. The controller simultaneously supplies air to the outlet pipe 9 and the main air pipe 17 according to the preset distribution ratio, realizing the synchronous operation of air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, thereby realizing the cascade utilization of compressed air resources and improving the overall operating efficiency of the system.

[0056] The entire system forms a closed-loop operation process consisting of wave energy acquisition, compressed air generation, pressure regulation, status monitoring, demand judgment, mode switching, and execution control, realizing autonomous operation and intelligent collaborative control of the system.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the controller establishes a sedimentation demand state parameter SI based on the sediment state information obtained by the sediment monitoring device, and establishes a photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI based on the photovoltaic panel pollution state information obtained by the photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device. The sediment state information includes one or more of the following: sediment deposition thickness h, sediment deposition change rate dh / dt, suspended sediment concentration C, and sediment transport state parameters; the photovoltaic panel pollution state information includes one or more of the following: the degree of dust adhesion on the photovoltaic panel surface, changes in light transmittance, the degree of output power attenuation, and image recognition results.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the controller uses a weighted evaluation method to establish the siltation demand state parameter SI, the expression of which is:

[0059] Where h represents the current sediment deposition thickness, and h0 represents the allowable deposition thickness; dh / dt represents the sediment deposition rate, and (dh / dt)0 represents the reference deposition rate; C represents the suspended sediment concentration, and C0 represents the reference concentration; α, β, and γ represent the weighting coefficients corresponding to each parameter, and satisfy α+β+γ=1. The weighting coefficients can be determined based on practical engineering experience, historical monitoring data, fuzzy control algorithms, neural network algorithms, or machine learning methods.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, the controller establishes the photovoltaic panel cleaning requirement state parameter DI based on the difference between the theoretical output power Pth and the actual output power Preal of the photovoltaic module, and its expression is:

[0061] Among them, P th P represents the theoretical output power of the photovoltaic module under current illumination conditions. real This indicates the actual output power of the photovoltaic module. An increase in DI indicates increased surface contamination of the photovoltaic panel, requiring cleaning.

[0062] To achieve rational allocation of compressed air resources, the controller determines the corresponding weighting coefficients λ1 and λ2 based on the sedimentation demand state parameter SI and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI, and their expressions are as follows:

[0063]

[0064] Where λ1 represents the weighting coefficient of air curtain silt reduction demand, λ2 represents the weighting coefficient of photovoltaic panel cleaning demand, and λ1+λ2=1.

[0065] The controller establishes the system comprehensive requirement function U, whose expression is:

[0066] The controller controls the gas delivery pipe valve 15, the inlet valve 13, the outlet valve 14, and the inter-cavity valve 10 based on the system comprehensive demand function U, the current gas supply capacity Q, and the internal pressure status of the pressurization chamber 8, thereby realizing the automatic switching of the system operation mode.

[0067] When SI ≥ S0 and SI > DI, S0 is the system's preset threshold for initiating the air curtain silt reduction mode. This threshold is used to determine whether the current area needs to activate the air curtain silt reduction mode. Its value can be preset based on factors such as water depth, sediment particle size, siltation rate, and waterway maintenance requirements in the engineering area, or optimized and adjusted based on historical operating data. The controller prioritizes the system entering the air curtain silt reduction mode and adjusts the opening state of the inter-cavity valve 10, causing compressed air in adjacent cavities to concentrate towards the severely silted area, thereby increasing the local air curtain intensity.

[0068] When DI≥D0 and DI>SI, D0 is the system's preset threshold for initiating photovoltaic panel cleaning, used to determine whether the photovoltaic panel needs to activate the self-cleaning mode. Its value can be preset based on factors such as the degree of surface contamination, transmittance reduction rate, output power attenuation rate, operating time, and environmental conditions, or optimized based on historical operating data. The controller prioritizes the system entering photovoltaic panel cleaning mode, delivering compressed air to the pressurization station 16 via the air supply valve 15, and then cleaning the photovoltaic panel 19 via the main air pipe 17 and branch pipes 18. When SI and DI simultaneously reach the set thresholds, the controller supplies air to the outlet pipe 9 and main air pipe 17 according to a preset ratio, achieving simultaneous operation of air curtain desilting and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, thereby realizing the tiered utilization of compressed air resources and improving the overall system operating efficiency.

[0069] The controller adjusts the system output based on the real-time pressure value P obtained by the pressure sensor inside the pressurization chamber 8. When the pressure inside the pressurization chamber 8 falls below the preset pressure P... min The system continues to store gas; when the pressure reaches the set working pressure P... set When the pressure exceeds the safe pressure P, the air release process begins; max When compressed air is released, it is prioritized to ensure stable air curtain output and improve system reliability.

