KR102563296B1 - Photovoltaic power generation system to monitor causes of fire and remove the causes of fire effectively - Google Patents

Abstract

A photovoltaic power generation system that effectively removes the cause of fire while monitoring it is disclosed. The disclosed photovoltaic power generation system includes a junction box electrically connected to a solar cell module, and an inverter converting DC power output from the junction box into AC power. At this time, the junction box includes a junction box body having a door, a circuit module installed inside the junction box body and including a circuit breaker, a fire extinguishing device installed inside the junction box body, and the connection box. A junction box sensor for detecting the internal environment of the box, installed on the junction box body, and visualizing the operating state of the junction box including the operating state of the circuit breaker, the operating state of the fire extinguishing device, and the normal operating state of the circuit module and a control module that controls the junction box sensor and the display module.

Description

Photovoltaic power generation system to monitor causes of fire and remove the causes of fire effectively}

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a photovoltaic power generation system that effectively removes a cause of fire while monitoring it.

A photovoltaic power generation system is a system for converting light energy incident from the sun into electric energy, and is composed of a power generation system having a plurality of solar cell modules, a junction box, and an inverter.

In particular, the junction box is installed between the solar cell module and the inverter, and performs an operation of integrating power generated from a plurality of solar cell modules and outputting the integrated power to the inverter.

Meanwhile, since a plurality of electric elements are embedded in the junction box and current conversion is performed, heat due to the electric elements is generated inside the junction box. Additionally, when the junction box is installed in an outdoor area, heat from the sun is transferred to the inside of the junction box. Accordingly, since fire frequently occurs in the connection box, the development of technology for preventing fire in advance is required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic power generation system capable of effectively removing the cause of fire.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic power generation system capable of accurately determining when a fire occurs in a junction box.

An object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic power generation system capable of effectively monitoring the cause of a fire.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects and advantages of the present invention not mentioned above can be understood by the following description and will be more clearly understood by the examples of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations indicated in the claims.

A photovoltaic power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a junction box electrically connected to a solar cell module, and an inverter converting DC power output from the junction box into AC power. At this time, the junction box includes a junction box body having a door, a circuit module installed inside the junction box body and including a circuit breaker, a fire extinguishing device installed inside the junction box body, and the connection box. A junction box sensor for detecting the internal environment of the box, installed on the junction box body, and visualizing the operating state of the junction box including the operating state of the circuit breaker, the operating state of the fire extinguishing device, and the normal operating state of the circuit module and a control module that controls the junction box sensor and the display module.

According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively eliminate the cause of a fire occurring in a junction box.

In addition, according to the present invention, when a fire occurs in a junction box, it can be accurately determined.

In addition, according to the present invention, the cause of fire can be effectively monitored.

In addition, the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the detailed description of the present invention or the configuration of the invention described in the claims.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a photovoltaic power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a view showing the appearance of a junction box according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram showing a junction box according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram showing a part of a circuit module installed in an internal space of a junction box according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a junction box sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation of a display module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for preventing a fire in advance according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 and 9 are detailed flowcharts of some of the steps shown in FIG. 7 .

Since the present invention can make various changes and have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. Like reference numerals have been used for like elements throughout the description of each figure.

Terms such as “first” and “second” may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. These terms are only used for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. The term "and/or" includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items.

Terms used in this specification are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, the terms "include" or "have" are intended to designate that there is a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification, but one or more other features It should be understood that the presence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof is not precluded.

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and unless explicitly defined in the present application, they should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning. don't

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a photovoltaic power generation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a photovoltaic power generation system 1 may include a photovoltaic array 10 , a junction box 20 , an inverter 30 and a management server 40 .

The photovoltaic array 10 may include a plurality of photovoltaic cell modules 11 . A plurality of photovoltaic cell modules 11 may be connected in series and parallel by wires and connectors. A plurality of photovoltaic cell modules 11 may be commonly connected to the junction box 20 by wires.

The junction box 20 may integrate power generated by the photovoltaic array 10 and output the integrated power to the inverter 30 .

The inverter 30 may convert DC power output from the junction box 20 into AC power and then transmit the power to a distribution box or the like.

The management server 40 may manage and control the junction box 20 and the inverter 30 . To this end, the management server 40 may include a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit of the management server 40 may include a wired/wireless communication module, and the wireless communication module may be a short-distance communication module and/or a long-distance communication module. The control unit of the management server 40 is a processor-based device, and includes application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). ), processors, micro-controllers, and microprocessors.

Meanwhile, although not shown in FIG. 1 , the photovoltaic power generation system 1 includes a solar radiation sensor for detecting solar radiation around the solar array 10 (eg, oblique solar radiation and horizontal solar radiation), A module temperature sensor for detecting the module temperature of the solar cell module 11 and an air temperature sensor for detecting the ambient air temperature around the photovoltaic array 10 may be further included. In this case, the management server 40 is communicatively connected to the solar radiation sensor, the module temperature sensor, and the air temperature sensor to receive detection signals detected by each sensor through the communication unit of the management server 40 .

In addition, the management server 40 may further include a display unit. In this case, the display unit of the management server 40 may display solar radiation, module temperature, and air temperature. That is, environmental information related to the solar array 10 may be monitored by a manager through the display unit of the management server 40 .

