Maintenance and service vessel for floating solar power plants

Abstract

The present invention relates to a maintenance and service vessel (7) for the installation, maintenance and cleaning of solar panels (6) and solar modules (1) in a floating solar power plant, comprising at least two parallel elongated pontoons (8) and at least two crossbeams (9) connecting the pontoons (8), wherein the pontoons (8) are hollow and provide buoyancy for the vessel (7), and at least one end (11) of each pontoon (8) is inclined to allow the vessel to pass over the mooring lines (2) connecting the solar modules (1) without damaging them.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a maintenance and service vessel for a floating solar power plant. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vessel that can be used for cleaning the surface of a floating solar power plant and for the maintenance, installation, and replacement of floating solar panels and / or solar modules.

Background Art

[0002] Background Floating solar power plants for power generation include a number of solar modules, which usually have a substantially square or rectangular shape, and each solar module includes a buoyancy member floating on the sea surface and a solar panel disposed on the individual buoyancy member. The buoyancy member maintains the solar panel at an appropriate height above the water surface. The individual solar modules are connected to adjacent solar modules by both power lines and support lines. The support lines maintain the individual solar modules at a certain distance from each other and also connect the solar modules by appropriate fixing means such as mooring cables to maintain the entire solar power plant in the correct position above the water surface. Usually, two solar modules are arranged adjacent to each other to form a pair of solar modules. Several such module pairs are connected to other module pairs to form a vertical row of module pairs. The distance between each module pair is very small, and the cables required to connect the solar panels are provided in the space between the solar panel modules in each pair. Each vertical row of module pairs is connected to the row of adjacent module pairs with a certain distance between such rows. These vertical rows of module pairs are connected to adjacent rows by mooring cables. The distance between the vertical rows of module pairs is larger than the distance between each module in the module pair.

[0003] Over time, solar panels become covered with dust, salt, and other contaminants, which gradually reduce the amount of sunlight absorbed by the solar cells, thereby decreasing power output. Therefore, to solve this problem and maintain stable and high power generation, it is necessary to clean the surface of the solar panels to enable high power generation. In the case of onshore solar parks, the surface of the solar panels can be cleaned using rotating brushes, water jets, ultrasonics, and solar panel shaking. In this case, the equipment for carrying out the cleaning is usually connected to a vehicle or robot, which moves the cleaning equipment from solar panel to solar panel.

[0004] However, in the case of solar power plants floating on the sea surface, such a solution is not possible because individual solar panels are inaccessible from the cleaning equipment used in land-based power plants. WO2015136107 relates to a corded grid-based floating solar power field with independent floating solar modules. Figure 9 and the corresponding text in this publication describe a movable floating service gantry including a deck supported by two floating pontoons. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance and service vessel that can be used during the installation, maintenance, and service of floating solar cell modules. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] These advantages and other advantages are obtained by a maintenance and service vessel for the installation, maintenance and cleaning of solar panels and solar modules in a floating solar power plant, comprising at least two parallel elongated pontoons and at least two transverse beams connecting the pontoons, wherein the pontoons are hollow, providing buoyancy for the vessel, and at least one end of each pontoon is inclined to allow the vessel to pass over mooring lines connecting the solar modules (1) without damaging the lines.

[0007] Preferably, each pontoon further includes a propulsion means for moving the ship along the row of solar modules, the propulsion means preferably being a water jet.

[0008] The vessel preferably further includes cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the solar panels, which preferably is a rotating brush or a high-pressure washer disposed between parallel pontoons.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the vessel further includes a deck covering a portion of the area between parallel pontoons, the uncovered portion of this area being sized to allow solar panels and / or solar modules to be installed on or removed from the deck into the sea.

[0010] Preferably, the pontoon is provided with cleaning means on its longitudinal sides facing each other for cleaning the sides of the solar cell modules and the mooring cables. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This shows a floating solar power plant. [Figure 2] This invention illustrates a maintenance and service vessel. [Figure 3] This shows maintenance and service vessels in typical usage scenarios. [Figure 4] This shows maintenance and service vessels in typical usage scenarios. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Detailed description of the invention Figure 1 shows a typical floating solar power plant containing multiple solar modules (1). The solar modules (1) are arranged in parallel rows, with each vertical row containing multiple module (1) pairs. The distance between each module (1) in a pair is relatively small, and the electrical cables necessary to carry electricity from the solar panels are provided between each solar module in a pair. As shown in Figure 1, each row of module pairs is positioned parallel to the next row, with a spacing D (Figure 4) between each row. Typically, each row contains 10 to 30 modules (1). Each row is connected to the adjacent row by lateral mooring cables (2), and each solar module (1) is connected to the next solar module (1) in the longitudinal direction of the row by longitudinal mooring cables (3). The ends of both the lateral and longitudinal mooring cables (2, 3) are connected to one or more anchoring assemblies (4).

