Photovoltaic generation power activation platform

Abstract

To solve the problem that there are economic obstacles for dissemination of a photovoltaic power generation device because, in the case where the photovoltaic power generation device is installed to a roof part of a housing, a facility, a factory, or the like and is disseminated, a cost of a power storage battery is generally higher than that of a solar panel since a power that is not used is stored in the power storage battery, and a charging and discharging loss occurs.SOLUTION: By a method for operating a heat pump assembled to an air conditioner, an electric water heater, and a refrigerator as power consumption equipment used in a space where a photovoltaic power generation device is installed and a method for storing and using their heat to be output, a method for gradually reducing a capacity of the power storage battery is realized, and a whole cost effectiveness of the photovoltaic power generation device is enhanced, and thus, dissemination of the photovoltaic power generation device is realized.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] One of the leading candidates for natural energy that can sustain human life is solar power generation. This electricity uses sunlight, so it has the drawbacks of being sparsity, time-constrained, and unstable due to weather. For this reason, these drawbacks are compensated for by various measures, such as storing electricity in storage batteries, charging electric vehicles to which the electricity is supplied, and adjusting the amount of electricity sold to the commercial power grid (reverse power flow). However, in addition to the investment in solar power generation panels, there are also issues such as the loss of electricity that occurs when repeatedly storing and charging electricity, the large costs of compensating for the storage batteries, and the burden of adjusting supply and demand on the existing commercial power grid, which pose major challenges in terms of energy efficiency, economy, and cost. In light of the goal of needing a solar power generation system that can supply a stable and sufficient amount of electricity and is sufficiently resistant to natural disasters and bad weather, it can be said that there are major and fundamental challenges to fulfilling people's goals and aspirations for the spread of renewable energy.

[0002] On the other hand, devices that use solar power, such as air conditioners, electric water heaters, and refrigerators, have been commercialized for decades as devices that operate in accordance with commercial power sources, i.e., devices that operate on commercial power that is supplied stably at a stable voltage 24 hours a day, and are devices that can be operated as needed when needed. They have not been commercialized as devices suitable for the purpose of using the output power of solar power generation, which is only effective during restricted time periods, which is the purpose of the technology being applied for this time, and this is one of the factors that exacerbate the above-mentioned issues.

[0003] Therefore, in this invention, we aim to realize and commercialize solar power generation utilization equipment such as the above-mentioned air conditioner that incorporates technology with control specifications and heat-related functional specifications suitable for next-generation power utilization equipment that meets the needs of the new era of making effective use of time-constrained and unstable solar power generation, and further to realize a stable system that can use unstable solar power generation as a new main power source by operating this new device, and to realize and commercialize it as a new "electricity supply and demand platform" that integrates it with conventional stable commercial power sources, and to promote its widespread use throughout society.

[0004] That is, the technology proposed in this invention is not a measure or technology limited to power supply, for which many measures have already been considered and implemented, but rather aims to achieve effective use of supplied power and resolve or mitigate the above-mentioned problems by adding a function to store and use hot and cold heat in power-using equipment that is already widely used in large quantities for people's lives and production activities on the power demand side, especially equipment that generates hot and cold heat using heat pumps, changing and improving the method of new operation control, and the method of using the output of hot and cold heat, etc. As a result, it is a measure or technology that can greatly contribute to the widespread use of solar power generation as electricity for local production and consumption. The technical target area proposed specifically here, the formation of an electricity supply and demand platform, is a core technology for popularizing, deploying and advancing photovoltaic power generation devices (PV: photovoltaic power generation devices), which will be necessary as a renewable energy source around the world in the future. [Background technology]