In addition, as will be described later, the management server 40 may receive the operating state and internal temperature/humidity of the access box 20 from the access box 20, and monitor the received operating state and internal temperature/humidity. can This will be described later.

Hereinafter, the junction box 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

Figure 2 is a view showing the appearance of the junction box 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the junction box 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, 4 is a view showing a part of the circuit module 22 installed in the inner space of the junction box 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 to 4, the junction box 20 may include a junction box body 21, a circuit module 22, a junction box sensor 23, a control module 24 and a fire extinguishing device 25. there is.

The junction box body 21 may form the appearance of the junction box 20 and may protect the circuit module 22, the junction box sensor 23, the control module 24 and the fire extinguishing device 25 from the outside. there is.

A door 211 may be installed on the front of the junction box body 21 . At this time, referring to FIG. 4 , an internal space is formed in the junction box body 21, and the door 211 may rotate to open and close the internal space of the junction box body 21. The door 211 may be opened and closed by a user's motion.

The door 211 may include an upper door 211a and a lower door 211b. The upper door 211a may rotate to open and close the upper inner space where the fire extinguishing device 25 is disposed in the inner space of the junction box body 21 . A display module 212 for displaying an operating state of the junction box 20 may be installed in the upper door 211a. The lower door 211b may rotate to open and close the lower inner space where the circuit module 22 is disposed in the inner space of the junction box body 21 .

The circuit module 22 may be installed in the inner space of the junction box body 21, that is, the lower inner space, and may integrate power generated by the photovoltaic array 10 and output the integrated power to the inverter 30. The circuit module 22 may include a plurality of electrical elements such as circuit breakers 221, wires, and relays.

The junction box sensor 23 may be installed on the inner wall of the junction box body 21, for example, the door 211, and may sense the internal environment of the junction box 20.

5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a junction box sensor 23 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the junction box sensor 23 may include a temperature and humidity sensor 231 , a vibration sensor 232 and a door sensor 233 . Meanwhile, although not shown in FIG. 5 , the junction box sensor 23 may further include various sensors such as a flame sensor and a smoke sensor.

The temperature/humidity sensor 231 may detect the internal temperature/humidity of the junction box 20 among the internal environments of the junction box 20 . One or more temperature and humidity sensors 231 may be provided, and may be installed at one or more points of the junction box body 21 . For example, the temperature and humidity sensors 231 may be respectively installed on upper and lower inner walls of the rear side of the door 211 .

The vibration sensor 232 may detect vibration generated in the junction box 20 among the internal environments of the junction box 20 . In particular, the vibration sensor 232 may detect vibration generated in the junction box 20 due to an external force (eg, wind blowing from the outside, an earthquake, etc.). The vibration sensor 232 may be implemented as a MEMS sensor such as an acceleration sensor.

The door sensor 233 may detect an open/closed state of the door 211 in the internal environment of the junction box 20 . The door sensor 233 may be installed on at least one of the front side of the junction box body 21 and the rear side of the door 211 . For example, the door sensor 233 may be installed in the lower door sensor 211b of the door 211 .

The door sensor 233 may generate a door detection signal by detecting an open/closed state of the door 211 . Here, the door detection signal may include a first door detection signal corresponding to the open state of the door 211 and a second door detection signal corresponding to the closed state of the door 211 .

Again referring to FIGS. 2 and 4 , the control module 24 may be installed in the inner space of the junction box body 21 . Meanwhile, according to another embodiment, the control module 24 may be installed on the outer wall of the junction box body 21 or may be installed at an external point adjacent to the junction box 20 .

The control module 24 may be connected to the circuit module 22 to control at least one electric element of the circuit module 22, and may control the junction box sensor 23 and the display module 212. In addition, the control module 24 may receive a sensing value detected by the junction box sensor 23 and perform a data processing operation related to a fire that may occur in the junction box 20 . To this end, the control module 24 may include a communication unit and a control unit.

The communication unit of the control module 24 may be communicatively connected to the circuit module 22 and the junction box sensor 23, and may also be communicatively connected to the management server 40 that manages the junction box 20. To this end, the communication unit of the control module 24 may include wired or wireless communication means.

The control unit of the control module 24 is a processor-based device, and may be implemented with at least one physical element among ASICs, DSPs, DSPDs, PLDs, FPGAs, processors, microcontrollers, and microprocessors.

The fire extinguishing device 25 may be a device for extinguishing the fire by using a clean fire extinguishing agent in a state in which the internal space of the junction box 20 is closed when a fire occurs in the junction box 20 . Here, the clean fire extinguishing agent may be an eco-friendly agent that is harmless to the human body, environmentally friendly, odorless/colorless, has a low ozone depletion potential (ODP), and does not damage the circuit module 22 or the like.

As an example, the fire extinguishing device 25 may include a fire extinguisher, a control unit installed on the outer surface of the junction box 20, and an operation unit that operates the fire extinguisher by operation of the control unit. In the fire extinguisher, a glass bulb blocking discharge of the fire extinguishing agent is provided to be ruptured by a rupture member, and the operation unit may operate the rupture member so that the glass bulb is ruptured by manipulation of the operation unit. Accordingly, when a fire occurs in the internal space of the junction box 20, the fire extinguishing device 25 operates the operation unit so that the fire extinguisher operates by manipulating the operation unit from the outside of the junction box 20, so that the junction box 20 A fire can enter when the internal space is closed. For details on the fire extinguishing device 25, refer to Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2449100.

