Solar power generation system monitoring system

Abstract

To provide a monitoring system for a photovoltaic power generation system, which can facilitate maintenance work of the photovoltaic power generation system.SOLUTION: The monitoring system comprises: an abnormality detection unit that detects an abnormality in the photovoltaic power generation system; an abnormality determination unit that determines a content of the detected abnormality; an importance determination unit that determines importance in accordance with the content of the abnormality; and a notification unit that notifies a user of information on maintenance in accordance with the content of the abnormality and the importance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring system for a photovoltaic power generation system that monitors the photovoltaic power generation system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, photovoltaic power generation systems have become widely popular not only among power companies but also among general consumers. A user, who is a general consumer, installs solar cell panels on the premises or roof of their house and constructs a photovoltaic power generation system together with necessary component devices such as a power conditioner, a monitor for displaying the power generation status, and a storage battery. Then, the user operates electrical appliances in their house using the power generated by the photovoltaic power generation system or sells the power generated by the photovoltaic power generation system to the power company.

[0003] When operating such a photovoltaic power generation system, some abnormality (such as a failure) may occur in the photovoltaic power generation system. As a technology for dealing with such an abnormality, a power control device for a photovoltaic power generation system disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a power control device for a photovoltaic power generation system (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a power control device) having an error detection means for detecting an error in the photovoltaic power generation system, an abnormality determination means, a non-volatile storage means, and a start / stop determination means. In this power control device, when the error detection means detects an error state in each part of the solar cell array and the grid-connected inverter, the abnormality determination means determines whether it is an abnormality. If it is determined to be an abnormality, an operation stop operation corresponding to the detected error is performed. Specifically, either an operation performed only by the gate block or an operation performed by both the gate block and the cutoff operation is performed.

[0004] This power control device stores abnormality information in a volatile memory when it detects an abnormality. Therefore, even if the power supply to the control unit is cut off, the abnormality information can be retained. When power is restored to the control unit, the contents of the non-volatile memory can be read to determine whether or not an abnormality occurred. Consequently, once an abnormality is detected, the system can remain stopped without requiring restarts to investigate the abnormality.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses that warning means such as display means and alarm means may be provided, and the warning means may be activated when it is determined that an abnormality has been detected. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-289102 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] Here, among the abnormalities (malfunctions) that occur in solar power generation systems, there are serious abnormalities that pose a high risk of leading to fires, etc., and require immediate attention. On the other hand, there are abnormalities that require maintenance personnel to rush to check, but do not require immediate attention, and are expected to be resolved within a few days, for example. Furthermore, there are abnormalities of very low urgency that are expected to be resolved even if left unattended until the next scheduled maintenance. Therefore, maintenance companies need to dispatch maintenance personnel to the solar power generation system at the appropriate time to address any malfunctions that occur. However, when a maintenance company is contracted to maintain a large number of solar power generation systems, and malfunctions occur in multiple systems, it can be difficult to appropriately allocate maintenance personnel. In other words, it can be difficult for the maintenance company to respond appropriately to each malfunction according to its severity.

[0008] Furthermore, various types of malfunctions can occur in solar power generation systems, and the response differs depending on the type of malfunction. For example, depending on the malfunction, it may be necessary to replace solar modules or cables, install additional protective components, or clean specific parts. In addition, various measurements such as impedance measurements and IR measurements may be performed before or after such responses (work) as needed. It is desirable for maintenance workers to understand the work to be performed at the site (the installation location of the solar power generation system) in advance and to make appropriate preparations for the work in order to streamline operations. However, as mentioned above, the work to respond to malfunctions (maintenance work) varies depending on the malfunction that occurs, and it has been difficult for maintenance workers to accurately understand all of them. In other words, it was extremely difficult to respond appropriately and efficiently to various malfunctions occurring in solar power generation systems, depending on the severity and nature of the malfunction. Therefore, there was a need for a system that would support maintenance operations such as maintenance, management, and repair of solar power generation systems, and that would simplify these maintenance tasks.

[0009] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system for solar power generation systems that can facilitate maintenance work on solar power generation systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a monitoring system for a solar power generation system, characterized by comprising: an abnormality detection unit for detecting abnormalities in the solar power generation system; an abnormality determination unit for determining the content of the detected abnormality; an importance determination unit for determining the importance of the abnormality according to the content of the abnormality; and a notification unit for notifying maintenance-related information according to the content of the abnormality and its importance.

[0011] In this type of solar power generation system monitoring system, maintenance information is notified according to the nature and severity of the abnormality. This allows maintenance contractors and others to easily understand the severity of any abnormalities occurring in the solar power generation system, as well as the details of the maintenance work required to address those abnormalities.

[0012] In the above-described situation, it is preferable that the importance determination unit determines whether the detected abnormality falls under either importance A or importance B, where importance is defined as the likelihood of the abnormality developing into a serious accident being low, and importance is defined as the likelihood of the abnormality developing into a serious accident being higher and requiring the dispatch of personnel to the installation site of the solar power generation system.

[0013] In this manner, it is easy to determine whether or not an anomaly has occurred that requires sending personnel to the installation site of the solar power generation system.

[0014] The preferred configuration described above is more preferably such that the photovoltaic power generation system comprises a photovoltaic power generation device and a power conditioner, and further comprises a circuit breaker, and when the importance level of an event that is even more important than importance level B is defined as importance level C, the importance determination unit determines whether the detected abnormality corresponds to importance level C, and if it determines that the abnormality corresponds to importance level C, the DC circuit between the photovoltaic power generation device and the power conditioner is interrupted by the circuit breaker.

[0015] In this context, when a highly urgent anomaly is detected in a solar power generation system, it is possible to suppress the spread of damage until someone can rush to the site of the solar power generation system.

[0016] A more preferable aspect described above is that, if the abnormality is determined to be of severity B, or if the abnormality is determined to be of severity C, a signal is transmitted to equipment used by the maintenance operator of the solar power generation system, and the equipment performs an action prompting the dispatch of personnel to the installation site of the solar power generation system.

[0017] Under these circumstances, it becomes possible to appropriately dispatch maintenance personnel to the installation sites of solar power generation systems.

[0018] Preferably, the above-described aspect includes one or more of the following information regarding maintenance: information regarding the installation location of the solar power generation system where the abnormality occurred; information regarding the location of the string where the abnormality occurred; information regarding equipment that is expected to fail; information regarding the traceability of equipment that is expected to fail; information regarding the failure history of equipment that is expected to fail; information regarding the inventory of replacement parts for equipment belonging to the solar power generation system; information regarding the maintenance method of the solar power generation system; information regarding measuring instruments necessary for the maintenance of the solar power generation system; information regarding the maintenance costs of the solar power generation system; and information regarding the maintenance schedule of the solar power generation system.

