阅读说明：本技术 用于维护太阳能收集器系统的诊断车辆 (Diagnostic vehicle for maintaining a solar collector system ) 是由 詹森·奥尔德曼 路易吉·佩特里吉-达夫 布雷特·韦斯特 克格雷·维尔德曼 于 2018-11-27 设计创作，主要内容包括：本文提出了用于表征太阳能收集器系统的诊断车辆、系统和方法。该诊断车辆包括框架、沿着该框架定位的一个或多个传感器以及控制系统。该一个或多个传感器测量并表征该太阳能收集器系统和/或其环境的属性,例如该太阳能收集器系统周围的地面区域的反射率、该太阳能收集器系统的驱动系统的角度偏移量,和/或支撑该太阳能收集器系统中的光伏面板的结构部件的老化度。该控制系统被编程为将该框架移动到该太阳能收集器系统中的一个或多个位置以及控制该一个或多个传感器以获取该一个或多个位置处的测量值。(Diagnostic vehicles, systems, and methods for characterizing solar collector systems are presented herein. The diagnostic vehicle includes a frame, one or more sensors positioned along the frame, and a control system. The one or more sensors measure and characterize properties of the solar collector system and/or its environment, such as reflectivity of a ground area surrounding the solar collector system, angular offset of a drive system of the solar collector system, and/or age of structural components supporting photovoltaic panels in the solar collector system. The control system is programmed to move the frame to one or more locations in the solar collector system and control the one or more sensors to obtain measurements at the one or more locations.)

1. A diagnostic vehicle for characterizing a solar collector system, the diagnostic vehicle comprising:

a frame;

one or more sensors positioned along the frame to measure and characterize at least one of: reflectivity of a ground area surrounding the solar collector system, an angular offset of a drive system of the solar collector system, or age of structural components supporting photovoltaic panels in the solar collector system; and

a control system programmed to move the frame to one or more locations in the solar collector system and to control the one or more sensors to acquire measurements at the one or more locations.

2. The diagnostic vehicle of claim 1, wherein the frame extends circumferentially around a photovoltaic panel in the solar collector system.

3. The diagnostic vehicle of claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is configured to move along a circumference of the frame.

4. The diagnostic vehicle of any of the preceding claims, wherein the angular offset of the drive system of the solar collector system is combined with information from a motor to estimate the degree of aging of the drive system.

5. The diagnostic vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the solar collector system further comprises:

a row of photovoltaic panels; and

a support structure that supports and rotates the row of photovoltaic panels, wherein the support structure comprises metal, and the one or more sensors characterize and measure a degree of corrosion of one or more structural components of the support structure.

6. The diagnostic vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of a pyranometer, radiometer, or photometer.

7. The diagnostic vehicle of any preceding claim, further comprising:

a wireless communication system that transmits data characterizing the measurements at the one or more locations to a remote computing system for analysis.

8. The diagnostic vehicle of any preceding claim, further comprising:

an applicator for applying a reflective material to the surface area to increase the reflectivity of the surface area based on an analysis of the measurement values.

9. The diagnostic vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera that captures images of plant growth on the ground area.

10. The diagnostic vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein the azimuthal position of the one or more sensors is adjusted by the control system to illustrate movement of the row of photovoltaic panels.

11. The diagnostic vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more sensors measure a temperature of the solar collector system to diagnose or characterize an electrical performance of the solar collector system.

12. The diagnostic vehicle of claim 5, wherein the diagnostic vehicle further comprises:

a bar code reader positioned to capture a bar code behind the row of photovoltaic panels, wherein the bar code is combined with the measurements at the one or more locations to generate a map comprising an identification of at least one photovoltaic panel, a location of the at least one photovoltaic panel, and the measurements from the one or more locations correspond to at least one measurement of the at least one photovoltaic panel.

13. The diagnostic vehicle of any one of the preceding claims, the solar collector system further comprising:

a rotating member;

a drive motor programmed with a desired angle of rotation of the photovoltaic panel;

wherein the angular offset is measured by positioning the diagnostic vehicle at a location remote from the drive motor, positioning the one or more sensors to measure an actual angle of rotation of the rotating component of the solar collector system, and comparing the desired angle to the actual angle.

14. A method for characterizing a solar collector system, the method comprising:

measuring, by one or more sensors positioned along the frame, at least one of: reflectivity of a ground area surrounding the solar collector system, an angular offset of a drive system of the solar collector system, or age of structural components supporting photovoltaic panels in the solar collector system;

moving the frame to one or more locations in the solar collector system by a control system; and

controlling, by the control system, the one or more sensors to obtain measurements at the one or more locations.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the frame extends circumferentially around a photovoltaic panel in the solar collector system.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, wherein the sensor is configured to move along a circumference of the frame.

17. The method of any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the angular offset of the drive system of the solar collector system is combined with information from a motor to estimate aging in the drive system.

