Light concentrating device

Abstract

To restrain deterioration of a power generation efficiency of generating solar power in a parked vehicle equipped with a solar power generation device.SOLUTION: A light collection apparatus includes a light collection member that collects and projects sunlight, a driving device that drives the light collection member, and a control device that controls the driving device. With the light collection member, the light collection apparatus projects light toward a parked vehicle equipped with a solar power generation device having at least one solar battery panel. The control device controls the driving device on the basis of the position of the solar battery panel such that the power generation efficiency of solar power generation at the solar power generation device becomes equal to or higher than an initial power generation efficiency which is a power generation efficiency when the light collection member is in an initial position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a light condensing device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of light condensing device, a light condensing member (light condensing sheet) that condenses and irradiates sunlight and is fixed to the roof of a garage has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this device, sunlight is condensed and irradiated by the light condensing member onto a vehicle parked in the garage and equipped with a solar power generation device having a solar cell.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the above-described light condensing device, depending on the mounting position of the solar cell of the vehicle and the parking position of the vehicle, sunlight may not be efficiently irradiated onto the solar cell, and the power generation efficiency of solar power generation by the solar power generation device may decrease.

[0005] The main object of the light condensing device of the present invention is to suppress a decrease in the power generation efficiency of solar power generation in a parked vehicle equipped with a solar power generation device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The light condensing device of the present invention has adopted the following means to achieve the above main object.

[0007] The light condensing device of the present invention A light concentrator comprising a light concentrator that concentrates and irradiates sunlight, a drive device that drives the light concentrator, and a control device that controls the drive device, wherein the light concentrator irradiates light onto a parked vehicle equipped with a solar power generation device having at least one solar panel, The control device controls the drive device based on the position of the solar panel so that the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic power generation device is equal to or greater than the initial power generation efficiency, which is the power generation efficiency at the initial position of the light concentrator. This is the gist of it.

[0008] In this light-concentrating device of the present invention, the drive unit is controlled based on the position of the solar cell panel so that the power generation efficiency of the solar cell is equal to or greater than the initial power generation efficiency, which is the power generation efficiency at the initial position of the light-concentrating member. As a result, the decrease in the power generation efficiency of solar cell power generation can be suppressed in a parked vehicle equipped with a solar cell.

[0009] In the light concentrating device of the present invention, the control device may control the drive device based on the position of the solar cell panel and the altitude and azimuth of the sun, so that the power generation efficiency is equal to or greater than the initial power generation efficiency. This allows the light concentrating member to be driven more appropriately to irradiate the solar cell with light. This suppresses a decrease in the power generation efficiency of solar power generation.

[0010] Furthermore, in the light concentrating device of the present invention, the drive device can change the inclination angle of the light concentrating member with respect to the ground, and the control device may set a target inclination angle of the light concentrating member with respect to the horizontal plane based on the position of the solar cell panel so that the power generation efficiency is equal to or greater than the initial power generation efficiency, and control the drive device so that the inclination angle of the light concentrating member with respect to the horizontal plane becomes the target inclination angle. In this way, the inclination angle of the light concentrating member with respect to the horizontal plane can be changed to irradiate the solar cell with light. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the power generation efficiency of solar power generation.

[0011] Furthermore, the light concentrating device of the present invention may be equipped with a panel position detection device for detecting the position of the solar cell panel. This allows for accurate determination of the position of the solar cell. This helps to suppress a decrease in the power generation efficiency of solar power generation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a light-gathering device 20 as one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This flowchart shows an example of a control routine executed by the CPU of the control device. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the horizontal plane Ph and the inclination angle θp. [Figure 4] This shows an example of how sunlight hits the solar panels 32a and 32b when the tilt angle θp of the light concentrator plate 22 is changed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Next, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described using examples. [Examples]

[0014] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a light-gathering device 20 as one embodiment of the present invention. The light-gathering device 20 comprises a light-gathering plate (light-gathering member) 22, a drive device 24, and a control device 26.

[0015] The light-concentrating plate 22 is formed as a reflector that reflects sunlight and is attached to the roof R of the garage 10, which is formed as a cantilever structure consisting of a roof R that is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and support columns Pi that support the roof R. The light-concentrating plate 22 is configured to be rotatable around a pivot axis 22a that extends in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 30 (the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1) when the vehicle 30 is parked in the garage 10. The vehicle 30 is equipped with a photovoltaic power generation system 32 which includes solar panels 32a and 32b mounted on the roof of the vehicle body and on the front hood, and a converter (not shown) that supplies the electricity generated by the solar panels 32a and 32b to a battery.

