Inspection method for curtain wall and solar panel

Abstract

To easily inspect a solar panel in a curtain wall provided with the solar panel in a spandrel part.SOLUTION: A curtain wall 10 includes a vision part 16 opposed to an indoor space 52 of a building and a spandrel part 14 opposed to a boundary part between upper and lower floors of a building. The curtain wall 10 includes a solar panel 18 provided on the spandrel part 14, and a junction box 54 receiving power generated by the solar panel 18. The junction box 54 is arranged at a position accessible from an indoor space 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a curtain wall equipped with solar panels. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in a structure in which the outer wall of the structure is made of a curtain wall, a curtain wall in which a solar cell module unit is installed instead of the glass panel of the curtain wall is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-136919 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As disclosed in Patent Document 1, a curtain wall with a power generation function has been proposed. However, considering the weather resistance of relatively new solar cell technologies such as flexible crystalline silicon solar cell modules and perovskite, it is considered desirable to place solar panels on the interior side rather than on the glass panels. In particular, placing solar panels on the spandrel section of the curtain wall can improve weather resistance and make effective use of dead space in the building. However, placing solar panels on the spandrel section presents the challenge of making it difficult to inspect the solar panels.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and its purpose is to provide a technology that makes it possible to easily inspect solar panels in curtain walls equipped with solar panels in the spandrel section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is a curtain wall including a vision section facing the interior space of a building and a spandrel section facing the boundary between the upper and lower floors of the building, the vision section including solar panels mounted on the spandrel section and a junction box for receiving electricity generated by the solar panels. The junction box is located in a position accessible from the interior space. The curtain wall may further include a connector section for connecting the junction box to another junction box, the connector section being located in a position accessible from the interior space.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for inspecting solar panels on the curtain wall, which includes the steps of disconnecting the connectors, checking for any abnormalities in the connectors, and checking for any abnormalities in the junction box. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a curtain wall according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view AA of the curtain wall shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 is a BB schematic cross-sectional view of the curtain wall shown in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The following configurations are for illustrative purposes only to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined solely by the appended claims. Identical or equivalent components and parts shown in each drawing are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted where appropriate. Furthermore, the dimensions of the components in each drawing are enlarged or reduced as appropriate to facilitate understanding. Furthermore, some components that are not important for explaining the embodiments in each drawing are omitted.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a curtain wall 10 according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the curtain wall 10 is configured by arranging a plurality of curtain wall units 12 (six curtain wall units 12A to 12F in this example) lengthwise and widthwise around the periphery of a building.

[0011] Each curtain wall unit 12 has a spandrel section 14 and a vision section 16. The vision section 16 is positioned to face the interior space of the building to which the curtain wall 10 is attached. The spandrel section 14 is positioned to face the boundary between the interior section of the upper floor and the interior space of the lower floor.

[0012] A solar panel 18 is provided on the spandrel portion 14 of each curtain wall unit 12. The solar panel 18 is formed by arranging a plurality of solar cells 20 in a matrix. The solar cells 20 are configured to convert light energy into electricity using the photovoltaic effect. The solar cells 20 may be, for example, crystalline silicon solar cells. The plurality of solar cells 20 are connected to each other by wiring (not shown) to form a single solar panel 18.

[0013] The solar panels 18 of the curtain wall units 12 on the same floor are connected in series by cables 22 to form a string 24. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the curtain wall units 12A, 12B, and 12C on the upper floor are connected in series by cables 22 to form a first string 24A. Similarly, the curtain wall units 12D, 12E, and 12F on the lower floor are connected in series by cables 22 to form a second string 24B. The first string 24A on the upper floor and the second string 24B on the lower floor are connected in parallel by cables 23 and are aggregated in a power conditioner (PCS: Power Conditioning System) 26. The power conditioner 26 performs processes such as converting direct current to alternating current.

[0014] In this way, multiple solar panels 18 are connected in series in each string 24, allowing a high voltage to be obtained. However, because of the series connection, if even one solar panel 18 in a string 24 fails, it may become impossible to obtain power from that string 24. Therefore, in a curtain wall 10 equipped with multiple solar panels 18, it is very important to regularly inspect the solar panels 18.

[0015] Figure 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the curtain wall 10 shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 shows the joint between the upper-floor curtain wall unit 12B and the lower-floor curtain wall unit 12E. As shown in Figure 2, the vision section 16 of the upper-floor curtain wall unit 12B and the spandrel section 14 of the lower-floor curtain wall unit 12E are arranged one above the other.

[0016] Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of the curtain wall 10 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows cross sections of curtain wall units 12A, 12B, and 12C arranged in the horizontal direction.

[0017] A building to which the curtain wall 10 according to this embodiment is attached comprises a floor slab 42, a floor material 44 arranged above the floor slab 42, and a ceiling material (not shown) arranged below the floor slab 42. In this building, the space between the floor material 44 and the ceiling material is an interior space 52, and the space between the ceiling material of the lower floor and the floor material 44 of the upper floor is the boundary between the upper and lower floors. As described above, the curtain wall unit 12 comprises a vision portion 16 facing the interior space 52 of the building, and a spandrel portion 14 facing the boundary between the upper and lower floors of the building.