18. The method of any of claims 14 to 17, wherein the solar collector system further comprises:

a row of photovoltaic panels; and

a support structure that supports and rotates the row of photovoltaic panels, wherein the support structure comprises metal, and the one or more sensors characterize and measure a degree of corrosion of one or more structural components of the support structure.

19. The method of any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of a pyranometer, radiometer, or photometer.

20. The method of any of claims 14 to 19, the method further comprising:

transmitting data including the measurements at the one or more locations to a remote computing system for analysis over a wireless communication system.

21. The method of any of claims 14 to 20, further comprising:

applying, by an applicator, a reflective material to the ground area to increase the reflectivity of the ground area based on an analysis of the measurements.

22. The method of any one of claims 14 to 21, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera that captures images of plant growth on the ground area.

23. The method of any of claims 14 to 22, wherein the azimuthal position of the one or more sensors is adjusted by the control system to illustrate movement of the row of photovoltaic panels.

24. The method of any one of claims 14 to 23, wherein the one or more sensors measure a temperature of the solar collector system to diagnose or characterize an electrical performance of the solar collector system.

25. The method of claim 18, the method further comprising:

positioning a barcode reader to capture a barcode on a back side of the row of photovoltaic panels, wherein the barcode is combined with the measurements at the one or more locations to generate a map, the map including an identification of at least one photovoltaic panel, a location of the at least one photovoltaic panel, and the measurements from the one or more locations correspond to at least one measurement of the at least one photovoltaic panel.

26. The method of any of claims 14 to 25, wherein the solar collector system further comprises:

a rotating member;

a drive motor programmed with a desired angle of rotation of the photovoltaic panel;

wherein the angular offset is measured by positioning the diagnostic vehicle at a location remote from the drive motor, positioning the one or more sensors to measure an actual angle of rotation of the rotating component of the solar collector system, and comparing the desired angle to the actual angle.

27. A solar energy collector system configured to implement the method of any one of claims 14 to 26.

28. A system, comprising:

a solar collector system;

a diagnostic vehicle traversing the solar collector system, the diagnostic vehicle comprising:

a vehicle frame;

one or more sensors positioned along the frame to measure and characterize reflectivity of a ground area surrounding the solar collector system,

an applicator configured to dispense a reflective material on a ground area surrounding the solar collector system based on the reflectivity; and

a control system programmed to move the frame to one or more locations in the solar collector system and to control the one or more sensors to acquire measurements at the one or more locations.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to solar Photovoltaic (PV) power plants.

Background

Photovoltaic panels have a front side and a back side and in the past, light was typically collected only from the front side. Devices designed for use with such single-sided photovoltaic panels have been designed to accommodate panels that receive light only from the front side. Also, the operation and maintenance procedures are designed for panels that collect light from the front only.

Some photovoltaic panels, referred to as bifacial panels, can collect light from both the front and back sides. The embodiments described herein are applicable to single and double sided panel solar collectors.

Summary of The Invention

A diagnostic vehicle for characterizing a solar collector system is presented herein. The diagnostic vehicle includes a frame, one or more sensors positioned along the frame, and a control system. The one or more sensors measure and characterize properties of the solar collector system and/or its environment, such as reflectivity of a ground area surrounding the solar collector system, angular offset of a drive system of the solar collector system, and/or age of structural components supporting photovoltaic panels in the solar collector system. The control system is programmed to move the frame to one or more locations in the solar collector system and to control the one or more sensors to obtain measurements at the one or more locations.

A method of characterizing a solar collector system is presented herein. In the method, one or more sensors positioned along the frame measure at least one of: reflectivity of a ground area surrounding the solar collector system, angular offset of a drive system of the solar collector system, or age of structural components supporting photovoltaic panels in the solar collector system. The control system moves the frame to one or more locations in the solar collector system. The control system controls the one or more sensors to obtain measurements at the one or more locations.

A system is presented herein that includes a solar collector system and a diagnostic vehicle traversing the solar collector system. The diagnostic vehicle includes: a vehicle frame; one or more sensors positioned along the frame to measure and characterize reflectivity of a ground area surrounding the solar collector system; and an applicator configured to distribute reflective material over a ground area surrounding the solar collector system based on the reflectivity. The diagnostic vehicle further includes a control system programmed to move the frame to one or more locations in the solar collector system and to control the one or more sensors to obtain measurements at the one or more locations.

Drawings

Fig. 1 schematically shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a diagnostic vehicle on a solar collector.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of a diagnostic vehicle on a solar collector.

FIG. 3 depicts a diagnostic vehicle with a camera positioned to view the back of a solar panel, such as a bar code on the panel.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a diagnostic vehicle on a solar collector positioned to view the solar collector structure, the solar collector foundation, the ground nearby, and vegetation growth.

FIG. 5 depicts a diagnostic vehicle that may be used to measure the degree of degradation in the drive system of a solar tracker.

FIG. 6 depicts a diagnostic vehicle positioned below a solar collector.

FIG. 7 depicts another view of the diagnostic vehicle positioned below the solar collector.

FIG. 8 depicts a flow chart for characterizing a solar collector system.