[0019] In this manner, it becomes possible to communicate more practical maintenance information to workers performing tasks on-site.

[0020] A more preferable configuration described above is the further provision of a database in which at least one of the following is recorded: information concerning the equipment constituting the solar power generation system, information concerning the installation date of the solar power generation system, information concerning the installation location of the solar power generation system, information concerning the abnormality, and information concerning the importance level. If it is determined that the abnormality corresponds to importance level B, or if it is determined that the abnormality corresponds to importance level C, the system performs an operation to determine, based on the information recorded in the database, whether there are other solar power generation systems similar to the solar power generation system in which the abnormality was detected, and to notify the system of information identifying the existence of other similar solar power generation systems, and / or information concerning other similar solar power generation systems.

[0021] According to such an aspect, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an abnormality that is predicted to occur in another solar power generation system similar to the solar power generation system in which the abnormality has been detected.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a monitoring system for a solar power generation system that can facilitate the maintenance work of the solar power generation system.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a monitoring system, an external terminal device, and a solar power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the solar power generation system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart showing the maintenance support operation executed by the monitoring system of FIG. 1.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] Hereinafter, a monitoring system 1 (a monitoring system for a solar power generation system) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the monitoring system 1 of the present embodiment has a server 2 that functions as a monitoring system main body, and monitors the state of the solar power generation system 3 during operation. This monitoring system 1 is used together with the solar power generation system 3 and a terminal 4 for a maintenance contractor, which is an external terminal device. That is, the server 2, a control device 27 of the solar power generation system 3 (to be described in detail later), and the external terminal device are connected via a network 8 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0026] In this embodiment, network 8 is the internet, and each network is connected in a way that allows them to send and receive signals from one another. When network 8 is an external network (wide-area network) such as the internet, the external network naturally includes cases where relay stations (relay points) are interposed between each device. Network 8 could also be an internal network (local network) such as a LAN (Local Area Network). In other words, it is sufficient that each network is connected in a way that allows them to send and receive signals from one another.

[0027] Server 2 has a configuration similar to that of a typical server or PC. Specifically, Server 2 includes a CPU, a storage unit including a main memory and an auxiliary memory unit, a communication unit, and a bus connecting each unit. The main memory is volatile memory and is used as the CPU's workspace. The auxiliary storage unit contains non-volatile memory and functions as ROM and storage. It also stores programs for implementing various functions, as well as various data, databases, etc. The communications unit is a device for exchanging signals (information) with various external devices. Furthermore, this server 2 may be connected to information input means such as a keyboard and mouse (pointing device) that accept information input from the user, as well as information display means such as a monitor.

[0028] Server 2 functions as an anomaly detection unit 13, an anomaly determination unit 14, a severity determination unit 15, and a notification unit 16, as shown in Figure 1, by having the CPU load programs stored in the auxiliary memory into the main memory and execute them.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the solar power generation system 3 is intended for general residential use. Specifically, it includes a solar cell module 20 (solar power generation device), mounting components 21, a junction box 22, a power conditioner 23, a distribution board 24, an electricity meter 25, a storage battery 26, and a monitor (not shown) as its components. Furthermore, the solar power generation system 3 of this embodiment has a control device 27 (not shown in Figure 2, see Figure 1).

[0030] The solar cell module 20 is formed by attaching auxiliary components to a solar cell panel. The solar cell panel is a plate-shaped component formed by including multiple electrically connected solar cells (solar cell elements), and the auxiliary components include a frame component, a terminal box, a buffer component, and output cables for power extraction connected to the terminal box. Of course, the solar cell module 20 is not limited to a configuration having all of the above auxiliary components; for example, it may be a so-called frameless module that does not include a frame component.

[0031] The mounting components 21 are metal structures used to attach the solar cell module 20 to the installation site, and specifically include mounting frames, fixing brackets, etc.

[0032] The junction box 22 is a device that aggregates the power generated by multiple solar cell modules 20 into a single output system. To explain in detail, in the solar power generation system 3, one or more solar cell modules 20 are treated as one block (string), and one set of wiring extends from each of the multiple blocks (detailed illustration omitted). Then, in the solar power generation system 3 which has a junction box 22, the wiring coming from each block is bundled into one set within the junction box 22 and connected to the power conditioner 23. In other words, multiple blocks are electrically connected in parallel to collect power and connect to the power conditioner 23.

[0033] In this embodiment, the junction box 22 includes a reverse current prevention diode (not shown) inside to prevent current from flowing into the solar cell module 20. Furthermore, a switching means 35 (circuit breaker) is provided inside the junction box 22.

[0034] The switching means 35 is, for example, a relay, which is a device that switches on and off in response to an external signal to connect and disconnect the electrical circuit. To explain in detail, a DC circuit 36 ​​through which direct current flows is formed between the solar cell module 20 and the power conditioner 23. In other words, this DC circuit 36 ​​is a circuit that has a switching means 35. When the switching means 35 is turned on or off, the state in which direct current flows from the solar cell module 20 to the power conditioner 23 is switched between a state in which direct current flows and a state in which no direct current flows. In other words, the state in which the solar cell module 20 and the power conditioner 23 are electrically connected (hereinafter also referred to as the connected state) and a state in which they are electrically disconnected (hereinafter also referred to as the disconnected state) are switched.

[0035] In this embodiment, a detector 37 is provided inside the junction box 22. This detector 37 is a device that detects (measures) the input current and input voltage input to the junction box 22.

[0036] The power conditioner 23 is a device that converts the DC power input from the solar cell module 20 (junction box 22 side) into AC power. In other words, it converts the frequency and voltage of the power generated by the solar cell module 20 into AC power that is compatible with the commercial power grid, so that the power generated by the solar cell module 20 can be connected to the commercial power grid and used. In other words, the power conditioner 23 is equipped with an inverter device that converts direct current to alternating current, and a controller that controls the voltage and frequency of the alternating current converted by the inverter device.

[0037] The distribution board 24 is a device that distributes AC power (commercial power) from the commercial power grid and generated power supplied by the power conditioner 23 to each power load 40 (for example, air conditioners, lights, etc.). The distribution board 24 in this embodiment is equipped with safety devices such as a ground fault circuit interrupter (not shown).

[0038] The electricity meter 25 is a measuring device that includes a meter for purchasing electricity and a meter for selling electricity. In other words, it can measure the amount of electricity purchased that is supplied from the commercial power grid to the distribution board 24, the amount of electricity sold that is supplied to the commercial power grid, and the amount of electricity generated by the solar cell module 20. Furthermore, the electricity meter 25 in this embodiment can also measure the amount of electricity discharged from the storage battery 26 and the amount of electricity charged into the storage battery 26.

