JP2003056135A - Rainwater using system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rainwater using system using rainwater for cooling various kinds of photovoltaic power generation panel or melting snow for improving conversion efficiency. SOLUTION: This rainwater using system is provided with water collecting passages 22 and 24 for collecting rainwater falling onto a roof 14 of a house 12, a water tank 28 connected to the water collecting passage 24, the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 arranged in a sunny part, a water sprinkling device 34 arranged above the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 for sprinkling water to the surface of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32, a water supply passage 33 for supplying rainwater from the water tank 32 to the water sprinkling device 34, and a supply pump 35 arranged in the middle of the water supply passage 33 for supplying rainwater inside the water tank 32 to the water sprinkling device 34. A control circuit 37 connected to the supply pump 35 interlocks with a snowfall detection signal from a snow sensor 36 detecting a snowfall for driving and controlling the supply pump 35.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rainwater utilization system for utilizing rainwater for domestic water and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a rainwater utilization system in which rainwater is collected and used as flush water for flush toilets, water for garden ponds, and water for watering for planting. This rainwater utilization system is equipped with a water collection channel that collects rainwater that has fallen on the roof, a tank that is provided continuously to this water collection channel, a water pipe that is pulled out from the tank to a prescribed position, and a tip of the water pipe. A water supply device such as a tap or a flush toilet is provided.

On the other hand, a solar power generation panel generates power by solar radiation, but a solar cell is accompanied by a temperature rise due to solar radiation, which causes a decrease in photoelectric conversion efficiency. In order to suppress this, there has been a photovoltaic power generation panel disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-22193 as a method of cooling a photovoltaic power generation panel using rainwater. In this solar power generation panel, an evaporative cooling body made of synthetic fiber is attached to the back surface side of a protective film provided on the back surface of the panel body. A water storage part for storing rainwater as cooling water is attached to the lower end of the panel body, and the lower end of the evaporative cooling body is inserted inside the storage part. This solar power generation panel is attached to a sloping roof of a house through a holding metal fitting or the like.

In the method of using this solar power generation panel, first, the rain that has fallen on the surface of the panel body flows along the surface of the panel body and is collected in the water storage section. Then, the rainwater in the water storage portion infiltrates the evaporative cooling body made of synthetic fiber due to the capillary phenomenon. During fine weather, sunlight is applied to the solar power generation panel to generate power, which is converted into AC power by the inverter and supplied from the distribution board to the load or the power system. At this time, the temperature of the photovoltaic power generation panel rises due to solar radiation, but the rainwater that has soaked in the evaporative cooling body is evaporated from the back side of the photovoltaic power generation panel, the heat of vaporization is taken away, and the temperature of the panel body falls. An air passage is secured between the solar power generation panel and the roof to which the solar power generation panel is attached, and the air passing through the air passage allows efficient evaporation. As a result, this solar power generation panel has improved conversion efficiency as compared with the case where the evaporative cooling body is not provided.

[0005]

In the case of the above-mentioned conventional solar power generation panel, a space is required between the roof and the evaporative cooling body and the ventilation passage provided on the back side of the solar power generation panel. Although it can be used for a retrofit type solar power generation panel, it cannot be used for a solar power generation panel integrated with a roof. Further, since only the rainwater that has fallen on the surface of the solar power generation panel is collected and used, the amount of water is small and it will not be cooled if the sunny weather continues, which is not practical.

[0006] Further, the solar power generation panel has a problem that if the surface of the solar power generation panel is covered with snow in winter, the solar radiation is blocked and power is not generated. For this reason, photovoltaic panels have not spread sufficiently in areas with a large amount of snow.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a rainwater utilization system in which various solar power generation panels are cooled or melted using rainwater to improve conversion efficiency. To aim.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a water collecting channel such as a drainage pipe for collecting rainwater that falls on a roof of a house, a water storage tank connected to the water collecting channel, and solar light installed in a place exposed to sunlight. A power generation panel, a watering device such as a watering pipe provided above the solar power generation panel for watering the surface of the solar power generation panel, a water supply channel for supplying rainwater from the water storage tank to the water sprinkling device, and the water supply channel. The rainwater utilization system is provided on the way to the rainwater using a supply pump for supplying rainwater from the water tank to the sprinkler.

A control circuit is connected to the supply pump, and the control circuit drives and controls the supply pump in conjunction with a snowfall detection signal of a snow sensor for detecting snowfall.