[0005] Solar power has basic problems such as the scarcity of solar energy, time constraints, insufficient power generation due to weather, and instability. The current effective solution is to temporarily store solar power in a storage battery and use it at other times. Alternatively, the power is sold to a power company of a commercial power system as a measure to adjust supply and demand with commercial power. In that case, the commercial power company implements measures such as pumped storage power generation with the power. Alternatively, measures such as using the power to generate hydrogen and using the hydrogen to generate power again when needed have also been put into practical use, and the practical application of several of these effective solutions has been promoted as a means of stable supply of power. However, there is almost no technology that solves the fundamental problem of the mutual supply and demand of the power generation side and the power consumption side not matching in order to implement these solutions. Based on background technology that cannot solve this fundamental problem, the power loss of output and the power cost increase, which is the cause of the above-mentioned problem not being solved. Therefore, there is a problem that new ideas and technologies are needed to make solar power generation widespread on a global scale. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] Patent document 1 promotes a technology for a heat pump water heater that uses solar power generation, in which the outlet water temperature is switched and controlled according to the power consumption of the heat pump water heater when surplus power generated by the solar power generation device is utilized. Patent Document 2 shows an output control device that effectively utilizes the power generated by solar cells while avoiding reverse power flow to the grid. However, for power-using equipment such as water heaters, which are power loads, no technology has been presented regarding operating modes during times when solar power generation can be used and when it cannot, nor technology for storing the hot or cold heat output from the power-using equipment. [Patent Document 1] Public Relations, Patent Publication No. 2022-175244 [Patent Document 2] Public Relations, Patent Publication No. 2022-167768 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The target field of the problem is related to locally produced and locally consumed renewable energy, characterized by effectively utilizing photovoltaic power generation, selling the unused generated power by reverse flow to the power supply system, and using grid power to make up for the shortage. What the present invention is studying and aiming at in this field is the realization of a 100% locally produced and locally consumed photovoltaic power generation system, in which photovoltaic power generation equipment is installed near buildings such as houses, stores, office buildings, and factories, for example on rooftops or in nearby vacant lots, and the generated power is effectively utilized in the building, and is also directly utilized without surplus or shortage. Photovoltaic power generation is a type of power generation whose operating time is restricted by sunlight, and it is difficult to utilize all of the generated power within that operating time. In order to achieve this, measures have been taken, such as making many power-using devices use a lot of power effectively within that operating time, storing the power in storage batteries, and selling the power to commercial power sources. This leads to increased storage discharge losses and investment in equipment and facilities. As solutions to this problem have not been fully realized, the spread of photovoltaic power generation has not progressed, and the economic effect is insufficient, which is an issue. On the other hand, the increase in the sale of power through reverse power flow to the grid power has also become a social issue in that it places a great economic and control burden on the grid power system to accept this power, and there are also notable social issues such as the refusal of grid power operators to accept reverse power flow or the case where the purchase price for the power sale is not high enough.

[0008] Meanwhile, subsidy policies by local governments that encourage buildings to reduce and even eliminate the amount of electricity purchased from external grid power, i.e., commercial power, are being focused on. These policies are called "Zero Energy Houses (ZEH)" for residential buildings and "Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB)" for commercial buildings. These policies aim to reduce national energy consumption, i.e., to resolve the economic problems caused by the increase in the consumption costs of oil and gas fuels for power generation. However, the above-mentioned zero energy policies targeting grid power consumption include many elements that expect the effects of using solar power generation, and as a result, the country is focusing on popularizing solar power generation, and it is required that the above-mentioned issues be resolved as soon as possible. In order to make the most of solar power generation, improvements in battery technology, i.e., high efficiency and cost reduction, and even methods of using electric vehicle storage batteries have been promoted. However, the actual utilization of renewable energy, mainly solar power generation, is significantly below the government's target for avoiding global warming, and it is urgent to find and put into practical use effective solutions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The technology covered by this application relates to a photovoltaic power generation system, and aims to promote the spread of photovoltaic power generation systems by realizing solutions to the problems mentioned above. Specifically, as shown in claim 1, the power consumption by the operation of power-using equipment incorporating a heat pump used within and near a building site is concentrated during the period when photovoltaic power generation is being output, and the operation is optimized and controlled to solve the power supply and demand problem, thereby improving the effectiveness and practicality of the photovoltaic power generation system. The technical measures of this application for effectively using solar power generation are premised on utilizing power-using devices equipped with heat pumps, which are used worldwide and output hot and cold heat in overwhelmingly large quantities. In other words, the power-using devices are electric water heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, and other devices that incorporate heat pumps. Heat pump technology is a device that uses electricity to drive a refrigerant compressor to output hot and cold heat. This technology is used in a huge number of devices worldwide, such as water heaters that generate hot water, air conditioners that perform heating and cooling, and refrigerators that refrigerate and supplement items, and consumes a huge amount of electricity. The goal of this application is achieved by making the operating mode of the heat pump, the target, method, and temperature of the supply of hot and cold heat different when solar power generation is used and when it is not.

