Hybrid Solar Panel Fault Diagnosis Using Refrigerant Temperature Delta

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-installing temperature sensors and refrigerant flow paths within the hybrid panel structure during manufacturing. This allows continuous temperature monitoring to be ready in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual thermal imaging during operation. The system proactively measures temperatures before defects become apparent, enabling real-time monitoring without interrupting power generation.

The hybrid panel performs self-diagnosis through integrated temperature sensors and refrigerant flow monitoring that automatically detect defects. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring its own thermal state and comparing it against normal operating parameters, eliminating the need for external manual inspection with thermal imaging cameras.

The system implements self-service by incorporating automated temperature monitoring and defect detection capabilities directly into the panel structure. Temperature sensors and refrigerant flow paths continuously monitor panel health, automatically identifying defects without requiring manual intervention. This eliminates the need for costly maintenance personnel to physically access and inspect each panel, especially those in hard-to-reach locations.

The patent replaces the mechanical manual inspection process with an automated thermal monitoring system. Instead of using human inspectors with thermal imaging cameras, the system uses embedded temperature sensors and refrigerant temperature differential measurements to automatically detect defects, substituting mechanical human labor with an automated sensing and processing system.

The patent extracts the temperature measurement function from external imaging methods and integrates it directly into the panel's internal refrigerant flow system. By placing temperature sensors within the refrigerant lines that flow through or along each panel, the system obtains direct thermal data from each panel's internal state, eliminating reliance on external drone-based thermal imaging that is affected by environmental conditions and light reflection.

The refrigerant acts as an intermediary that directly contacts or closely approaches each solar panel, transferring thermal information from the panels to temperature sensors. This intermediary mechanism provides accurate thermal data from each panel's actual operating temperature, bypassing the limitations of external optical measurement methods that are influenced by ambient light and environmental factors.

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring refrigerant temperature differentials across multiple panels and comparing them against normal operating ranges. When temperature deviations indicate potential defects, the system provides feedback signals to identify specific problematic panels. This enables proactive maintenance of large panel arrays, preventing defect accumulation that would reduce overall power generation efficiency while maintaining high capacity operation.

The patent applies preliminary action by continuously monitoring temperature parameters to detect early signs of panel defects before they significantly impact power generation. The system proactively identifies panels with developing issues through refrigerant temperature differential measurements, allowing maintenance to be performed before defects accumulate and reduce the efficiency of the entire power generation array.