Solar power generation equipment

Abstract

To provide a solar power generation system that saves space at the installation site while ensuring the safety of unspecified third parties. [Solution] A photovoltaic power generation device comprising one or more photovoltaic panels 1 and a mounting frame 2 that supports the photovoltaic panels 1, wherein the mounting frame 2 comprises two or more support columns 10 erected substantially vertically with respect to the ground surface, the photovoltaic panels 1 are mounted so as to be located between adjacent support columns 10, 10, and a flat plate-shaped member 3 having a predetermined thickness and made of a material that transmits sunlight is provided in front of the front of the photovoltaic panels 1, so that the front of the photovoltaic panels 1 is covered by the flat plate-shaped member 3.

Description

Technical Field

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[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a photovoltaic power generation device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, attention has been focused on the importance of renewable energy in order to achieve a decarbonized society. As part of this, photovoltaic power generation devices have come to be widely used. When installing such a photovoltaic power generation device, it is generally obligatory to install a fence or the like surrounding the photovoltaic power generation device from the viewpoint of ensuring safety. That is, if an unspecified third party can approach the photovoltaic power generation device, an accident such as electric shock may occur if the third party accidentally contacts the photovoltaic power generation device. Therefore, from the viewpoint of preventing this and ensuring safety, it is obligatory to install a fence or the like when installing the photovoltaic power generation device. As an example showing this, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below disclose a structure in which the installation location of the photovoltaic power generation device is surrounded by a fence or the like.

[0003] However, the examples shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are both relatively large-scale photovoltaic power generation devices. Such large-scale devices are premised on installing the photovoltaic power generation device on a vast site, so it is possible to secure sufficient space for installing a fence or the like, and there is no problem with installing a fence or the like.

[0004] However, photovoltaic power generation devices are not necessarily limited to large-scale ones. For example, there are also small-scale ones as shown in Patent Document 3. That is, for example, there are also needs to install small-scale photovoltaic power generation devices in surplus spaces such as parking lots, parks, and vacant lots to make effective use of the surplus space.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] In this regard, requiring a fence or wall to surround a relatively small-scale solar power generation system could hinder its original purpose of effectively utilizing surplus space. That is, a solar power generation system receives sunlight through its solar panels and converts it into electrical energy. Therefore, in order for a solar power generation system to generate electricity, it is absolutely essential to ensure that there is enough space in front of the solar panels so that sunlight is not obstructed. If a fence or wall were to be erected in front of the solar power generation system, a sufficient distance would need to be maintained between the system and the fence, resulting in considerable wasted space. This would negate the advantage of small-scale solar power generation systems in effectively utilizing surplus space. Reconsidering the purpose of mandating the installation of fences or walls when installing solar power generation systems, it is to avoid the risk of unspecified third parties accidentally coming into contact with the system. If that is the case, then any means of preventing unspecified third parties from coming into contact with the solar panels of the solar power generation system, rather than just a fence or wall, would suffice. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a solar power generation device that can avoid the risk of an unspecified third party accidentally coming into contact with the solar power generation panel by providing a flat plate-shaped member made of a material that transmits sunlight in front of the front surface of the solar power generation panel of the solar power generation device, and covering the front surface of the solar power generation panel with the flat plate-shaped member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a photovoltaic power generation device comprising one or more photovoltaic panels and a frame for supporting the photovoltaic panels, wherein the frame comprises two or more support columns erected substantially vertically with respect to the ground surface, the photovoltaic panels are mounted so as to be located between the support columns, and a flat plate-shaped member having a predetermined thickness and made of a material that transmits sunlight is provided in front of the front surface of the photovoltaic panels, so that the front surface of the photovoltaic panels is covered by the flat plate-shaped member.