Meanwhile, as described above, a display module 212 for displaying an operating state of the junction box 20 may be installed in the door 211, that is, the upper door 211a. Here, the operating state of the junction box 20 may include the operating state of the circuit breaker 221, the operating state of the fire extinguishing device 25, and the normal operating state of the circuit module 22.

6 is a diagram for explaining an example of an operation of the display module 212 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, the display module 212 may include LEDs having excellent visibility. The LEDs may include a first LED, a second LED and a third LED.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 6 , the first LED may be red, for example, and may indicate an operating state of the fire extinguishing device 25 . That is, when the fire extinguishing device 25 is operating, the display module 212 can turn on the first LED to visually indicate that a fire has occurred in the junction box 20 and the fire extinguishing device 25 is operating. there is.

Referring to (b) of FIG. 6 , the second LED may be green, for example, and may indicate a normal operating state of the circuit module 22 . That is, when the circuit module 22 is normally operating (ie, in a live state), the display module 212 may turn on the second LED to visually indicate that it is in a “power generation” state.

Referring to (c) of FIG. 6 , the third LED may be blue, for example, and may indicate an operating state of the circuit breaker 221 . That is, when the circuit breaker 221 is in the TRIP and OFF states, the display module 212 may turn on the third LED to visually display the circuit breaker inspection state in the connection 20.

For details on the display module 212, refer to Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2449104.

On the other hand, the photovoltaic power generation system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention relates to the operating state and internal temperature/humidity of the junction box 20, solar radiation around the photovoltaic array 10, module temperature, ambient temperature, etc. It can be monitored through the management server (40).

That is, the management server 40 may receive the operating state and internal temperature/humidity of the junction box 20 from the control module 24 of the junction box 20, and may include a solar radiation sensor, a module temperature sensor, and an air temperature sensor. Solar radiation around the solar array 10 , module temperature, and air temperature may be received from the controller 100 . Thereafter, the management server 40 displays the operating state and internal temperature/humidity of the junction box 20, solar radiation around the solar array 10, module temperature, and ambient temperature through the display unit of the management server 40. Can be displayed to admins. Through this, the administrator can monitor the operating state and internal temperature/humidity of the junction box 20, solar radiation around the solar array 10, module temperature, and ambient temperature.

Also, when a somewhat large number of solar cell modules 11 are installed, two or more connection boxes 20 may be installed. In this case, the management server 40 may classify the operating state and internal temperature/humidity of the access box 20 for each access box 20 and display the displayed information on the display unit of the management server 40 .

Hereinafter, the cause of the fire occurring in the junction box 20 will be described.

When dust or foreign matter (for example, a spider's web) exists inside the junction box 20, a fire may occur due to an electrical short circuit caused by the dust/foreign matter. Also, referring to FIG. 4 , a plurality of wires may be disposed in the circuit module 22 , and fixing members 222 such as bolts may be installed to fix connection terminals of the wires. At this time, vibration may occur in the junction box 20 due to thermal expansion due to the power output operation of the circuit module 22 and/or external force such as wind or earthquake, and the fixing member 222 may be released according to the vibration. . When the fixing member 222 is released, electrical resistance may increase or an electric arc may occur, resulting in a fire.

In order to solve this problem, the control module 24 according to the present invention accumulates and calculates a cause information value, which is an information value related to the cause of fire in the junction box 20, to prevent a fire in the junction box 20 in advance. It can be prevented. Here, the cause of the fire may be dust or foreign matter (electrical leakage due to dust/foreign matter) existing inside the junction box 20, or loosening of the fixing member 222 of the connection terminal due to vibration of the junction box 20 (increase in electrical resistance or generation of an electric arc) and the like. Accordingly, the cause information value may be an information value related to a cause of fire that may occur in the junction box 20 .

Hereinafter, an operation of effectively removing a cause of a fire in order to prevent a fire in the junction box 20 in advance will be described with reference to FIG. 7 and the like in more detail.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for preventing a fire in advance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The steps performed in FIG. 7 may be performed in the junction box 20 , in particular the control module 24 of the junction box 20 . Then, the control module 24 receives detection signals (ie, a door detection signal, an internal temperature of the junction box 20, a vibration detection signal, etc.) from each of the junction box sensors 23 in real time, and then the control module 24 It is assumed that it is stored in the storage unit in the

Hereinafter, the process performed for each step will be described in detail.

In step S10, the control module 24 may determine whether the access box 20 has been inspected by the administrator. At this time, inspection of the junction box 20 may correspond to maintenance/repair of the junction box 20 .

According to the embodiment, the control module 24 may determine whether to inspect the junction box 20 based on a door detection signal detected by the door sensor 233 . Also, according to the embodiment, the control module 24 may determine whether to inspect the junction box 20 further based on the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected by the temperature and humidity sensor 231 . In addition, the control module 24 may determine whether to inspect the access box 20 further based on an event performed by the administrator.

That is, the control module 24 may automatically or semi-automatically determine whether the junction box 20 has been inspected based on the detection signal detected by the junction box sensor 23 . A detailed description of step S10 will be described later.

When it is determined that the junction box 20 has been inspected (S10), the control module 24 may initialize the cause information value in step S20.