[0010] This technology aims to have these devices output heat and cold energy using solar power and store that heat within the electrical equipment or in a nearby output destination, thereby maintaining the heat and cold effect 24 hours a day, at least, thereby eliminating the need to operate the equipment on commercial electricity during times when solar power is not available. In order to achieve the above effects, the specific measures to make solar power generation bear more of the heating and cooling load than other commercial electricity generation are as follows: 1. When receiving a signal to use solar power generation, the temperature of the heat output is increased, or the temperature of the cold output is decreased. 2. In the case of a load containing latent heat storage material, in the case of hot heat storage, the output is at a high temperature that can store heat in the heat storage material, and when commercial electricity is used, the output is below the temperature at which heat can be stored. The opposite is true for cold heat storage. 3. If the target load is air conditioning, set the number of rooms to be air-conditioned to be large. If it is commercial power, limit the number of rooms to be air-conditioned. Measures such as the above are effective.

[0011] As mentioned above, the technology on the electricity-using equipment side works by using electricity to output hot or cold heat through a heat pump, and then storing the heat so that it can contribute to adjusting supply and demand beyond the energy's lifetime. This can be seen as making a contribution similar to that of a storage battery when adjusting the total supply and demand of a solar power generation system. On the other hand, in current technical systems, this burden is borne by storage batteries and commercial power sources, but in the platform of this application, normal supply and demand adjustment reduces the burden on storage batteries, and as described above, it is considered to be an energy storage method to meet high-performance electricity needs. If this can be achieved, it will be possible to use solar energy to supply and operate power-using equipment in an optimal manner, creating a locally produced, locally consumed electricity supply and demand platform that makes effective use of the output power of solar power generation equipment.

[0012] The effect is that most of the output power of the photovoltaic power generation equipment installed near electrical equipment on the roof can be directly used for electrical equipment in the building without going through a storage battery, and compared to selling electricity to an external power system or storing electricity in a storage battery, a significant improvement can be expected in terms of economy, energy efficiency, and the spread of the system to homes, stores, offices, etc. In this way, it is thought that it should be recognized as a more valuable effect beyond the realm of storage batteries as an auxiliary device for adjusting the simple time difference that occurs every day in photovoltaic power generation. It will be possible to use it only for commercial power outages, peak power demand crisis responses, risks when commercial power cannot be transmitted due to natural disasters, when photovoltaic power generation drops due to rain, and for lighting power where storage function is essential, and it is expected that the value status of solar cells as a locally produced and locally consumed power source can be improved and they can be recognized as a functional standard component that is indispensable for a complete power system. Considering this, if a solar power generation method could be developed that does not depend highly on storage batteries for daily power supply and demand, it is expected that the value of locally produced and consumed electricity, and people's awareness of that value, would increase.

[0013] This new power supply and demand platform is shown in its entirety in Figure 1, and it encompasses the entire system that controls and realizes the optimization of power supply and demand between the power supply system and the power utilization system. That is, it is composed of a photovoltaic power generation device 1, a commercial power source 2, a power conditioner 5 that controls the PV power source, a distribution board 6 that divides all power to power utilization devices and supplies it, a power supply and demand controller 3 that controls the entire power supply and demand platform, a network communication tool 4 that sends and receives supply and demand control signals, devices 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13 that use power, and power lines 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 that connect the distribution board 6 and the devices 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13. Currently widespread power supply devices that use a commercial power source 2 use AC power, so electricity is converted from the commercial power source 2 to DC before being stored in a storage battery 7 or an electric vehicle 8. However, as shown in FIG. 1, DC electricity generated by solar power is usually stored before being converted to AC by a power conditioner 5.

[0014] The proposed system for supplying and demanding electricity including solar power; the solar power generation electricity supply and demand platform system is shown in FIG. 1. This shows the overall main configuration for controlling the system (named the solar power generation electricity supply and demand platform) according to the present application. Taking a house as an example, as shown here, the diagram shows a distribution board that is a gateway for supplying commercial power, solar power generation, and electricity to the house, as well as an air conditioner 11, a refrigerator 12, an electric water heater 9, lighting fixtures, etc. 13 that are electrical appliances in the house. The feature of the present application is that a power supply and demand controller 3 is installed, information is obtained from all the components that make up the platform, and an optimal solution for the moment-to-moment supply and demand of electricity, as will be shown later, is considered, and the results are communicated to all the necessary devices to perform integrated control of the whole, while at the same time, the operation of each device is controlled in an optimal manner for the whole and parts according to the optimal solution.

