Solar power generation system inspection device and inspection method

Abstract

To provide photovoltaic power generation system inspection device and inspection method, which can automatically and objectively evaluate a state of soil which can affect integrity of a photovoltaic power generation system.SOLUTION: A photovoltaic power generation system inspection device for monitoring an operation status of a photovoltaic power generation system includes: a soil state detection mechanism for detecting a state of soil with respect to an area in which the photovoltaic power generation system is installed and a surrounding area; a data recording part for storing data indicating the state of soil, which is detected by the soil state detection mechanism; a data analysis part for analyzing the latest data which is detected by the soil state detection mechanism and is stored in the data recording part; and a data determination part for determining presence or absence of abnormality of the state of soil based on an analysis result by the data analysis part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a solar power generation system inspection device and an inspection method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, due to the intensification of natural disasters and concerns about the future shortage of electrical safety personnel, labor-saving and unmanned operation using an automatic inspection device or the like has been demanded for the operation and maintenance inspection of solar power generation systems.

[0003] The installation environment of a solar power generation system is diverse, such as on a slope or on water. Depending on the installation environment of the solar power generation system, it may be difficult for inspection workers to access. For this reason, it has been proposed to inspect a solar power generation system using an inspection tool such as a drone or a mobile robot.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As described above, the installation environment of a solar power generation system is diverse, and depending on the installation environment, it may be necessary to consider the preservation of the entire facility and safety to the surrounding environment, such as the stability of the soil due to embankment and cutting, and the stability of the slope of the cliff around the site. In particular, in recent years, due to the intensification of natural disasters, there have been cases such as damage caused by landslides, and objective evaluation and prediction technologies are required.

[0006] However, the evaluation of soil stability and the stability of surrounding cliff slopes in areas where solar power generation systems are installed has traditionally been done mostly through visual inspections by inspection workers, and conventional solar power generation system inspection equipment has not adequately evaluated quantitative changes over time.

[0007] The present invention has been made to address the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a solar power generation system inspection device and inspection method that can automatically and objectively evaluate the soil conditions that may affect the soundness of a solar power generation system in an environment in which a solar power generation system is installed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The solar power generation system inspection device of the embodiment is Equipped with solar panels A solar power generation system inspection device for monitoring the operating status of a solar power generation system, comprising: a soil condition detection mechanism for detecting the soil condition in the area where the solar power generation system is installed and the surrounding area; a data recording unit for storing data indicating the soil condition detected by the soil condition detection mechanism; a data analysis unit for analyzing the latest data detected by the soil condition detection mechanism and stored in the data recording unit; and a data determination unit for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the soil condition based on the analysis results by the data analysis unit. The soil condition detection mechanism is characterized by aligning the detection position using periodic points where the mounting frame on which the solar panels are attached is in contact with the soil as reference points. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a solar power generation system inspection device and inspection method that can automatically and objectively evaluate the soil conditions that may affect the soundness of a solar power generation system in an environment where a solar power generation system is installed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a photovoltaic power generation system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2]A schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a solar power generation system inspection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of a measurement method for a solar power generation system inspection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of a measurement method for a solar power generation system inspection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of a measurement method for a solar power generation system inspection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram showing an example of a measurement method for a solar power generation system inspection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of a measurement method for a solar power generation system inspection device according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of a measurement method for a solar power generation system inspection device according to an embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 schematically shows the general configuration of the solar power generation system 1 being inspected in the embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, many of the structures that make up the solar power generation system 1, such as the solar panels 101, are installed on a frame 102 made by driving piles into the soil 2. The soil 2 is often well-maintained terrain, but it may also be sloped or have a complex shape, and the surrounding environment is often exposed, such as cliff slopes 3.

[0012] Due to natural disasters such as typhoons and crustal movements such as earthquakes, the shape of the soil 2 and slope 3 may change. If the degree of change becomes significant, there is a concern that part of the solar power generation system 1 may be damaged due to soil subsidence or landslides.

