Patent Application
20100204842
The present invention relates to a high-concentration photovoltaic (“HCPV”) system and, more particularly, to a central monitor and control device for an HCPV system with which instant monitor, control and inquiry are possible.
As technology advances, a lot of energy resources have been exploited. There is a growing concern that we may run out of energy resources. Moreover, massive production of green-house gases entails disastrous global warming. Therefore, a lot of efforts have been made on exploiting solar energy, wind and tides to generate electricity. Access to the solar energy is easy. The generation of the electricity from the solar energy is inexpensive and environmentally friendly.
There are fixed and tracking solar cells. A fixed solar cell is fixed according to a local angle. The fixed solar cell is not always vertical to light beams emitted from the sun. Absorption of the solar energy is low, and the time-related cost of the generation of the electricity from the solar energy is therefore high. The efficiency of the electricity from the solar energy is low.
A tracking solar cell is always vertical to the light beams emitted from the sun. The structure of the tracking solar cell is complicated. Maintenance of the tracking solar cell is difficult and often requires a technician. Therefore, the cost of the maintenance of the tracking solar cell is high.
Moreover, current photovoltaic systems are limited to direct use, without monitoring the optimal respondent angle and direct normal angle in a certain place on the earth and the efficiency of the conversion of direct currents into alternating currents with inverters. The layouts of the current photovoltaic systems are not optimal, and the maintenance is difficult and requires a lot of resources and high costs.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an HCPV system with a central monitor and control device with which instant monitor, control and inquiry are possible.
To achieve the foregoing objective, the HCPV central monitor and control system includes a computing unit, a main database server, a database/web server, three multi-port serial servers, a plurality of switches and a plurality of communication interfaces. The computing unit is located in a central control room for running a monitor and control program. The computing unit includes a main monitor and control computer and a backup monitor and control computer. The main database server is a middle-level server located in the central control room, and stores generation-related data. The database/web server I located in the central control room. The database/web server is a middle-level server, and executes a monitor/inquiry web software program as well as stores the generation-related data. The multi-port serial servers are located in a first control room, a second control room and a third control room, respectively. The multi-port serial servers receive two-wired RS485 signals from tracker controllers and inverters and convert the same into Ethernet signals, and are connected to a dedicated network for the HCPV central monitor and control device for providing a communication route between the computing unit and front-end equipment. The switches are located in the central control room. The switches connect the computing unit, the main database server, the database/web server, the dedicated network and an intranet network to one another so that the computing unit accesses to the generation-related data of the front-end equipment and writes the same into the database server and that the database/web server provides data of web monitor and history to an inquiry computer via the intra net network. The communication interfaces are used in a first loop within a first control room, a second loop within a second control room and a third loop within the third control room. Each of the loops includes control lines for controlling trackers and communication lines for collecting data from the inverters.
Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description referring to the attached drawings
The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment referring to the drawings.
Referring to
The computing unit 11 consists of a main monitor and control computer 11 a and a backup monitor and control computer 11b. The computing unit 11 is located in a central control room 10. The monitor and control computers 11a and 11b are desktop computers.
The main database server 12 and the database/web server 13 are located in the central control room 10. The main database server 12 stores generation-related data in the HCPV system. The database/web server 13 executes a monitor/inquiry web software program as well as stores the generation-related data of the HCPV system.
The multi-port serial servers 14a, 14b and 14c are located in a first control room, a second control room and a third control room, respectively. The multi-port serial servers 14a, 14b and 14c receive two-wired RS485 signals from tracker controllers and inverters, and convert the same into Ethernet signals. The multi-port servers 14a, 14b and 14c are connected to a dedicated network 20 for the HCPV central monitor and control device, thus providing a communication route between the computing unit 11 and front-end equipment. The multi-port serial servers 14a, 14b and 14c are sixteen-port RS485/Ethernet converting equipment.
The switches 15 are located in the central control room 10. The switches 15 connect the computing unit 11, the main database server 12, the database/web server 13, the dedicated network 20 and an intranet network 21 to one another. Thus, the computing unit 11 accesses to the generation-related data of the front-end equipment and writes the same into the database server 12. Furthermore, the database/web server 13 provides data of web monitor and history to an inquiry computer 22 via the intranet network 21.