[0018] The vision section 16 includes double-glazed glass 28. The double-glazed glass 28 includes two glass panels 28a, 28b arranged facing each other at a distance, with a space 28c between them, and dry air sealed in the space 28c. The double-glazed glass 28 includes a spacer 28d for defining the distance between the glass panels 28a, 28b. Meanwhile, the spandrel section 14 includes single-glazed glass 30 consisting of a single glass panel. In another embodiment, double-glazed glass may be provided in the spandrel section 14 and the vision section 16.

[0019] In each curtain wall unit 12, the double-glazed glass 28 and single-glazed glass 30 are supported by a frame 32. The frame 32 has a rectangular configuration with vertically extending mullions 34 and horizontally extending transoms 36. The frame 32 that supports each curtain wall unit 12 has a height equivalent to the floor height of the building to which the curtain wall unit 12 is attached. The frame 32 is made of metal such as aluminum. The mullions 34 and transoms 36 of the frame 32 have connecting parts formed in them, and the frame 32 of adjacent curtain wall units 12 are connected by engaging the connecting parts.

[0020] The double glazing 28 and single glazing 30 are adhesively sealed to the mullions 34 and transoms 36 of the frame 32 by sealant 38 provided on their peripheral edges. A gasket 40 is arranged on the inner side of the sealant 38 in the direction of the glass surface. The curtain wall unit 12 is a curtain wall unit in which the double glazing 28 and single glazing 30 are adhesively sealed to the frame 32 as a support member by the sealant 38. The curtain wall unit 12 may be made using the SSG construction method.

[0021] The spandrel portion 14 is provided with a fire-resistant board 46. The fire-resistant board 46 is attached to the transom 36. The fire-resistant board 46 is arranged parallel to the single-glazed glass 30 with a predetermined gap between them. As shown in FIG. 2 , the upper end of the fire-resistant board 46 and the transom 36 to which the upper end of the fire-resistant board 46 is attached are arranged higher than the floor slab 42. In addition, an interlayer sealant 48 is provided between the floor slab 42 and the fire-resistant board 46. In this specification, the area above the floor slab 42 and the interlayer sealant 48 and on the indoor side of the fire-resistant board 46, the transom 36, and the double-glazed glass 28 is referred to as the interior space 52.

[0022] In the spandrel portion 14, a space 50 is provided between the single-layer glass 30 and the fire-resistant board 46. A solar panel 18 is provided in this space 50 in the spandrel portion 14. The solar panel 18 may be disposed on the outdoor side of the fire-resistant board 46. The solar panel 18 may be disposed in a form in which it is suspended from the transom 36, or may be attached to the outdoor side surface of the fire-resistant board 46.

[0023] Solar panels usually have a junction box on the backside that receives the power generated by the solar cells. This junction box houses the positive and negative terminals that form the end of the circuit that connects multiple solar cells in series. The junction box also contains bypass diodes that send electricity without passing through some solar cells when they are not functioning properly. By checking the junction box, you can check for abnormalities in the solar panel.

[0024] In this embodiment, the solar panels 18 are installed in a space 50 in the spandrel section 14. This space 50 is located outside the fireproof board 46, so if a junction box is installed on the back of the panel as with a normal solar panel, the junction box cannot be accessed from the indoor space 52, making inspection of the solar panels 18 difficult.

[0025] Therefore, in this embodiment, the junction box 54 of the solar panel 18 is disposed in a position accessible from the indoor space 52. Specifically, the junction box 54 is disposed closer to the indoor space 52 (closer to the indoor space 52) than the fireproof board 46 in the space 63. Placing the junction box 54 in such a position facilitates inspection of the solar panel 18. For example, the junction box 54 may be disposed behind the transom 36 as shown in FIG. 2. This position is closer to the indoor space 52 than the fireproof board 46 and is accessible from the indoor space 52. Wiring (not shown) extending from the solar panel 18 may be connected to the junction box 54 through a hole provided in the transom 36. Placing the junction box 54 behind the transom 36 has the advantage of shortening the wiring from the solar panel 18. In another embodiment, the junction box 54 may be disposed, for example, behind the fireproof board 46, on the interlayer sealing material 48, or on the floor slab 42.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, a cover member 58 is provided in the interior space 52 so as to cover the fireproof board 46. The cover member 58 is also called a peri-cover. The cover member 58 is formed in a generally L-shape when viewed from the side. The cover member 58 includes a side panel 60 extending vertically upward from the floor slab 42, and an upper panel 62 extending from the upper end of the side panel 60 toward the exterior. The exterior end of the upper panel 62 is positioned in contact with the crosspiece 36.

[0027] The junction box 54 is disposed in a space 63 defined by the cover member 58. When the cover member 58 is attached, the junction box 54 cannot be seen from the interior space 52.