[0013] Quantitatively measuring these changes in soil 2 and slope 3 during periodic inspections and capturing the trends in change provides crucial information for the operation and maintenance of the solar power generation system 1. Furthermore, since data acquisition during periodic inspections may be difficult for inspection personnel to access depending on the environment of the solar power generation system 1, it is desirable to use an automated inspection tool that does not require access by inspection personnel.

[0014] Therefore, in this embodiment, a soil condition detection mechanism 105 is mounted on a mobile body 104 such as a drone 103 to detect the soil condition. In the example shown in Figure 1, a laser scanner 106 is used as the soil condition detection mechanism 105, and the shape of the soil 2 and slope 3 is measured periodically using a laser 107 emitted from the laser scanner 106. Then, for example, by comparing the shape measurement results of the current measurement with previous shape measurement results, changes in the shape of the soil 2 and slope 3 can be detected, and their stability can be evaluated. The soil to be monitored is the area where the solar power generation system 1 is installed (soil 2 in Figure 1) and the surrounding area (slope 3 in Figure 1, etc.). The surrounding area refers to areas such as the slope 3 of the cliff shown in Figure 1, where there is a risk of damage to the solar power generation system 1 due to subsidence, landslides, etc.

[0015] In particular, in the case of solar power generation system 1, there are periodically occurring points that are in contact with the soil, such as the legs of the mounting frame 102 on which the solar panels 101 are placed. Since these locations are fixed points, they can be used as reference points 108 for shape measurement. Therefore, when conducting periodic inspections and evaluating changes over time, there is the advantage that the reference points 108 can be used to easily align the system.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of the solar power generation system inspection device according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the solar power generation system inspection device includes a moving body 104 such as a drone 103 and a main body portion 200 of the solar power generation system inspection device. A data server 121 is provided in the main body portion 200 of the solar power generation system inspection device. The data server 121 includes a data recording unit 122, a data analysis unit 123, and a data determination unit 124. An evaluation instruction mechanism 125 is connected to the data determination unit 124. The moving body 104 such as the drone 103 is equipped with the soil state detection mechanism 105 described above and a data communication mechanism 120 for communicating with the data server 121.

[0017] The data obtained by the soil state detection mechanism 105 mounted on the moving body 104 such as the drone 103 is transmitted to the data server 121 by the data communication mechanism 120 and can be effectively utilized by being stored in the data recording unit 122. Although not shown in the figures other than FIG. 2, the moving body 104 shown in each figure is equipped with the data communication mechanism 120.

[0018] The data recorded in the data recording unit 122 is analyzed by the data analysis unit 123. One of them is the evaluation of the change over time for each regular inspection, and by comparing the latest data detected this time with the data detected previously, it is possible to detect the change over time of the terrain and the like. In addition, it is possible to perform analyses such as comparison between the latest data detected this time and the theoretical value, and extraction of abnormal values by machine learning.

[0019] The results analyzed by the data analysis unit 123 as described above are input into the data determination unit 124. The data determination unit 124 determines whether there are any problems with the soil 2 or the slope 3 based on the input analysis results. And when the risk of subsidence or collapse is recognized, an inspection instruction can be issued from the evaluation instruction mechanism 125 to the moving body 104 for further investigation, or an emergency inspection worker can be dispatched for on-site confirmation, etc., and the process can proceed to the next operation. For example, when detecting the temporal change of the above-described terrain, if the temporal change is large and significantly different from the previous terrain, it can be evaluated that the risk of subsidence or collapse is high. The same applies to cases such as the moisture content described later.

[0020] Next, as the soil condition detection mechanism 105, a method using moisture as an index indicating the stability of the soil 2 or the slope 3 by using a moisture content measurement mechanism for measuring the moisture content in the soil will be described with reference to FIG. 3.

[0021] In the example shown in FIG. 3, a near-infrared camera 109 is used as the moisture content measurement mechanism. The near-infrared camera 109 can capture near-infrared rays from the soil 2 and the slope 3, and it is possible to image and evaluate the moisture distribution based on the difference in the absorption amount of near-infrared light due to the moisture content. As shown in FIG. 3, for example, a near-infrared camera 109 is mounted on a moving body 104 such as a drone 103, and by navigating through the area to be evaluated and acquiring images, the moisture content and the moisture distribution can be evaluated. Then, in the data server 121 described above, by comparing with the past regular inspection results, it is possible to know the locations where the moisture content has increased and to detect signs of collapse of the soil 2 and the slope 3.

