Heliostat area controller and control system
By using a dual-redundant power supply and redundant computing board design, combined with the integration of multiple communication protocols, the problems of insufficient reliability and data processing capability of traditional heliostat controllers are solved, and efficient heliostat control and solar focusing are achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 首航慧通科技(北京)有限公司
- Filing Date
- 2025-05-20
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-01
AI Technical Summary
Traditional heliostat controllers suffer from problems such as low power supply reliability, limited network configuration, limited communication interfaces, and lack of data processing capabilities.
It adopts a dual-redundant power supply design, redundant computing boards and switching boards, integrates AUTBUS, MODBUS and CAN bus communication boards, supports multiple industrial communication protocols, and coordinates the operation of each board in the system through the host control module to achieve redundancy backup and efficient data processing.
It improves the reliability and flexibility of the heliostat area controller, reduces the risk of failure, enhances response efficiency, and achieves sub-milliradian level synchronous tracking accuracy and precise focusing of sunlight.
Smart Images
Figure CN224190408U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of concentrated solar power generation technology, and in particular to a heliostat area controller and control system. Background Technology
[0002] In tower solar thermal power generation systems, precise control of heliostats is crucial for improving system efficiency. The heliostat controller is the core control device of the tower solar thermal power generation system. By calculating the sun's position, meteorological conditions, and the coordinates of the target point of the collector tower in real time, it dynamically adjusts the reflection angle of the heliostat to ensure that sunlight is efficiently focused onto the collector tower and maximize the photothermal conversion efficiency.
[0003] Currently, traditional heliostat controllers suffer from problems such as low power supply reliability, limited network configuration, limited communication interfaces, and lack of data processing capabilities. Utility Model Content
[0004] This specification provides an embodiment of a heliostat area controller to address the technical problems of traditional heliostat controllers, such as low power supply reliability, limited network configuration, limited communication interfaces, and lack of data processing capabilities.
[0005] The embodiments in this specification adopt the following technical solutions:
[0006] One embodiment of this specification provides a heliostat area controller, including:
[0007] The enclosure contains a host control module card, a power supply board, a computing board, a switching board, and a communication board arranged sequentially within it; wherein...
[0008] The power board is provided with a first power interface and a second power interface for connecting dual redundant power supplies.
[0009] The computing board includes a first computing board and a second computing board that are redundant with each other;
[0010] The switching board includes a first switching board and a second switching board that are redundant with each other. Both the first switching board and the second switching board are provided with an Ethernet interface and an SFP interface.
[0011] The communication board includes an AUTBUS board, a MODBUS board, and a CAN bus board.
[0012] The host control module card is used to coordinate the operation of various boards in the system and external communication.
[0013] Preferably, the first computing board and / or the second computing board further include: an edge computing module, including a data acquisition layer, a preprocessing layer, a decision layer and an execution layer.
[0014] Preferably, the host control module card, the power supply board, the computing board, the switching board, and the communication board are all connected to the backplane communication bus and the backplane power supply bus.
[0015] Preferably, both the first computing board and the second computing board are provided with a network interface and a data transmission channel.
[0016] Preferably, a hot-swap mechanism is used to replace the circuit board via a hot-swap control circuit.
[0017] Preferably, the housing is provided with multiple slots, and each slot corresponds to a circuit board.
[0018] Preferably, the Ethernet interface or the SFP interface is connected to a host computer or monitoring system.
[0019] Another aspect of the embodiments in this specification provides a heliostat area control system, including:
[0020] The system includes a heliostat area controller and multiple heliostat bodies; wherein the heliostat area controller is connected to each of the heliostat bodies via a communication network for centralized control and management of the operating status of the heliostats; each heliostat body includes a reflector, a tracking system, and sensors.
