ES1253424U - Solar car port - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a solar car port for the generation of renewable energy for business, domestic use and/or for the re-charging of Electric Vehicles. The invention provides a solar car port comprising:at least one support structure and a roof supported by the at least one support structure, the roof being arranged to support at least one solar panel,the at least one support structure being formed from a FRP material and comprising a hollow structure defining a cavity therein, and at least one component located within the cavity for connection to the at least one solar panel.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Solar port

Field of the invention

The invention relates to an improved solar port for generating renewable energy for companies, domestic use and / or for charging electric vehicles.

Background

Harbors are covered structures that provide a roof or deck, under which one or more vehicles can park, and thus provide, to some extent, shelter for vehicles. It is also known to use the roof of such structures to locate solar panels, for example to generate electricity, and such structures can be designed to house a small number of vehicles, or they can cover large parking areas that house large numbers of vehicles. Existing solar ports are typically made of steel and have supporting structures connected to, and supporting, a roof, to which a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel is attached to generate electricity. Any associated additional components, such as electrical components (eg cables and / or converters) or water drainage equipment, are attached to the exterior of the solar port or are housed separately in the port.

There is a need that ports can effectively support solar PV panels or solar thermal panels over large stretches, and that they can contribute to the sustainability, in particular, of the construction of new properties by meeting the needs of using renewable materials , generation of renewable energy and contributing to the collection and reuse of gray water.

Summary of the invention

The present invention provides a port, in particular a solar port, according to claim 1. The invention advantageously provides a port in which the supporting structure or structures consist of a hollow structure of PRF (fiber reinforced plastic / fiber-reinforced polymer), which is strong, easy to manufacture, and contains an interior space that can be advantageously used to accommodate a variety of of different components related to the functionality of the system, as discussed below. In one embodiment, the invention provides a solar port comprising at least one support structure, wherein said at least one support structure comprises a foot part, located on a surface and an arm part coupled to the part of foot, the foot portion and the arm portion each having a hollow interior which, when engaged, defines a cavity within the support structure; and at least one plate located on the arm portion of the support structure, said at least one plate comprising a solar panel to absorb solar energy, wherein at least one electrical component connected to said at least one solar panel is located within the cavity of the support structure. The invention advantageously integrates said at least one component, such as an electrical component associated with the generation of electricity, for example, a converter, within said at least one support, which protects the component from the external environment and limits access said at least one component.

Each support structure may comprise a substantially vertical central foot portion, for mounting on the ground, and an arm portion that supports the ceiling, the arm portion comprising at least one laterally extending arm element that is shaped to provide a substantially flat top surface to support the ceiling. The term "terrain" in this document may refer to surfaces, rather than the ground itself, such as an elevated level of a car park building, for example, or a rooftop or other platform on which vehicles can park and settle. port.

In one embodiment, the foot portion and the arm portion each comprise at least one vent, which provides an air channel between the cavity within the support structure and the outside environment, where air is drawn into. into the cavity through a first vent in the support structure and flows through said at least one component before exiting the support structure through a second vent. This air flow can be used, in particular, to cool the electrical components inside the support structure. This improves heat transfer away from electrical components to optimize performance and prevent overheating. This is particularly beneficial when said at least one electrical component includes a converter. Air can be drawn into the support structure and by said at least one component by natural or forced convection.

In a preferred embodiment, the arm portion and the foot portion are fiber constructions. continuous molded in one piece. This advantageously makes assembly simple and avoids structural vulnerabilities where the components would be connected. The arm part may comprise two arm elements that extend laterally in opposite directions. In a preferred embodiment, the arm portion and the foot portion are each made of continuous fiber reinforced plastic.

In a preferred embodiment, the arm portion has a variable moment of inertia. This increases the overall strength and the spans that the arm portion can span, and also reduces deformation along its length. In some embodiments, the arm portion can be reinforced with carbon fiber to further improve the above parameters.