[0022] As the moisture content measurement mechanism, in addition to the above-described near-infrared camera 109, general moisture meters such as an electrical resistance measurement type moisture meter 110 that measures electrical resistance and a microwave measurement type moisture meter 111 that measures using microwaves can be used. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, a self-propelled vehicle 113 that runs on the ground can be used as the moving body 104, and a method of inserting a probe 114 etc. into the soil for measurement may be used.

[0023] Furthermore, the installation stability evaluation mechanism 112 can be used as the soil condition detection mechanism 105 for detecting the stability of the soil 2 and the slope 3. In this case, it is also possible to evaluate the stability by generating elastic waves from the installation stability evaluation mechanism 112, determining their propagation speed, and then determining the density of the soil 2.

[0024] In this process, the installation stability evaluation mechanism 112 is brought into contact with the soil, and elastic waves are transmitted into the soil. The elastic waves reflected from the interfaces of soil layers and moisture are then received. The probes 114 that transmit and receive the elastic waves may be separate or the same, and it is also possible to evaluate elastic waves propagating along the ground surface. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, it is also possible to bring the probe 114 into contact with the legs of the mounting frame 102 of the solar panel 101, transmit elastic waves into the soil via the legs of the mounting frame 102, and receive elastic waves from the soil.

[0025] Figure 1 shows a single drone 103 operating as the mobile body 104, but as shown in Figure 6, multiple drones 103 may be used as the mobile body 104, and the drones 103 may be operated automatically or by human control. It is also possible to use ultra-small drones 103 called microdrones. In addition, instead of bringing the drone 103 as the mobile body 104 close to the ground, a method of measurement can be considered in which the soil condition detection mechanism 105 is suspended from the drone 103 as the mobile body 104.

[0026] Figure 6 shows a case where multiple drones 103 are used as the mobile body 104, but multiple self-propelled vehicles 113 as shown in Figure 7, multiple walking robots 115 as shown in Figure 8, or other forms may also be used.

[0027] The data server 121 of the main unit 200 of the solar power generation system inspection device shown in Figure 2 receives various types of data, such as power generation amount, sunlight amount, temperature, humidity, and monitoring video, in addition to the detection data from the soil condition detection mechanism 105 mentioned above. This monitoring data is collected and stored in the data acquisition unit 122. The data analysis unit 123 then analyzes this data, and the data determination unit 124 determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the analysis results. This allows for monitoring of the operating status of the solar power generation system 1.

[0028] Furthermore, the data acquisition unit 122, data analysis unit 123, data determination unit 124, etc. of the data server 121 described above may be configured separately for handling detection data from the aforementioned soil condition detection mechanism 105 and for handling monitoring data such as power generation amount, sunshine amount, temperature, humidity, and surveillance video.

[0029] In the case of the monitoring data mentioned above, abnormal conditions include, for example, panel damage, electrical system short circuits, snow accumulation, increased panel temperature, and reduced power generation due to shading. Furthermore, the data analysis unit 123 also analyzes whether there are any characteristic trends in the data changes. Characteristic trends in data changes include, for example, cases where power generation temporarily decreases and then quickly recovers, or cases where power generation gradually decreases.

[0030] If the data determination unit 124 determines that there is an abnormality in the solar power generation system 1, the evaluation instruction mechanism 125 can issue an inspection instruction to the mobile unit 104 to conduct further investigations, or dispatch inspection workers to the site on an emergency basis to perform an on-site check, thus allowing the system to proceed to the next step. In this case, the mobile unit 104 dispatched will be equipped with the aforementioned soil condition detection mechanism 105, as well as, for example, a visible light imaging device, a thermographic device to detect the presence or absence of high-temperature areas called hot spots, an ultraviolet camera to capture discharge phenomena, and various other sensors.

[0031] Examples of the various sensors mounted on the mobile body 104 include odor sensors, electromagnetic wave meters, non-contact thermometers, laser rangefinders, laser vibrometers, laser-induced breakdown spectrometers, eddy current sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and laser-induced breakdown spectrometers, but other sensors may also be used.