That is, when the administrator inspects the junction box 20, removes dust or foreign substances present inside the junction box 20 using an air gun and/or a brush, checks for damage to the internal cable, and checks the connection terminal. Check the state of (for example, check whether the fixing member 222 of the connection terminal is loosened), check whether there is an overheated part inside the junction box 20 using a thermal imaging camera, A series of operations such as measuring individual voltages and currents of each battery module 11 may be performed. In other words, when the administrator inspects the junction box 20, the cause of the fire can be removed. Accordingly, when it is determined that the junction box 20 has been inspected (S10), the control module 24 may initialize the cause information value to a default value (for example, “0”).

On the other hand, when it is determined that the junction box 20 is not inspected (S10), the cause of the fire cannot be removed by the manager, so step S20 is not performed. That is, when it is determined that the connection box 20 is not checked, the cause information value is not initialized to a default value and is maintained.

In step S30, the control module 24 may accumulate and calculate the cause information value.

A more detailed description of this is as follows.

According to an embodiment, the cause information value may be calculated based on a recent inspection time point of the access box 20 before the current time point. At this time, the latest inspection time point of the junction box 20 may be calculated through step S10.

Specifically, the cause information value may include a first cause information value corresponding to the amount of dust or foreign matter. At this time, it can be inferred that the amount of dust or foreign matter present in the junction box 20 increases as time passes in a state where the junction box 20 is not inspected. Therefore, the first cause information value may correspond to the length of the first time interval between the latest inspection time of the access box 20 determined in step S10 and the current time point at which step S30 is performed.

Also, the cause information value may include a second cause information value corresponding to loosening of the fixing member 222 fixing the wire connection terminal in the circuit module 22 . Specifically, when vibration is applied from the inside and outside of the junction box 20 in a state where the junction box 20 is not inspected, the fastened fixing member 222 may be partially loosened. And, when the vibration occurs at least once over a specific period of time, the fixing member 222 may be further loosened. Therefore, the second cause information value may correspond to the cumulative value of vibrations generated in the first time interval between the latest inspection time of the junction box 20 determined in step S10 and the current time point at which step S30 is performed. there is.

The second cause information value may be calculated based on the vibration detection signal generated by the vibration sensor 232 . In particular, since vibration of a very small intensity may not affect the loosening of the fixing member 222, the second cause information value, that is, the cumulative value of vibrations generated in the first time interval, detects the vibration detected in the first time interval. Among the signals, the number of occurrences of the first vibration detection signal having an RMS exceeding a predetermined root mean square (RMS) may correspond to the number of occurrences. The critical RMS can be established statistically or experimentally.

Meanwhile, the cause information value may correspond to the sum or weighted sum of the first cause information value and the second cause information value. In this case, the weight of each of the first cause information value and the second cause information value may be set statistically or experimentally.

Referring back to FIG. 7 , in step S40, the control module 24 may determine whether the calculated cause information value exceeds a preset threshold value. Here, the threshold value may correspond to a minimum cause information value at which a sign of fire occurs.

When it is determined that the calculated cause information value does not exceed the threshold value (S40), the process may be performed again from step S10.

And, if it is determined that the calculated cause information value exceeds the threshold value (S40), in step (S50), the control module 24 sends a removal request message corresponding to the removal request of the cause of the fire to the management server 40. can be sent to The removal request message may be displayed on the display unit of the management server 40, and the manager may check the removal request message and visit the access box 20 to perform inspection.

In short, the photovoltaic power generation system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention can monitor the cause of fire and at the same time provide a notification message to a manager to remove the cause of fire before a fire occurs. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a fire that may occur in the junction box 20 in advance by effectively removing the cause of fire in the junction box 20 .

Meanwhile, although not shown in FIG. 7 , the control module 24 may determine whether a fire has occurred in the junction box 20 based on the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected by the temperature and humidity sensor 231. there is. At this time, when a fire occurs, the fire extinguishing device 25 operates to extinguish the fire in a state in which the internal space of the junction box 20 is closed.

According to the embodiment, when the internal temperature of the junction box 20 is greater than or equal to a preset dangerous temperature value (eg, 80 ° C) or the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected in a preset time interval (10 minutes) When a situation in which the slope value is greater than the preset dangerous slope value occurs three or more times, it may be determined that a fire has occurred inside the junction box 20 .

Hereinafter, the contents of step S10 of FIG. 7 will be described in more detail.

FIG. 8 is a detailed flowchart of an embodiment of step S10 among the steps shown in FIG. 7 .

In step S102, the control module 24 may detect the opening of the door 211. That is, the door sensor 233 may detect the opening of the door 211, generate a first door detection signal, and transmit the signal to the control module 24, based on the first door detection signal. The opening of the door 211 may be detected.

In step S104 , the control module 24 may determine whether a preset threshold time has elapsed after the door 211 is opened.

As described above, when inspecting the junction box 20, the manager may perform a series of operations such as removing dust or foreign substances present in the junction box 20 and checking the state of the connection terminal. Accordingly, the threshold time may be defined as the minimum time required for the administrator to check the access box 20, and may be set in advance based on the time at which the above series of operations are performed.