[0021] The above-described at least one technical solution adopted in the embodiments of this specification can achieve the following beneficial effects:
[0022] The heliostat area controller features a dual-power interface and redundant computing and switching boards. It integrates AUTBUS, MODBUS, and CAN bus communication boards, supporting multiple industrial communication protocols. This reduces the risk of failure and improves the reliability and flexibility of the heliostat area controller. At the same time, it centrally coordinates the operation of the power, computing, switching, and communication boards, thereby improving the response efficiency of the heliostat area controller. Attached Figure Description
[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or prior art of this specification, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this specification. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the unfolded arrangement of a heliostat area controller provided in an embodiment of this specification;
[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the power board redundancy design provided in the embodiments of this specification;
[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the redundant design of the computing board provided in the embodiments of this specification;
[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the redundancy design of the switching board provided in the embodiments of this specification.
[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0029] 1. Enclosure; 2. Main unit control module card; 3. Power supply board; 4. First calculation board; 5. Second calculation board; 6. First switching board; 7. Second switching board; 8. AUTBUS board; 9. MODBUS board; 10. CAN bus board; 11. Backplane power bus; 12. Backplane communication bus; 13. First input power supply; 14. Second input power supply. Detailed Implementation
[0030] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this specification, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this specification, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of this application.
[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded arrangement of a heliostat area controller.
[0032] This utility model provides a heliostat area controller, including: a housing 1 and a host control module card 2, a power board 3, a computing board, a switching board, and a communication board, etc., arranged sequentially inside the housing 1.
[0033] Enclosure 1 is made of a metal shell with an IP20 protection rating, and is suitable for working temperatures from -40℃ to 75℃.
[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the redundancy design of the power supply board 3 provided in the embodiments of this specification. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the redundant design of the computing board provided in the embodiments of this specification. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the redundancy design of the switching board provided in the embodiments of this specification.
[0035] Power supply board 3 has a first power interface and a second power interface for connecting dual redundant power supplies. The dual redundant power supplies can include a first input power supply 13 and a second input power supply 14, ensuring seamless takeover of one power supply in case of a failure. Figure 2 As shown, each power supply has an input voltage range of 24-48VDC, is powered by a 5-pin 5.08mm pitch pluggable terminal block, adopts dual redundant power input, supports AC and DC dual power supply, and serves as hot backup for each other. The power supply is switched by LTC4352 with a switching time of ≤5ms, supports N+1 redundancy configuration, and the two power supplies share the load to ensure the reliability of the power supply.
[0036] The computing boards include a redundant first computing board 4 and a second computing board 5. When one computing board fails, the other can seamlessly take over its operation. Each computing board is equipped with 128GB SSD storage and supports 30 days of historical data caching. The computing boards integrate high-performance processors, memory, and storage units, possessing powerful data processing capabilities for implementing complex control algorithms and optimization strategies. They support multiple programming interfaces and development environments, facilitating user-customized development. Figure 3 As shown, the first computing board 4 and the second computing board 5 are redundant with each other through the communication bus. When the first computing board 4 detects a fault, it sends a switching signal to the second computing board 5 through the backplane communication bus 12. After receiving the switching signal, the second computing board 5 switches from the standby state to the working state and sends an acknowledgment signal to the first computing board 4 through the backplane communication bus 12. After receiving the acknowledgment signal, the first computing board 4 switches to the standby state. The switching time is ≤5ms, which has local data processing and analysis capabilities, improving the system response speed and efficiency.
[0037] The switching boards include a first switching board 6 and a second switching board 7, which are redundant with each other. Both the first switching board 6 and the second switching board 7 are equipped with Ethernet interfaces and SFP interfaces. Each switching board has four 10 / 100 / 1000Base-T(X) Ethernet interfaces and two 1000Base-X and 10 / 100 / 1000Base-T(X) SFP interfaces, supporting dual-network configuration and ensuring network redundancy backup mechanism. Figure 4 As shown, the switching board supports IEEE 802.1Q VLAN, link aggregation and VRRP protocols, and can divide ≥64 virtual LANs, enhancing network reliability and bandwidth.
