Foundation system for a solar power plant and method for constructing the foundation system

Abstract

Such a foundation system with at least one foundation block having at least one purlin for a support profile of a solar panel holder is known. According to the invention, a box-shaped container filled with bulk material in the assembled state is provided as the foundation block, with a bottom and side walls projecting upwards from the bottom, wherein a purlin projecting upwards in the vertical direction over a container edge is fastened to at least two opposite side walls on an inner side facing the center of the container. Use for open-field photovoltaic systems

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a foundation system for a solar power plant, comprising at least one foundation block having at least one purlin for supporting a solar panel mount. The invention also relates to a method for constructing such a foundation system.

[0002] A foundation system for a solar power plant is well known. The solar power plant consists of a multitude of solar panels attached to a mounting system. The mounting system has several downwardly projecting supports that are fixed to a concrete foundation formed by several concrete foundation blocks embedded in the ground. Steel purlins are provided on the concrete foundation blocks to secure the supports of the mounting system for the solar panels to the concrete foundation blocks.

[0003] The object of the invention is to create a foundation system and a method of the type mentioned above which enable a simple and sustainable installation of a solar system.

[0004] This object is achieved for the foundation system in that a box-shaped container filled with bulk material in the assembled state is provided as the foundation block, with a bottom and side walls projecting upwards from the bottom, wherein a purlin projecting upwards in the vertical direction over a container edge is fastened to at least two opposite side walls on an inner side facing the center of the container.

[0005] The design of the foundation block, which consists of a box-shaped container filled with bulk material, particularly track ballast, and which supports at least one purlin, eliminates the need for concrete production and use. When track ballast is used as the bulk material, this ballast is merely mined, but not produced in a CO2-intensive manner.

[0006] In one embodiment of the invention, the respective purlin is attached to the side wall of the container in an adjustable inclination. This makes it possible to adjust the height of the at least one purlin to the inclination of the corresponding subsurface on which the solar system is to be installed. The at least one purlin serves to attach a support of a mounting system for the solar system, whereby the mounting system is also referred to as a solar panel mount.

[0007] In a further embodiment of the invention, the container is designed as a plastic container with a tub-shaped base section and a folding wall ring detachably inserted into the base section, which is designed as a twin-sheet folding wall ring made of thermoplastic material. The container's structure, consisting of a tub-shaped base section and a folding wall ring, which can be folded together for transport and set up and inserted into the base section for assembly, enables a particularly compact delivery of a large number of such containers to a construction site where the solar system is to be installed. This makes it possible to transport 800 to 1,000 containers, each consisting of a tub-shaped base section and a folded folding wall ring, to the construction site using a single truck. This also reduces the CO2 footprint for the design of the foundation system.The twin-sheet folding wall ring is made from two thermoplastic sheets that are deep-drawn together to form two welded plastic shells that form closed cavities between them, thus ensuring high rigidity for the folding wall ring.

[0008] In a further embodiment of the invention, the base part is constructed as a single-piece, twin-sheet or single-sheet component made of a thermoplastic material. If the base part is manufactured from a single plastic sheet, particularly by deep drawing, a support surface of the base part on a substrate allows for good adaptability to corresponding unevenness of the substrate, since the single-sheet construction provides a certain degree of flexibility. Manufacturing the base part as a twin-sheet component results in a particularly stable and durable design.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the invention, a metal support plate is attached to the inside of the folding wall ring, to which the purlin is held. The metal support plate is preferably designed as a steel plate, which is attached to the corresponding side wall by means of detachable fastening elements, in particular screw connections.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the purlin is designed as an elongated steel profile with a U-shaped cross-section. This steel profile enables a particularly stable connection to corresponding supports or support profiles of a solar panel mount, which are also made of steel.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, the purlin is mounted on the support plate parallel to the side wall of the folding wall ring and pivots to a limited extent about a pivot axis orthogonal to the side wall. This makes it possible to align the purlin according to the inclination of the respective surface on which the container is placed, thus supporting a corresponding support for the solar panel holder.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, the pivoting mobility of the purlin is limited to an angular range of + / - 45° relative to a vertical axis of the side wall, and the support plate has a circular-arc-shaped guide track concentric with the pivot axis, on which a fixing element of the purlin is slidably and fixably guided. This allows for easy adjustment of the angular alignment of the purlin relative to the side wall of the folding wall ring. A screw connection is provided in particular as the fixing element. The circular-arc-shaped guide track, which is concentrically spaced from the pivot axis, ensures support and fastening of the purlin via two spaced-apart fastening points, with an upper fastening point preferably defining the pivot axis.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, the purlin has several fastening receptacles spaced apart longitudinally to allow height adjustment of the purlin relative to the support plate. Depending on requirements, the purlin can protrude further or closer above the upper edge of the container.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, profiles are provided on the underside of the base part, projecting downward from a base surface of the base part. These profiles ensure non-slip support of the base part on a suitable surface. The profiles can advantageously also be coated with an anti-slip coating.