According to the embodiment, the threshold time may be set based on the number of fixing members 222 fixing the connection terminals of wires in the circuit module 22 and the inner area of the junction box 20 . At this time, the inner area of the junction box 20 may correspond to the amount of dust or foreign matter, and the number of fixing members 222 may correspond to whether or not the fixing member 222 is loosened. For example, the threshold time may be set as a weighted sum of the inner area of the junction box 20 and the number of fixing members 222 .

When it is determined that the threshold time does not elapse after the door 211 is opened (S104), the control module 24 may determine whether closing of the door 211 is detected in step S106. That is, the control module 24 may determine whether the second door detection signal is generated by the door sensor 233 and received by the control module 24 .

When it is determined that the closing of the door 211 is not sensed (S106), step S104 may be performed again.

When it is determined that the closing of the door 211 is detected (S106), the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed in step S120.

Specifically, as described above, the threshold time may be defined as a minimum time required for the manager to check the access box 20 . At this time, when the door 211 is closed in a state where the threshold time has not elapsed after the door 211 is opened, that is, the second door detection signal is generated before the threshold time elapses after the first door detection signal is generated. situation may arise. In this case, it can be inferred that the administrator has not properly checked the access box 20 . Accordingly, the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed.

Meanwhile, when it is determined that a critical time has elapsed after the door 211 is opened (S104), the control module 24 may control a physical button (not shown) to be activated in step S108.

Here, the physical button may be a button installed inside the junction box 20 (eg, an inner wall of the door 211). The physical button may be pushed by the manager when the manager completes inspection of the junction box 20, and a cause information value to be described later may be reset based on a push event of the physical button. In addition, the physical button is defaulted to an inactive state and can be activated when a threshold time elapses after the door 211 is opened. Also, when a push event of an activated physical button is input, the physical button may become inactive again.

The physical button may be made of a transparent or translucent material, and a light emitting device may be provided inside the physical button. At this time, when the threshold time has elapsed, the light emitting element may emit light, and the administrator may visually check whether the physical button is activated through the emitted light.

After that, in step S110, the control module 24 may determine whether a physical button push event is input from the manager.

When it is determined that the push event of the physical button is not input (S110), the control module 24 may determine whether closing of the door 211 is detected in step S112.

When it is determined that the closing of the door 211 is not sensed (S112), step S110 may be performed again.

When it is determined that the closing of the door 211 is detected (S112), the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed in step S120. That is, when a situation in which the second door detection signal is generated while the push event of the physical button is not input, it can be inferred that the manager has not yet completed the inspection of the access box 20, and the control module 24 ) may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed.

Meanwhile, when it is determined that the push event of the physical button is input (S110), the control module 24 may detect the closing of the door 211 in step S114. That is, the closing of the door 211 may be sensed by receiving the second door detection signal generated by the door sensor 233 .

Then, in step S116, it may be determined whether the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected during the preset second time interval after the door 211 is closed is included in the preset normal temperature interval.

Here, the normal temperature range may be defined as a temperature range in which no fire occurs and no sign of a fire occurs. As an example, the normal temperature section may be a section having a temperature of 70 °C or less. In addition, an abnormal temperature section, which is a section having a higher temperature than the normal temperature section, may be defined. That is, the maximum temperature of the normal temperature section may be set to be smaller than the minimum temperature of the abnormal temperature section. For example, the abnormal temperature section may be a section having a temperature exceeding 70 °C.

When it is determined that the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected during the second time period is all included in the normal temperature section (S116), the control module 24 determines that the inspection of the junction box is completed in step S118. can And, when it is determined that the internal temperature of the junction box 20 sensed at a specific point in time during the second time interval is not included in the normal temperature interval (S116), the control module 24 checks the junction box in step S120. It can be judged that this is not completed.

That is, when the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected during the second time period is not included in the normal temperature section, that is, the internal temperature of the junction box 20 at least part of the time is included in the abnormal temperature section. In this case, it can be inferred that the internal temperature of the junction box 20 is higher than normal at least at some points in time because dust or foreign matter is not properly removed or the fixing member 222 that is partially loosened is not properly tightened. When the above situation occurs, it may be determined that the manager does not properly inspect the junction box 20, and the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed.

And, when the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected during the second time interval is all included in the normal temperature interval, dust or foreign matter is completely removed, and the fixing member 222, which is partially loosened, is almost tightened to connect the junction ( 20) can be inferred to be normal. When the above situation occurs, it may be determined that the manager properly inspects the junction box 20, and the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is completed.

Meanwhile, according to another embodiment, step S116 among the steps shown in FIG. 9 may be omitted. That is, when the closing of the door 211 is detected in step S114, the control module 24 may determine that the junction box 20 has been inspected.