[0009] Furthermore, the photovoltaic power generation device according to the present invention comprises one or more photovoltaic power generation panels and a frame for supporting the photovoltaic power generation panels, wherein the frame comprises two or more support columns erected substantially vertically with respect to the ground surface and horizontal crossbar members provided to span each of the two or more support columns horizontally, the two or more support columns are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other, the horizontal crossbar members are arranged perpendicular to the support columns and at a predetermined distance in the vertical direction, the photovoltaic power generation panels are arranged between the support columns and between the horizontal crossbar members, and a flat plate-shaped member having a predetermined thickness and made of a material that transmits sunlight is provided in front of the front of the photovoltaic power generation panels, and the front of the photovoltaic power generation panels is covered by the flat plate-shaped member.

[0010] Furthermore, the photovoltaic power generation device according to the present invention can also be configured as follows: A frame is formed by two support columns erected substantially vertically to the ground surface and spaced at a predetermined interval, and a photovoltaic power generation panel is mounted between the support columns to form one array, a flat plate-shaped member having a predetermined thickness and made of a material that transmits sunlight is provided in front of the front of the photovoltaic power generation panel, so that the front of the photovoltaic power generation panel is covered by the flat plate-shaped member, and furthermore, a plurality of the arrays of the present invention are connected in a vertical or horizontal direction, or vertically and horizontally to form a photovoltaic power generation device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, since the front surface of the solar power generation panel of the solar power generation device is covered by the flat plate-shaped member, the risk of an unspecified third party accidentally coming into contact with the solar power generation panel can be avoided. Furthermore, since the flat plate-shaped member is made of a material that transmits sunlight, it does not hinder the solar panel from receiving sunlight in any way. In addition, by providing the flat plate-shaped member on the front surface of the solar power generation panel, it becomes unnecessary to install a fence or wall around the solar power generation device, thus enabling space saving, especially when installing small-scale solar power generation devices. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] (a) is a front view of the solar power generation system. (b) is a rear view of the solar power generation system. [Figure 2] (a) is a plan view of the solar power generation system. (b) is a bottom view of the solar power generation system. [Figure 3] Left side view of a solar power generation system. [Figure 4] Front view of another embodiment. [Figure 5] A front view showing the installed state of the solar power generation system. [Figure 6] A front view showing the installed state of the solar power generation system. [Figure 7] A front view showing another embodiment of a solar power generation system. [Figure 8] A front view showing another embodiment of a solar power generation system. [Figure 9] A front view showing another embodiment of a solar power generation system. [Figure 10] A front view showing another embodiment of a solar power generation system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the photovoltaic power generation device according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Fig. 1(a) is a front view of the photovoltaic power generation device, Fig. 1(b) is a rear view of the photovoltaic power generation device, Fig. 2(a) is a plan view of the photovoltaic power generation device, Fig. 2(b) is a bottom view of the photovoltaic power generation device, and Fig. 3 is a left side view of the photovoltaic power generation device. The photovoltaic power generation device of this embodiment is roughly composed of one or two or more photovoltaic panels 1, a pedestal 2 that supports the photovoltaic panels 1, and a flat plate-like member 3 provided in front of the front surface of the photovoltaic panels 1. Further, the pedestal 2 in the photovoltaic power generation device in this embodiment includes two or more columns 10 and two or more horizontal cross members 11. In the description of this embodiment, "front" refers to the front (light-receiving) side of the photovoltaic panel 1 installed on the pedestal, "rear" refers to the rear side of the photovoltaic panel installed on the pedestal, and "right" and "left" refer to the right side and the left side in the state where the photovoltaic panel installed on the pedestal faces "front", that is, the right side and the left side based on Fig. 1(a).

[0014] The photovoltaic panel 1 converts the light energy received from the sun into electrical energy. In this embodiment, although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of solar cells that perform photoelectric conversion are arranged, and their terminals are connected in series by wiring. Its surface is covered with resin or glass, and further, the periphery is surrounded by a frame-shaped metal frame to form a rectangular panel, and a general one is used. As these photovoltaic panels, there are various types such as silicon-based and compound-based ones. However, in achieving the object of the present invention, regardless of these types, any of them may be used. That is, as long as it is a panel capable of converting sunlight into electrical energy, the object of the present invention can be achieved.