[0039] The storage battery 26 charges and discharges power from the commercial power grid and power generated by the solar cell module 20 as needed, and is composed of, for example, a lithium-ion battery.

[0040] The control device 27, like a typical control board, includes a CPU, a storage unit including a main memory unit and an auxiliary memory unit, and a communication unit. A detailed explanation of the CPU, storage unit, and communication unit is the same as described above and will be omitted here. The auxiliary memory unit stores programs for realizing various functions and various data.

[0041] In this solar power generation system 3, multiple solar cell modules 20 are arranged in a row to form a solar power generation device (solar power generation unit) that generates electricity through the photovoltaic effect. Each solar cell module 20 is attached to the roof via mounting members 21 (fixing brackets). The power generated by the solar power generation device is supplied to the power load 40 via a power conditioner 23 and a distribution board 24. If there is a surplus of power supply to the power load 40, the generated power is charged to a storage battery 26, and if there is still a surplus, the generated power is sold to the power company. If the power load 40 is greater than the power generated by the solar power generation unit, the storage battery 26 is discharged. This makes it possible to supplement the daytime power supply, where the unit price of electricity is high, with surplus generated power, thus reducing the amount of electricity purchased from the power company. The amount of electricity purchased and sold is measured by an electricity meter 25. The indoor monitor displays the power usage of each device, the power self-sufficiency rate, the power generation status and power consumption at a specified date and time, etc.

[0042] The maintenance terminal 4 is a device used by employees of the maintenance company that maintains the solar power generation system 3, or by other persons belonging to the maintenance company (maintenance business operator). The maintenance terminal 4 is, for example, a desktop PC located within the maintenance company's premises, or a portable terminal carried by the maintenance company's workers (maintenance workers).

[0043] In other words, the maintenance worker terminal 4 is a computer (information processing device) having information display means and information input means, and can be a PC (personal computer), tablet terminal, smartphone, etc. The information display means is a display screen (display device) such as a display or monitor, and the information input means is a position input device such as a keyboard, mouse (pointing device), or touchpad. Naturally, the information display means and information input means may also be integrated, such as a touch panel.

[0044] The maintenance worker terminal 4 has an application (software) pre-installed. Furthermore, when the monitoring system 1 performs various notification operations described later, these external terminal devices receive data transmitted from the server 2, and a predetermined screen is displayed on the information display means. These external terminal devices may also have audio output devices such as speakers. In this case, audio may be output at appropriate timings in conjunction with various operations.

[0045] As mentioned above, the auxiliary storage unit of server 2 stores a database. This database is a structured collection of various information, including information about the components of multiple solar power generation systems 3 that are the target of monitoring (control) by monitoring system 1. Therefore, by referring to the database, server 2 can retrieve various information recorded in the database.

[0046] To explain in more detail, the information that can be obtained by referring to the database includes the following information (1) to (5). In other words, the following information is associated with and recorded for each solar power generation system 3. (1) Information regarding the components of a solar power generation system (2) Information regarding the timing of installation of solar power generation systems (3) Information regarding the installation location of the solar power generation system (4) Information regarding abnormalities detected in the solar power generation system (5) Information regarding maintenance of solar power generation systems

[0047] "Information regarding the components of the solar power generation system" refers to information regarding the components of the solar power generation system 3 (equipment belonging to the solar power generation system 3), and includes information regarding the solar cell modules 20, mounting components 21, etc. For example, information regarding solar cell module 20 might include the manufacturer's name, model number, and maximum output of the solar cell module 20. "Manufacturer Name" is information indicating the manufacturer of the solar cell module 20. The "model number" is information that indicates a number assigned to each product model. "Maximum output" is information indicating the maximum output of the solar cell module 20. "Number of installations" indicates the number of units installed in the corresponding solar power generation system 3. Furthermore, the solar cell module 20 can be uniquely identified by the "manufacturer name" and "model number" mentioned above. In other words, the database contains information that allows for the identification of the solar cell module 20 used in the solar power generation system 3.

[0048] Similarly, detailed information about other components besides the solar cell module 20 described above is also recorded. Specifically, information identifying each component and information regarding the performance of each component (information regarding specifications) are recorded.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, information regarding the traceability of each component of the photovoltaic power generation system 3 is recorded as information regarding the components of the system. Traceability information is information regarding the history of production and distribution, and is information indicating the production process and manufacturing process. For example, it includes information indicating the distributor of the solar cell modules 20 used in a given photovoltaic power generation system 3, information indicating the factory that manufactured them, information indicating the person responsible for production, information indicating the factory shipment date, and information indicating the transport company. In addition, this traceability information may include information indicating the manufacturer as described above, and may also include information indicating the company that installed (constructed) the photovoltaic power generation system 3.

[0050] "Information regarding the installation date of the solar power generation system" refers, for example, to information indicating the completion date of the construction work that built the solar power generation system 3. In this embodiment, in addition, information indicating the start date of operation of the solar power generation system 3 is also recorded as "Information regarding the installation date of the solar power generation system."

[0051] "Information regarding the installation location of the solar power generation system" includes information indicating the location of the installation site for solar power generation system 3. Furthermore, in this embodiment, "information regarding the installation location of the solar power generation system" includes information regarding the annual amount of solar radiation at the installation location and information regarding the surrounding environment of the installation location. "Information regarding the surrounding environment of the installation site" refers to information indicating the type of region where the "installation site" of solar power generation system 3 is located. In detail, in this embodiment, if the "installation location" is in an area where the surface of the solar cell module 20 is prone to soiling, such as next to a busy road, in an area with a lot of yellow dust, or in an area where volcanic ash falls, the "installation location" is considered an area of ​​concern for soiling. Also, if there is a sea within a predetermined range (for example, within 3 km) based on the "installation location" (i.e., if it is near the sea), the "installation location" is considered an area of ​​concern for salt damage. If none of the above apply, the "installation location" is considered a standard area. In other words, "information regarding the surrounding environment of the installation location" is recorded, indicating which of several pre-defined areas the "installation location" of the solar power generation system 3 belongs to.

[0052] "Information regarding abnormalities detected in the solar power generation system" refers to information regarding abnormalities detected during the abnormality diagnosis operation described later. In other words, it is information indicating the nature of the abnormality that occurred and information indicating the severity of the abnormality that occurred.