The control module 24 may determine that the access box 20 has been inspected by the manager when the first or second situation occurs, and when the third, fourth or fifth situation occurs, the access box 20 It can be judged that it is not checked by this manager. Here, the first to fifth situations can be organized as follows.

i) First situation: a door where a second door detection signal is generated after the first door detection signal is generated, and a time difference between the second generation time of the second door detection signal and the first generation time of the first door detection signal A situation in which the opening time of 211 exceeds the critical time and a push event of an activated physical button is input from the manager

ii) Second situation: After the first door detection signal is generated, the second door detection signal is generated, the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the threshold time, and a push event of the activated physical button is input from the manager , A situation in which the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected in the second time interval is included in the normal temperature interval

iii) Third situation: A situation in which a second door detection signal is generated before a threshold time elapses after the first door detection signal is generated.

iv) Fourth situation: A situation in which a second door detection signal is generated while a push event of an activated physical button is not input even though a threshold time has elapsed after the first door detection signal is generated

v) Fifth situation: After the first door detection signal is generated, the second door detection signal is generated, the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the threshold time, and a push event of the activated physical button is input from the manager. A situation in which the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected in the second time interval is included in the abnormal temperature interval

FIG. 9 is a detailed flowchart of another embodiment of step S10 among the steps shown in FIG. 7 . At this time, a detailed description of a part of the contents of FIG. 9 overlapping with the contents described in FIG. 8 will be omitted.

In step S202, the control module 24 may detect the opening of the door 211.

In step S204, the control module 24 may detect the closing of the door 211.

In step S206, the control module 24 may calculate the opening time of the door 211. That is, the control module 24 is configured at the time of the second generation of the second door detection signal (ie, closing of the door 211) and the first generation of the first door detection signal (ie, of opening of the door 211). Based on this, the opening time of the door 211 can be calculated.

In step S208, the control module 24 may determine whether the opening time of the door 211 exceeds a threshold time. As described above, the threshold time may be the minimum amount of time required for an administrator to check the access box 20 .

When it is determined that the opening time of the door 211 does not exceed the critical time (S208), the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed in step S226. That is, when the opening time of the door 211 is less than the critical time, it can be inferred that the manager did not properly check the junction box 20, and the control module 24 determines that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed. can be judged to be

When it is determined that the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the critical time (S208), the control module 24 determines the first internal temperature of the junction box 20 at the first time and the second time at step S210. The second internal temperature of the junction box 20 of the control module 24 may be read (read).

Here, the first time point may be a time point before the door 211 is opened, that is, any time point before the first generation of the first door detection signal, and the second time point is a time point after the door 211 is closed, that is, It may be any one time point after the second generation time point of the second door detection signal. Also, the first and second points of time may be points of time having the same amount of power generation or the same amount of input current (amount of current output from the photovoltaic array 10 and input to the connection box 20) within an error range. For example, the first time point may be a time point closest to the first generation time point having the amount of power generation A, and the second point of time may be the closest time point after the second generation time point having the amount of power generation A.

In step S212, the control module 24 may determine whether both the first and second internal temperatures are included in a normal temperature range (eg, a temperature range of 70°C or less).

When it is determined that both the first and second internal temperatures are included in the normal temperature range (S212), the control module 24 may determine whether the first internal temperature is less than the second internal temperature in step S214. there is.

When it is determined that the first internal temperature is higher than the second internal temperature (S214), the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is completed in step S224.

When it is determined that the first internal temperature is less than the second internal temperature (S214), the control module 24 may calculate a temperature difference between the second internal temperature and the first internal temperature in step S216.

Then, in step S218, the control module 24 may determine whether the temperature difference is included in a predetermined critical temperature range.

Here, the critical temperature range may correspond to the offset temperature range, and may be set to, for example, -3°C to 3°C.

When it is determined that the temperature difference is included in the critical temperature section (S218), the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is completed in step S224.

When it is determined that the temperature difference is not included in the critical temperature section (S218), the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed in step S226.

Meanwhile, when it is determined in step S212 that both the first and second internal temperatures are not included in the normal temperature range, in step S220, the control module 24 determines that both the first and second internal temperatures are abnormal temperatures. It can be determined whether or not it is included in the interval.

When it is determined in step S220 that both the first and second internal temperatures are included in the abnormal temperature section, the control module 24 determines that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed in step S226. can

When it is determined in step S220 that both the first and second internal temperatures are not included in the abnormal temperature section, in step S222 the control module 24 determines whether only the second internal temperature is included in the normal temperature section. can judge

When it is determined in step S222 that only the second internal temperature is included in the normal temperature section (ie, when it is determined that the first internal temperature is included in the abnormal temperature section), in step S224 the control module 24 ) may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is completed.

When it is determined in step S222 that only the second internal temperature is included in the abnormal temperature section (ie, when it is determined that the first internal temperature is included in the normal temperature section), in step S226 the control module 24 ) may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed.

Table 1 below summarizes steps S212 to S226, and details performed in steps S212 to S226 will be described in detail with further reference to Table 1. In this case, “normal” corresponds to “the internal temperature is included in the normal temperature range” and “abnormal” corresponds to “the internal temperature is included in the abnormal temperature range”.

In situation A, the first and second internal temperatures are normal temperatures, and the second internal temperature is less than or equal to the first internal temperature. That is, situation A is a situation in which the internal temperature of the junction box 20 after the door 211 is opened is lower than the internal temperature of the junction box 20 before the door 211 is opened. This can be deduced that the internal temperature of the junction box 20 is reduced by a manager completely removing dust or foreign substances during the opening time of the door 211 and tightening the fixing member 222 . Accordingly, the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is completed (S212 → S214 → S224).

In situation B, the first and second internal temperatures are normal temperatures, the second internal temperature is greater than the first internal temperature, and a temperature difference between the second internal temperature and the first internal temperature is included in the critical temperature section. At this time, as described above, since the critical temperature range corresponds to the offset temperature range, "the above temperature difference is included in the critical temperature range" means "the first internal temperature and the second internal temperature are the same within the error range. It can correspond to "do". Accordingly, situation B may be substantially similar to the above-described situation A, and the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is completed (S212 → S214 → S216 → S218 → S224).