[0032] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1...Soil, 2...Slope, 101...Soil panel, 102...Mounting frame, 103...Drone, 104...Mobile device, 105...Soil condition detection mechanism, 106...Laser scanner, 107...Laser, 108...Reference point, 109...Near-infrared camera, 110...Electrical resistance moisture meter, 111...Microwave moisture meter, 112...Installation stability evaluation mechanism, 113...Self-propelled vehicle, 114...Probe, 115...Walking robot, 120...Data communication mechanism, 121...Data server, 122...Data acquisition unit, 123...Data analysis unit, 124...Data judgment unit, 125...Evaluation instruction mechanism, 200...Soil power generation system inspection device main unit.

Claims

1. A solar power generation system inspection device for monitoring the operating status of a solar power generation system equipped with solar panels, A soil condition detection mechanism for detecting the soil condition in the area where the aforementioned solar power generation system is installed and the surrounding area, A data acquisition unit that stores data indicating the soil condition detected by the soil condition detection mechanism, A data analysis unit analyzes the latest data detected by the soil condition detection mechanism and stored in the data acquisition unit, The system comprises a data determination unit that determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the soil condition based on the analysis results from the data analysis unit, The soil condition detection mechanism is The detection is aligned using periodic points where the mounting frame on which the solar panels are attached is in contact with the soil as reference points. A solar power generation system inspection device characterized by the following.

2. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 1, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the soil condition detection mechanism includes a soil shape detection mechanism for detecting the shape of the soil.

3. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 2, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the soil shape detection mechanism is a laser scanning shape measurement mechanism that detects the shape by scanning and irradiating with a laser.

4. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 3, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the soil shape detection mechanism detects the soil shape based on positional information of the parts of the structure constituting the solar power generation system that are in contact with the soil, using the laser scan shape measurement mechanism.

5. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 4, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized by using ground contact position information of the legs of the solar panel mounting frame as location information of the parts of the structure constituting the solar power generation system that are in contact with the soil.

6. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the soil condition detection mechanism includes a moisture content measurement mechanism for detecting the moisture content of the soil.

7. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 6, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the moisture content measurement mechanism detects the moisture content of the soil by at least one of the following: imaging using near-infrared light, measurement of electrical resistance, and measurement of microwave attenuation.

8. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the soil condition detection mechanism includes an installation stability evaluation mechanism that evaluates the installation stability of the structures constituting the solar power generation system installed in the soil with respect to the soil using elastic waves.

9. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 8, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the installation stability evaluation mechanism uses the legs of the mounting frame of the solar panels constituting the solar power generation system as input and output positions for elastic waves.

10. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the soil condition detection mechanism is mounted on a mobile body capable of automatic navigation.

11. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 10, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the mobile body includes one of the following: a drone, a self-propelled vehicle, or a walking robot.

12. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 11, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized in that the mobile body is a drone, and the soil condition detection mechanism is suspended from the drone.

13. A solar power generation system inspection device according to claim 1 or 2, A data acquisition unit that records monitoring data regarding the operating status of the aforementioned solar power generation system, A data analysis unit that analyzes the monitoring data stored in the data acquisition unit, A data determination unit that determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the analysis results by the data analysis unit, A solar power generation system inspection device characterized by comprising the following:

14. A method for inspecting a solar power generation system equipped with solar panels, wherein the method involves monitoring the operating status of the solar power generation system, A soil condition detection mechanism for detecting the soil condition in the area where the aforementioned solar power generation system is installed and the surrounding area, A data acquisition unit that stores data indicating the soil condition detected by the soil condition detection mechanism, A data analysis unit analyzes the latest data detected by the soil condition detection mechanism and stored in the data acquisition unit, A data determination unit determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the soil condition based on the analysis results from the data analysis unit, It is equipped with, A method for inspecting a solar power generation system, characterized in that the inspection is performed using a solar power generation system inspection device that aligns the detection position of the soil condition detection mechanism with periodic locations where the frame on which the solar panels are mounted is in contact with the soil as reference points.

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