[0053] The information indicating the nature of the abnormality includes information indicating the location where the abnormality occurred in the solar power generation system 3 (information indicating the fault location). This information indicating the location of the abnormality is information indicating the component in which the abnormality occurred. In this embodiment, if it is determined that an abnormality occurred in a predetermined part of a component, information indicating the component in which the abnormality occurred and information indicating the part (location) of the component in which the abnormality occurred are recorded as information indicating the location of the abnormality. For example, suppose it is determined that an anomaly in the solar power generation system 3 is caused by damage to a specific string in a solar cell module 20. In this case, the component where the anomaly occurred is a uniquely identified "solar cell module," and the part of the component where the anomaly occurred is a uniquely identified "string." In other words, the location of the anomaly is a "string" in a "solar cell module." In contrast, if the occurrence of an anomaly is uniquely identified as a failure of a single solar cell module 20, but the specific part of this solar cell module 20 that failed is not identified, the location of the anomaly will be considered as a single "solar cell module." Similarly, if the specific part that failed cannot be identified, the location of the anomaly will also be considered as a single "solar cell module."

[0054] This "information regarding abnormalities detected in the solar power generation system" is recorded each time an abnormality is detected. In other words, this information is also information regarding the failure history of each solar power generation system 3 (information regarding the failure history of the components belonging to solar power generation system 3).

[0055] The "Information regarding maintenance of solar power generation systems" includes the following information (6) to (10). (6) Information regarding the inventory of replacement parts for equipment belonging to solar power generation systems (7) Information on maintenance methods for solar power generation systems (8) Information regarding equipment necessary for the maintenance of solar power generation systems (9) Information regarding maintenance costs for solar power generation systems (10) Information regarding the maintenance schedule of the solar power generation system

[0056] "Information regarding the inventory of replacement parts for equipment belonging to the solar power generation system" includes information indicating the availability of replacement parts for each component used in each solar power generation system 3, information indicating the storage location of the inventory, and information indicating the quantity of inventory. Furthermore, the replacement part is not limited to the same product with the same specifications (for example, a product with the same manufacturer and model number), but may also be a different product with different specifications, as long as it can be used as a substitute. Furthermore, inventory refers not only to items stored by the maintenance company in a warehouse or other storage location, but also to items that other businesses, such as distributors, can readily provide to the maintenance company. In other words, it is sufficient if the maintenance company can reliably provide the items when performing maintenance.

[0057] The "Information on Maintenance Methods for Solar Power Generation Systems" provides information on maintenance methods for each type of malfunction that may occur in Solar Power Generation System 3. For example, if the detected anomaly is "a decrease in the output of the solar power generation system 3, and the amount of decrease is below a certain level," the maintenance method to address this anomaly would be "performing various measurements." Furthermore, if the detected anomaly is "a decrease in the output of the solar power generation system 3, the amount of decrease is above a certain level, and there is also a temperature rise in the solar cell module 20," the maintenance method to address this anomaly would be "replacing the solar cell module," and so on.

[0058] "Information regarding equipment necessary for the maintenance of the solar power generation system" refers to information indicating the equipment used for each of the maintenance methods described above. For example, if the maintenance method is impedance measurement, the equipment used (measuring instrument) is an "impedance meter." In other words, this information includes "information regarding measuring instruments necessary for the maintenance of the solar power generation system." For example, if the maintenance method is cleaning the solar cell modules 20, the equipment used is a "cleaning kit," and so on.

[0059] The "Information on Maintenance Costs for Solar Power Generation Systems" shows the costs for each of the maintenance methods described above. For example, the cost for "Replacing Solar Panel Modules" would be "〇〇 yen". Other examples include "Replacing Power Conditioners" at "〇△ yen", "IR Measurement" at "△〇 yen", and "Impedance Measurement" at "△△ yen".

[0060] "Information regarding the maintenance schedule for the solar power generation system" refers to the schedule for actually performing the maintenance described above. This information may include, for example, information regarding the schedules of maintenance workers and information indicating the time required for maintenance. Therefore, by referring to this information, for example, it can be determined that the earliest possible start date for "solar cell module replacement work" on one solar power generation system 3 is "Year XXXX, Month MM, Day DD," and the period from start to completion of the work is one day. The earliest possible start date for maintenance work can be obtained (calculated) based on information regarding the maintenance worker's schedule, or it may be recorded in a database beforehand.

[0061] As described above, the database records various pieces of information associated with each solar power generation system 3. For example, by referring to the database, it is possible to obtain information such as: a uniquely identified solar power generation system 3 has "〇△" solar cell modules 20 of model number "XXXX" manufactured by "Company A" installed. Furthermore, replacement parts for these solar cell modules 20 are in stock, with "〇〇" units of the same product and "△△" units of another suitable alternative product ×× in the warehouse. Additionally, it is possible to obtain information such as the fact that the supplier can immediately deliver up to "〇△" units of the same product.

[0062] Next, the operations that the monitoring system 1 of this embodiment can perform will be described in detail.

[0063] First, the monitoring system 1 of this embodiment performs a control information acquisition operation to acquire information related to the control of the solar power generation system 3 (hereinafter also referred to as control information). This control information acquisition operation is performed as needed, for example, at predetermined intervals. The control information acquisition operation is the operation in which the control device 27 of the solar power generation system 3 acquires control information for the solar power generation system 3 to which it belongs and transmits it to the server 2. In other words, the control device 27 functions as a control information acquisition device (control information acquisition unit and control information transmission unit) of the monitoring system 1 by reading and executing a program.

[0064] To explain in detail, the photovoltaic power generation system 3 is equipped with various measuring instruments, including the detector 37 mentioned above, in various parts. Other measuring instruments besides the detector 37 include, for example, an infrared camera, a thermistor (temperature sensing element), and an analysis instrument for the power generation current of the photovoltaic power generation device. The control information includes, for example, information regarding the power generation voltage (power generation) of the photovoltaic power generation device, information regarding the power generation current of the photovoltaic power generation device, and information regarding the surface temperature of the photovoltaic power generation device, and includes one or more of these.

[0065] In other words, during the control information acquisition operation, the control device 27 acquires control information based on information output from various sensors and other measuring devices installed in the solar power generation system 3, and transmits the acquired control information to the server 2.

[0066] In the monitoring system of this embodiment, when a control information acquisition operation is performed, an abnormality response operation is executed based on the acquired control information.

[0067] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, an abnormality diagnosis operation is performed based on the acquired control information (STEP 1). The abnormality diagnosis operation determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the solar power generation system 3 being monitored, and if an abnormality has occurred, it identifies the nature (type of abnormality) and the severity of the abnormality. In other words, in the abnormality diagnosis operation, the abnormality detection unit 13 performs an abnormality determination operation to determine whether or not an abnormality exists, the abnormality determination unit 14 performs an abnormality identification operation to identify the nature (type) of the abnormality, and the severity determination unit 15 performs a severity identification operation to determine the severity of the abnormality.