[0015] The aforementioned mounting frame 2 is for installing the solar power generation panel 1 in an appropriate position and includes at least two or more support columns 10 that are erected substantially vertically to the ground surface. Since various forms of this mounting frame 2 are possible, we will first describe mounting frame 2A as the first embodiment. As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), this mounting frame 2A is composed of support columns 10, 10 erected at predetermined intervals on the left and right, and horizontal crossbar members 11, 11... provided to span each of these support columns 10, 10 horizontally.

[0016] The support column 10 is formed from a metal such as aluminum, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), the support column 10 is formed by joining two roughly C-shaped molded members 10a and 10b in plan view for the purpose of increasing strength. Specifically, each of these molded members 10a and 10b is formed in a roughly C-shape in side view by a vertically elongated strip-shaped main plate portion 12, extended plate portions 13, 13 formed by bending and extending both the front and rear ends of the main plate portion 12 at right angles, and folded-back portions 14, 14 formed by bending the front and rear extension plate portions 13, 13 at right angles. The main plate portions 12, 12 of the two molded members 10a and 10b are superimposed and joined together to form the structure. Therefore, the support column 10 has an opening in the molded material 10a on the left side (left side in Figure 2(a), right side in Figure 2(b)) and an opening in the molded material 10b on the right side (right side in Figure 2(a), left side in Figure 2(b)). In this embodiment, the support column 10 is shown as being formed by joining two molded materials 10a and 10b, but it is of course possible to form it with one molded material as long as the strength of the support column can be maintained. Also, it is not necessary to limit the molded material forming the support column 10 to a roughly C-shape in side view. In this first embodiment, the vertical length (height) of the support column 10 is set to 4,443 mm. However, the height of the support column 10 can be freely selected according to the size of the solar power generation panel, etc. In this embodiment, two support columns 10 are arranged on the left and right sides, and the distance between these two support columns 10, 10 is set to allow the solar power generation panel 1 to fit between them. Specifically, in this embodiment, the left outer edge of the solar power generation panel 1 is set to 1,154 mm so that it fits between the outer edge of the molded material 10b located on the inside (right side) of the left support column 10, and the right outer edge of the solar power generation panel 1 is set to 1,154 mm so that it fits between the outer edge of the molded material 10a located on the inside (left side) of the right support column 10. In other words, the outer edge of the solar power generation panel 1 does not overlap with the outer molded material on the support columns 10, 10. Furthermore, bolt insertion holes for attaching the flat plate-shaped member 3, which will be described in detail later, are drilled in the rear extension plate portion 13 of the molded material 10b located on the inside (right side) of the left support column 10, and in the rear extension plate portion 13 of the molded material 10a located on the inside (left side) of the right support column 10.The aforementioned spacing of the support columns 10 is merely an example, and can be freely selected to match the size of the solar power generation panels, etc.