Further, the water sprinkled by the sprinkler is collected in the water collecting passage, stored again in the water storage tank, and circulated for use. Further, the water tank is provided with a water level sensor, and tap water is supplied when the water level in the water tank falls below a predetermined position. In the middle of the drainage pipe that flows into the water storage tank, a generator that generates electric power by a water flow may be installed so that the electric power generated by the drainage can be collected.

In the rainwater utilization system of the present invention, rainwater that has fallen on the roof is collected in the water collection channel and stored in the water tank. And
Drive the supply pump to send rainwater from the water tank to the sprinkler,
Sprinkle water from the water sprinkler on the surface of the photovoltaic power generation panel to cool it. This suppresses the temperature rise of the photovoltaic panel,
Improve conversion efficiency. When snowfall, the supply pump operates in synchronization with the signal from the snow sensor to spray water on the surface of the photovoltaic power generation panel and prevent snowfall.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show a rainwater utilization system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rainwater utilization system 10 of this embodiment is a roof 1 of a house 12.
An eaves gutter (not shown) is provided at the eaves of No. 4, and a salmon eel 16 is provided at the corner of the eaves gutter. Downspout 1 at the lower end of the salmon eel 16.
8 are connected to each other, and the lower end of the vertical gutter 18 is connected to a stake 20 buried in the ground. The rods 20 are provided around the house 12 and are connected to each other by a drain pipe 22 which is a drainage channel.

The drainage pipe 22 is buried around the house 12 and is provided with one drainage pipe 24 drawn out from one of the stubs 20 to the outside. The drainage pipe 24 is provided with a trash can 26
Is further connected to the water storage tank 28 by being pulled out from the dust collecting tank 26 to the outside. The water tank 28 is buried in the ground, and is made of, for example, a strong recycled rubber, FRP, or other resin material, and withstands earth pressure even when the water becomes empty, does not collapse and does not leak, and has durability. It is a thing. The size of the water storage tank 28 is set in consideration of the family structure and the home stay time of the family. The inner surface of the water storage tank 28 is made of Cu or Ti.
Antibacterial treatment with O ₂ and Ag suppresses the growth of harmful bacteria and slime of the surface. An opening for overflow is provided in the upper part of the water storage tank 28, a drain pipe 30 is provided continuously to this opening, and the drain pipe 30 is continuous with a drainage channel outside the site.

In the middle of the drainage pipe 24 flowing into the water storage tank 28, a generator 40 for generating electricity by a water flow is installed. The electric power generated by the generator 40 is sent to a power supply device (not shown), used for indoor and outdoor electric power together with the electric power from a solar power generation panel 32 described later, and sent to a commercial power supply system. The generator 40 may be installed at a place where the power generation efficiency is highest, and does not need to be the drain pipe 24 immediately before the water tank 28.

On one slope of the roof 14, a solar panel 32 integrated with the roof 14 is provided. Roof 1
The ridge 15 of No. 4 is provided with a water sprinkling pipe 34 that constitutes a water sprinkler along the ridge 15. Watering pipe 3
Reference numeral 4 denotes, for example, water spraying pores provided at predetermined intervals toward the upper surface of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32.

A supply pipe 33, which is a water supply channel, is connected to the water storage tank 28, and the supply pipe 33 is connected to a sprinkling pipe 34, as shown in FIG. A supply pump 35 for sending rainwater in the water storage tank 28 to the water sprinkling pipe 34 is provided in the middle of the supply pipe 33. A control panel 37 having a control device is connected to the supply pump 35, and the control panel 37 is
A timer that operates for a predetermined time during the day and a snow sensor 36
Drives and controls the rainwater supply pump in conjunction with the signal. The supply pump 35 is also provided with a manual switch.

In addition to the sprinkling pipe 34, a supply pipe connected to a water supply facility such as a tank of a flush toilet or a faucet provided in a garden is branched from the supply pipe of the water storage tank 28. A supply pump or valve may be attached to each supply pipe. It is more preferable to provide a filter or a sedimentation tank for removing dust or the like on the inlet side of the water storage tank 28 or the outlet side to the supply pipe.

The water tank 28 is provided with a water supply device such as a water supply and a float which is a water level sensor which floats on the water surface in the water tank 28 to detect the water level. When the rainfall is low and the water level in the water tank 28 drops below a certain limit, the float moves downward together with the water level, and tap water is automatically replenished from this water supply device. A sensor other than the float may be provided to detect the water level.