The roof may comprise a plurality of roof elements each extending in one direction to form a span between two separate support elements, each roof element being arranged in parallel and connected to an adjacent roof element. Each roof element may comprise a substantially flat base and side walls extending substantially perpendicular from the base, so as to form a U-shaped cross section, the roof elements (also referred to herein as "plates") being arranged. so that the side walls of the adjacent roof elements abut each other and are connected to each other along the span. This arrangement has been found to stiffen the roof and allow long roof spans (eg 15-18 m) to be achieved between adjacent support structures. At least one roof element, and preferably any other roof element (i.e. alternative), is provided with a flange which extends laterally from a distal edge of at least one side wall and which is arranged to seat against the distal edge of the side wall of an adjacent roof element. This further increases the stiffness of the roof and can also be used to provide a watertight seal between adjacent roof elements. Roof elements can be formed from FRP, eg fiberglass, with a foam or PET core, or other lightweight core material. This arrangement has been found to provide a lightweight but rigid roof structure, which is also waterproof.

In some embodiments, the solar panel is a solar PV panel. In a preferred embodiment, the solar PV panel is connected to the electrical network through the cavity of the support structure. This synergistically shields the grid connection from the outside environment, while protecting the environment from the grid connection.

In some embodiments, the solar panel is a thermal solar panel.

In some embodiments, a battery system can be housed within the cavity of the support structure. In a preferred embodiment, the battery system comprises an electric vehicle (EV) charging point. In embodiments comprising both solar PV panels and a battery system, the energy generated by the solar PV panels can be used to charge the battery system. In some embodiments, the foot portion and / or the arm portion of the support structure houses a battery comprising: an anode; a cathode; a separator / insulator; and a liquid electrolyte. Such embodiments would require that the cavity of the support structure be lined with an acid resistant coating or that the arm and foot portion be formed from an acid resistant PRF (fiber reinforced plastic / fiber reinforced polymer).

In some embodiments, the solar car port further comprises rainwater collection means for collecting and directing the rainwater to a storage tank located within the cavity of the support structure. This allows the reuse of rainwater that falls on the solar port. In some embodiments, the solar port may further comprise a main tank external to the support structure that is connected to the storage tank through a connecting pipe. This allows the water collected in the storage tank to be transferred from within the cavity of the support structure to a main tank, which may be larger than the storage tank. In some cases, storage tanks of a plurality of support structures can feed the main tank. The main tank can be located underground or on the ground.

In embodiments comprising solar thermal panels and a storage tank, the solar thermal panels can be used to heat water in the storage tank. The heated water from the storage tank can be transferred to another location (for example, to a main tank, external to the supporting structure) and reused.

Brief description of the drawings

The embodiments of the present invention are described below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a solar port arrangement;

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an array of plates for use as the roof structure of a solar port;

Figure 3 shows a side view of a support structure and a plan view of the space occupied by the base of the structure;

Figure 4 shows an isometric view of a variable inertia beam;

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of a carbon fiber reinforced variable inertia beam;

Figure 6 shows an isometric view of a support structure with continuous fiber reinforcement;

Figure 7 shows an enlarged cutout illustrating how additional support components can be attached to the support structure;

Figure 8 schematically shows an arrangement of a support structure;

Figure 9 schematically shows an arrangement of a support structure;

Figure 10 schematically shows a support structure having an integrated battery;

Figure 11 schematically shows a support structure having a water collection system; Y

Figure 12 shows a vehicle parked under a port support structure.

Detailed description of the realizations

To a person skilled in the art having the benefit of the present invention, the various modifications, adaptations and variants of the embodiments described herein will be apparent, and such modifications, adaptations and variants that resulting in further embodiments of the present invention are also within the scope of the appended claims.

The solar port described in the following embodiments allows the generation of renewable energy for business, domestic use and / or for recharging electric vehicles. The system contains many new and innovative design benefits, as detailed below.

Figure 1 shows a port 10 comprising a plurality of support structures 12, spaced at intervals along the port and separated by a span between the support structures. The support structures support a roof, which is arranged to support or house solar panels or thermal solar boxes to produce electricity or heat water, etc. Support structures are typically separated by spaces (i.e. spans) of 10 to 12 m, and typically these spans correspond to a number of adjacent vehicle parking spaces on the ground below. Several spans can be achieved between supporting structures and, in some cases, spans of around 18 m can be used. Depending on the installation, the roof can span between a single support structure and a building, rather than between multiple support structures.