[0028] 2, a portion of the upper plate 62 may be configured as a lid 64 that can be opened and closed using the outer end of the upper plate 62 as a pivot. By opening the lid 64, the junction box 54 can be easily accessed from the indoor space 52. A knob 66 ​​may be provided on the lid 64 to facilitate the opening and closing operation. In another embodiment, the junction box 54 may be accessed from the indoor space 52 by removing the entire cover member 58.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3 , a cable 22 extends from the junction box 54, and a connector portion 56 is provided at the end of the cable. By connecting the connector portions 56 together, the junction boxes 54 are connected in series between adjacent curtain wall units 12. By connecting the junction boxes of the curtain wall units 12 on the same floor in series, the string 24 described with reference to FIG. 1 is formed. In this embodiment, the connector portion 56 is located in a position accessible from the indoor space 52. Specifically, the connector portion 56 is located closer to the indoor space 52 than the fire-resistant board 46. By locating the connector portion 56 in such a position, inspection of the solar panel 18 becomes easier. For example, the connector portion 56 may be located behind the mullion 34 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . This position is closer to the indoor space 52 than the fire-resistant board 46 and is accessible from the indoor space 52.

[0030] When inspecting the solar panels 18, first, the lid 64 is opened. Then, the connector 56 is disconnected, and the solar panel 18 to be inspected is separated from the string 24. Then, the open-circuit voltage of the solar panel 18 is measured at the connector 56 to check for any abnormalities. The junction box 54 is also checked for burnt terminals and diodes to check for any abnormalities in the solar panels 18. For example, if the power conditioner 26 confirms that the amount of power generation in one string 24 is extremely low, the open-circuit voltage of each solar panel 18 belonging to that string 24 and the state of the terminals and diodes in the junction box 54 associated with the solar panels 18 can be individually checked to find the solar panel 18 with an abnormality, and measures such as panel replacement can be taken.

[0031] The above has described the curtain wall 10 according to this embodiment. According to the curtain wall 10 according to this embodiment, the connector section 56 and the junction box 54 are arranged in positions accessible from the interior space 52, so that the solar panels 18 can be easily inspected even when they are arranged in the spandrel sections 14.

[0032] In a curtain wall in which photovoltaic module units are installed instead of glass panels, a photovoltaic module with an abnormality can be identified by measuring the temperature distribution of the photovoltaic module with a thermographic camera from the outside of the building. However, when solar panels 18 are installed on the spandrel section 14 as in this embodiment, the presence of the single-pane glass 30 on the outside of the building makes it difficult to measure the temperature distribution of the solar panels 18 with a thermographic camera from the outside of the building. In the curtain wall 10 according to this embodiment, the connector section 56 and junction box 54 are located in a position accessible from the indoor space 52, so that a solar panel 18 with an abnormality can be quickly identified even when it is difficult to measure the temperature distribution from the outside of the building.

[0033] Furthermore, with the curtain wall 10 according to this embodiment, the solar panels 18 are arranged at intervals on the indoor side of the single-pane glass 30, making them difficult to see from the outside, and allowing for an attractive exterior design. Furthermore, because the solar panels 18 are installed in the spandrel section 14, dead space in the building can be effectively utilized.

[0034] The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. These embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims of the present invention, and that such modifications and changes also fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, the descriptions and drawings in this specification should be treated as illustrative rather than restrictive. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 10 Curtain wall, 12 Curtain wall unit, 14 Spandrel section, 16 Vision section, 18 Solar panel, 20 Solar cell, 22 Cable, 24 String, 26 Power conditioner, 28 Double glazing, 30 Single glazing, 36 Gutter, 42 Floor slab, 44 Floor material, 46 Fireproof board, 48 Interlayer sealing material, 52 Interior space, 54 Junction box, 56 Connector section, 58 Cover material, 64 Lid section.

Claims

1. A curtain wall having a vision portion facing the interior space of a building and a spandrel portion facing the boundary portion between the upper and lower floors of the building, a solar panel provided on the spandrel portion; a junction box that receives the power generated by the solar panel; Equipped with The junction box is arranged in a position accessible from the interior space.

2. Further provided is a connector portion for connecting the junction box to another junction box, The curtain wall according to claim 1 , wherein the connector portion is positioned at a position accessible from the indoor space.

3. Further, a fire-resistant board is provided in the spandrel portion, The curtain wall according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the junction box is arranged closer to the indoor space than the fire-resistant board.

4. a cover member disposed in the interior space so as to cover the fire-resistant board; The curtain wall according to claim 3 , wherein the junction box is disposed within a space defined by the cover member.

5. The curtain wall according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the cover member is configured to be openable and closable so that the junction box can be accessed from the indoor space.

6. Further comprising a glass panel and a frame supporting the glass panel, The frame body includes a mullion extending in the vertical direction and a transversely extending rafter, The curtain wall according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the junction box is disposed behind the lattice.

7. The curtain wall according to claim 6 dependent on claim 2, wherein the connector portion is arranged behind the mullion.

8. The method for inspecting solar panels in a curtain wall according to claim 2, disconnecting the connector portion; checking whether there is any abnormality in the connector portion; checking whether there is any abnormality in the junction box; How to inspect solar panels, including:

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