[0017] The crossbar member 11 is formed from a metal such as aluminum and has a roughly C-shape in side view. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, it is formed in a roughly C-shape in side view by a horizontally elongated strip-shaped front plate portion 15, an extended plate portion 16 formed by bending the upper and lower ends of the front plate portion 15 at right angles and extending them to the rear, and a folded-back portion 17 formed by bending the rear ends of the upper and lower extended plate portions 16 at right angles. The length of this crossbar member 11 in the left-right direction is set to 1,154 mm. That is, it is set to be approximately the same length as the distance between the outer edges of the molded materials 10b and 10a located inside the two support columns 10, 10, and more precisely, the left-right length of the solar power generation panel 1. The crossbar member 11 is fixed to the support columns 10, 10 at appropriate points so as to span the columns 10, 10 horizontally. Specifically, in this first embodiment, as shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), four horizontal members 11a, 11b, 11c, and 11d are provided to span the vertical space between adjacent support columns 10, 10. That is, one horizontal member 11a is fixed to the upper end between the support columns 10, 10, two horizontal members 11b and 11c are positioned vertically in parallel slightly above the center between the support columns 10, 10, and one horizontal member 11d is fixed at a distance below horizontal member 11c. The inner dimension between the uppermost horizontal member 11a and the horizontal member 11b located below it is set to be approximately the same length as the vertical length of the solar power generation panel 1. Incidentally, the horizontal member 11d located at the very bottom serves as a guide for leveling the mounting frame 2A when the lower ends of the support columns 10, 10 are buried in the ground to install the mounting frame 2A, that is, when installing the mounting frame 2A horizontally to the ground. Bolt insertion holes for attaching the flat plate-shaped member 3, which will be described in detail later, are drilled in the vertical center of each of the left and right ends of the front plate portion 15 of the horizontal member 11. Then, one solar power generation panel 1 will be mounted between the horizontal member 11a located at the top and the horizontal member 11b located below it. Therefore, these horizontal members 11a and 11b play a role in positioning the solar power generation panel 1 when mounting it and in supporting the solar power generation panel. Note that the horizontal length of the horizontal member 11 in this embodiment is merely an example, and its length can be freely selected according to the size of the solar power generation panel, etc.

[0018] The flat plate member 3 is a transparent rectangular plate material made of a material that transmits sunlight, such as polycarbonate. In this embodiment, two flat plate members 3A and 3B are provided above and below the front side of the pedestal 2A, and two flat plate members 3C and 3D are provided above and below the rear side of the pedestal 2A. The flat plate member 3A located above and in front of the pedestal 2A and the flat plate member 3C located above and behind the pedestal 2A have the same dimensions. The flat plate member 3B located below and in front of the pedestal 2A and the flat plate member 3D located below and behind the pedestal 2A have the same dimensions. In addition, bolt insertion holes are formed at the four corners of each of these flat plate members 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D. The flat plate member 3A on the upper and front side of the pedestal 2A is fixed to the horizontal bar member 11a located at the upper end of the pedestal 2A and the horizontal bar member 11b located below it. The flat plate member 3B on the lower and front side of the pedestal 2A is fixed to the horizontal bar member 11c located directly below the horizontal bar member 11b and the horizontal bar member 11d located below it. As a result, the entire front surface of the solar power generation panel 1 is completely covered by the upper flat plate member 3A, and the area from below the solar power generation panel 1 to the ground is covered by the lower flat plate member 3B. As shown in FIG. 3, the flat plate member 3 on the front side of the pedestal 2A is fixed to the horizontal bar member 11 by bolts 20 and nuts 21a and 21b. On the other hand, the upper and lower flat plate members 3C and 3D arranged on the rear side of the pedestal 2A are fixed to appropriate positions behind the inner pillars 10b and 10a of the pillars 10 of the pedestal 2A, respectively. In the above example, it is assumed that all the flat plate members 3 attached to the pedestal 2A are formed of transparent polycarbonate, which is a material that transmits sunlight. However, in order to achieve the object of the present invention, the flat plate member formed of a material that transmits sunlight only needs to be attached to the front surface of the solar power generation panel 1 at least, and the other parts do not have to be made of a material that transmits sunlight, or in fact, a component corresponding to the flat plate member does not have to be provided at all. In addition, the flat plate member provided on the front surface of the solar power generation panel 1 does not necessarily have to be polycarbonate, and if it is a material that transmits sunlight, other materials such as tempered glass can be selected, for example.