Each support structure 12 is arranged so that the roof is supported at an angle (typically a few degrees) to the horizontal as appropriate for the location, preferably to maximize its exposure to sunlight. Means may be provided to adjust the angle of the solar panels with respect to the roof or the angle at which the roof is supported by the supporting structures with respect to the ground. The supporting structure 12 comprises a hollow structure, which is normally molded from glass reinforced plastic (PRV) or fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), to form a base or foot part 14 and a roof or support support part. arm 13. The foot portion is substantially vertical and is generally central to the support structure and extends vertically around a central vertical axis of the structure (not shown). As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the foot part is fixed to the ground to anchor the port structure. In the illustrated embodiment, the arm portion 13 extends from the foot portion 14 to form two arms 13a, 13b that extend in opposite directions outward from the foot portion and provide a flat top surface 13c that endows the ceiling 20 support (shown in an exploded view in Figure 1, separated from the support structures on which it rests in the assembled structure of the port). In some embodiments, as shown, the arms 13a, 13b have a range of their lateral extension from the foot that is substantially the same, while in other embodiments (not shown), their length can vary, such that the portion of arm can extend predominantly only in the direction of one arm or the other. The arrangement of the arms is usually such that the roof covers the length of one or two car parking spaces, arranged perpendicular to the direction of the span, plus a small additional cantilevered amount to further protect parked vehicles from the weather in said parking spaces (see also figure 12).

The use of materials such as PRV / PRF to form a hollow structure makes it possible to repair the supporting structures if they are damaged, for example, due to collisions of vehicles using the port, cutting and replacing the damaged parts of the frame of the structure. Parts of the chassis can also be replaced in the same way for other reasons, for example to replace or upgrade VE ports as required, thus allowing the port functionality to be flexible.

The support structure can be formed from a single component or, as shown in Figure 3, the foot part 14 and the arm part 13 can be separate components that are connected to each other, for example bolted. . At least some parts of the support structure may be provided with a composite core to improve structural rigidity, and may be formed from, for example, PVC or PET foam.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the roof itself may be formed from one or more roof elements that extend between adjacent supporting structures in the span direction, and preferably from a plurality of said roof elements. roof that extend in parallel between adjacent supporting structures. Each roof element can be configured in the form of a plate 22, 24 comprising a flat base 25 and side walls 26a, b extending substantially perpendicular from the base, as shown in cross-section of Figure 2. Figures 1 and 2 show a portion 20 of a roof, the portion illustrated comprising three parallel plates of a length arranged to extend between two adjacent support structures 12. In some embodiments, a complete roof may comprise nine parallel plates, for example, each normally having the length of the span between adjacent support structures, although it will be appreciated that other arrangements are possible (e.g., roof elements that are two or more spans in length, or roof elements that are joined along the span between supporting elements).

As shown in Figure 2, in a preferred embodiment, the roof-forming plates are arranged side by side and connected together along their side walls 26a to form the roof. Plates 22, 24 may be bolted or attached by other means to form a rigid roof structure. Typically the plates are connected together to form a complete roof span and then connected (eg screwed) at their ends to vertical support structures to form the port. The boards can be made of FRP / fiberglass and can have a foam core or a PET plastic core (for example, made from recycled plastic bottles) or other lightweight foam core material.

As shown in Figure 2, any other plate 22, 25 can be formed with a closure flange 27, typically 50 mm wide, along the distal edges of its extending side walls 26a, b. The alternate plates 24 can then be seated against the flanges of the adjacent plates. This provides increased rigidity and can also be used to form a watertight seal between adjacent plates. In some embodiments, this watertight seal can also provide a runoff path to direct rainwater into a storage tank that is within the support structure 12 on which the roof is supported. This arrangement of plates has been found to provide a strong roof structure capable of supporting a greater weight of solar panels than conventional harbor roof structures. Alternatively, each plate can be identical and the closure flange can be formed on a side wall of each plate, so that the side wall of each plate that is provided with a closure flange rests against the side wall of a plate. adjacent plate that is not provided with a flange and sits against the flange of the adjacent plate.