[0068] To explain in more detail, in the abnormality diagnosis operation, the presence or absence of an abnormality is determined based on the values ​​acquired by the multiple measuring devices mentioned above. More specifically, the system determines whether the conditions for each type of abnormality, such as "arc discharge," "circuit short circuit," and "abnormal heat generation," have been met, and then determines whether or not each type of abnormality has occurred. For example, if an arc (arc discharge) is detected based on fluctuations in the generated voltage and generated current, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred. Also, if the generated voltage is detected to be below a predetermined voltage value and the generated current is detected to be above a predetermined current value, it is determined that a short circuit has occurred in the solar power generation device (an abnormality has occurred). Furthermore, if the temperature of a predetermined part of the solar power generation system 3 is detected to be above a predetermined temperature, it is determined that abnormal heat generation has occurred (an abnormality has occurred).

[0069] In addition, there is a type of abnormality called "output reduction." That is, if it is detected that the generated power has decreased below a certain level, it is determined that an output reduction has occurred (an abnormality has occurred). There is also a type of abnormality called "communication error." That is, if a signal that should be transmitted from a designated component (for example, the power meter 25, etc.) to the control device 27 cannot be detected, it is determined that a "communication error" has occurred. Conversely, if no abnormalities occur, it is determined that the system is in a normal state with no abnormalities. Based on the above, it is possible to identify whether or not an abnormality has occurred, and if so, the nature (type) of the abnormality.

[0070] Here, among the abnormalities that can occur in the solar power generation system 3, there are important ones that have a high probability of developing into serious accidents involving loss of life, such as fires. On the other hand, there are also minor ones that are unlikely to cause problems even if left unattended for a while. Therefore, when an abnormality occurs, the importance (severity) of the abnormality is determined.

[0071] In the anomaly diagnosis operation of this embodiment, an anomaly is classified as having an importance level of A if it is minor. If the possibility of it developing into a serious accident in the future is higher than that of an importance level of A, it is classified as having an importance level of B. Furthermore, if the possibility of it developing into a serious accident in the future is even higher than that of an importance level of B, or if there is a high probability that a serious accident has already occurred, it is classified as having an importance level of C. In other words, the importance levels are A, B, and C in order of increasing urgency of response (from lowest to highest importance (severity) of the anomaly), and the system determines whether the anomaly that has occurred is of importance level A, B, or C. In the monitoring system 1 of this embodiment, if an anomaly is minor and does not require a person (maintenance worker) to rush to the installation site of the solar power generation system 3, it is classified as having a severity level of A. On the other hand, if an anomaly requires a person to rush to the site, it is classified as having a severity level of B or C depending on its severity.

[0072] To explain in more detail, for example, if an arc discharge is detected, its importance is determined based on the number of arc discharges and the duration of each arc discharge. For example, if the number of arc discharges within a specified period is less than a certain number, and the total discharge time of each arc discharge is less than or equal to a certain time, it is determined to be of severity A. In other words, if the number of arc discharges within a specified period is small, or if the total discharge time of each arc discharge is short, the risk of fire is low because arc discharges are not occurring continuously. Thus, if the possibility of developing into a serious accident involving loss of life, such as a fire, is low, and there is no need to dispatch personnel (maintenance workers) to the installation site of the solar power generation system 3, it is determined to be of severity A.

[0073] In contrast, if all of the following conditions (α) to (γ) are met, the importance level is classified as B. (α) The number of arc discharges occurring within a predetermined period is above a certain number but below a predetermined threshold. (β) The discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is less than the specified time t1. (γ) The total discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is less than the specified time t2. In this case, the risk of fire is higher than in the case classified as importance level A as described above, and it is necessary to dispatch personnel (maintenance workers) to the installation site of solar power generation system 3. On the other hand, the likelihood of an immediate serious accident is considered low. For this reason, in such cases, the importance level is classified as B.

[0074] In contrast, if one or more of the following conditions (δ) to (ζ) are met, the importance level is determined to be C. (δ) The number of arc discharges occurring within a predetermined period is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. (ε) The discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is equal to or greater than the specified time t1. (ζ) The total discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is equal to or greater than the specified time t2. In this case, the risk of fire is even higher than in the case classified as importance level B as described above, and there is a possibility of a serious accident occurring immediately, requiring the dispatch of personnel (maintenance workers) to the installation site of solar power generation system 3. For this reason, in such cases, the importance level is classified as C.

[0075] In addition, for example, if a "output reduction" occurs, it is determined whether it is of importance level A or B based on the amount and duration of the reduction. For example, "output degradation" is determined to have occurred if the detected output voltage is less than the reference value X1, or if the detected output current is less than the reference value X2. In this case, if the duration of the output degradation is less than the specified time t3, it is classified as having a severity level of A, and if it is t3 or longer, it is classified as having a severity level of B. In other words, if a "decrease in output" occurs but only for a short period, it is highly likely to be due to factors unrelated to a malfunction of the solar power generation system 3, such as a temporary decrease in solar radiation. Therefore, in this case, the likelihood of it developing into a serious accident involving loss of life, such as a fire, is low, and there is no need to dispatch personnel (maintenance workers) to the installation site of the solar power generation system 3. Thus, it is classified as having a severity level of A. Conversely, if the "output reduction" persists for an extended period, the cause may lie in the solar power generation system 3, such as the deterioration of the solar cell module 20. Therefore, the likelihood of this developing into a serious accident is higher than in the case classified as importance level A above, and while it is necessary to dispatch personnel for verification, it is not an emergency requiring immediate dispatch. For the reasons stated above, it is classified as importance level B.

[0076] In addition, for example, if a "communication error" occurs, it is classified as having a severity level of A. In other words, a "communication error" is classified as having a severity level of A because it is not an anomaly that would develop into a serious accident.

[0077] Furthermore, if a failure occurs in the switching mechanism 35 (circuit breaker), safety is not guaranteed, the risk of fire is high, and there is a possibility of a serious accident, so it is classified as having a severity level of B.

[0078] As described above, the criteria for determining the severity of each of the various types of anomalies differ, and the candidate severity levels (the stages of severity) also differ. In other words, as mentioned above, if it is "arc discharge," it is determined to be one of three severity levels: A, B, or C. If it is "output reduction," it is determined to be one of two severity levels: A or B. And if it is a "communication error," it is determined to be severity level A, provided that it has occurred. In other words, depending on the type of anomaly, the system performs an operation to determine its importance based on the severity of the anomaly (frequency of occurrence, duration of occurrence, magnitude of increase or decrease in detected values), or an operation to determine its importance based on the type of anomaly that occurred (what kind of anomaly it is).