[0015] To optimally control the operation of this system and each piece of equipment, it is necessary to transmit information such as the time and the power output status of the solar power generation to the power-using equipment mentioned above. Based on this continuous information in chronological order, the system analyzes which equipment should be prioritized and how it should be operated based on the operating status, heat storage status, and operating priority information of the many power-using equipment that achieves the cooling and heating effect, and sequentially sets the operating priorities of all power-using equipment. It then calculates the possibility of supplying power from solar power generation and sets the optimal operating method for each piece of power-using equipment. For this purpose, the wireless or wired network communication 4 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of an effective information exchange means. This photovoltaic power supply and demand platform will comprehensively assess the power supply and demand situation on the photovoltaic power generation side and the commercial power source 2 side, as well as information on regulations based on societal requirements and information on natural disasters and natural phenomena beyond the scope shown in Figure 1.

[0016] One of the proposed solar power generating equipment is a heat pump water heater. The heat pump draws heat from the outside air, heats tap water, and uses it to produce hot water at about 60°C. The hot water is stored in an insulated hot water tank and can be used whenever needed. Electricity is used to operate the heat pump compressor and blower. An overview is shown in Figure 3. The temperature of the hot water stored in the hot water storage tank 22, whose outer wall is insulated, drops by several degrees over time, but it remains hotter than the 40 to 45°C temperature range generally used for hot water supply, so it can be used for bathing and other purposes for 24 hours. Therefore, the operation of the heat pump is sufficient using solar power during the solar power generation effective time period, but when the amount of hot water used increases, commercial power may be used. Therefore, the target temperature of the hot water when using solar power is set to, for example, 60°C, and the temperature is set to 100°C for the number of people required for 24 hours. However, if hot water is used frequently and the temperature drops outside the time of solar power generation, the water will be heated to about 48°C using commercial electricity to meet the demand for hot water. This temperature difference greatly affects the efficiency of the heat pump, which means that commercial electricity consumption can be significantly reduced.

[0017] Normally, it is considered effective to use solar power to store hot water at 60°C, and when there is a shortage of hot water when commercial power is being used, to supplement the hot water by setting the temperature to a low level that can be used for hot water supply, such as 48°C or less, thereby reducing the consumption of commercial power. The temperature of bath water is around 42°C, and in reality, 44°C or higher is desirable, so the aforementioned 48°C or less is appropriate. As a result, the amount of commercial power used is reduced and energy efficiency is improved. On the other hand, since solar power is actively used, if it is allowed to be used for about 20 hours after that, the reverse flow of power to the commercial power source is reduced, which has the effect of reducing commercial power consumption.

[0018] However, the majority of hot water heaters still use a gas or kerosene heat source system with a small hot water tank to instantly obtain hot water, due to advantages such as compactness and initial cost. In the future, when solar power generation forms a large electricity market, in order to switch to a system that uses this electricity to generate hot water using heat from the outside air with a heat pump and advance carbon neutrality (decarbonization), the compactness of the product will be important due to the constraints on installation space, as mentioned above. Currently, in order to store the amount of water used for bathing as hot water, a large device with a hot water storage capacity of about 400 liters is required for an average household, and this product has a large installation space constraint in a home, which is one of the reasons why it has not become widespread. In order to establish the heat pump system as a locally produced and locally consumed energy device using the effects of solar power generation in the future, it would be effective if the hot water storage tank could be halved (to 200 liters). To achieve this, it would be effective to install a latent heat storage material that changes phase at around 50°C in the hot water tank to achieve this.

[0019] In order to achieve the goal of ZEH (Zero Energy House) and ZEB (Zero Energy Building), which are energy-saving targets including life and activities in buildings by using solar power to air-condition buildings, the insulation effect of the building itself has been improved in recent years, especially on the exterior walls using a method called external insulation. As a result, the insulation effect of the architectural structural materials of the building itself on the walls, ceilings, and floors has been improved. When considering an air conditioner as the target power-using device, for example, when using solar power generation, it is easy to understand the method of air conditioning the entire building. If the entire building is air-conditioned using solar power generation, the above-mentioned insulation effect and the effect of air conditioning the entire building make the air conditioning effective even in the evening when people are spending time together, and depending on the location of the living room and bedrooms in particular, there is often little need to operate the air conditioner at dinner time or while sleeping. Even when you want to operate the air conditioner, the air conditioning load is low if it is only in the target room, so the power consumption when operating the air conditioner using commercial electricity at that time can be significantly reduced.