[0038] The communication boards, including AUTBUS board 8, MODBUS board 9, and CAN bus board 10, are compatible with multiple communication protocols and adaptable to the communication needs of various heliostat equipment. Specifically, AUTBUS board 8 supports the AUTBUS bus and utilizes baud rate adaptive technology, supporting a wide range of baud rates; MODBUS board 9 supports the MODBUS bus and can be used to connect heliostat control equipment and other devices for communication; the CAN board supports the CAN bus and employs a non-destructive bit-by-bit arbitration mechanism, improving the reliability and efficiency of bus communication.
[0039] Host control module card 2 is used to coordinate the operation of various system boards and external communication. As the main control unit of the system, host control module card 2 is responsible for coordinating the work of each module and communicating with external systems to ensure the efficient operation and high reliability of the system. Host control module card 2 integrates a real-time operating system, supporting μC / OS-II or FreeRTOS.
[0040] Preferably, in the embodiments of this specification, the first computing board and / or the second computing board may further include:
[0041] The edge computing module includes a data acquisition layer, a preprocessing layer, a decision-making layer, and an execution layer.
[0042] In the embodiments described in this specification, the computing board integrates an edge computing module, which includes a data acquisition layer, a preprocessing layer, a decision layer, and an execution layer. The data acquisition layer is responsible for acquiring data from communication cards (AUTBUS, CAN, MODBUS) at a sampling frequency of 100Hz. The preprocessing layer is responsible for data cleaning and format conversion. The decision layer is responsible for fault prediction and issuing early warnings based on a fault prediction model using an LSTM neural network, with an early warning accuracy of up to 92%. The execution layer is responsible for outputting control commands based on the analysis results of the decision layer to control the heliostat equipment.
[0043] Preferably, in the embodiments of this specification, the host control module card 2, the power board 3, the computing board, the switching board, and the communication board are all connected to the backplane communication bus 12 and to the backplane power bus 11.
[0044] In the embodiments described in this specification, the various functional modules (host control module card 2, power board 3, computing board, switching board, and communication board) are uniformly connected through the backplane communication bus 12 and the backplane power bus 11, so as to realize highly integrated data and power supply transmission, reduce external cable connections, reduce the risk of poor contact, and significantly improve the overall stability of the system.
[0045] Preferably, in the embodiments of this specification, both the first computing board 4 and the second computing board 5 are provided with network interfaces and data transmission channels.
[0046] In the embodiments described in this specification, the first computing board 4 and the second computing board 5 achieve real-time data synchronization through independent network interfaces and data transmission channels, ensuring that when one computing board fails, the other computing board can seamlessly take over the control task and guarantee the continuous execution of control commands.
[0047] Preferably, the embodiments of this specification may further include:
[0048] A hot-swap mechanism is used to replace circuit boards via a hot-swap control circuit.
[0049] In the embodiments described in this specification, the hot-swap mechanism, in conjunction with the hot-swap control circuit, enables the replacement or upgrade of faulty boards while the system is running continuously, significantly improving the maintainability and flexibility of the system.
[0050] Preferably, in the embodiments of this specification, the housing 1 is provided with multiple slots, and each slot corresponds to a circuit board.
[0051] In the embodiments described in this specification, the housing 1 adopts a plug-in structure with multiple slots inside. The slots are located on the inner wall of the housing 1, and each slot corresponds to a board, which facilitates the independent installation and replacement of each functional module (host control module card 2, power board 3, calculation board, switching board, and communication board), thereby improving the maintainability of the heliostat area controller.
[0052] Preferably, the Ethernet interface or the SFP interface described in the embodiments of this specification is connected to the host computer.
[0053] In the embodiments described in this specification, the dual configuration of Ethernet interface and SFP interface supports flexible selection of electrical and optical ports to adapt to communication needs of different distances and environments, and ensures a stable connection with the host computer or monitoring system.