When the ceiling elements are formed as plates (as shown in figure 2), said plates can be fitted in either of the two orientations, ie i) in a "vertical" configuration with the base 25 lower and the walls lateral extending upward; or ii) in an "inverted" configuration (shown in Figure 2), in which the base 25 is higher up and the side walls 25 extend downward. The choice of orientation may depend on the type of solar panel technology supported by the roof, eg solar PV, solar thermal or other. For solar PV panels, an inverted configuration may be preferred, to provide a flat surface that allows air flows underneath the solar PV panels to facilitate cooling. In that case, the solar PV panels can be screwed or attached to the plates. In an installation that includes thermal solar panels, it may be convenient to locate said panels using the plates in a vertical configuration, so that the panels sit within the plates and the walls 26a, b help to locate the panels, although the panels still they can be screwed or attached to the plates.

Referring to Figure 3, a support structure 12 is shown in more detail. As mentioned above, the support element 12 extends between the distal tips of the two arms 13a, 13b a distance that is normally slightly greater than the length of one or two car parking spaces, depending on the configuration of the port with respect to the parking spaces below. The width of the support structure 12 in a perpendicular direction (that is, in the span direction) can normally be about 400mm.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the foot portion 14 and the arm portion 13 are formed as separate components and are bolted together or attached by other means. The lower part of the foot part 14 is anchored to the ground, in this case, by bolts 16. Figure 3 also shows a plan view of the space occupied by the foot part 14 of the support structure 12, showing that the foot portion comprises a hollow structure having a substantially elliptical cross section. In one embodiment, the foot portion is anchored to the ground by providing a flange (not shown) that extends inwardly from the perimeter of the bottom portion of the foot portion where it meets the ground, thereby providing a substantially horizontal surface. that rests on the ground within the hollow foot part. The flange can then be fixed to the ground surface, for example, using a plurality of bolts, before connecting the arm part to the foot part (so that the inside of the foot part can be accessed before fixing the arm part), or alternatively, the inner flange can be accessed through an access panel or inspection hatch provided in the foot part. This arrangement provides a mechanism to secure the supporting structure to the ground, while being hidden from view from outside the structure.

In the end view (not shown), the lower parts of the arms 13a, 13b are elliptical and become concave as the arm moves towards the standing part. The upper part 13c of the arm part 13 is flat, but is usually inclined a few degrees from the horizontal, as shown in Figure 3.

Inspection hatches can be provided on the side of the support structure to allow access to bolts, cables, and other equipment housed within the support structure, which may include converters, data loggers, cellular transceivers, Wi-Fi amplifiers and other electronic equipment.

As shown in Figure 3, the arms 13a, 13b of the arm part 13 form a beam of variable inertia, in which each arm tapers towards its distal tip so that the weight of each arm (and its moment of inertia) is reduced towards its tip, reducing the load towards the extremities of the cantilevered arms. In particular, this is achieved in the arrangement of figure 3 with the tapered curve on the back of the arm part, opposite the flat upper surface 13c.

Figure 4 illustrates this principle more generally, showing a structural beam 40 of rectangular cross section, which has a flat top surface and a constant width, but which has a curved back to give the beam a depth that varies between a Y value at each end and a maximum value greater than Y at the midpoint of the beam. In some embodiments, beams of the type shown in Figure 4 can be used to join the span between adjacent support structures, to support a roof having attached solar panels, or to support solar panels directly on the beams. In that case, the beam is supported at each end, rather than in the center, and the curved shape of the back of the beam allows the use of low-stretch material (for example, a carbon-based material, such as fiber ) to reduce the deformation of long sections that could not be achieved using other materials. Figure 5 illustrates this arrangement in a beam 50, similar to beam 40 of Figure 4, which is provided with carbon fibers 52 used to reinforce the beam at its lower and / or upper surfaces. In particular, the long, continuous carbon fibers that reinforce the reverse of the beam can significantly help support the beam load and reduce deformation, thus achieving greater spans in this arrangement.

Figures 6 through 12 show various additional arrangements of support structures and other features that can be used in the port of Figure 1.

Figure 6 shows a support structure 60 of an alternative arrangement to that of figures 1 and 3, since the support structure 60 has flat sides, with flat parallel faces (one of which (61) can be seen in the figure 6) and has a cross section uniform in the direction of the port section. As a result, the lateral sides 62, 64 are perpendicular to the flat faces, instead of being contoured as in Figure 1. In this arrangement, the structure can be reinforced using continuous unidirectional composite fibers 66, 68 running along each of the lateral sides 62, 64, ie running along the first side 62 from the tip A of an arm to the tip B of the base of the frame on the first side; and running along the second side 64 from the point C of the second arm to the point D of the base of the frame on the second side.

