SOLAR POWER GENERATION MONITORING METHOD AND SOLAR POWER GENERATION MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20150088440A1
• Filed: 11/28/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: UKC Electronics (H.K.) Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: LIN, Pei-Chin, GAN, Lai-Pheng, CHIANG, Jui-Kang, LEE, Chin-Yin, CHEN, Jin-Syung, NISHIMANIWA, Osamu, SUZUKI, Katsushi
• Application Number:
  US14/555,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088440A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/006 Measuring power factor
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/10 Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A method for monitoring solar power generation includes calculating a cable loss, calculating a maximum power point tracking loss, calculating an inverter loss, calculating a system output coefficient, performing comprehensive calculation based on a rated output power of a solar cell array, a temperature coefficient of the solar cell array, a numerical value of a voltage-current measuring device, a numerical value of a actinometer, a numerical value of a thermometer and a numerical value of a AC power meter such that a module temperature loss is calculated, performing comprehensive calculation based on the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the system output coefficient and the module temperature loss such that a module loss is calculated, and displaying and monitoring the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring solar power generation, comprising:

calculating a cable loss based on difference in numerical values between DC power meters in a solar power generation system comprising a solar cell array and a plurality of sensors or based on wire resistance and a numerical value of a DC power meter;

calculating a maximum power point tracking loss based on difference in numerical values between the DC power meter and a voltage-current measuring device in the solar power generation system or based on a numerical value of an actinometer and a numerical value of the DC power meter in the solar power generation system;

calculating an inverter loss based on difference in numerical values between the DC power meter and an AC power meter;

calculating a system output coefficient;

performing comprehensive calculation based on a rated output power of the solar cell array, a temperature coefficient of the solar cell array, a numerical value of the voltage-current measuring device, a numerical value of the actinometer, a numerical value of a thermometer and a numerical value of the AC power meter such that a module temperature loss is calculated;

performing comprehensive calculation based on the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the system output coefficient and the module temperature loss such that a module loss is calculated; and

displaying and monitoring the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss.

2. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, wherein the calculating of the cable loss comprises calculating the cable loss based difference in numerical values between an array end DC power meter provided on a solar cell array end and an inverter end DC power meter provided on an inverter end or based on wire resistance of a DC line connecting the solar cell array and the inverter and a numerical value of the inverter end DC power meter.

3. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, wherein the calculating of the maximum power point tracking loss comprises calculating the maximum power point tracking loss based on difference in numerical values between the DC power meter which is an inverter end DC power meter provided on an inverter end and the voltage-current measuring device which is configured to measure a voltage-current value of the solar cell array.

4. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, wherein the calculating of the inverter loss comprises calculating the inverter loss based on difference in numerical values between the DC power meter which is an inverter end DC power meter provided on an inverter end and the AC power meter which is provided on the inverter end.

5. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, wherein the calculating of the system output coefficient comprises calculating the system output coefficient from D=c2/[a2×

(b3/1000 W/m²)], where D represents the system output coefficient, c2 represents a numerical value of the AC power meter provided on an inverter end, a2 represents the rated output power of the solar cell array, b3 represents a numerical value of the actinometer configured to measure intensity of solar irradiation incident on the solar cell array, and 1000 w/m² represents a standard solar irradiance.

6. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, wherein the performing of comprehensive calculation for the module temperature loss comprises performing the comprehensive calculation based on a voltage-current value of the voltage-current measuring device configured to measure the voltage-current value of the solar cell array, a numerical value of the actinometer configured to measure intensity of solar irradiation incident on the solar cell array, a numerical value of the thermometer configured to measure a temperature of the solar cell array, and a numerical value of the AC power meter provided on an inverter end.

7. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, further comprising:

issuing at least one of an alarm and an advice based on a monitoring result obtained from the displaying of the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss.

8. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, wherein the displaying of the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss includes updating the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss at predetermined timing, and the monitoring of the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss includes shifting information interval of the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss backward in time from a predetermined time interval.

9. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 5, wherein the calculating of the system output coefficient includes confirming whether an abnormal value is present in system output coefficients calculated from D=c2/[a2×

(b3/1000 W/m²)] with respect to different solar cell arrays, comparing power generation amounts with respect to different solar cell arrays for abnormality, confirming whether abnormality exists in function of the AC power meter, confirming whether abnormality exists function of the actinometer, and confirming whether abnormality exists in function of an information collection software which collects information for calculating different types of power generation losses in the solar power generation system.

10. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 5, wherein the comprehensive calculation for the module temperature loss comprises confirming whether an abnormal value is present in module temperature losses calculated with respect to different solar cell arrays, comparing module temperatures measured with respect to different solar cell arrays for abnormality, confirming whether abnormality exists in installation condition and operating environment of each solar cell array, confirming whether abnormality exists in function of the thermometer configured to measure temperature of the solar cell array, and confirming whether abnormality exists in function of an information collection software which collects information for calculating different types of power generation losses in the solar power generation system.

11. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 4, wherein the calculating of the inverter loss comprises confirming whether an abnormal value is present in inverter losses calculated with respect to different solar cell arrays, comparing numerical values of inverter end DC power meters and AC power meters with respect to different solar cell arrays for abnormality, confirming whether abnormality exists in function of inverter end DC power meters and AC power meters with respect to different solar cell arrays, and confirming whether abnormality exists in function of an information collection software which collects information for calculating different types of power generation losses in the solar power generation system.

12. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 3, wherein the calculating of the maximum power point tracking loss comprises confirming whether an abnormal value is present in maximum power point tracking losses calculated with respect to different solar cell arrays, confirming whether abnormality is found in solar irradiation condition, confirming whether correction is necessary with respect to parameters for the calculating of the maximum power point tracking loss, and confirming whether abnormality exists in function of an information collection software which collects information for calculating different types of power generation losses in the solar power generation system.

13. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 3, wherein the comprehensive calculation for the module loss comprises confirming whether an abnormal value is present in module losses with respect to different solar cell arrays, confirming whether an abnormal value is present in the system output coefficient, the cable loss, the module temperature loss, the inverter loss, and the maximum power point tracking loss, and confirming whether abnormality exists in function of an information collection software which collects information for calculating different types of power generation losses in the solar power generation system.

14. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, further comprising:

performing comprehensive calculation based on an actual photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell array in a different solar irradiation condition, the numerical value of the array end DC power meter, and the numerical value of the actinometer such that an irradiance level correction value is calculated;

performing comprehensive calculation based on the numerical value of the actinometer, a numerical value of another actinometer, information for a latitude and an inclination angle of the solar cell array, and a numerical value of a spectral photometer such that an irradiation air mass correction value is calculated;

correcting the module loss based on the irradiance level correction value and the irradiation air mass correction value; and

setting an inclination angle of the actinometer to be same as the inclination angle of the solar cell array,

wherein the other actinometer is a pyranometer positioned at an angle horizontal with respect to ground, and the spectral photometer is connected to the solar cell array and configured to detect intensity of sunlight and measure spectrum distribution.

15. A method for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 1, wherein the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, and the module temperature loss are displayed in %, W, kWh and kWh/kWp or other units for instantaneous or cumulative energy.

16. A system for monitoring solar power generation, comprising:

an information collection device configured to collect information for calculating a power generation loss;

a computing device connected to the information collection device and configured to calculate the power generation loss of a solar cell array based on the information for the power generation loss transmitted from the information collection device;

a display and monitoring device connected to the computing device and configured to display and monitor the power generation loss calculated by the computing device; and

an alarm and advice device connected to the display and monitoring device,

wherein the solar cell array is provided in a plurality, each solar cell array comprises a plurality of solar cell array units each comprising a plurality of solar cell modules positioned in series or in parallel, a DC power output from the solar cell array is converted by an inverter to an AC power, the computing device is configured to calculate a cable loss based on difference in numerical values between DC power meters of the solar cell array or based on wire resistance and a numerical value of a DC power meter, calculate a maximum power point tracking loss based on difference in numerical values between the DC power meter and a voltage-current measuring device in a solar power generation system or based on a numerical value of an actinometer and a numerical value of the DC power meter in the solar power generation system, calculate an inverter loss based on difference in numerical values between the DC power meter and an AC power meter, calculate a system output coefficient, calculate a module temperature loss based on a rated output power of the solar cell array, a temperature coefficient of the solar cell array, a numerical value of the voltage-current measuring device, a numerical value of the actinometer, a numerical value of a thermometer and a numerical value of the AC power meter, and calculate a module loss based on the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the system output coefficient and the module temperature loss, and the alarm and advice device is configured to issue at least one of alarm and advice based on a monitoring result obtained from the displaying of the cable loss, the maximum power point tracking loss, the inverter loss, the module temperature loss and the module loss.

18. A system for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 16, wherein the computing device is configured to calculate the cable loss based difference in numerical values between an array end DC power meter provided on a solar cell array end and an inverter end DC power meter provided on an inverter end or based on wire resistance of a DC line connecting the solar cell array and the inverter and a numerical value of the inverter end DC power meter.

19. A system for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 16, wherein the computing device is configured to calculate the maximum power point tracking loss based on difference in numerical values between an inverter end DC power meter provided on an inverter end and a voltage-current measuring device configured to measure a voltage-current value of the solar cell array.

20. A system for monitoring solar power generation according to claim 16, wherein the computing device is configured to calculate the inverter loss based on difference in numerical values between an inverter end DC power meter provided on an inverter end and an AC power meter provided on the inverter end.

17. (canceled)