Self-cleaning photovoltaic assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the field of photovoltaic power generation. Particularly disclosed is a self-cleaning photovoltaic assembly, which comprises a mounting frame and a photovoltaic module, the mounting frame being provided with a mounting recess, the circumferential edge of the photovoltaic module being embedded in the mounting recess, the mounting frame being provided with at least one flow guide channel passing through the mounting frame in a thickness direction, and the flow guide channel being located on the outer side of the photovoltaic module and, together with the side wall of the photovoltaic module, defining a flow guide hole. The top portion of the mounting frame is provided with a water inlet channel horizontally extending to the flow guide hole from a light receiving surface of the photovoltaic module. The self-cleaning photovoltaic assembly only needs a small inclination angle to allow rainwater to flush dust accumulated on the light receiving surface of the photovoltaic module to the water inlet channel, and the rainwater mixed with the dust can directly flow into the flow guide hole through the water inlet channel so as to be discharged, thus achieving the purpose of drainage and dust removal, avoiding dust deposition, and achieving self-cleaning of the photovoltaic assembly.

Description

A self-cleaning photovoltaic module

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese utility model patent application No. 202321926456.1 filed on July 21, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of photovoltaic power generation, and in particular to a self-cleaning photovoltaic module. Background Art

[0004] Photovoltaic panels consist of a photovoltaic module and a frame, into which the module snaps. PV panels convert solar energy into electricity, providing power for humans. To fully harness the sun's energy, PV panels are typically installed outdoors, so dust easily accumulates on the surface of the modules.

[0005] Under natural conditions, rainwater can wash away dust on the surface of photovoltaic modules. However, since the height of the photovoltaic module frame is higher than the photovoltaic module, when the inclination angle of the module is small, such as when it is installed flat, the steps on the frame will hinder the water flow, so that some water and dust cannot flow out over the frame, and eventually dust will be deposited on the photovoltaic module. Long-term accumulation of dust will block the solar cells and produce hot spots, affecting the power generation and reliability of the module. At the same time, there are acidic or alkaline substances in the dust, which can easily corrode the glass surface. If it is not cleaned thoroughly, it will damage the light transmittance of the photovoltaic module.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] Based on this, the present disclosure provides a self-cleaning photovoltaic module to solve the problem that dust easily accumulates on the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module, resulting in reduced power generation efficiency and reliability of the photovoltaic module.

[0008] In one aspect, a self-cleaning photovoltaic assembly is provided, comprising a mounting frame and a photovoltaic module, wherein the mounting frame is provided with a mounting groove, and a circumferential edge of the photovoltaic module is embedded in the mounting groove;

[0009] The mounting frame is provided with at least one guide groove penetrating the mounting frame in the thickness direction. The guide groove is located on the outside of the photovoltaic module and is enclosed with the side wall of the photovoltaic module to form a guide hole. The top of the mounting frame is provided with a water inlet groove extending horizontally from the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module to the guide hole.

[0010] In one embodiment, the photovoltaic module is a quadrilateral module;

[0011] The installation frame is a quadrilateral frame that matches the shape of the photovoltaic module, and the installation frame includes four frames connected end to end.

[0012] In one embodiment, the guide groove can be formed by a groove body provided on a single frame.

[0013] In one embodiment, the guide groove is formed by a groove body provided on one of the frame and a side edge of an adjacent frame.

[0014] In one embodiment, the guide groove is formed by a groove body provided on one of the frame and a groove body provided on an adjacent frame.

[0015] In one embodiment, a hole expansion structure is provided at a position of the photovoltaic module corresponding to the guide groove, the hole expansion structure being opposite to and in communication with the guide groove.

[0016] In one embodiment, the hole expansion structure is a notch provided on the edge of the photovoltaic module, and the notch is opposite to the guide groove and forms the guide hole.

[0017] In one embodiment, the guide groove is located at the corner of the installation frame, and the expansion hole structure is a chamfer provided at the corner of the photovoltaic module. The chamfer is opposite to the guide groove and encloses the guide hole.

[0018] In one embodiment, the guide grooves are provided at the four corners of the installation frame, and the edge of the photovoltaic module is provided with four chamfers respectively opposite to the guide grooves.

[0019] In one embodiment, the chamfer is a rounded corner or a chamfered right angle.