[0070] To improve the efficiency of compressed air resource utilization, the controller dynamically allocates the total compressed air flow rate Q generated by the system based on the sedimentation demand status parameter SI obtained from the sediment monitoring device and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameter DI obtained from the photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device. Specifically, the air supply flow rate Q1 allocated to the air curtain sediment reduction system and the air supply flow rate Q2 allocated to the photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system satisfy the following:

[0071]

[0072]

[0073] Where Q is the total compressed air flow currently available to the system, Q1 is the air supply flow to be delivered to the outlet pipe 9 to form an air curtain, and Q2 is the air supply flow to be delivered to the pressurization station 16 and then to the photovoltaic panel 19 for purging and cleaning via the main air pipe 17 and the branch pipe 18. When the siltation demand state parameter SI is greater than the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI, the system prioritizes the allocation of compressed air to the air curtain siltation reduction system, increasing the air supply to the outlet pipe 9 and the intensity of the local air curtain; when the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI is greater than the siltation demand state parameter SI, the system prioritizes the allocation of compressed air to the photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system, improving the purging and cleaning effect of the photovoltaic panel 19; when the siltation demand state parameter SI and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI both reach the set threshold, the controller dynamically adjusts the air supply ratio according to their relative magnitudes, realizing the synchronous operation of the air curtain siltation reduction and the photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, thereby achieving the tiered utilization of compressed air resources and improving the overall system operating efficiency and energy utilization rate.

[0074] While the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort based on the technical solutions of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system, comprising a breakwater body, characterized in that, Multiple parallel floats are positioned on the wave-facing side of the breakwater. Within the breakwater, multiple parallel independent chambers are arranged, each corresponding to one float. Each independent chamber contains a piston connected to the float via a connecting rod. One side of each independent chamber is connected to a pressurization chamber via a connecting pipe. The pressurization chamber has an air outlet pipe for silt reduction. An air supply pipe extending to the top of the breakwater is located within each independent chamber. The top of the air supply pipe connects to a T-junction. One end of the T-junction connects to the photovoltaic panel cleaning unit, and the other end connects to the outside atmosphere. Valves controlled by the control system are installed on the two ends of the T-junction connecting to the photovoltaic panel cleaning unit and the outside atmosphere, the end of the air supply pipe, the connecting pipe, and the air outlet pipe. The valve on the T-junction connecting to the outside atmosphere is the air inlet valve. Two adjacent independent cavities are connected by inter-cavity valves controlled by a control system; The connecting rod is a hollow tube with a valve controlled by the control system at its top. The upper end of the hollow tube passes through a float and is connected to the atmosphere, while the lower end of the hollow tube passes through a piston and is connected to an independent cavity. The outer wall of the hollow tube is sealed and fixedly connected to the contact parts of the float and piston.

2. The wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The photovoltaic panel cleaning unit includes a pressurization station connected to one end of a three-way pipe. The air outlet of the pressurization station is connected to the main air pipe. Several branch pipes opposite to the photovoltaic panels are connected in parallel on the main air pipe, and nozzles are installed at the ends of the branch pipes.

3. The wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, Sediment monitoring devices connected to the control system are installed along the front of the breakwater and in the area to be silted up, and photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring devices connected to the control system are installed on the photovoltaic panels.

4. A method for coordinated control of wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, based on the wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning system described in claim 3, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: During system operation, the sediment monitoring device collects real-time sediment status information of the breakwater front and the area to be silted up, and establishes siltation demand status parameters based on the collected information; the expression for the siltation demand status parameter SI is: Where h represents the current sediment deposition thickness, h0 represents the allowable deposition thickness; dh / dt represents the sediment deposition rate, (dh / dt)0 represents the reference deposition rate; C represents the suspended sediment concentration, C0 represents the reference concentration; α, β and γ represent the weighting coefficients corresponding to each parameter, and satisfy α+β+γ=1. Simultaneously, the photovoltaic panel pollution monitoring device acquires real-time pollution status information on the photovoltaic panel surface and establishes photovoltaic panel cleaning requirement status parameters based on the collected information; the expression for the photovoltaic panel cleaning requirement status parameter DI is: Among them, P th P represents the theoretical output power of the photovoltaic module under current illumination conditions. real This indicates the actual output power of the photovoltaic module; The control system dynamically schedules compressed air resources based on the siltation demand status parameters, the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameters, and the system's current air supply capacity. When the siltation demand parameters reach the set value, the control system prioritizes entering the air curtain siltation reduction mode and controls the valves between the chambers to adjust the connection status between different chambers, so that the compressed air in the adjacent chambers is concentrated to the severely silted area, increasing the air supply volume of the corresponding area's air outlet pipe and the local air curtain intensity, thereby achieving directional air supply and precise siltation reduction. When the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand status parameter reaches the set value and the siltation demand status parameter is lower than the preset value, the control system switches to the photovoltaic panel cleaning mode, so that compressed air is delivered to the main air pipe and the branch pipe through the pressurization station, and high-speed airflow is formed through the nozzles set near the photovoltaic panel to achieve non-contact cleaning of the photovoltaic panel surface. When both the siltation demand parameters and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand parameters reach their set values, the air inlet valve closes and the hollow tube valve opens, allowing external air to enter the independent chamber through the hollow tube and preventing gas from overflowing from the independent chamber. The control system simultaneously supplies air to the outlet pipe and the main air pipe according to the preset distribution ratio, realizing the synchronous operation of air curtain siltation reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning, thereby realizing the cascade utilization of compressed air resources and improving the overall operating efficiency of the system.

5. The wave-driven air curtain silt reduction and photovoltaic panel self-cleaning synergistic control method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, To achieve rational allocation of compressed air resources, the control system determines the corresponding weighting coefficients λ1 and λ2 based on the sedimentation demand state parameter SI and the photovoltaic panel cleaning demand state parameter DI, and their expressions are as follows: Where λ1 represents the weighting coefficient of air curtain silt reduction demand, λ2 represents the weighting coefficient of photovoltaic panel cleaning demand, and λ1+λ2=1.

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