[0020] The above operation is more effective with a multi-type air conditioner that can operate multiple rooms simultaneously. Air conditioners are widely used with inverter-driven compressors that can vary the rotation speed, allowing the air conditioning capacity to be set to an appropriate value by adjusting the rotation speed, and the power consumption at that time also changes in proportion to the air conditioning capacity. This effect is more noticeable with this multi-type. In this case, during the above-mentioned time period when solar power generation is effective, the system operates at a higher rotation speed than a certain number, with high capacity and high power consumption, and during other time periods when commercial power is used, the system operates at a lower rotation speed than a certain number, resulting in the completion of a system that prioritizes the use of solar power generation.

[0021] Furthermore, efforts are being made to embed latent heat storage materials, which are packages of phase-change heat storage materials with a heat storage effect, in the walls, ceilings, and floors of buildings to stably maintain a comfortable temperature of around 21 to 24°C, which is the temperature near the phase change. In this case, the effect of these heat storage effects is even more pronounced when air conditioners are operated at full capacity using solar power during the effective daytime solar power generation hours, for example between 9:30 and 15:30, to store heat, and the heat storage effect is maintained during other times of the day. In the case of the above-mentioned heat storage material method, an air supply duct is provided to blow out the conditioned air from the air conditioner and direct the air to the target space, and the latent heat storage material package is attached to the inside wall of the air supply duct as the installation location for the latent heat storage material, which has the advantage that it can be installed at the same time as the air conditioner installation work.

[0022] Another target electric appliance is a refrigerator with a heat pump cooler. Usually, the temperature inside the refrigerator box with an insulated outer wall is cooled or refrigerated by a heat pump. It is easy to adopt a control method in which the temperature inside the box is cooled to a lower temperature during the solar power generation effective time, and is not cooled or is cooled to a temperature 2 to 3 degrees Celsius higher than the target temperature outside of that time. Alternatively, it is effective to make a difference in the operation rate of the heat pump cooler. It is effective to set the operation rate during the commercial power usage time even lower than when the cooling operation is performed during the solar power generation effective time. As another method, a latent heat storage material pack of low temperature (minus 4 to 6 degrees Celsius) such as water or calcium chloride aqueous solution is installed inside the refrigerator, and the water or latent heat storage material is cooled and solidified to store heat when solar power generation is used, which allows a larger amount of cold heat to be stored. According to this method, the cooling effect performed during the solar power generation effective time is effectively maintained for a longer period of time.

[0023] As a necessary technical measure, a total management system control design is carried out to calculate and determine the optimal usage method for the total power expected to be generated by solar power on the day, including the priority order of all power-using devices including lighting equipment, storage batteries, and electric vehicles as devices without heat pumps, the ratio of solar power usage, and how the total power expected to be generated by solar power on the day will be consumed by which power-using device, as well as to execute the system, as a method of effectively utilizing solar power. This technology controls the entire building site. This application is filed as a patent claim for controlling the entire solar power supply and demand platform that is the target of the power supply and demand controller. Effect of the Invention

[0024] As the present invention is put into practical use and becomes widespread, solar power generation devices to which the present invention is applied are expected to become widespread worldwide. This will contribute to the achievement of the long-cherished wish of humanity to prevent global warming (carbon neutrality), which is the long-cherished wish of "Affordable and clean energy for all" set forth in the SDGs. At the same time, this will contribute to the expansion of the solar power generation equipment business worldwide. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] Overview of the solar power generation supply and demand platform [Diagram 2] Overview of residential solar power generation supply and demand platform [Diagram 3] A diagram showing the configuration of an electric water heater used in the solar power generation control system according to the present invention. [Figure 4] Diagram of the air conditioner installation configuration for a residential solar power generation supply and demand platform [Diagram 5] Diagram of a solar-powered refrigerator [Figure 6] Relationship between daytime hours and effective solar power generation hours DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] The overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Fig. 1, a photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand platform. An example of a house is shown in Fig. 2. The feature of this platform is that it compares the supply of power output from the solar panel 1 and commercial power source 2 on the power supply side with the demand for power used by the storage battery 7, electric vehicle 8, water heater 9, air conditioner 11, indoor unit 10 of the air conditioner, refrigerator 12, lighting equipment, etc. 13 on the power demand side, and aims to control the balance of power supply and demand comprehensively and for each individual device by the newly installed power supply and demand controller 3, including the solar power. Here, when non-renewable energy is supplied, this energy is also included as a power source included in commercial power source 2. All energy that is positioned on the opposite side of solar power generation in terms of carbon neutrality is included in commercial power source 2.