In situation C, the first and second internal temperatures are normal temperatures, the second internal temperature is greater than the first internal temperature, and a temperature difference between the second internal temperature and the first internal temperature is not included in the critical temperature section. At this time, as described above, since the critical temperature range corresponds to the offset temperature range, "the above temperature difference is not included in the critical temperature range" means "substantially greater than the second internal temperature and the first internal temperature". It can correspond to that. This can be deduced that the internal temperature of the junction box 20 increased because the manager did not properly remove dust or foreign substances or did not properly tighten the fixing member 222 . Accordingly, the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed (S212 → S214 → S216 → S218 → S226).

Situation D is a situation where the first internal temperature is a normal temperature and the second internal temperature is an abnormal temperature. As described above, since the temperature of the abnormal temperature section is higher than that of the normal temperature section, the second internal temperature is greater than the first internal temperature. The internal temperature of the junction box 20 "increases from normal to abnormal" means that the administrator did not properly remove dust or foreign substances or did not properly tighten the fixing member 222, so the internal temperature of the junction box 20 became abnormal. can be inferred to be elevated. Accordingly, the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed (S212 → S220 → S226).

Situation E is a situation where the first internal temperature is an abnormal temperature and the second internal temperature is a normal temperature. That is, the second internal temperature is lower than the first internal temperature. When the internal temperature of the junction box 20 is "decreased from abnormal to normal", the administrator completely removes dust or foreign substances at the opening time of the door 211 and connects it by tightening the fixing member 222 (20) It can be inferred that the internal temperature of is reduced. Accordingly, the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the connection box 20 is completed (S212 → S220 → S222 → S224).

Situation F is a situation in which the first and second internal temperatures are abnormal temperatures, and the second internal temperature is less than or equal to the first internal temperature. That is, situation F is a situation in which the second internal temperature decreases from the first internal temperature, but the second internal temperature is still an abnormal temperature. This can be inferred that the manager did not completely remove dust or debris or did not completely tighten the fixing member 222 . Accordingly, the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed (S212 → S220 → S222 → S224).

Situation G is a situation in which the first and second internal temperatures are abnormal temperatures, and the second internal temperature is greater than the first internal temperature. This can be inferred that the manager did not properly remove dust or debris or did not properly tighten the fixing member 222 . Accordingly, the control module 24 may determine that the inspection of the junction box 20 is not completed (S212 → S220 → S222 → S224).

In summary, the control module 24 determines whether the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the threshold time, the first internal temperature of the junction box 20 at the first time point, and the temperature of the junction box 20 at the second time point. It is possible to determine whether to inspect the junction box 20 based on the second internal temperature. In particular, when the sixth, seventh, or eighth situation occurs, it can be determined that the access box 20 has been inspected by the manager, and when the ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth situation occurs, the access box 20 ) is not checked by the manager. Here, the sixth to twelfth situations can be organized as follows.

i) Sixth situation: a situation in which the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the critical time, the first and second internal temperatures are included in the normal temperature range, and the first internal temperature is greater than or equal to the second internal temperature

ii) Seventh situation: the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the critical time, the first and second internal temperatures are included in the normal temperature range, and the second internal temperature exceeds the first internal temperature, but the second internal temperature A situation where the temperature difference between the temperature and the first internal temperature is less than or equal to the critical temperature

iii) Eighth situation: the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the critical time, the first internal temperature is included in the abnormal temperature section, and the second internal temperature is included in the normal temperature section.

iv) Ninth situation: a situation in which the opening time of the door 211 is less than the critical time

v) Tenth situation: the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the critical time, the first and second internal temperatures are included in the normal temperature range, the second internal temperature exceeds the first internal temperature, and the second internal temperature A situation in which the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the first internal temperature exceeds the critical temperature

vi) Eleventh situation: a situation in which the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the critical time, the first internal temperature is included in the normal temperature section, and the second internal temperature is included in the abnormal temperature section;

vii) Twelfth situation: a situation in which the opening time of the door 211 exceeds the critical time and the first and second internal temperatures are included in the abnormal temperature section

In short, the photovoltaic power generation system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention accurately and efficiently determines whether the junction box 20 has been checked without intervention of a manager based on the detection signal monitored by the junction box sensor 23. can judge In particular, based on the internal temperature of the junction box 20 detected by the temperature and humidity sensor 231 and the door detection signal detected by the door sensor 233, it is also accurately determined whether or not the manager properly inspected the junction box 20. can do. If the administrator does not properly inspect the junction box 20, it is determined that the junction box 20 is not inspected, so that fire occurrence can be prevented in advance.

In addition, the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer means and recorded in a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the present invention or those known and usable to those skilled in computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, and magnetic media such as floptical disks. - includes hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as magneto-optical, and ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, as well as machine language codes such as those produced by a compiler. The hardware device described above may be configured to act as one or more software modules to perform the operations of embodiments of the present invention, and vice versa.

As described above, the present invention has been described with specific details such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, but these are provided to help the overall understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, Those skilled in the art in the field to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications and variations from these descriptions. Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and not only the claims to be described later, but also all modifications equivalent or equivalent to the claims will be said to belong to the scope of the present invention.