Next, the rainwater utilization system 1 of this embodiment
The operation of 0 will be described. First of all, when there is rainfall, the rainwater that has fallen on the roof is received by the eaves gutters, and the rainwater is the salmon 16 and downspout 1
Pass through 8 and run down to basin 20. And rainwater is 20
The water passes through the drainage pipe 22 continuous with the above and is accumulated in the water storage tank 28.
Then, in a situation where there is a lot of solar radiation and the temperature of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 rises, the supply pump 35 is driven to send the rainwater in the water storage tank 28 to the water spray pipe 34, and the water spray pipe 34.
Rainwater is sprinkled on the surface of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 to cool it. Thereby, the temperature rise of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 is suppressed and high photoelectric conversion efficiency is maintained. Further, at the time of snowfall, the supply pump 35 operates in synchronization with the signal of the snow sensor 36 to spray rainwater on the surface of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 and prevent snowfall.

The rainwater discharged from the sprinkling pipe 34 may also flow to the roof 14 on the side where the solar power generation panel 32 is not installed. This has the effect of cooling the surface of the roof 14 to reduce the room temperature of the house 12 when there is a large amount of solar radiation, and has the effect of preventing snow accumulation on the roof 14 during snowfall. If water is continuously sprinkled during snowfall, the temperature of rainwater that is circulated and used will drop, but the water in the water storage tank 28 can be dealt with by exchanging heat using geothermal heat or the like. As a method of heat exchange, it is advisable to provide a heat exchange pipe in the ground to absorb the heat in the ground.

The rainwater in the water tank 28 is supplied to the flush toilet tank and used as flush water for the flush toilet,
It can be supplied to the faucet provided in the garden and used for watering plants and watering garden ponds. It can also be used for other domestic water.

According to the rainwater utilization system 10 of this embodiment, it is possible to effectively utilize rainwater to suppress the temperature rise of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 and maintain a high photoelectric conversion efficiency. In addition, rainwater is used to melt snow on the surface of the photovoltaic power generation panel 32, and power can be efficiently generated even in the winter when there is insolation, and snowfall from the photovoltaic power generation panel 32 is prevented. The solar power generation panel 32 may be a roof integrated type or a retrofit type, and can be used for various solar power generation panels 32.

Further, by spraying rainwater on the roof 14, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise in the room and to melt snow on the roof. In particular, snowfall from the large solar power generation panel 32 is dangerous and makes a loud noise, but this water spray prevents snowfall and effectively prevents snowfall from the solar power generation panel 32.

Further, since rainwater is used as various kinds of domestic water, and water that has been once sprinkled is collected and reused, resources can be effectively used. The water tank 28 is automatically replenished with tap water or the like when the amount of rainwater is small, and overflows from the through hole when there is a large amount of rainwater. can do.

The rainwater utilization system of the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, but the shape of the house,
It is possible to freely set the type of sprinkling pipe and the arrangement of water collection channels. And rainwater can be used for various purposes such as cleaning water.

[0026]

The rainwater utilization system of the present invention can effectively utilize rainwater with a simple structure, suppress the temperature rise of the photovoltaic power generation panel, and maintain high conversion efficiency. In addition, rainwater is used as water for daily life, water for removing snow from roofs, water for disposal, etc.
It can be used effectively. In addition, by recovering the electric power generated by rainwater, a part of the pump and other electric power can be covered, and the energy saving effect is further enhanced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rainwater utilization system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the rainwater utilization system of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the rainwater utilization system of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Rainwater utilization system. 12 houses 14 roof 16 Crabfish 18 Downspout 20 Masu 22, 24, 30 drainage pipe 26 trash can 28 water tank 32 solar panels 33 supply pipe 34 Watering pipe 35 water supply pump 36 Snow sensor 37 Control panel 40 generator

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A water collection channel for collecting rainwater that has fallen on the roof of a house, a water storage tank connected to the water collection channel, a solar power generation panel installed in a place exposed to sunlight, and a solar power generation panel above the solar power generation panel. A water sprinkler provided to sprinkle the solar power generation panel, a water supply channel for supplying rainwater from the water storage tank to the water sprinkler, and a rainwater provided in the water storage tank provided in the water supply path to the water sprinkler. Rainwater utilization system with a supply pump. 2. The supply pump is connected to a control circuit, and the control circuit drives and controls the supply pump in conjunction with a snowfall detection signal obtained from a snow sensor for detecting snowfall. Rainwater use system described. 3. The rainwater utilization system according to claim 1, wherein the water tank is provided with a water level sensor, and tap water is supplied when the water level in the water tank falls below a predetermined position. 4. The rainwater use according to claim 1, wherein a generator for generating electric power by a water flow is installed in the middle of the drain pipe flowing into the water storage tank, and the electric power generated by the drainage can be recovered. system.