[0019] Here, we will explain the specific method for fixing the flat plate members 3 to the frame 2A. First, starting with the flat plate members 3A and 3B located on the front side of the frame 2A, when fixing them, the head of the bolt 20 is left on the rear side of the front plate portion 15 of the crossbar member 11, and the shaft of the bolt is inserted through the bolt insertion hole in the front plate portion 15. Then, a nut 21a is screwed onto the shaft of the bolt 20 that protrudes forward from the bolt insertion hole in the front plate portion 15. This process is carried out for all the bolt insertion holes of the crossbar members 11. After this, the bolt insertion hole of the flat plate member 3A or 3B is positioned on the shaft of the bolt 20 that protrudes in front of the nut 21a and inserted. Finally, nuts 21b are screwed onto all the shafts of the bolts 20 that protrude forward of the flat plate member 3A or 3B. By performing this on all four corners of each of the flat plate members 3A and 3B, the flat plate members 3A and 3B are fixed to the front side of the mounting frame 2A. When attaching the flat plate members 3A and 3B, a nut 21a is interposed between the front plate portion 15 of the horizontal bar member 11 and the flat plate member 3A or 3B, creating a gap between the flat plate members 3A and 3B and the solar power generation panel 1. However, it is not necessary to provide this gap in order to achieve the objective of the present invention. That is, the nut 21a may not be interposed between the front plate portion 15 of the horizontal bar member 11 and the flat plate member 3A or 3B, and the horizontal bar member 11 and the solar power generation panel 1 may be in close contact. Next, the flat plate members 3C and 3D located on the rear side of the frame 2A are attached via bolt insertion holes provided in the rear extension plate portion 13 of the formwork 10b located on the inside (right side) of the left support column 10, and the rear extension plate portion 13 of the formwork 10a located on the inside (left side) of the right support column 10. That is, the head of the bolt 25 is left on the front side of the rear extension plate portion 13 of the formwork 10a and 10b located on the inside of the respective support columns 10, 10, and the shaft of the bolt is inserted into the bolt insertion hole of the extension plate portion 13. Then, a nut 26a is screwed onto the shaft of the bolt 25 that protrudes rearward from the bolt insertion hole of the extension plate portion 13. Next, the bolt insertion hole of the flat plate-shaped member 3C or 3D is inserted onto the shaft of the bolt 25 that protrudes from the rear side of the nut 26a, and finally, the nut 26b is screwed onto the shaft of the bolt 25 that protrudes from the rear side of the flat plate-shaped member 3C or 3D.By performing this process on all four corners of each of the flat plate members 3C and 3D, the flat plate members 3C and 3D will be fixed to the rear side of the frame 2A.

[0020] Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the support frame, 2B, in which the length of the support columns 10,10 in the front-to-back direction is set shorter than that of the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 4(a). Specifically, the length of the support columns 10,10 of 2B is set to 3,343 mm, and the lower end is 2,100 mm shorter than that of 2A of the first embodiment. This is because 2A of the first embodiment is designed so that the lower ends of the support columns 10,10 are buried in the ground, but 2B of the second embodiment is not designed so that the support columns 10,10 are buried in the ground. In addition, 2B of this support frame is erected on the ground surface by burying other members in the ground and connecting the support columns 10,10 to them. Figure 4 shows one example, in which screw pipes 30,30 are buried in the ground and the lower ends of the support columns 10,10 are connected to them to erect 2B.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the photovoltaic power generation system can be configured such that one photovoltaic power generation panel 1 is mounted on a frame 2 and a flat plate-shaped member 3 is attached to it to form a single array. However, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, multiple arrays can be arranged in parallel in the left-right direction. In the example shown here, three arrays are arranged in parallel from left to right, but two arrays can be placed side by side, or four or more arrays can be arranged in parallel. When multiple arrays are arranged in parallel, as shown in Figure 6, the support column 10 of the central array is shared with the adjacent array. This eliminates gaps between adjacent flat plate-shaped members 3, 3.