Figure 7 shows an arrangement of a support structure 70 similar to that of Figure 6, but which is additionally provided with a reinforcing structure in the form of a sleeve 73 having a substantially V-shaped cross section, which is fits over the tip 72a of an arm 72 of the support structure 70. The sleeve may be a molded GRP / GRP structure or similar structure, and is arranged to extend along the length of the port structure between the structures adjacent supports to provide additional rigidity to the overall structure. One or more liners can be extended along the port and can be interconnected if necessary, depending on the span. The sleeve 73 is preferably received in a recessed portion 74, 75 of the outer surface of the tip 72a of the arm 72 of the support structure 70, so that the outer surface of the sleeve 73 can be flush with the surface. outer arm 72. The sleeve can be attached to the support structure using an adhesive, in particular an epoxy adhesive. It should be noted that adhesives such as this can be used to connect various components and structural elements of the port, in particular when using PRV or other PRF materials, thus providing a convenient fabrication technique that can be faster and easier than conventional techniques. port construction. The adhesives used can be environmentally friendly adhesives, such as plant-based resins and glues, to minimize the environmental impact of the structure.

As shown in FIG. 8, an arrangement of a support structure 80 may be provided with vents in the hollow structure, to facilitate convection cooling of electrical components or other components housed within the hollow structure. In particular, the port support structures 80 may contain various types of electrical components associated with the production and storage of electricity and / or with the charging of electric vehicles, including converters and batteries, for example, as well as other potentially related components. with the use of the support structure to provide electronic displays (for example, for user interfaces, advertising or other signs). The hollow nature of the support structure advantageously provides a space to house such components and the means to cool the components using convection.

One or more inlet vents 82 may be provided towards the base of the support structure 80 and one or more exhaust vents 84 provided towards the top of the support structure. This arrangement allows the heat generated by any electrical component 86 contained within the support structure 80 to rise up and out of the structure from the exhaust vents 84, thus drawing air from the outside, through the intake vents 82 , and creating a convection current 88 to cool components 86. This embodiment is particularly advantageous in a solar port, since it allows electrical components associated with generating electricity or EV charging to be housed within the structure and remain away from users or civilians, but uses the hollow structure to provide the advantage of cooling these hidden components by means of the vents described.

Figure 9 illustrates yet another advantageous arrangement in which the hollow structure of a support structure 90 is used to provide a battery storage compartment for storing one or more batteries 92, which are used to store electricity generated from the solar panels. PV from the port and / or for use in EV charging, and / or used as backup batteries to maintain the electrical functionality of the port in the absence or failure of another power source. The battery system may have connection means on the outside of the support structure (for example, in the form of an EV charging point or other type of power terminal for any of a variety of known uses), or the battery It can be used to power other port functionality, such as mobile device charging points or electronic screens that are used as information screens, advertising spaces, user interfaces, payment points for EV charging or parking, etc. The battery can be charged with one or more solar PV panels located on the roof of the port, above the support structure.

Alternatively, an EV charging point can be provided within the support structure, which receives power through a connection to the electrical network, in which case, the necessary components can be housed within a storage compartment. within the supporting structure, as required.

Figure 10 illustrates a variant of the arrangement of Figure 9, in which the battery is formed integrally within the hollow structure of the support structure 100 itself. In this arrangement, the interior of the cavity within the support structure 100 can provide a housing for: an anode 102, a cathode 104, an electrolyte 106, and a spacer / insulator 108 to separate the anode and cathode, which together form the battery. In one embodiment, the electrolyte can be housed within the acid-resistant FRP of the hollow support structure 100 without the need to house preformed batteries within the structure, thus maximizing the intended battery space and thus capacity. battery.

Figure 11 shows an arrangement of a support structure 110 in which the hollow structure houses one or more liquid storage tanks 112 to collect, in particular, the rainwater that falls on the roof of the port and reuse it. A connecting pipe 114 can connect the storage tank 112 to a ground tank 116 below ground. Alternatively, the storage tanks can be provided within the structure without being connected to a ground tank, or the water can be directed, through the interior of the support structure, to a ground tank, without providing support. storage tanks within the structure. When one or more storage tanks are provided within the hollow structure, these can be located in various parts of the support structure 110 as appropriate and, for example, can be located within the arms of the support structure. .