[0020] Beneficial effect: The self-cleaning photovoltaic module is provided with a guide groove on the side of the photovoltaic module to form a guide hole with the side wall of the photovoltaic module, and a water inlet groove extending along the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module is provided on the top of the installation frame. When rainwater flows, the rainwater mixed with dust on the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module can directly flow into the water inlet groove along the light-receiving surface, and then enter the guide hole at the edge of the photovoltaic module from the water inlet groove and be discharged from the guide hole, thereby realizing drainage and dust removal. In this process, the rainwater does not need to cross the step formed between the installation frame and the surface of the photovoltaic module, so even larger dust particles can be carried away by the rainwater, thereby achieving the purpose of self-cleaning of the photovoltaic module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG1 is a top view of a self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to one embodiment;

[0022] FIG2 is a partial schematic diagram of a mounting frame in one embodiment;

[0023] FIG3 is a partial schematic diagram of a self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to one embodiment;

[0024] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a photovoltaic module is embedded in a frame in one embodiment;

[0025] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the guide groove in the middle of the frame and the photovoltaic module forming a guide hole in one embodiment;

[0026] FIG6 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of providing guide holes at the corners of the mounting frame in one embodiment;

[0027] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment in which guide holes are provided at the corners of the mounting frame;

[0028] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a structure in which a photovoltaic module side is provided with a notch in one embodiment;

[0029] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a photovoltaic module with chamfered corners in one embodiment.

[0030] The reference numerals in the drawings of the specification include: mounting frame 1 , frame 101 , clamping groove 1011 , photovoltaic module 2 , notch 201 , chamfer 202 , guide hole 3 , guide groove 301 , water inlet groove 4 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The present disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present disclosure.

[0032] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only used to schematically illustrate the basic concept of the present disclosure.

[0033] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification so as to facilitate understanding and reading by persons familiar with this technology. They are not intended to limit the conditions under which the present disclosure can be implemented. Any structural modifications, changes in proportions, or adjustments in sizes should still fall within the scope of the technical contents disclosed in this disclosure without affecting the effects and objectives that can be achieved by the present disclosure.

[0034] Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "center," "longitudinal," "transverse," "horizontal," "inner," "outer," "radial," and "circumferential" used in this specification to indicate positions or locations are based on those shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely for ease of description. They do not indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0035] When existing photovoltaic modules are installed at a shallow inclination angle, rainwater cannot completely wash away dust from the modules, causing dust to accumulate on the modules, affecting the amount of sunlight entering and reducing the module's conversion efficiency. Based on this, the disclosed embodiments provide a self-cleaning photovoltaic module. By forming a diversion hole between the photovoltaic module and the frame, water can be discharged through the diversion hole, achieving the purpose of drainage and dust removal.

[0036] Specifically, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a self-cleaning photovoltaic assembly, comprising a mounting frame and a photovoltaic module, wherein the mounting frame is provided with a mounting groove, and the circumferential edge of the photovoltaic module is embedded in the mounting groove;

[0037] The mounting frame is provided with at least one guide groove which penetrates the mounting frame along the thickness direction. The guide groove is located on the outside of the photovoltaic module and is enclosed with the side wall of the photovoltaic module to form a guide hole. The top of the mounting frame is provided with a water inlet groove which extends horizontally from the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module to the guide hole.

[0038] The self-cleaning photovoltaic module provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is configured such that a guide groove is provided on the side of the photovoltaic module to form a guide hole together with the side wall of the photovoltaic module, and a water inlet groove is provided on the top of the mounting frame to extend along the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module. When rainwater flows, rainwater mixed with dust on the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module can directly flow into the water inlet groove along the light-receiving surface, and then enter the guide hole at the edge of the photovoltaic module from the water inlet groove and be discharged from the guide hole, thereby achieving drainage and dust removal. In this process, the rainwater does not need to cross the step formed between the mounting frame and the surface of the photovoltaic module, so even larger dust particles can be carried away by the rainwater, thereby achieving the purpose of self-cleaning of the photovoltaic module.

[0039] The embodiments of the present disclosure and examples thereof are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a self-cleaning photovoltaic module provided by at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] As shown in FIG1 , the self-cleaning photovoltaic assembly provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a mounting frame 1 and a photovoltaic module 2 .