[0027] The power-using appliances on the power demand side, the water heater 9, the air conditioner 11, and the refrigerator 12, are all equipped with heat pumps, and output heat or cold when they are operated. In Figure 1, the meaning of these appliances is expressed by adding the letters "HP" in a circle to each of them. The configurations of these devices are shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5. The features of these devices are that they are equipped with heat pumps, which enable them to output hot and cold energy, and the output hot and cold energy can be easily stored, allowing the stored hot and cold energy to be used during other times when commercial electricity is used. This allows the amount of electricity stored in the storage battery 7 to be significantly reduced, and also allows the storage battery to be used with a surplus for lighting power, or as electricity for emergencies, making the most of its original function.

[0028] Figure 3 shows an electric heat pump water heater that represents the new technology. A typical water heater is called an EcoCute, and uses nighttime electricity to store heat in hot water. In this case, when using commercial electricity at a preferential price for nighttime electricity, the water is heated to a high temperature of about 60°C to meet the demand for hot water for the next day. For this reason, a tank 22 with a capacity of about 400L is used in the normal process. When using solar power generation, the water is heated to a similar temperature to meet the demand for the rest of the day. If hot water runs out at other times, a wise measure is to heat the water to about 48°C using commercial electricity. Since the temperature required for bathing is about 42 to 44°C, heating the water to 48°C is sufficient, and the consumption of commercial electricity is kept to a minimum. The technology presented in Figure 3 aims to achieve even more advanced effects.

[0029] Furthermore, the new technology shown in Figure 3 can realize a highly functional and efficient water heater. One of them is that the volume of the water heater tank 22 can be reduced by almost half by installing a container 24 filled with latent heat storage material. Although the electric heat pump water heater is more energy efficient than a direct-heating gas or oil water heater, it has the disadvantage that it requires a large water heater tank, which is costly, and the large tank requirement makes it difficult to find a place to install it, and it has not been widely used compared to gas or oil methods. By using the latent heat storage material shown in Figure 3 to reduce the tank volume by half, by using a heat pump to save energy, and by using this latent heat storage material (such as paraffin with a melting temperature slightly higher than 44°C) to lower the hot water heating temperature from about 60°C for hot water only to 44°C plus 2 to 3°C, it is possible to achieve even greater energy savings. Furthermore, by giving priority to the use of solar power generation, the use of commercial power becomes almost unnecessary, and it is expected that this technology can be commercialized as the highest level of carbon neutrality.

[0030] FIG. 4 shows the case of a residential air conditioner. If containers containing latent heat storage materials such as paraffin are installed on the walls, the entire house is insulated and has a heat storage effect, and an air conditioner operated by solar power is used to store heat and perform heating and cooling, there will be almost no need to operate the air conditioner during times other than the time of day when sunlight is strong, and as a result, significant energy savings can be achieved. However, there is a drawback in that the work to install the latent heat storage materials requires effort, time, and cost similar to that required for new construction. Figure 4 shows a technology that compensates for this drawback. Air for heating and cooling is blown out from the air conditioner 11 and blown through the air duct 30 into the space to be air-conditioned for heating and cooling. Containers containing latent heat storage materials are fitted into all the walls of the duct 30, and are arranged in a heat transfer relationship with the air to be air-conditioned. This method has the following advantages over the method of installing latent heat storage materials in the walls of the house described above.