Referring to
Preferably, the third loop 50 includes a plurality of trackers 200 each connected to an inverter 500. The inverters 500 are connected to one another through RS485 lines and then connected to a port COM1 of a Sunny Boy controller 51. The controller 51 collects data of all of the inverters 500. A port COM2 of a data recorder/controller 51 is converted to an RJ45 connector through an RS232-to-RJ45 inverter 52, and connected to the multi-port serial server 14c. Finally, the control computer reads the data from the data recorder/controller 51 through the dedicated network 20.
The first loop 30 includes inverters 400 connected to one another through RJ45 lines and then connected to the multi-port serial server 14a. Finally, the control computer 27 reads the data from the inverters 300 through the dedicated network 20.
The second loop 40 includes inverters 400 connected to one another through RJ45 lines and then connected to the multi-port serial server 14b. Finally, the control computer 27 reads the data from the inverters 400 through the dedicated network 20. Each inverter 400 is connected to two trackers 250.
Referring to
As best shown in
The monitor module 61 includes an inverter class 611, an SQL server database class 612, a serial polling class 613, a schedule class 614, a static data class 615, a static public parameter class 616, a main monitor form class 617 and a single tracker chart form class 618. The inverter class 611 defines a brand and a communication specification of an inverter. The SQL server database class 612 defines methods for connection, disconnection, asynchronous inquiry and writing. The serial polling class 613 defines functions of and methods for a serial port transmission mechanism and message interpretation. The schedule class 614 defines a monitor schedule in a multi-threading manner. The static data class 615 defines the generation-related data. The static public parameter class 616 defines public parameters of the system. The main monitor form class 617 monitors a main screen of a monitor program. The single tracker chart form class 618 shows data and a trend of a single tracker. Items derived from the definition and combination of the foregoing classes with one another build all of the functions of the monitor program. The derived items are combined with one another to form a software structure of the monitor module 61.
Referring to
The control module includes a command class 621, an SQL server database class 622, an email class 623, a public static parameter class 624 and a main form class 625. The command class 621 defines a form for transmitting commands and receiving messages between the tracker controllers and the control program. The SQL server database class 622 defines methods for connection, disconnection and asynchronous inquiry. The email class 623 defines email for a responsible person in case where commands cannot effectively be transmitted. The public static parameter class 624 defines public parameters. The main form class 625 controls a main screen of the control program. Items derived from the definition and combination of the foregoing classes with one another build all of the functions of the control program. The derived items are combined with one another to form a software structure of the control module 62.
The GPS time-synchronizing module 63 interprets satellite data received with a GPS module within the third control room, converts the GMT to local time, sets time for the database/web server 13. Moreover, the GPS time-synchronizing module 63 runs time-synchronizing software to set time for the computing unit 11 and an environmental data-collecting computer 68 once half an hour.
Once every minute, the DNI data-acquisition module 64 receives the DNI data from the environmental data-collecting computer 68, and writes the same into the SQL server database module 67. Thus, the monitor program calculates the efficiency of the generation, and the control program judges between the automatic and remote modes.
The web-monitoring module 65 acquires the generation-related data from the SQL server database module 67, and shows the same on a browser webpage.
The web historical data-inquiry module 66 provides an interface for statics, analysis and inquiry of historical data, sets conditions for various inquiries, and provides results in charts, tables or words.
The SQL server database module 67 is an information core of the HCPV central monitor and control apparatus. The SQL server database module 67 receives and stores the generation-related data and the DNI data as sources of data and standards for judging of the automatic control for the web-monitoring module 65 and the web historical data-inquiry module 66.
As discussed above, the central monitor and control apparatus acquires the generation-related data through the RS485 and the Ethernet, instantly shows the same on the computing unit 11 within the central control room and stores the same in the database/web server 13. Thus, the generation-related data and the web historical data can be reviewed through the browser. Commands can be given to the controllers 25. Conclusively, the central monitor and control device provides instant monitor, control and inquiry.
The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.