[0041] The photovoltaic module 2 is a component in the photovoltaic assembly that performs photoelectric conversion. Its structure is conventional and will not be further described in this embodiment. It should be understood that the side of the photovoltaic module 2 that receives light is the light-receiving side, and the side opposite the light-receiving side is the backlight side. For example, in the example of FIG3 , the light-receiving side of the photovoltaic module 2 is the top surface of the photovoltaic module 2.

[0042] The mounting frame 1 is a support frame for mounting and fixing the photovoltaic module 2. For example, the mounting frame 1 can be a polygonal frame structure with a hollowed-out center, such as a triangular frame or a quadrilateral frame. Generally speaking, the shape of the mounting frame 1 is consistent with the shape of the photovoltaic module 2. For example, when the photovoltaic module 2 is rectangular, the mounting frame 1 is a rectangle that matches the shape and size of the photovoltaic module 2.

[0043] Specifically, referring to FIG1 , in this embodiment, the photovoltaic module 2 is a quadrilateral module, and correspondingly, the mounting frame 1 is a quadrilateral frame structure, which includes four frames 101 connected end to end, and the four frames 101 include two opposite long frames and two opposite short frames.

[0044] In this embodiment, a mounting groove for mounting the photovoltaic module 2 is provided on the mounting frame 1 , and the circumferential edge of the photovoltaic module 2 is embedded in the mounting groove.

[0045] For example, referring to Figures 2 and 4, in this embodiment, a clamping groove 1011 is provided on the inner side of each frame 101. When the four frames 101 are connected end to end to form a quadrilateral frame, the clamping grooves 1011 of each frame 101 can be combined to form the aforementioned installation groove, and the four side edges of the photovoltaic module 2 are just embedded in the clamping grooves 1011 of the four frames 101, so that the installation frame 1 can provide support for the photovoltaic module 2.

[0046] 2 and 3 , in this embodiment, the mounting frame 1 is provided with at least one guide groove 301 penetrating the mounting frame 1 along the thickness direction. The guide groove 301 is located on the outside of the photovoltaic module 2 and encloses the side wall of the photovoltaic module 2 to form a guide hole 3 .

[0047] 2 , the guide groove 301 passes through the mounting frame 1 in the thickness direction, which means that the guide groove 301 is a through groove passing through the top and bottom of the mounting frame 1, so that when rainwater flows in from the top of the guide groove 301, the rainwater can flow downward along the guide groove 301 and be discharged.

[0048] 3 , the guide groove 301 is located on the outside of the photovoltaic module 2, which means that when the photovoltaic module 2 is embedded in the clamping groove 1011 , the guide groove 301 is just opposite to the circumferential edge of the photovoltaic module 2 , so that the guide groove 301 can be enclosed with the side wall of the photovoltaic module 2 to form a guide hole 3 .

[0049] Referring to Figure 4, in some embodiments, when the photovoltaic module 2 is embedded in the clamping groove 1011, a certain distance is left between the side wall of the photovoltaic module 2 and the side wall of the clamping groove 1011. This distance can be used to fill the frame glue, such as silicone. At the same time, this distance can also provide a basis for forming a guide hole 3 between the mounting frame 1 and the side wall of the photovoltaic module 2.

[0050] For example, referring to FIG5 , when there is a gap between the sidewall of the photovoltaic module 2 and the sidewall of the clamping groove 1011, the guide groove 301 can be set between the sidewall of the photovoltaic module 2 and the sidewall of the clamping groove 1011, that is, the guide groove 301 intersects and communicates with the clamping groove 1011. Under this structural design, when filling the clamping groove 1011 with silicone, it is necessary to avoid the part of the guide groove 301 and make the silicone seal on both sides of the guide groove 301 to prevent rainwater from flowing from the guide groove 301 into the clamping groove 1011. Of course, in other embodiments, baffles integrally formed on the frame 101 can also be set on both sides of the guide groove 301 to prevent the guide groove 301 from communicating with the clamping groove 1011 through the baffles, thereby preventing rainwater from flowing from the guide groove 301 into the clamping groove 1011.