[0031] In other words, the installation work including the duct can be done as a retrofit when the air conditioner is installed. Furthermore, since the duct is inside the building, the loss of heat from heating and cooling that escapes to the outdoors is significantly reduced compared to when it is on the exterior wall of the building, making it easier to achieve sufficient heating and cooling effect. In order to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality, there is a call for the reduction of energy consumption in buildings, and activities aimed at ZEH and ZEB, which indicate zero energy, are increasing, and we are approaching an era in which the installation of insulated walls in buildings will become commonplace. On the other hand, as there are now many activities aiming for central air conditioning for this purpose, the method in Figure 4 is expected to be evaluated as an optimal technical measure, and there is a possibility that it will be recognized as a global standard method for air conditioning in buildings.

[0032] Figure 5 shows the internal structure of the next-generation refrigerator. Its distinctive feature is that a block of latent heat storage material 43 is installed on the top level in a heat exchange relationship with the heat pump circuit and the air inside the refrigerator. When solar power is used, the interior of the refrigerator is cooled, and at the same time the latent heat storage material is frozen and solidified. The stored cold energy can maintain the temperature environment inside the refrigerator all day long. Furthermore, in the event of an emergency, such as when the commercial power supply is cut off or becomes unusable due to a local disaster, the synergistic effect of the heat stored inside the refrigerator and the storage battery 7 in the platform can be expected to maintain the refrigerator function for several days.

[0033] In conclusion, this electricity supply and demand platform will not only contribute to the ZEH / ZEB effect and carbon neutrality through the effective use of solar power generation, but it will also lead to improved commercial viability in areas closely related to our daily lives, such as hot water supply, air conditioning, and refrigeration. It is also expected to make a great contribution to the practical application and widespread use of solar power generation, which is a long-cherished desire of humanity. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1. Solar panels 2, Commercial power supply 3. Power supply and demand controller 4. Network communication 5. Power conditioner 6. Distribution board 7. Storage battery 8. Electric vehicles 9. Water heater 10. Air conditioner indoor unit 11, Air conditioner 12. Refrigerator 13. Lighting equipment, etc. 14. Battery power line 15. Power lines for electric vehicles 16. Power line for water heater 17, Power line for air conditioner 18. Refrigerator power cord 19. Power lines for lighting equipment, etc. 20. Heat pump equipment for water heaters 21. Blower 22. Water heater tank 23, Heating heat exchanger 24. Latent heat storage material 25. Bathtub 26,Hot water pipe 27. Hot water pump 30. Air duct 31. Latent heat storage material 32. Insulated exterior walls 33. Electric pole 41, radiator 42. Door 43. Latent heat storage material 44. Compressor 45, refrigerant heat exchanger 51. Solar power generation effective hours 52. Solar power generation non-effective time period 60. Housing 80. Refrigerator

Claims

1. A power supply device is used that combines or selects and outputs a system commercial power introduced into a building from outside and a power outputted via a power conditioner that adjusts the power generated by a solar power generation device installed on the roof, exterior surface or vicinity of the building to the same frequency and voltage as the system commercial power and outputs the power, A solar power generation power supply and demand system characterized by transmitting information to the power utilization equipment in the building equipped with a heat pump as to whether the power supplied to the power utilization equipment is power output from the solar power generation device via the power conditioner, power supplied from the commercial power, or power output from a storage battery or an electric vehicle battery, and controlling the power utilization equipment equipped with the heat pump to operate in different operating modes when using power from the solar power generation device and when using the commercial power in accordance with the power classification signal.

2. The photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system according to claim 1, characterized in that the different operating modes are either different operating modes depending on whether or not there is a heat storage effect, different operating modes depending on the size of the target load range / area, or different operating modes depending on the high or low target hot / cold heat setting temperature.

3. 3. The photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply and demand controller installed within the system to control the entire system, and obtaining a large amount of information on the power supply side and the power demand side devices and equipment, such as information related to the power conditioners within the system, information on the charging status of the storage batteries and electric vehicles, information on the commercial power supplying power, information on the photovoltaic power generation, and information on the operating status of the power utilization devices, such as electric water heaters, air conditioners, and refrigerators, and transmitting the information to each of the power utilization devices to instruct them to operate in the different operating modes.

4. In a solar power generation power supply and demand system using a hot water supply device that heats tap water to hot water by an electric heat pump as the power utilization equipment and stores the hot water in a hot water tank and supplies the hot water, The solar power generation power supply and demand system of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that one of the power utilization equipment is a hot water heater that heats up hot water by controlling the operation so that, when solar power generation is used or when solar power is effective, the target temperature for heating up hot water in a hot water tank is set to a temperature much higher than 48°C and operated to heat up hot water, and when commercial power is used or when the solar power generation is not effective, the target temperature for heating up hot water in the hot water tank is set to a low temperature of approximately 48°C and operated to heat up hot water.