[0013] A solar cell module (1) includes a buoyancy member (5) to which a solar cell panel (6) is attached (best shown in Figures 3 and 4). The solar cell panel (6) is detachably mounted on top of the buoyancy member (5), which keeps the solar cell panel (6) above the sea surface. Over time, the surface of the solar cell panel (6) becomes contaminated with salt and other pollutants that reduce the power generation capacity of the solar cell panel. To counteract this reduction in power generation capacity, it is necessary to clean the surface of the solar cell panel (6). Also, since the output of the solar cell gradually decreases over time, it becomes necessary to replace the solar cell panel over time.

[0014] Figure 2 shows a maintenance and service vessel (7) that may be used for the installation, maintenance and cleaning of solar panels (6) and for the installation, maintenance and replacement of buoyancy members (5). The vessel (7) includes at least two longitudinal pontoons (8) and two or more transverse beams (9) connecting the pontoons (8) to each other. The pontoons (8) are parallel to each other and provide buoyancy to the vessel (7). The vessel (7) also includes longitudinal beams connecting the transverse beams (9) to each other to provide a rigid frame. Furthermore, this frame may support a deck (12) that covers part of the frame. The area of ​​the frame not covered by the deck (12) has a sufficient opening, which allows for the installation and replacement of solar panels (6) or complete solar modules (1) through this opening.

[0015] The distance between parallel pontoons (8) is such that each pontoon (8) is positioned in the gap between adjacent rows of solar modules (1) and its horizontal cross-section is less than or equal to the distance (D) between each row of solar modules (1). One or both ends (11) of each pontoon (8) are sloped so that when the pontoon (8) moves through the gap between rows of solar modules (1), it can push down the mooring cables connecting the solar modules (1) and move freely over the mooring cables without the risk of being pierced by or damaging the mooring cables.

[0016] The vessel (7) may be provided with a device for cleaning the surface of the solar panels (6) between the pontoons (8). This device may be one or more rotating brushes (13) or other types of cleaning devices that can clean the surface of the solar panels (6) between the pontoons (8). Alternatively, the cleaning device may be a nozzle that sprays high-pressure water onto the surface of the solar panels (6).

[0017] In one preferred embodiment, each pontoon (8) is provided with propulsion means at one or both ends (11) so that the ship (7) can move along the rows of solar modules (1). In a more preferred embodiment, the propulsion means may be a water jet device.

[0018] In yet another preferred embodiment, the pontoon (8) or the longitudinal beam (10) may be provided with means for cleaning the sides of the mooring cables (2, 3) and the solar panel modules (1), such as a water jet.

[0019] Furthermore, the ship may be provided with a roof covering part or all of the upper area of the ship (7). In addition, this roof may be provided with solar panels for generating electricity for the cleaning device and the propulsion system.

[0020] In addition, the ship may be provided with devices necessary for supplying power to the propulsion means and the cleaning means, such as a power source and a pump. Explanation of Signs

[0021] 1 Solar panel module D Distance between each pair of solar panel modules in the D column 2 Lateral mooring cable 3 Longitudinal mooring cable 4 Fixing assembly 5 Buoyancy member 6 Solar panel 7 Maintenance and service ship 8 Longitudinal pontoon 9 Cross beam 10 Longitudinal beam 11 Pontoon end 12 Deck 13 Rotary brush

Claims

1. A maintenance and service vessel (7) for the installation, maintenance and cleaning of solar panels (6) and solar modules (1) in a floating solar power plant, comprising at least two parallel elongated pontoons (8) and at least two crossbeams (9) connecting the pontoons (8) to each other, wherein the pontoons (8) are hollow and provide buoyancy for the vessel (7), and at least one end (11) of each pontoon (8) is inclined to allow the vessel to pass over the mooring lines (2) connecting the solar modules (1) without damaging them.

2. The ship (7) according to claim 1, wherein each pontoon (8) further includes a propulsion means for moving the ship (7) along a row of solar modules (1), the propulsion means being preferably a water jet.

3. The vessel (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising a cleaning means for cleaning the surface of the solar cell panel (6), wherein the cleaning means is preferably a rotating brush (13) or a high-pressure washer disposed between the parallel pontoons (8).

4. The vessel (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a deck (12) covering a portion of the area between the parallel pontoons (8), wherein the uncovered portion of the area is sized to allow solar panels (6) and / or solar modules (1) to be installed on the deck (12) from the sea surface or removed from the deck (12) to the sea surface.

5. The ship (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pontoon (8) is provided with cleaning means on its longitudinal sides facing each other for cleaning the sides of the solar cell modules (1) and the mooring ropes (2, 3).

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