[0079] Returning to Figure 3, if the abnormality diagnosis operation (STEP 1) determines that no abnormality has occurred (Yes in STEP 2), the abnormality response operation will terminate. Also, even if the abnormality diagnosis operation determines that an abnormality has occurred, if the abnormality is determined to be of severity A (No in STEP 2, Yes in STEP 3), the abnormality response operation will terminate.

[0080] Thus, in the monitoring system 1 of this embodiment, in addition to cases where no abnormality occurs in the solar power generation system 3, if an abnormality occurs in the solar power generation system 3 is minor, the system does not notify the maintenance company (repair company), etc. In other words, it does not perform any notification operations that notify information about abnormalities, such as displaying information about abnormalities that occurred in the solar power generation system 3 on the maintenance company terminal 4. This configuration is preferable for maintenance companies and others who are responsible for the maintenance of a large number of solar power generation systems 3, as they are not burdened with information that is not urgent.

[0081] In response to this, if an abnormality is detected and the abnormality is determined to be of severity level B (No in STEP 2, No in STEP 3, Yes in STEP 4), the maintenance information notification action (STEP 5) is executed.

[0082] The maintenance information notification function is an operation that notifies information regarding maintenance of the solar power generation system 3, that is, information regarding how to respond to abnormalities that have occurred in the solar power generation system 3. In this embodiment, as a maintenance information notification operation, the notification unit 16 sends a signal to a maintenance contractor terminal 4 used by the person who arranges the maintenance worker, and a first information notification operation is performed in which the information is displayed on this maintenance contractor terminal 4. In addition, a second information notification operation is performed in which a signal is sent to a maintenance contractor terminal 4 used by the maintenance worker actually dispatched to the installation site, and the information is displayed on this maintenance contractor terminal 4.

[0083] The first information notification operation is performed when server 2 sends a signal to the maintenance worker terminal 4, and includes the operation of displaying a predetermined screen on the maintenance worker terminal 4. This operation may also include the operation of outputting sound from the audio output device of the maintenance worker terminal 4. In other words, it is sufficient that information is notified, and the operation may involve causing the maintenance worker terminal 4 to perform at least one of the following: displaying a predetermined screen or outputting sound.

[0084] In this first information notification operation, for example, a message such as "An arc discharge has occurred in the solar power generation system 3 installed at installation location A" may be displayed. In other words, information indicating (identifying) the solar power generation system 3 and information indicating the type (details) of the abnormality that occurred may be displayed. The information indicating the solar power generation system 3 may include information about the installation location of the solar power generation system 3, as well as information such as the management number and owner's name. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a message such as "Please dispatch workers to the site within a predetermined period (for example, two weeks)" is displayed. In other words, in this embodiment, simultaneously with the maintenance information notification operation, an operation prompting the dispatch of personnel to the installation site of the solar power generation system 3 (hereinafter also referred to as the dispatch recommendation operation) is performed.

[0085] At this time, information regarding the schedules of each worker belonging to the maintenance company may be displayed. For example, information that allows the user to identify which workers are available to respond to the abnormality may be displayed, such as worker A being available from the next day, and worker B being available from three days later. In other words, information regarding the maintenance schedule may be displayed. In addition, information about the component device where the malfunction occurred (information about the device that is expected to fail) and information about the traceability of this device may be displayed. In addition, information regarding the failure history of the solar power generation system 3 in which the abnormality occurred (information regarding the failure history of each component belonging to the solar power generation system 3 in which the abnormality occurred) may be displayed.

[0086] Furthermore, the system may also display information regarding the availability of replacement parts for the malfunctioning component, information regarding how to address the malfunction (maintenance method), and information regarding the measuring instruments necessary to address the malfunction (maintenance). For example, suppose one string of one solar cell module 20 in a given solar power generation system 3 is damaged. In this case, a message such as "A string of solar cell modules has been damaged in the solar power generation system installed at installation location A" may be displayed. At this time, information indicating the location of the damaged solar cell module (component), that is, information indicating which solar cell module installed at which location is damaged, may also be displayed. In this case, information indicating the location of the damaged string, that is, information indicating the location where the abnormality (failure) in the component occurred, may also be displayed. In this case, a message such as "The solar cell module needs to be replaced" may be displayed. In other words, information indicating how to perform maintenance for the malfunction that occurred may be displayed. Alternatively, a message such as "There are XX replacement solar cell modules stored at XX" may be displayed. Information regarding the availability of replacement parts may also be displayed. In addition, if the abnormality is abnormal heat generation and IR measurement is performed as a maintenance method, messages such as "Please perform IR measurement" and "A thermal camera is required for IR measurement" may be displayed. In other words, information regarding the measuring equipment required for maintenance may be displayed simultaneously with, or before or after, the display of information regarding the maintenance method.

[0087] The second information notification operation may be performed on the maintenance operator's terminal 4 of the designated maintenance worker, provided that the maintenance worker has been specified on the maintenance operator's terminal 4 where the first information notification operation was performed. Alternatively, it may be performed on the maintenance operator's terminal 4 of a maintenance worker automatically selected by the server 2. In this case, when the server 2 selects a maintenance operator's terminal 4, it may select the terminal 4 based on information regarding each worker's schedule.

[0088] The second information notification operation is an operation that is executed when a signal is sent from server 2 (notification unit 16) or another maintenance worker terminal 4 to the maintenance worker's maintenance worker terminal 4. This second information notification operation also includes an operation to display a predetermined screen on the maintenance worker terminal 4, and may also include an operation to output sound from the audio output device. In other words, it is sufficient that information is notified, and it may be an operation that causes the maintenance worker terminal 4 to perform at least one of the following: displaying a predetermined screen or outputting sound.

[0089] In the second information notification operation, information regarding the installation location of the solar power generation system 3 may be displayed, including information showing the route (directions) from the current location to the installation location of the solar power generation system 3. Furthermore, similar to the first information notification operation described above, information indicating the solar power generation system 3 where the abnormality occurred, information indicating the type (details) of the abnormality, information indicating the location where the abnormality occurred, and information regarding the component equipment where the abnormality occurred may also be displayed. In addition, information regarding the inventory of replacement parts for the component equipment where the abnormality occurred, information regarding how to deal with the abnormality, and information regarding measuring instruments necessary to deal with the abnormality may also be displayed. In other words, it is sufficient for one or more of the above-mentioned pieces of information to be notified in addition to the information indicating the solar power generation system 3 where the abnormality occurred.

[0090] Furthermore, either the first information notification operation or the second information notification operation described above may be performed individually.