[0016] The drive unit 24, although not shown in the figure, includes an electric motor and a linkage mechanism, and drives the light-gathering plate 22 by rotating it synchronously around the pivot axis 22a, thereby changing the inclination angle θp of the light-gathering plate 22 with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0017] The control device 26 is configured as a microprocessor centered around a CPU (not shown). The control device 26 receives image data from a camera (panel position detection device) 28 mounted on the roof R of the garage 10 and taking pictures inside the garage 10. Control signals are input from the control device 26 to the drive device 24.

[0018] Next, the operation of the light-gathering device 20 configured in this way will be described. Figure 2 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the CPU of the control device. This routine is executed repeatedly at predetermined intervals (for example, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, etc.) when a vehicle 30 is parked in the garage 10. In determining whether or not a vehicle 30 is parked in the garage 10, the presence of a vehicle 30 is detected in the garage 10 by image recognition based on image data from the camera 28, and it is determined that a vehicle 30 is parked in the garage 10 when this detection occurs.

[0019] When this routine is executed, a process of inputting the positions Ppv1 and Ppv2 of the solar panels 32a and 32b of the vehicle 30 parked in the garage 10, the altitude (elevation angle) hsun and azimuth dsun of the sun at the current date and time, and the inclination angle θp of the condenser plate 22 with respect to the horizontal plane Ph is executed (step S100). FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of the relationship between the horizontal plane Ph and the inclination angle θp. The positions Ppv1 and Ppv2 are extracted by performing image recognition on the image data from the camera 28. The altitude hsun and azimuth dsun of the sun are stored in advance in a database as the relationship between the date and time, the altitude hsun and azimuth dsun of the sun, and the altitude hsun and azimuth dsun are derived and set from the database. The inclination angle θp is input with a value calculated based on the amount of rotation from the reference position of the rotation axis 22a. Examples of the reference position include a position where the condenser plate 22 is substantially parallel to the roof R of the garage 10 (the position shown in FIG. 1).

[0020] Next, the target tilt angle θp* is set as the target value for the tilt angle of the concentrating plate 22 with respect to the horizontal plane Ph, using the input positions Ppv1, Ppv2, altitude hsun, and azimuth dsun (step S110). The target tilt angle θp* is set by the following method. The control device 26 has pre-stored a database in a ROM (not shown) containing the relationship between the altitude and azimuth of the sun, the positions of the solar panels 32a and 32b in the garage 10, the tilt angle of the concentrating plate 22, and the power generation efficiency of the solar power generation device 32. From the stored database, the control device 26 derives the initial power generation efficiency Egi as the power generation efficiency corresponding to the positions Ppv1, Ppv2, altitude hsun, azimuth dsun, and tilt angle θp input in step S100. Then, the system checks the database to determine if there is a tilt angle that results in a higher power generation efficiency than the derived initial power generation efficiency Egi for the same position Ppv1, Ppv2, altitude hsun, and azimuth dsun. If there is a tilt angle that results in a higher power generation efficiency than the derived initial power generation efficiency Egi, that tilt angle is set as the target tilt angle θp*. If there is no tilt angle that results in a higher power generation efficiency than the derived initial power generation efficiency Egi, the tilt angle θp entered in step S100 is set as the target tilt angle θp*. Through this process, the target tilt angle θp* is set to a tilt angle that makes the power generation efficiency Eg equal to or greater than the initial power generation efficiency Egi.

[0021] When the target tilt angle θp* is set in this way, the drive device 24 is controlled so that the tilt angle θp of the condenser plate 22 becomes the target tilt angle θp* (step S120), and this routine ends. FIG. 4 shows an example of the state of sunlight irradiated onto the solar cell panels 32a and 32b after changing the tilt angle θp of the condenser plate 22. In the figure, the arrow indicates the traveling direction of the sunlight reflected by the condenser plate 22. The dashed line indicates the condenser plate 22 before changing the tilt angle θp and the traveling direction of the sunlight reflected by the condenser plate 22. Before changing the tilt angle θp, the sunlight reflected by the condenser plate 22 is irradiated onto the solar cell panel 32a installed on the roof of the vehicle 30, and is not irradiated onto the solar cell panel 32a installed on the front bonnet. After changing the tilt angle θp, the sunlight reflected by the condenser plate 22 is irradiated onto both the solar cell panels 32a and 32b. By changing the tilt angle θp of the condenser plate 22 in this way, more sunlight can be irradiated onto the solar cell panels 32a and 32b regardless of the parking position of the vehicle 30, and a decrease in the power generation efficiency Eg of the solar power generation device 32 in the vehicle 30 can be suppressed.

[0022] According to the condenser device 20 of the embodiment described above, based on the positions Ppv1 and Ppv2 of the solar cell panels 32a and 32b, the altitude hsun and azimuth dsun of the sun, the drive device 24 is controlled so that the power generation efficiency Eg of solar power generation by the solar power generation device 32 becomes not less than the initial power generation efficiency Egi, which is the power generation efficiency at the initial position of the condenser plate 22. Thus, in the parked vehicle 30 equipped with the solar power generation device 32, a decrease in the power generation efficiency Eg of solar power generation can be suppressed.