[0051] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, in another example, the guide groove 301 can also be set on the side wall of the clamping groove 1011 in an inwardly concave manner, so that even if the side wall of the photovoltaic module 2 is pressed against the side wall of the clamping groove 1011, the side wall of the photovoltaic module 2 can still form a guide hole 3 with the guide groove 301.

[0052] Specifically, in some embodiments, the guide groove 301 can be formed by a groove body provided on a single frame 101. For example, referring to FIG5 , a groove body is provided in the middle of a frame 101, and this groove body is the guide groove 301. When the photovoltaic module 2 is embedded in the clamping groove 1011, the sidewalls of the photovoltaic module 2 can enclose the sidewalls of the guide groove 301 to form a guide hole 3, and rainwater can be discharged from the guide hole 3 in the middle of the frame 101.

[0053] In other embodiments, the guide groove 301 can also be formed by a groove body provided on one of the frames 101 and the side of an adjacent frame 101. For example, referring to Figures 2 and 6, a groove body is provided on the side of one frame 101 close to the other frame 101, and the groove body is just opposite to the side wall of the other frame 101 and encloses to form the guide groove 301. The guide groove 301 is located at the corner of the installation frame 1. When the photovoltaic module 2 is embedded in the clamping groove 1011, the guide groove 301 and the side wall of the photovoltaic module 2 enclose to form a guide hole 3, and rainwater can be discharged from the guide hole 3 at the corner of the installation frame 1.

[0054] In other embodiments, the guide groove 301 is formed by a groove body provided on one frame 101 and a groove body provided on an adjacent frame 101. For example, referring to FIG7 , a groove body is provided on the side of one end of the frame 101 and the other frame 101 where they meet. The two groove bodies are opposite to each other and enclose a guide groove 301. The guide groove 301 is located at the corner of the mounting frame 1. When the photovoltaic module 2 is embedded in the clamping groove 1011, the groove bodies of the two frames 101 and the side walls of the photovoltaic module 2 enclose a guide hole 3, and rainwater can be discharged from the guide hole 3 at the corner of the mounting frame 1.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple guide grooves 301 are provided. For example, when the guide groove 301 is provided in the middle of the frame 101, a guide groove 301 can be provided in the middle of each of the four frames 101; for example, when the guide groove 301 is provided at the corners of the mounting frame 1, a guide groove 301 can be provided at each of the four corners of the mounting frame 1. In this way, when the photovoltaic modules are laid horizontally, rainwater can flow out of the guide holes 3 around the photovoltaic modules, improving drainage and dust removal efficiency; and when the photovoltaic modules are laid at an angle, rainwater can be discharged from the guide holes 3 on whichever side of the photovoltaic modules faces downward, ensuring effective drainage and dust removal.

[0056] In this embodiment, a water inlet trough 4 is further provided on the top of the mounting frame 1, extending horizontally from the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module 2 to the diversion hole 3. For example, referring to FIG3 , a notch is provided on the top plate of the frame 101 in a portion corresponding to the diversion hole 3. The notch extends horizontally from the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module 2 to the diversion hole 3 to form the water inlet trough 4. In this way, rainwater on the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module 2 can flow directly along the light-receiving surface into the water inlet trough 4, and then flow along the water inlet trough 4 into the diversion hole 3 for discharge. In this process, the rainwater does not need to cross the step formed between the mounting frame 1 and the surface of the photovoltaic module 2. Therefore, even larger dust particles can be carried away by the rainwater, achieving the purpose of self-cleaning of the photovoltaic module.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a hole expansion structure is provided on the side of the photovoltaic module 2 corresponding to the guide groove 301, which is opposite to and connected to the guide groove 301. The hole expansion structure is used to expand the cross-sectional area of ​​the guide hole 3, thereby improving the drainage and dust removal effect.

[0058] For example, referring to Figure 8 , in one example, the hole-enlarging structure includes a notch 201 disposed on the edge of the photovoltaic module 2. Notch 201 opposes flow diversion groove 301 and forms flow diversion hole 3. Notch 201 is formed by shearing the portion of the photovoltaic module 2's side opposite flow diversion groove 301. The purpose of shearing is to remove material and tailor the structure. When notch 201 opposes flow diversion groove 301, a larger flow diversion hole 3 is formed. This allows the photovoltaic module to form a larger flow diversion hole 3 within a limited size, achieving better drainage and dust removal.