[0091] Returning to Figure 3, if it is determined that an anomaly has occurred and that the anomaly is classified as having a severity level of C (No in STEP 2, No in STEP 3, No in STEP 4), then the shutdown operation (STEP 9) and the maintenance information notification operation (STEP 10) are executed. Note that the shutdown operation and the maintenance information notification operation may be performed in either order, or they may be performed simultaneously.

[0092] The shutoff operation is an operation in which the switching means 35 automatically shuts off the electrical circuit. Specifically, a signal is sent from the server 2 to the control device 27 of the solar power generation system 3, and the control device 27 switches the switching means 35 on or off to transition to the shutoff state. As a result, no DC current flows from the solar cell module 20 to the power conditioner 23. In other words, if an anomaly is determined to be of severity level C, there is a high probability that a serious accident will occur as a result of that anomaly. For this reason, in order to prevent a serious accident from occurring, it is preferable to disconnect the DC circuit 36 ​​and prevent current from flowing from the solar cell module 20 to the power conditioner 23.

[0093] Furthermore, the maintenance information notification action (hereinafter also referred to as the emergency notification action) performed after the item is determined to be of severity level C is the same as the maintenance information notification action performed when the item is determined to be of severity level B, and therefore, a detailed explanation that would be redundant will be omitted. Furthermore, in this emergency notification operation, a message such as "Please proceed to installation site A immediately" may be displayed as a recommended action for dispatch. In other words, instead of the message "Please dispatch a worker within the specified period" mentioned above, a message may be displayed prompting the user of the maintenance worker terminal 4 to proceed to the installation site of the solar power generation system 3. Furthermore, in emergency notification operations, when displaying information indicating the type (content) of the anomaly that occurred, a highlighting operation may be implemented to display the information in a more eye-catching manner than the maintenance information notification operation when the anomaly is determined to be of severity B. That is, the information may be displayed while performing actions such as making the background color more noticeable or making the background flash. Furthermore, in emergency notification actions, the system may perform an action (attention-raising action) that outputs a sound (voice) that strongly attracts a person's attention. This action may output a sound (voice) with a frequency that people find unpleasant, such as an alert sound. It may also perform an action that outputs a voice at a volume above a specified value.

[0094] In the monitoring system 1 of this embodiment, after performing maintenance information notification operations (STEP 5, STEP 10), an anomaly prediction operation (STEP 6) is performed. The anomaly prediction operation is performed when an anomaly is determined to be of severity B or severity C. This anomaly prediction operation is not limited to being performed after the maintenance information notification operation, but may also be performed before the maintenance information notification operation. It may also be performed simultaneously with the maintenance information notification operation. Similarly, if the anomaly is determined to be of severity C, it may be performed simultaneously with or before / after the shutdown operation.

[0095] Anomaly prediction operation is an operation that predicts the occurrence of anomalies that may occur in a different solar power generation system 3 than the one in which the anomaly occurred, in the future rather than at the time the operation is performed. In detail, the anomaly prediction operation determines whether there are other solar power generation systems 3 similar to the solar power generation system 3 where the anomaly occurred (hereinafter also referred to as the reference power generation system). If the similar system detection operation determines that there are other solar power generation systems 3 similar to the reference power generation system, it predicts that the same anomaly as the reference power generation system will occur in the similar solar power generation system 3 in the future. In other words, a solar power generation system 3 that is similar to the reference power generation system is highly likely to experience the same abnormalities as the reference power generation system. Therefore, the presence or absence of a solar power generation system 3 similar to the reference power generation system is determined, and if a similar solar power generation system 3 is found to exist, it is predicted that this solar power generation system 3 will also experience the same abnormalities as the reference power generation system in the future.

[0096] In the similarity system discrimination operation, it is determined whether each of the multiple solar power generation systems recorded in the database is similar to the reference power generation system, even though they are different from the reference power generation system 3. Specifically, if all of the following conditions (a) to (c) are met, the other solar power generation system 3 in question will be determined to be similar to the reference power generation system. (a) The same product with the same specifications as the component that malfunctioned in the reference power generation system is also used in the solar power generation system in question. (b) When tA is the time from the start of use of the component that malfunctioned in the reference power generation system until the malfunction occurred, the time elapsed from the start of use of the same product in the target solar power generation system is tA or greater. (c) The surrounding environment of the installation site of the reference power generation system is the same or similar to that of the installation site of the target solar power generation system. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned condition (c), if the installation location of the reference power generation system is in an area where pollution is a concern and also in an area where salt damage is a concern, and the installation location of the target solar power generation system 3 is in an area where salt damage is a concern, then the surrounding environment is considered to be similar. Furthermore, if the installation location of the reference power generation system is in the aforementioned pollution-prone area, and the installation location of the target solar power generation system 3 is also in the aforementioned pollution-prone area, the surrounding environment is considered to be the same. In other words, if the classification of the "installation location" is exactly the same, the surrounding environment is considered to be the same, and if the classification of the "installation location" is not exactly the same but there is one or more common areas, the surrounding environment is considered to be similar.

[0097] As described above, the monitoring system 1 determines whether the reference power generation system and the other target solar power generation system 3 are similar by determining whether some or all of one or more predetermined conditions are met. Furthermore, the conditions for determining whether the solar power generation system 3 is similar to the reference power generation system may differ depending on the type of malfunction that occurred and the component equipment that malfunctioned.

[0098] If the similar system detection operation determines that one or more similar solar power generation systems 3 exist, that is, if it is predicted that an abnormality will occur in one or more other solar power generation systems 3 in the future (Yes in STEP 7), the prediction result notification operation is executed (STEP 8). Conversely, if it is determined that no similar solar power generation system 3 exists, that is, if no future abnormalities are predicted in other solar power generation systems (No in STEP 7), the abnormality response operation will terminate.

[0099] The prediction result notification operation is an operation that notifies information identifying the presence or absence of other photovoltaic power generation systems 3 similar to the reference power generation system, and information about other similar photovoltaic power generation systems 3. In other words, similar to the notification operation described above (first information notification operation), this operation is performed when the server 2 sends a signal to the maintenance worker terminal 4, and includes the operation of displaying a predetermined screen on the maintenance worker terminal 4. It may also include the operation of outputting sound from the audio output device of the maintenance worker terminal 4. In other words, it is sufficient that information is notified, and it may be an operation that causes the maintenance worker terminal 4 to perform at least one of the following: displaying a predetermined screen or outputting sound.