[0054] This utility model provides a heliostat area control system, including:
[0055] The system includes a heliostat area controller and multiple heliostat bodies; wherein the heliostat area controller is connected to each of the heliostat bodies via a communication network for centralized control and management of the operating status of the heliostat bodies; each heliostat body includes a reflector, a tracking system, and sensors.
[0056] In the embodiments described in this specification, multiple heliostats are centrally managed by a regional controller to achieve synchronous tracking accuracy at the sub-milliradian level, ensuring that sunlight is precisely focused onto the solar collector tower.
[0057] In practical applications, the area controller also has a console port, supporting CLI, Telnet, Web and SNMP management methods.
[0058] When in use, install the area controller in a suitable cabinet, install two independent power supply boards 3, configure two independent switching boards, install AUTBUS board 8, MODBUS board 9 and CAN bus board 10, install computing board and host control module card 2, and ensure that all components are properly connected.
[0059] Connect the dual power supply lines, ensuring that the grounding wire and power supply lines are connected correctly, and that the grounding resistance is less than 4Ω.
[0060] Configure the network interfaces of two switching boards to achieve dual-network redundancy. Configure the optical and electrical port parameters to ensure normal network communication.
[0061] Connect the AUTBUS, MODBUS, and CAN bus interfaces, configure the communication interface parameters, and ensure smooth communication with the heliostat equipment and other related equipment.
[0062] Configure the network interface and data transmission channel of the computing board, and configure the communication interface of the host control module card 2 to ensure that it can communicate normally with the external system.
[0063] Access the device via the Console port or Web interface to perform initial configuration, such as network parameter settings and device naming.
[0064] Configure dual power supply and dual network parameters to ensure redundancy functions are normal. Simulate power and network failures to verify the seamless takeover capability of backup power and network.
[0065] Configure and verify the communication status of the AUTBUS, MODBUS, and CAN bus interfaces to ensure normal communication.
[0066] Verify the data processing capabilities of the computing board and the effectiveness of the control algorithm to ensure that it can effectively improve the intelligence level of the system.
[0067] Verify the normal operation of the system management, data processing, communication coordination, fault diagnosis, user interface and redundancy management functions of the host control module card 2.
[0068] Verify the overall operational status of the equipment, ensuring all interfaces and functions are working properly. Verify the stability and reliability of the equipment through long-term operational testing.
[0069] By connecting the area controller to the heliostat system, intelligent control and data acquisition of the heliostat equipment can be achieved.
[0070] By leveraging the powerful processing capabilities of computing boards, the collected data is processed and analyzed locally, optimizing system performance. Edge computing reduces data interaction with the cloud and shortens response time.
[0071] Regularly check the equipment's operational status, including power modules, network modules, communication modules, computing boards, and host control modules. The equipment has multiple safety protection measures to ensure stable operation in harsh environments, and provides safety instructions to guide users in the correct operation and maintenance of the equipment.
[0072] In use, configure dual-redundant power supplies as follows: Insert both power supply cards 3 into the power supply card 3 slots in the chassis, ensuring a secure connection. Configure the power supply card 3 parameters through the controller management interface to ensure that the input voltage ranges of the two power supplies are consistent. Configure redundancy mode so that the two power supplies share the load when normal and seamlessly take over in case of failure. Check the status information of the power supply card 3 through the command line or web interface, and check the power indicator lights to confirm that the power supply is normal. Simulate a failure of one power supply to verify whether the other power supply can seamlessly take over, ensuring normal system operation.
[0073] Dual-network configuration: Insert both switch cards into the switch card slots in the chassis, ensuring a secure connection. Configure network parameters for both switch cards through the controller management interface, configure virtual interface binding to logical interfaces, and configure link aggregation or VRRP protocol to achieve link redundancy backup. View the dual-network configuration and status information through the command line or web interface. Simulate a failure of one switch card to verify whether the other switch card can continue to work, ensuring normal network communication.