[0015] In a further embodiment of the invention, the profiles are designed as hump-shaped bulges or ribs formed integrally from the base part. The profiles are advantageously produced by deep drawing.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, the carrier plate is fixed to the inside of the side wall of the folding wall ring by means of detachable mechanical fastening elements. Screw connections, preferably with cap screws, lock nuts, and washers, are provided as detachable mechanical fastening elements.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, the support plate extends over the entire height of the side wall of the folding wall ring. This provides the side wall with high stability. This reliably prevents the side wall from buckling outward.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, two opposite side walls are connected to one another by a dimensionally stable stiffening profile, in particular a steel rod, wherein the stiffening profile is fastened to the respective side wall at opposite ends. The stiffening profile runs at a distance from the base part, but parallel to a base surface of the base part, between inner sides of opposite side walls and is supported on the respective inner side. In this case, preferably the side walls that are not provided with the mounted support plates are stiffened, in particular the long side walls in a receiving space with a rectangular base area delimited by the folding wall ring. The stiffening profile advantageously has external threads on its opposite ends, which are screwed to the side walls by means of corresponding screw nuts at matching openings in the side walls.

[0019] The problem underlying the invention is solved for the method by the features of claim 15. The method for constructing a foundation system for a solar power system enables space-saving transport of the individual components to the construction site, i.e., to the area where the solar power system is to be erected. Furthermore, the foundation blocks can be manufactured very easily. Finally, the receiving space of the container is filled with bulk material, in particular track ballast. Corresponding supports for solar panel mounts can then be attached to the purlins.

[0020] Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the claims and from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated by the drawings. Fig. 1 shows schematically a solar system with an embodiment of a foundation system according to the invention, Fig. 2 in perspective, enlarged view a container for creating a foundation block for the foundation system according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a top view of the container according to Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 a cross-section along the section line IV-IV through the container according to Fig. 3.

[0021] A solar system 1 according to Fig. 1 is provided with a plurality of photovoltaic modules 2, which are embedded in a mounting system 6. The mounting system 6 has several steel supports 5, which support the mounting system 6 against a subsurface. To support the mounting system, a foundation system is provided, which has several foundation blocks, each of which is connected by a Fig. 2 to 4, as well as by bulk material 4 introduced into the respective container 3. The respective foundation block also has two purlins 7, also described in more detail below, which serve to support and hold the supports 5, ie the support profiles, of the mounting system 6 for the photovoltaic modules 2.

[0022] In an embodiment of the invention not shown, the solar system is not formed by photovoltaic modules, but rather by solar thermal modules. Otherwise, this embodiment corresponds to the embodiment described below, as can be seen from the Fig. 1 to 4.

[0023] The containers 3 of the foundation blocks for the solar system 1 are designed identically to each other. Fig. Figures 2 to 4 describe in more detail one of these containers 3, which, when the solar system 1 is fully assembled, stand on a foundation of the construction site for the solar system 1. The bulk material 4 that is filled into the containers 3 in the foundation system for the solar system 1 is track ballast, which is typically used in the area of railway tracks.

[0024] Each container 3 has a base part B made of a thermoplastic material. The base part B has, as can be seen from the Fig. 2 to 4, has a rectangular base area, which is bordered by a circumferential edge that projects upwards orthogonally to the base area. The base part B thus forms a flat tub shape. The base part B can be manufactured as a single-sheet plastic component or as a twin-sheet plastic component. In the former case, the base part B is produced by deep-drawing a single plastic sheet. In the latter case, two thermoplastic sheets are deep-drawn simultaneously, resulting in a two-shell plastic component. The two plastic shells are welded together in sections during the joint deep-drawing process, and cavities are formed between the two plastic shells in sections, resulting in a relatively high rigidity for the then formed base part B. In both versions, ieBoth during production as a single-sheet component and during production as a twin-sheet component, a plurality of downwardly shaped bulges 11, in this case in the form of truncated cone-shaped knobs, are formed in the base surface, i.e., the bottom surface, of the base part B. In addition, upwardly projecting ribs 17 are provided to stiffen the base part B and extend across almost the entire width of the base surface of the base part B. Both the ribs 17 and the bulges 11 are formed in one piece during the deep-drawing process.