Claims (16)

A junction box electrically connected to the solar cell module;
an inverter converting DC power output from the junction box into AC power; and
A management server communicatively connected to the connection box and the inverter and having a display unit;
The connection box is
A junction box body having a door;
a door mounted on the junction box body;
a circuit module installed inside the junction box body and including a circuit breaker;
a fire extinguishing device installed inside the junction box body;
a junction box sensor for sensing an internal environment of the junction box;
a display module installed on the junction box body and visually displaying an operating state of the junction box including an operating state of the circuit breaker, an operating state of the fire extinguishing device, and a normal operating state of the circuit module; and
It includes a communication unit, controls the junction box sensor and the display module, calculates a cause information value that is an information value related to a cause of fire in the junction box based on a detection signal detected by the junction box sensor, and the cause information When the value exceeds a preset threshold, a control module for transmitting a removal request message corresponding to the removal request of the cause of the fire to the management server; including,
The junction box sensor includes a door sensor that detects opening and closing of the door and generates a door detection signal,
The control module determines whether the junction box has been inspected based on the door detection signal, and initializes the cause information value when it is determined that the junction box has been inspected;
The cause information value is calculated based on the latest inspection time of the access box before the current time,
solar power system.
According to claim 1,
a solar radiation sensor that detects solar radiation around the solar cell module;
a module temperature sensor for sensing a module temperature of the solar cell module; and
An air temperature sensor for sensing the air temperature around the solar cell module;
The management server is further communicatively connected to the solar radiation sensor, the module temperature sensor, and the air temperature sensor,
The junction box sensor further includes a temperature and humidity sensor for detecting an internal temperature and humidity of the junction box,
The junction box transmits the internal temperature, the internal humidity, and an operating state of the junction box to the management server;
The management server displays the amount of solar radiation, the module temperature, the air temperature, the internal temperature, the internal humidity, and the operating state of the junction box on the display unit,
If the number of access boxes is two or more, the management server divides the operating state of the access box for each access box and displays it on the display unit.
solar power system.
delete delete According to claim 1,
The junction box further includes a physical button installed inside the junction box body to check whether the junction box is inspected,
The physical button is defaulted to an inactive state,
When a push event of the activated physical button is input from the manager in a situation where the physical button is activated after the first door detection signal corresponding to the opening of the door is generated, the physical button becomes inactive,
solar power system.
According to claim 5,
The control module determines that the connection box has been inspected when a first situation occurs,
In the first situation, after the first door detection signal is generated, a second door detection signal corresponding to the closing of the door is generated, and the second generation time of the second door detection signal and the first door detection signal A situation in which the opening time of the door, which is the time difference between the first generation time, exceeds a preset threshold time, and the push event of the activated physical button is input from the manager.
solar power system.
According to claim 5,
The junction box sensor includes a temperature and humidity sensor for detecting an internal temperature and humidity of the junction box,
The control module determines that the connection box has been inspected when the second situation occurs,
In the second situation, after the first door detection signal is generated, a second door detection signal corresponding to the closing of the door is generated, and the second generation time of the second door detection signal and the first door detection signal The opening time of the door, which is the time difference between the first generation time of, exceeds a preset threshold time, the push event of the activated physical button is input from the manager, and the junction box sensed in the first preset time interval. A situation in which the internal temperature is included in a preset normal temperature range,
solar power system.
According to claim 5,
The junction box sensor includes a temperature and humidity sensor for detecting an internal temperature and humidity of the junction box,
The control module determines that the connection box is not checked when a third situation, a fourth situation, or a fifth situation occurs,
The third situation is a situation in which a second door sensing signal corresponding to the closing of the door is generated before a preset threshold time elapses after the first door sensing signal is generated,
The fourth situation is a situation in which the second door detection signal is generated while the push event of the activated physical button is not input even though the threshold time has elapsed after the first door detection signal is generated,
In the fifth situation, the second door detection signal is generated after the first door detection signal is generated, the door opening time exceeds the threshold time, and a push event of the activated physical button is generated by the manager. A situation in which the internal temperature of the junction box input from but detected in a preset first time interval is included in a preset abnormal temperature interval, but the maximum temperature of the preset normal temperature interval is set to be smaller than the minimum temperature of the abnormal temperature interval. felled,
solar power system.
delete delete delete delete According to any one of claims 6 and 8,
The threshold time is set based on the inner area of the junction box and the number of fixing members fixing the connection terminals of the wires in the circuit module.
solar power system.
According to claim 1,
The cause information value includes a first cause information value corresponding to a length of a first time interval between the latest inspection time point and the current time point.
solar power system.
According to claim 1,
The junction box sensor includes a vibration sensor for detecting vibration generated in the junction box,
The cause information value further includes a second cause information value corresponding to an accumulated vibration value of the connection box in a first time interval between the latest inspection time and the current time,
The second cause information value is calculated based on the vibration detection signal transmitted from the vibration sensor.
solar power system.
According to claim 1,
The junction box sensor includes a temperature and humidity sensor for detecting an internal temperature and humidity of the junction box,
The control module determines whether a fire occurs in the junction box based on the value of the internal temperature and the slope value of the internal temperature.
solar power system.