[0059] Specifically, referring to FIG8 , when the guide groove 301 is provided in the middle of the frame 101, the notch 201 can be formed by shearing the middle of the sidewall of the photovoltaic module 2. Similarly, when the guide groove 301 is provided at the corner of the mounting frame 1, the notch 201 can be formed by shearing the corner of the photovoltaic module 2.

[0060] In addition, when the guide groove 301 is provided at the corner of the installation frame 1 , the expansion structure can also be a chamfer 202 provided on the corner of the photovoltaic module 2 , the chamfer 202 is opposite to the guide groove 301 and forms the guide hole 3 .

[0061] For example, referring to FIG9 , when the guide grooves 301 are provided at the corners of the mounting frame 1 , the cross-sectional area of ​​the guide hole 3 can be enlarged by providing rounded corners or chamfered right angles at the corners of the photovoltaic module 2 to form the guide hole 3 with the guide grooves 301. Furthermore, corresponding to the aforementioned structure in which the guide grooves 301 are provided at all four corners of the mounting frame 1 , in this embodiment, the four corners of the photovoltaic module 2 are also provided with chamfers to form the guide hole 3 with the guide grooves 301 .

[0062] It should be understood that usually a blank area is left around the photovoltaic module 2, and no battery cells are set in this blank area. Therefore, the hole expansion structure of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present disclosure is set in the blank area around the photovoltaic module 2, so that the hole expansion structure will not interfere with the battery cells of the photovoltaic module 2 and will not affect the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic module 2.

[0063] The self-cleaning photovoltaic module provided by the above-mentioned embodiment of the present disclosure only requires a very small inclination angle when the module is installed, and rainwater can wash the dust accumulated on the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module 2 to the water inlet trough 4. The rainwater mixed with dust can directly flow into the guide hole 3 through the water inlet trough 4 for discharge, thereby achieving the purpose of drainage and dust removal, avoiding dust deposition, and realizing self-cleaning of the photovoltaic module.

[0064] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0065] The above embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present disclosure, and while their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosed patent. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of the disclosed patent shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning photovoltaic assembly, comprising a mounting frame (1) and a photovoltaic module (2), wherein the mounting frame (1) is provided with a mounting groove, and the circumferential edge of the photovoltaic module (2) is embedded in the mounting groove; The installation frame (1) is provided with at least one guide groove (301) penetrating the installation frame (1) in the thickness direction; the guide groove (301) is located outside the photovoltaic module (2) and is enclosed with the side wall of the photovoltaic module (2) to form a guide hole (3); and the top of the installation frame (1) is provided with a water inlet groove (4) extending horizontally from the light-receiving surface of the photovoltaic module (2) to the guide hole (3).

2. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 1, wherein: The photovoltaic module (2) is a quadrilateral module; The installation frame (1) is a quadrilateral frame that matches the shape of the photovoltaic module (2), and the installation frame (1) comprises four frame borders (101) connected end to end.

3. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 2, wherein: The guide groove (301) is formed by a groove body arranged on a single frame (101).

4. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 2, wherein: The guide groove (301) is formed by a groove body arranged on one of the frame frames (101) and a side edge of an adjacent frame frame (101).

5. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 2, wherein: The guide groove (301) is formed by a groove body arranged on one of the frame frames (101) and a groove body arranged on an adjacent frame frame (101).

6. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 2, wherein: The photovoltaic module (2) is provided with an expansion hole structure at a position corresponding to the guide groove (301), which is opposite to and connected to the guide groove (301).

7. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 6, wherein: The hole expansion structure is a notch (201) arranged on the edge of the photovoltaic module (2); the notch (201) is opposite to the guide groove (301) and surrounds the guide hole (3).

8. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 6, wherein: The guide groove (301) is located at the corner of the installation frame (1), and the hole expansion structure is a chamfer (202) arranged at the corner of the photovoltaic module (2), and the chamfer (202) is opposite to the guide groove (301) and surrounds the guide hole (3).

9. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 6, wherein: The guide grooves (301) are arranged at the four corners of the installation frame (1), and the edge of the photovoltaic module (2) is provided with four chamfers (202) respectively opposite to the guide grooves (301).

10. The self-cleaning photovoltaic module according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The chamfer (202) is a rounded corner or a right angle.

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