[0074] Optical and Electrical Port Configuration: Confirm the optical port type, select the appropriate optical module, install the optical module, and insert it into the SFP interface. Configure parameters such as optical port speed and duplex mode via command line or web interface. Check the optical module status information to verify its normal operation. Determine the electrical port parameters, activate the electrical port, configure its speed, duplex mode, and other attributes, and check the electrical port status information to verify its normal operation.
[0075] Multiple communication board configurations: Install the board and configure interface parameters (such as baud rate, data bits, stop bits, etc.). Verify the interface status by checking the information. The AUTBUS interface uses a baud rate adaptive algorithm, supporting 6.25Mbps to 100Mbps to adapt to the communication needs of different devices. Install MODBUS board 9 into the communication board slot. Configure interface parameters, including communication protocol, device address, baud rate, etc. Verify the interface status via command line or web interface to ensure normal communication. Install CAN bus board 10 into the communication board slot. Configure interface parameters, such as baud rate, data bits, stop bits, etc. The CAN bus uses a non-destructive bit-by-bit arbitration mechanism to ensure the efficiency and reliability of bus communication. Verify the interface status via command line or web interface to ensure normal communication.
[0076] Hot-swap function: When a card needs to be removed during equipment operation, press the hot-swap button first, wait for the indicator light to turn green, and then remove the card. When inserting a card, align it with the slot, push it in, and secure it. Check the card status information via command line or web interface to ensure the card is correctly identified and configured. The hot-swap control circuit design ensures that system load fluctuations are ≤10% during insertion and removal, guaranteeing the stability of equipment operation.
[0077] Computing Board Configuration and Application: Insert the computing board into the computing board slot in the chassis, ensuring a secure connection. Configure the computing board's network parameters, data processing mode, algorithm parameters, etc., through the controller management interface or the computing board's built-in management tools, enabling it to work collaboratively with other parts of the system. Based on the requirements of the tower-type solar thermal heliostat, develop complex control algorithms using the programming interface and development environment provided by the computing board, and deploy them to run on the computing board. Verify whether the output results of the computing board's control algorithm meet expectations by simulating data input from the heliostat equipment or actually connecting to the heliostat equipment, ensuring that the computing board can effectively improve the system's intelligence level. Configure a redundancy mode for the computing board; when one computing board fails, another computing board can seamlessly take over its work, ensuring the normal operation of the system.
[0078] Configuration of Host Control Module Card 2: Insert Host Control Module Card 2 into the Host Control Module Card 2 slot in the chassis, ensuring a secure connection. Configure communication interface parameters, including the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway for the Ethernet and SFP interfaces, using the controller management interface or the management tool provided with Host Control Module Card 2. Configure system management parameters, such as user permissions, log recording, and system clock. Configure data processing parameters, including data acquisition frequency, storage path, and historical data caching strategy. Verify the system management functions of Host Control Module Card 2 via command line or Web interface, checking if user permission settings and log recording are normal. Verify the data processing function, checking if data acquisition, storage, and caching meet configuration requirements. Verify the communication coordination function by testing communication with other modules (such as computing boards and communication boards) to ensure normal data interaction. Verify the fault diagnosis function by simulating common faults (such as communication failures and board failures) and checking the accuracy of fault alarms and diagnostic information. Verify the user interface function by checking if the Web interface, CLI, and other user interaction interfaces are working properly and easy to operate. To verify the redundancy management function, a fault was simulated in the host control module card 2 to verify whether the backup card could seamlessly take over the work.