[0100] In this prediction result notification operation, a message such as "A solar power generation system similar to the one that experienced an anomaly has been found" may be displayed. Also, if the anomaly that occurred in the reference power generation system is the occurrence of an arc discharge, a message such as "Please be aware of the occurrence of arc discharge in the solar power generation system installed at installation site B" may be displayed at the same time as or before / after the above message. In this way, information regarding the installation location of this solar power generation system 3 may be displayed as information regarding other similar solar power generation systems 3. In addition, information regarding the components of other similar solar power generation systems 3, information regarding the usage period (operation period) of this solar power generation system 3, and information regarding components that are expected to fail may also be displayed. That is, instead of the above message, a message such as "Please be aware of the possibility of solar cell module failure in the solar power generation system installed at installation location B" may be displayed.

[0101] In the abnormality diagnosis operation of the embodiment described above, the severity of the abnormality was determined in three stages: severity A, severity B, and severity C. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The severity determination operation performed by the severity determination unit 15 may determine the severity in multiple stages; for example, it may determine the severity in ten stages. That is, there may be not just one stage (severity B in the example above) but multiple stages of severity between the lowest severity (severity A in the example above) and the highest severity (severity C in the example above). Furthermore, when making a judgment on four or more stages, if the severity of the anomaly falls below a certain level, the same actions as when the severity was A in each of the above actions may be performed. Also, if the severity of the anomaly rises above a certain level, the same actions as when the severity was C in each of the above actions may be performed. And if the stage falls in any of these stages, the same actions as when the severity was B in each of the above actions may be performed.

[0102] The monitoring system 1 in the above-described embodiment is used in conjunction with the maintenance worker terminal 4, which is an external terminal device. However, the external terminal device used with the monitoring system 1 may be both the maintenance worker terminal 4 and an administrator terminal used by the owner (manager) of the solar power generation system 3. This administrator terminal is a device used by the administrator (owner) of the solar power generation system 3, and like the maintenance worker terminal 4, it may be a stationary desktop PC or a portable terminal.

[0103] For example, after the abnormality detected by the abnormality diagnosis operation described above is determined to be of severity B or severity C, a notification operation may be performed to notify the maintenance provider of the progress of the maintenance. This operation is performed by sending a signal from server 2 or the maintenance provider terminal 4 to the administrator terminal, and includes the operation of displaying a predetermined screen on the administrator terminal. In addition, like other notification operations, it may also include the operation of outputting sound from the audio output device of the administrator terminal. In other words, it is sufficient that information is notified, and the operation may involve the administrator terminal performing at least one of the following: displaying a predetermined screen or outputting sound. This notification process may display a message such as, "Your solar power system requires maintenance." If the importance level is determined to be B, a message such as, "A technician will be dispatched on YY / MM / DD" may be displayed, and if the importance level is determined to be C, a message such as, "A technician is already on their way" may be displayed. Furthermore, if the importance level is determined to be A, the owner (manager) of solar power system 3 may not be notified in the same manner as described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 1. Monitoring System 1 (Monitoring system for solar power generation systems) 3. Solar power generation system 13 Anomaly detection unit 14 Abnormality determination section 15 Importance judgment part 20. Solar cell modules (photovoltaic power generation equipment) 23 Power Conditioner 35 Switching mechanism (circuit breaker) 36 DC circuit

Claims

1. An anomaly detection unit for detecting abnormalities in the solar power generation system, An anomaly determination unit that determines the content of the detected anomaly, A severity determination unit that determines the severity according to the nature of the abnormality, It includes a notification unit that notifies the user of maintenance information according to the nature and severity of the abnormality, The severity determination unit determines which of the multiple severity levels the abnormality falls into, based on the type of abnormality or the urgency corresponding to the degree of the abnormality. When the importance level with the lowest urgency among the aforementioned multiple levels of importance is designated as importance level A, If it is determined that the abnormality corresponds to severity level A, the equipment used by the maintenance operator of the solar power generation system will not perform a notification operation to notify information regarding the abnormality. A solar power generation system monitoring system that, if the abnormality is determined to have a higher importance than the importance level A, determines whether there are other solar power generation systems that include products with the same model number as the component equipment in the solar power generation system where the abnormality was detected, and if it is determined that other solar power generation systems exist, notifies information about those other solar power generation systems as solar power generation systems in which future abnormalities are predicted to occur.

2. It further has a circuit breaker, When the importance level with the highest degree of urgency among the aforementioned multiple levels is designated as importance level C, and the level between importance level A and importance level C is designated as importance level B, The importance determination unit determines that the importance level is A if any of the following conditions (A) to (C) are met. If all of the following conditions (D) to (F) are met, or if either of the following conditions (G) or (H) is met, the importance level will be determined to be B. A monitoring system for a solar power generation system according to claim 1, which determines that the importance level is C if any one or more of the following conditions (I) to (K) are met. (A) The number of arc discharges occurring within a specified period is less than a certain number, and the total discharge time of each arc discharge is less than or equal to a certain time. (B) A communication error has occurred. (C) The time during which the output is reduced is less than the specified time t3. (D) The number of arc discharges occurring within a predetermined period is above a certain number but below a predetermined threshold. (E) The discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is less than the specified time t1. (F) The total discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is less than the specified time t2. (G) The time during which the output is reduced is longer than the specified time t3. (H) A circuit breaker malfunction has occurred. (I) The number of arc discharges occurring within a predetermined period is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. (J) The discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is equal to or greater than the specified time t1. (K) The total discharge time of each arc discharge within the specified period is equal to or greater than the specified time t2.

3. The aforementioned solar power generation system comprises a solar power generation device and a power conditioner. It further has a circuit breaker, When the importance level with the highest urgency among the aforementioned multiple levels of importance is designated as importance level C, The importance determination unit determines whether the detected abnormality corresponds to importance level C, and if it determines that the abnormality corresponds to importance level C, it interrupts the DC circuit between the solar power generation device and the power conditioner with the circuit breaker, as described in claim 1, for monitoring a solar power generation system.

4. When, among the multiple stages of importance, the stage where urgency is between importance level A and importance level C is defined as importance level B, The solar power generation system monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein if it is determined that the abnormality corresponds to severity level B, or if it is determined that the abnormality corresponds to severity level C, a signal is transmitted to equipment used by the maintenance operator of the solar power generation system, and the equipment performs an action to prompt the dispatch of a person to the installation site of the solar power generation system.

5. A solar power generation system monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the maintenance information includes one or more of the following: information regarding the installation location of the solar power generation system where the abnormality occurred; information regarding the location of the string where the abnormality occurred; information regarding equipment that is expected to fail; information regarding the traceability of equipment that is expected to fail; information regarding the failure history of equipment that is expected to fail; information regarding the inventory of replacement parts for equipment belonging to the solar power generation system; information regarding the maintenance method of the solar power generation system; information regarding measuring instruments necessary for the maintenance of the solar power generation system; information regarding the maintenance costs of the solar power generation system; and information regarding the maintenance schedule of the solar power generation system.

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