A collecting gutter (which can be part of the roof elements / plates that can form the roof structure or be a separate component on the roof) can be arranged to collect water through the roof span. The collecting chute can lead the collected water to a downcomer pipe that runs into the cavity of the support structure, and can run along the interior of the hollow support structure. The downcomer can lead to a storage tank 112 from within the cavity of the support structure or it can direct the collected water elsewhere (eg, to a tank outside the support structure or to an underground tank 116). This collected water can be used for gray water storage and reused (eg in an adjacent building). In a preferred arrangement, the support structure is shaped such that water flowing from any point on the roof experiences a continuous downward fall from the tip 111 of the lower arm of the support structure to the ground, or to the tank. storage, if it is channeled into the support structure at tip 111 and flows along the inside of the support. In this way, the shape of the inner surface of the support structure can be used to channel water from a collecting gutter to a storage tank located further down within the support structure, without accumulating within the arms of the structure. of support.

Figure 12 shows an end view of a port and, in particular, the face of a support structure 120 that includes inlet vents 122 and outlet vents 124 to cool the components located within the support structure, as shown. described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 12 also shows a vehicle 125 located in a parking space below the port, and it can be seen that, in this example, the lateral extension of the arms of the support structure is approximately equal to the length of two parking spaces.

As can be seen in Figure 12, the outer surface of the support structure 120 can be used to provide space for advertising and / or other means of communication with users, such as display screens providing information or instructions, TFT panels Flexible recessed to the surface of the support structure or user interfaces, such as touchscreens, to process EV cargo payments, parking, etc. The contoured support structures (shown in more detail in figure 1) can be covered with a PVC wrap, to display advertisements or other markings or information.

From the above description, it will be appreciated that the port can be formed from support structures having several different advantageous characteristics, and the arrangements described in relation to the figures can be implemented in any combination.

The hollow nature of the structure allows, without limitation, that the following can be incorporated into the design of structures: cables, conduits, electrical components, water pipes, water storage, battery integration. The port and the hollow support structures can also be used as an amplification apparatus for cell phone or Wi-Fi signals, as the support structures are not preferably formed using conductive materials (and are preferably formed from PRV or other PRF) and therefore will not act as an antenna or interfere with Wi-Fi or other signal amplification apparatus located within the cavity of the supporting structures. This provides a significant advantage over conventional ports, which They are typically constructed of steel and do not provide an interior space to house such equipment. In some embodiments, the interior space of the support structures can be used to house cellular or Wi-Fi antennas or amplifiers in place of conventional antennas located in other nearby locations.

Although in this description reference is made to the use of PRV or other PRF materials to form the supporting structures of the port, other suitable materials may also be used, preferably other non-electrically conductive materials, in particular where these can be used to form a hollow support structure of the type illustrated, and thus achieve advantages similar to those described.

In summary, the benefits of the described system include:

• cost-effective supply of renewable energy on site

• provision of electricity to nearby local users and / or supply of electricity to the electricity grid

• the possible provision of hot water when used with roof-mounted exchangers (solar thermal panels)

• EV charging (electric vehicles)

• help to reduce harmful emissions

• improved visual impact (due to the curved nature of the design)

• use of better materials than conventional port steel structures, with improved visual and structural characteristics

• use of environmentally friendly plant-based resins and glues to bond materials, such as PRV / PRF

• use of new easier ways of connecting the parts of the system by using epoxy glues

• multiple uses: electricity generation, advertising, charging points, hot water, water storage, battery housing, etc.

• can be formed from recyclable materials

• the use of FRP (fiber reinforced plastic) materials in solar ports increases service life compared to conventional steel construction and is more environmentally friendly

• PRV / PRF panels can be repaired by cutting and replacing damaged parts

• one or two piece molded support structures that use a continuous fiber construction in solar ports provide a design that is easy to fabricate

use of beams of variable moment of inertia to achieve the required sections and deformation characteristics. These allow spans and deformation performance to exceed currently available products collecting and storing gray water within the frame of the supporting structure

innovative air draw system that carries out ventilation to cool and circulate air within the frame of electrical components

supports cellular data and Wi-Fi amplification connections

Claims (25)