[0025] Within the circumferential side edge of the base part B, a folding wall ring is provided in the fully assembled state, consisting of two opposing long side walls 8 and two short side walls 9 connecting the long side walls at the edges, which in the erected state is arranged in accordance with the Fig. 2 to 4 is placed on the base part B within the circumferential side edge of the base part B. The folding wall ring is firmly screwed to the circumferential side edge of the base part B in the area of a lower, circumferential edge. The screw connections are based on the Fig. 2 to 4, but not designated in more detail. The short side walls 9 of the folding wall ring are integrally connected to the long side walls 8 of the folding wall ring via film hinges, which form fold lines for folding the folding wall ring together. In addition, each short side wall 9 has a further fold line extending vertically in the middle, so that each folding wall ring can be folded flat when not assembled. This enables space-saving delivery of corresponding folding wall rings to a construction site. The erection of the respective folding wall ring and the mounting of the folding wall ring to the base part B takes place on-site at the construction site using appropriate assembly processes. Since the screw connections are detachable fastening elements, the connection between the folding wall ring and the side edge of the respective base part B can be carried out on-site at the construction site by appropriate assembly personnel.Conversely, the assembly personnel can also dismantle the foundation system if necessary.

[0026] A metallic carrier plate 10 is attached to the inside of each of the short side walls 9 of the folding wall ring, with each carrier plate 10 extending over the entire height of the respective short side wall 9. Each carrier plate 10 is designed as a steel plate and has a rectangular base. Although the carrier plate 10 has approximately the same height as the folding wall ring and thus the respective short side wall 9, it is only approximately half the width of the respective short side wall 9, as can be seen from the Fig. 2 to 4. The support plate 10 is fastened to the inside of the short side wall 9 with a total of six screw connections 14. For this purpose, each short side wall 9 has recesses on the outside into which corresponding screw nuts or screw heads of the screw connections 14 are inserted when assembled. The two support plates 10 stabilize the opposite short side walls 9. The two support plates 10 are mounted symmetrically to the respective central fold line of the respective short side wall 9.

[0027] The folding wall ring is manufactured as a twin-sheet plastic component. Both the short side walls 9 and the long side walls 10 are stiffened by ribbing. Corresponding inner and outer plastic shells of the twin-sheet component forming the folding wall ring are welded together in sections and form cavities enclosed between the shells to stiffen the long and short side walls 8, 9 of the folding wall ring. Corresponding film hinges, which form the fold lines for folding or erecting the folding wall ring, are also preferably formed by both plastic shells of the twin-sheet plastic component.

[0028] On the inside of the two support plates 10, which are identical to each other, a purlin 7 is attached to each support plate 10, which is designed as a straight steel profile with a U-shaped cross-section. As can be seen from the Fig. 4, each purlin 7 has a central bore halfway along its length and a further bore at a distance below the central bore, wherein both bores downwards each have a further six bores 18 in a row along the longitudinal axis of the purlin 7, which are evenly spaced from each other. The bores 18 form fastening receptacles in the sense of the invention. One of these upper bores 18, in the embodiment according to the Fig. 2 to 4, the uppermost hole serves to accommodate a joint axis 12, which is formed by a screw connection. The respective purlin 7 is held so as to be adjustable and pivotable to a limited extent around this joint axis 12. For this purpose, a circular arc-shaped slotted guide 13 is provided on the support plate 10 at a distance from the adjusting axis 12, which is designed as a circular arc-shaped slot and is concentric with the joint axis 12. A screw bolt 14 projects through this slotted guide 13, which also penetrates the adjacent short side wall 9 and is secured on the outside of the side wall 9 by means of a lock nut. The lock nut of the screw bolt 14, which together form a screw connection, is embedded in a circular arc-shaped recess in the outer shell of the side wall 9, as Fig. 2 can be clearly seen. The recess runs parallel to the slotted guide 13. The angle setting of the purlin 7 is aligned with a corresponding incline of the subsoil at the construction site and the alignment of the support profile of the mounting system 6, which is placed onto the purlin 7 and firmly connected to it. The circular arc-shaped indentation 15 runs parallel to the circular arc-shaped slotted guide 13 in the support plate 10 - based on an assembled state of the support plate 10 on the respective side wall 9. The lower row of holes 18, the distances between which are identical to the upper holes 18, is provided for passing the screw bolt 14 through the purlin 7, depending on the height alignment of the purlin 7. The purlin 7 can thus be aligned and fixed at different heights relative to the support plate 10.