5. 4. The solar power generation power supply and demand system according to claim 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that the hot water tank is a hot water tank in which a number of containers filled with a latent heat storage material, such as paraffin or sodium acetate hydrate, which has a good heat transfer relationship with the hot water and changes phase at a temperature of 44°C or higher, are installed inside the tank, and when power from the solar power generation device is used or when the electric heat pump is operated during the solar power effective time period, the target temperature of the electric heat pump is set to be higher than the phase change temperature of the latent heat storage material to store latent heat, and when commercial power is used or when the electric heat pump is operated during the solar power ineffective time period, the target temperature of the electric heat pump is set to be lower than the phase change temperature of the latent heat storage material to heat the hot water in the tank using sensible heat to heat the hot water, is used as one of the power utilization equipment.

6. The photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system of any one of claims 1, 2, or 3, characterized in that one of the power-utilizing devices that operates using power from the photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system is an air conditioning device that uses warm and cold heat generated by an electric heat pump to heat and cool a space, and when using power from the photovoltaic power generation system, a large number of air conditioners, or indoor units for a large number of rooms, are operated simultaneously to target a large number of rooms, and during times when operation is performed using commercial power, operation is limited to only specified rooms and targets fewer rooms.

7. An air conditioner that uses the hot and cold heat generated by an electric heat pump to control the room temperature and perform heating and cooling is used as the power utilization equipment that operates using the power of the solar power generation power supply and demand system, and a package containing a latent heat storage material with a phase change temperature in the range of 21°C to 25°C, such as paraffin or sodium acetate hydrate, is installed in the wall surfaces of the object to be air conditioned, such as the wall, floor, and ceiling, so that it comes into contact with the air in the room in a heat transfer relationship and absorbs and releases the heating and cooling effect, and is utilized for both cooling and heating. The photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system of any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that when electricity from the photovoltaic power generation device is used, the heating or cooling target temperature of the air to be conditioned is set lower than the phase change temperature of the latent heat storage material during cooling and higher during heating, and the air conditioning is performed while storing heat in the latent heat storage material, and when commercial electricity is used, the target temperature of the air to be conditioned is set higher than the phase change temperature of the latent heat storage material during cooling and lower during heating, thereby performing heating and cooling by directly supplying hot and cold heat with the air without storing heat in the latent heat storage material package.

8. The photovoltaic power generation electric power supply and demand system according to claim 7, further comprising an air supply duct for blowing out conditioned air from the air conditioner and directing the air to a target space, and a package of the latent heat storage material is attached to the inside of a wall surface of the air supply duct as an installation location for the latent heat storage material.

9. A refrigeration device that uses cold heat generated by an electric heat pump as a power-using device that operates using power from the solar power generation power supply and demand system to cool and freeze the inside of a storage unit, 4. The photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system according to claim 1, wherein a cooling setting temperature set inside the refrigerator when the refrigerator uses power from the photovoltaic power generation device is set to a temperature lower than a cooling setting temperature set inside the refrigerator when the refrigerator uses commercial power for air conditioning.

10. 4. The photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system according to claim 1, wherein a package containing a low-temperature latent heat storage material, such as water which changes phase at about 0°C or a calcium chloride aqueous solution set to change phase at a temperature of 0°C or lower, is installed in a heat transfer relationship with the air inside the refrigerator, and at least when a refrigeration heat pump is operated using power from the photovoltaic power generation device, the latent heat storage material is operated at a low temperature at which latent heat can be stored, and the interior of the refrigerator is cooled while storing latent heat, and when the refrigeration heat pump is operated using power other than the solar power, such as commercial power, the temperature is controlled to a temperature higher than the heat storage temperature of the latent heat storage material to cool the interior of the refrigerator.

11. The photovoltaic power generation power supply and demand system according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that when the power supply and demand controller determines that the need for operation of all of the power utilization devices is low and that charging the storage battery is given top priority, the system prioritizes power supply to the storage battery, and when the power supply and demand controller determines that reverse power flow to the commercial power source is given top priority, the system reverses power flow to the commercial power source.

Images