[0022] The photovoltaic power generation system shown in Figure 7 is an example in which the flat plate-shaped member 3 is deformed on the mounting frame 2B, and the vertical length of the flat plate-shaped member 3 is set to be longer compared to the previously described example. That is, the flat plate-shaped member 3E on the front side of the mounting frame 2B in this example is set to a size that covers from the top end to the bottom end of the support columns 10, 10 of the mounting frame 2B. In this example, when the flat plate-shaped member 3E on the front side of the mounting frame 2B is made of a single piece, the flat plate-shaped member 3 on the rear side of the mounting frame 2B may be a single piece that covers from the top end to the bottom end of the support columns 10, 10 in the same way as the front side, or it may be divided into two parts vertically to form flat plate-shaped members 3C and 3D, as in the example described above. Furthermore, the flat plate-shaped member on the rear side of the mounting frame 2B in this example does not have to be made of a material that transmits sunlight, and it is also not necessary to provide anything equivalent to a flat plate-shaped member on the rear side of the mounting frame 2B in this example.

[0023] The arrays of photovoltaic power generation devices shown in Figures 8 to 10 represent modified versions of the mounting frame 2. In the third embodiment shown in Figure 8, the mounting frame 2C has the lengths of the support columns 10 and horizontal members 11 set so that the photovoltaic power generation panels 1 can be arranged horizontally. Note that the one shown in Figure 8 is the same as the mounting frame 2B shown in Figure 4, except that the length and width have been changed, and therefore it is given the same reference numerals as the mounting frame 2B shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the mounting frame 2D shown in Figure 9 is configured so that two horizontally oriented photovoltaic power generation panels 1 can be arranged vertically. In addition, the mounting frame 2E shown in Figure 10 is configured so that two vertically oriented photovoltaic power generation panels 1 can be arranged vertically. Note that in the examples shown in Figures 9 and 10, the vertical length of the support columns 10, 10 inevitably increases as the number of photovoltaic panels 1 increases. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, flat plate-shaped members 3F and 3G are provided on the front surfaces of the two upper and lower solar panels 1,1, and one flat plate-shaped member 3H is also provided from below the lower solar panel 1 down to the ground. In addition, the number of horizontal bar members 11 corresponding to the flat plate-shaped members 3F to 3G is increased. That is, in this example, horizontal bar sections 11e and 11f are added to the lower end of the frame, for a total of six vertically. As for other points, they consist of the same components as the aforementioned frame 2B, so the frame 2D and 2E4 shown in Figures 8 to 10 are given the same reference numerals as the frame 2B shown in Figure 4. Incidentally, these photovoltaic power generation arrays shown in Figures 8 to 10 can also be used by arranging multiple arrays in parallel in the left-right direction. Also, although the examples shown in Figures 9 and 10 show two solar panels arranged in parallel vertically, it is also possible to arrange three or more panels in parallel. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0024] 1. Solar power generation panel 2. Stand 3. Flat plate-shaped member 10 posts 11 Crossbar members

Claims

1. In a photovoltaic power generation system comprising one or more photovoltaic panels and a mounting frame for supporting the photovoltaic panels, The solar power generation device is characterized in that the mounting frame comprises two or more support columns erected substantially vertically with respect to the ground surface, the solar power generation panels are mounted so as to be located between the support columns, a flat plate-shaped member having a predetermined thickness and made of a material that transmits sunlight is provided in front of the front of the solar power generation panels, and the front of the solar power generation panels is covered by the flat plate-shaped member.

2. In a photovoltaic power generation system comprising one or more photovoltaic panels and a mounting frame for supporting the photovoltaic panels, The aforementioned mounting frame comprises two or more support columns erected substantially vertically with respect to the ground surface, and two or more horizontal crossbar members provided to span across each of the two or more support columns, wherein the two or more support columns are arranged at predetermined intervals between adjacent support columns, the horizontal crossbar members are arranged perpendicular to the support columns and at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction, the solar power generation panels are arranged between the support columns and between the horizontal crossbar members, and a flat plate-shaped member having a predetermined thickness and made of a material that transmits sunlight is provided in front of the front of the solar power generation panels, such that the front of the solar power generation panels is covered by the flat plate-shaped member.

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