[0023] In the condenser device 20 of the embodiment, the initial power generation efficiency Egi is defined as the power generation efficiency corresponding to the positions Ppv1 and Ppv2, altitude (elevation angle) hsun, azimuth dsun, and tilt angle θp input in step S100. However, the initial power generation efficiency Egi may be defined as the power generation efficiency when the condenser plate 22 is parallel to the roof R of the garage 10 (when in the position of the condenser plate 22 in FIG. 1).

[0024] In the light-gathering device 20 of the embodiment, the positions Ppv1 and Ppv2 of the solar panels 32a and 32b are extracted by performing image recognition on the image data from the camera 28. However, since it is only necessary to detect the mounting positions of the solar panels 32a and 32b, other methods may be used. For example, the mounting positions of the solar panels 32a and 32b on the vehicle 30 may be stored in ROM, the distance D from the support pillar Pi of the garage 10 to the vehicle 30 may be detected using a laser or the like, and the positions of the solar panels 32a and 32b within the garage 10 may be detected from the mounting positions of the solar panels 32a and 32b on the vehicle 30 stored in ROM and the distance D.

[0025] In the light-gathering device 20 of the embodiment, the drive unit 24 changes the inclination angle θp of the light-gathering plate 22 with respect to the horizontal plane by synchronously rotating the light-gathering plate 22 around the pivot axis 22a. However, two rails parallel to the vehicle length direction of the vehicle 30 inside the garage 10 may be laid on the roof R of the garage 10, the light-gathering plate 22 may be slidably installed on the rails and a chain attached to it, and the drive unit 24 may change the position of the light-gathering plate 22 by driving this chain to move the light-gathering plate 22 on the rails. Furthermore, the drive unit 24 may be controlled so that the power generation efficiency Eg of the solar power generation by the photovoltaic power generation device 32 is equal to or greater than the initial power generation efficiency, which is the power generation efficiency before the movement of the light-gathering plate 22 (initial position).

[0026] The light-gathering device 20 of the embodiment includes a light-gathering plate 22 formed as a reflector that reflects sunlight. However, instead of such a light-gathering plate 22, a light-gathering lens that focuses and concentrates sunlight for illumination may be used.

[0027] In the embodiment, the example illustrates the application of the light concentrator 20 of the present invention to a vehicle 30 equipped with two solar panels 32a and 32b mounted on the roof and hood. However, the number and position of solar panels mounted on the vehicle to be irradiated with sunlight may be changed as appropriate.

[0028] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on the main elements of the embodiment and the means for solving the problem will be explained. In the embodiment, the light-gathering plate 22 corresponds to the "light-gathering member", the drive device 24 corresponds to the "drive device", and the control device 26 corresponds to the "control device".

[0029] Furthermore, the correspondence between the main elements of the examples and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem is not intended to limit the elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem, as the examples are merely one example to specifically illustrate a form for carrying out the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem. In other words, the interpretation of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem should be based on the description in that section, and the examples are merely one specific example of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem.

[0030] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and can be carried out in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0031] This invention can be used in industries such as the manufacturing of light concentrating devices. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0032] 10 Garage, 20 Light concentrator, 22 Light concentrator plate, 22a Rotary shaft, 24 Drive unit, 26 Control unit, 28 Camera, 30 Vehicle, 32 Solar power generation unit, 32a, 32b Solar panels, R Roof, Pi Support column.

Claims

[Claim 1] A light concentrator comprising one light concentrator that concentrates and irradiates sunlight, a drive device that drives one of the light concentrators, and a control device that controls the drive device, wherein a light concentrator irradiates light onto a parked vehicle equipped with a solar power generation system having multiple solar panels using one of the light concentrators, Panel position detection device for detecting the positions of multiple solar panels Equipped with, The drive device is capable of changing the inclination angle of the light-gathering member with respect to the horizontal plane, The control device determines, based on the positions of the plurality of solar panels detected by the panel position detection device, the altitude and azimuth of the sun, whether there is an inclination angle at which the power generation efficiency of the solar power generation device is higher than the initial power generation efficiency, which is the power generation efficiency at the initial position of the light concentrator. If there is an inclination angle at which the power generation efficiency is higher than the initial power generation efficiency, the control device sets the inclination angle at which the power generation efficiency is higher than the initial power generation efficiency as the target inclination angle. If there is no inclination angle at which the power generation efficiency is higher than the initial power generation efficiency, the control device sets the inclination angle of the light concentrator at the initial position as the target inclination angle and controls the drive device so that the inclination angle of the light concentrator with respect to the horizontal plane becomes the target inclination angle. Light concentrator.

Images