1. A solar port comprising: at least one support structure and a roof supported by said at least one support structure, the roof being arranged to support at least one solar panel, said at least one support structure being formed from a FRP material and comprising a hollow structure defining a cavity therein, and at least one component located inside the cavity to connect it to said at least one solar panel. 2. The solar port of claim 1, wherein the component is an electrical component, in particular a converter, for connecting to a solar PV panel. The solar port of claim 1 or 2, wherein each support structure comprises a substantially vertical central foot portion for mounting on the ground, and an arm portion for supporting the roof, the arm portion comprising at least , a laterally extending arm member that is shaped to provide a substantially flat upper surface to support the ceiling. The solar port of claim 3, wherein the arm portion comprises two arm elements that extend laterally in opposite directions, and is formed from a single piece of FRP material. The solar port of any preceding claim, wherein the roof comprises a plurality of roof elements each extending in one direction to form a span between two separate support elements, each roof element being arranged in parallel. and connected to an adjacent roof element. The solar port of claim 5, wherein each roof element comprises a substantially flat base and side walls extending substantially perpendicular from the base to form a U-shaped cross section, the roof elements being arranged as such. so that the side walls of the adjacent roof elements abut each other and connect with each other along the length of the span. 7. The solar port of claim 6, wherein at least one roof element, and preferably each alternate roof member is provided with a flange that extends laterally from a distal edge of at least one side wall and is arranged to seat against the distal edge of the side wall of an adjacent roof member. 8. The solar port of any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the roof elements are formed from FRP, eg fiberglass, with a core of foam or PET. The solar port of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one solar panel, in particular a rooftop mounted PV solar panel or thermal solar panel. The solar port of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one support structure comprises at least one lower vent and at least one upper vent positioned above said at least one lower vent, each vent providing an air channel between the cavity within the support structure and the exterior environment, the vents being arranged to provide a channel that allows air to be convected into the cavity through said, at least, a lower vent and flowing through said at least one component before exiting the support structure through said at least one upper vent, to cool said at least one component. The solar port of claim 10, wherein said at least one support structure is arranged to draw air into the support structure by natural convection or forced convection. The solar port of any preceding claim, further comprising rainwater collection means for collecting and directing the rainwater to a storage tank located within the cavity of the support structure. The solar port of claim 12, further comprising a main tank external to the support structure, optionally located underground and connected to the storage tank, which is located within the support structure, through a connecting pipe. 14. The solar port of claim 13, wherein the main tank is arranged to collecting water from a plurality of storage tanks located within the respective support structures. 15. The solar port of any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the support structure is shaped so that water flowing from the roof, which is channeled into the support structure and flows along from an inner surface of the support structure to the storage tank, experiences a continuous downward fall from the top of the support structure to the storage tank. 16. The solar port of any preceding claim, wherein said at least one component comprises a battery. 17. The solar port of claim 16, wherein the battery is arranged to store electrical energy generated by at least one solar PV panel supported on the roof. The solar port of claim 16 or 17, wherein the battery is integrally formed within the cavity of the support structure, wherein the hollow structure of the support structure forms a housing for the battery, comprising a compartment for anode and a cathode compartment filled with a liquid electrolyte and separated by a separator. 19. The solar port of any of claims 16 to 18, wherein at least one support structure comprises a battery-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging point. The solar port of any preceding claim, further comprising at least one roof mounted thermal solar panel and a storage tank located within the cavity of said at least one support structure, said, at least one solar thermal panel to heat the water that is stored in the storage tank. 21. A solar port comprising at least one hollow support structure and electrical components, in particular a converter, located with the support structure, wherein the support structure includes inlet and outlet ports arranged to guide upward ventilation through the hollow frame to provide airflow to cool the electrical components. 22. A solar port comprising at least one hollow support structure and a battery storage compartment located within the hollow structure to house at least one battery. 23. A solar port comprising at least one hollow support structure and rainwater collection means to direct rainwater to collect it in one or more storage tanks located within the hollow structure. 24. The solar port of claim 23, further comprising a ground tank, located below ground, for collecting water from one or more storage tanks through a connecting pipe. 25. A solar port comprising at least one hollow support structure formed from an acid-resistant fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) material, and a battery integrally formed within the support structure, the battery formed comprising integrally an electrolyte contained within a compartment formed by the hollow structure of PRF and an anode and a cathode separated by a separator.