[0029] For installation of the foundation system for solar system 1 according to Fig.1, a corresponding number of containers 3 are transported to the construction site. The base parts B and the corresponding folding wall rings are separated from one another. The folding wall rings are folded together so that they only take up a small amount of height. Advantageously, the folding wall rings are inserted into the respective, associated base part B. This makes it possible to transport a large number of base parts B and folding wall rings to the construction site on a single truck. On site at the construction site, the containers 3 are assembled by setting up the folding wall rings, placing them on the base parts B, and screwing them to them. The support plates 10 are then attached to the containers 3 on the inside of the short side walls 9.Finally, the purlins 7 are fastened to these support plates 10 in the manner described above, wherein the purlins 7 are aligned such that the purlins 7 are aligned vertically to enable the supports 5 of the mounting systems 6 for the solar energy system 1 to be placed vertically. For this purpose, the containers 3 are positioned on the ground at the construction site in their later final position. Depending on the inclination of the ground at the construction site, the container 3 will also stand on the ground at an incline. The purlins 7 are aligned opposite to this inclination to compensate for this inclination. An underside of the respective base part B of each container 3 is supported on the ground via the plurality of knob-shaped bulges 11, which results in a non-slip positioning of the base part B on the ground.After the described alignment of the purlins 7 and the fixation of the purlins 7 in the corresponding inclination position on the support plates 10 and on the short side walls 9, bulk material, in this case in the form of track ballast, is filled into the receiving space of the container 3 up to an upper edge of the container 3, which is defined by the respective folding wall ring. To prevent bulging of the long side walls 8, a stiffening profile 16 is provided in the receiving space at a distance above the base part B. This stiffening profile extends transversely between the side walls 8 and is fixed at the ends to the opposite side walls 8. In the illustrated embodiment, the stiffening profile 16 is designed as a cylindrical steel rod, which is provided with external threads on its opposite ends, which are positively fixed to the side walls 8 by screw nuts.

Claims

[1] Foundation system for a solar system (1) with at least one foundation block having at least one purlin (7) for a support (5) of a solar panel holder (6), characterized by that a box-shaped container (3) filled with bulk material in the assembled state is provided as the foundation block, with a bottom and side walls (8, 9) projecting upwards from the bottom, wherein a purlin (7) projecting upwards in the vertical direction over a container edge is fastened to at least two opposite side walls on an inner side facing the center of the container (3). [2] Foundation system according to claim 1, characterized by that the purlin (7) is attached to the side wall (9) of the container (3) in such a way that its inclination can be adjusted. [3] Foundation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the container is designed as a plastic container with a trough-shaped base part (B) and a folding wall ring which is detachably inserted into the base part (B) and which is designed as a twin-sheet folding wall ring made of thermoplastic material. [4] Foundation system according to claim 3, characterized by that the base part (B) is designed as a twin-sheet or single-sheet component made of a thermoplastic material. [5] Foundation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a metallic support plate (10) is fastened to the inside of the folding wall ring, to which the purlin (7) is held. [6] Foundation system according to claim 5, characterized by that the purlin (7) is designed as an elongated steel profile with a U-shaped cross-section. [7] Foundation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the purlin (7) is held on the support plate (10) parallel to the side wall (9) of the folding wall ring so as to be pivotable to a limited extent about a pivot axis orthogonal to the side wall. [8] Foundation system according to claim 7, characterized by that the pivoting mobility of the purlin (7) is limited to an angular range of + / - 45° relative to a vertical axis of the side wall (9), and that the support plate (10) has a circular arc-shaped guide track concentric with the pivot axis, on which a fixing element of the purlin (7) is guided displaceably and fixably. [9] Foundation system according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by that the purlin (7) has a plurality of fastening receptacles (18) spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction in order to enable the height of the purlin (7) to be adjusted relative to the support plate (10). [10] Foundation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat profiles are provided on an underside of the base part (B) which project downwards from a base surface of the base part (B). [11] Foundation system according to claim 10, characterized by that the profiles are designed as hump-shaped bulges (11) or as ribs which are formed in one piece from the base part (B). [12] Foundation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the carrier plate (10) is fixed to the inside of the side wall (9) of the folding wall ring by means of detachable mechanical fastening elements (14). [13] Foundation system according to claim 12, characterized by that the carrier plate (10) extends over the entire height of the side wall (9) of the folding wall ring. [14] Foundation system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat two opposite side walls (8) are connected to one another by a dimensionally stable stiffening profile (16), in particular a steel rod, wherein the stiffening profile (16) is fastened to the respective side wall (8) at opposite ends. [15] Method for constructing a foundation system for a solar power plant (1), with a box-shaped container (3) which is designed as a plastic container comprising a base part (B) and a folding wall ring, wherein firstly the base part (B) is placed on a base for the solar power plant (1) and then the folding wall ring is unfolded and inserted into the base part (B), wherein subsequently a support plate (10) is fastened on the inside to opposite side walls (9) of the folding wall ring, wherein subsequently a purlin (7) is fastened to each support plate (10), the alignment of which purlin relative to a vertical axis of the side walls (9) is adapted to an inclination of the base, and that finally the receiving space of the container (3) delimited by the folding wall ring is filled from above with bulk material.

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