[0079] System Operation and Maintenance: Connect the controller to the heliostat system and ensure normal communication between all heliostat devices and the controller. Configure the control parameters of the heliostat devices, such as the tracking accuracy of the reflectors and the adjustment frequency. Activate the edge computing function of the computing board to process and analyze the collected data in real time. Optimize system performance through edge computing, reduce cloud data interaction, and shorten response time. Verify the actual effect of the edge computing function by comparing system performance indicators (such as response time and data processing efficiency) before and after edge computing. Regularly check the operating status of the equipment, including the power module, network module, communication module, computing board, and host control module card 2. Check whether the voltage output of the power module is stable and whether the grounding resistance meets the requirements. Check the communication status of the network module, including whether the dual-network configuration is normal and whether the link aggregation and VRRP protocols are working properly. Check the interface status of the communication module to ensure normal communication of AUTBUS, MODBUS, and CAN bus. Check the operating status of the computing board, including CPU utilization, memory usage, and storage space. Check the system management functions of host control module card 2, including user permissions, log recording, and system clock. The equipment is equipped with multiple safety protection measures, such as anti-static, lightning protection, and interference prevention, to ensure stable operation in harsh environments. Detailed safety instructions are provided to guide users in the correct operation and maintenance of the equipment, including cleaning, heat dissipation, and environmental conditions.
[0080] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the present invention can achieve the following technical effects:
[0081] (1) The dual-circuit redundant power supply and dual-network configuration greatly improve the reliability and availability of the system. The redundant function of the computing board and the host control module further enhance the reliability of the system, with an MTBF of ≥100,000 hours.
[0082] (2) It supports multiple communication protocols and can be flexibly configured according to actual needs.
[0083] (3) Supports hot-swapping of circuit boards, facilitating the installation, replacement, and maintenance of equipment. The hot-swapping function reduces the circuit board replacement time from 4 hours to 15 minutes.
[0084] (4) It possesses edge computing capabilities and powerful processing power of computing boards, improving system response speed and efficiency. By reducing cloud data interaction by 30% through edge computing, the response time is shortened from 120ms to 45ms.
[0085] (5) Complex control algorithms and optimization strategies are implemented through computing boards, enabling predictive maintenance and other functions, further enhancing the system's intelligence level. The host control module card serves as the main control unit, ensuring the system's efficient operation and high reliability.
[0086] The foregoing has described specific embodiments of this specification; other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps described in the claims may be performed in a different order than those shown in the embodiments and still achieve the desired result. Furthermore, the processes depicted in the drawings do not necessarily have to follow the specific or sequential order shown to achieve the desired result. The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner; similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.
[0087] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0088] The above description is merely an embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principle of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.
Claims
1. A heliostat field controller, characterized in that, include: The enclosure contains a host control module card, a power supply board, a computing board, a switching board, and a communication board arranged sequentially within it; wherein... The power board is provided with a first power interface and a second power interface for connecting dual redundant power supplies. The computing board includes a first computing board and a second computing board that are redundant with each other; The switching board includes a first switching board and a second switching board that are redundant with each other. Both the first switching board and the second switching board are provided with an Ethernet interface and an SFP interface. The communication board includes an AUTBUS board, a MODBUS board, and a CAN bus board. The host control module card is used to coordinate the operation of various boards in the system and external communication.
2. The heliostat field controller of claim 1, wherein, The first computing board and / or the second computing board further include: The edge computing module includes a data acquisition layer, a preprocessing layer, a decision-making layer, and an execution layer.
3. The heliostat field controller of claim 1, wherein, The host control module card, the power supply board, the computing board, the switching board, and the communication board are all connected to the backplane communication bus and the backplane power supply bus.
4. The heliostat area controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first computing board and the second computing board are equipped with network interfaces and data transmission channels.
5. The heliostat area controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A hot-swap mechanism is used to replace circuit boards via a hot-swap control circuit.
6. The heliostat area controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enclosure contains multiple slots, each corresponding to a circuit board.
7. The heliostat area controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Ethernet interface or the SFP interface is connected to the host computer.
8. A heliostat field control system characterized by, The system includes a heliostat area controller as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 and a plurality of heliostat bodies; wherein the heliostat area controller is connected to each of the heliostat bodies via a communication network for centralized control and management of the operating status of the heliostat bodies; the heliostat body includes a reflector, a tracking system, and sensors.