WO2020094956A1

WO2020094956A1 - Floating photovoltaic installation with removable maintenance walkways

Info

Publication number: WO2020094956A1
Application number: PCT/FR2019/052596
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antoine SCOLIEGE
Original assignee: Ciel Et Terre International
Priority date: 2018-11-08
Filing date: 2019-11-04
Publication date: 2020-05-14
Also published as: FR3088300A1; FR3088300B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a floating photovoltaic installation (1) comprising a floating modular grid including: a plurality of floating support devices (10) supporting photovoltaic panels (PV); and bracing elements (2) connecting the support devices (10) and configured to form two columns (C1, C2) of support devices (10), separated by a inter-space (e). The installation (1) includes a system of removable walkways (3), independent of the floating modular grid, comprising at least one removable walkway (3), intended to be removably disposed at a plurality of different use positions (P1, P2, P3, P4) on the floating photovoltaic installation (1), in each of which the at least one removable walkway (3) is disposed between at least two columns (C1, C2) such as to connect same, and said at least one removable walkway (3) having a length (L31) strictly greater than the space (e) between two columns (C1, C2).

Description

FLOATING PHOTO VOLTAIC INSTALLATION WITH GATEWAYS

REMOVABLE MAINTENANCE

The invention relates to a floating photovoltaic installation with removable maintenance walkways, as well as to a maintenance process implemented in such an installation.

The field of the invention is that of floating photovoltaic installations, used for the generation of electricity from solar energy, and more particularly those of modular design.

As is well known, such installations generally comprise modular floating devices, supporting or not supporting photovoltaic panels, assembled together so as to form a photovoltaic installation of desired shape and dimensions. Once assembled, these floating devices form a network of floats, capable of deforming with respect to each other, and depending on the swell conditions.

Document WO 2012/139998 A2, which is a patent application filed by the Applicant, is known for example from a floating photovoltaic installation resulting from the assembly of support devices for photovoltaic panels, receiving photovoltaic panels, and from connection elements. .

The support devices and the connection elements each comprise a plastic envelope forming a float. These two types of modules are of controlled weight and can be assembled on the bank, advantageously without any particular lifting member. Conventionally, the different modules are assembled line by line. The floating photovoltaic installation thus assembled is gradually pushed onto the water, as and when assembly, for example after each assembly of a line of modules.

Such modular equipment allows the realization of large photovoltaic installations, easily, quickly and at low cost.

As shown in FIG. 6 or 7 of document WO 2012/139998 A2, such an installation has a plurality of rows of support devices for photovoltaic panels each comprising a sealed plastic envelope, said rows of support devices for photovoltaic panels being held in pairs. by means of a row of elements of connections, interlayer, each also comprising a sealed plastic envelope, capable of constituting a maintenance corridor.

In particular, two consecutive support devices belonging to the same row can be separated, mutually distant by means of a connection element. More particularly, on the connection row, one connection element in two allows the support devices to be braced, so as to provide the panels projecting from the plastic casing of the photo voltaic panel support devices, in the direction of the axis. longitudinal of the photovoltaic panels. This reduces the size of the plastic envelope of the support devices, and ultimately the amount of plastic in the installation.

Such an installation therefore requires a certain number of connection elements to make the various maintenance corridors, in order to allow an operator to access all of the constituent elements of said photovoltaic installation requiring maintenance, and in particular the all the photovoltaic panels supported by the support devices.

It is understood that easy maintenance of the photovoltaic panels requires the presence of a maintenance aisle along each row of photovoltaic panels. In other words, and to have easy access to all of the photovoltaic panels, this requires the presence of a maintenance aisle at most every two rows of support devices. In the direction perpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal axis of the panels, it is only possible to assemble directly between them two panel support devices, before the imperative presence of a new row of bracing elements forming an aisle of maintenance.

According to the Applicant's findings, the cost of such an installation is however still not optimized.

The objective of the present invention is therefore to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a floating photovoltaic installation which can be quickly put in place, and which has a low cost price, while allowing easy access for an operator to the assembly. elements belonging to said photovoltaic installation for carrying out their maintenance, and in particular to all of the photovoltaic panels.

Thus, the present invention relates to a floating photovoltaic installation comprising: - a modular floating network comprising a network structure formed by:

a plurality of floating devices supporting photovoltaic panels, each support device receiving or not receiving a photovoltaic panel,

- bracing elements connecting said floating devices and configured so as to form two columns of support devices, each column extending in a direction V, the two columns being separated by a spacing gap (e), according to the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction V.

According to the invention, the installation comprises a system of removable walkways comprising at least one removable walkway, intended to be removably arranged in a plurality of distinct positions of use on the floating photovoltaic installation, in each of which said at least a removable gateway is arranged between two columns of support devices so as to connect said two columns of support devices.

According to the invention, said at least one removable bridge is of length strictly greater than the distance e between two columns of support devices.

According to optional features of the invention, taken alone or in combination:

- each column results from the series assembly of at least two support devices in direction V,

- The removable walkway system comprises at least two identical removable walkways called first removable walkway and second removable walkway provided for passing from a storage position, in which said two removable walkways are stacked one on the other, in a position deployed, in which the two removable gangways are no longer stacked one on the other, and at least one of the two gangways is positioned between two columns of installation support devices, in one of said positions of use,

each removable gangway of the removable gangway system comprises two longitudinal guide rails, arranged at the longitudinal edges of the gangway, the two rails projecting above the gangway and being configured so as to guide the first in translation removable gateway relative to the second removable gateway: for example the two rails are arranged at the longitudinal edges of said flat support portion with a spacing e34, and projecting from the face upper of the planar support portion, perpendicular to the plane of the planar support portion,

- Said removable bridge is in simple support, for example via the underside of its flat support portion, on at least one (or even two) device of a first column and at least one (or even two) support device a second column, in the position of use,

- Said support devices each comprise a float constituted by a sealed plastic envelope with an upper wall, a lower wall and a plurality of side walls, and in which a holding system ensures the fixing of a photovoltaic panel on the wall of the plastic envelope protruding in a direction perpendicular to direction V, at least one end portion of the photovoltaic panel extending above the free space between the two columns of panel support devices.

- Said support devices each comprise a float constituted by a sealed plastic envelope with an upper wall, a lower wall and a plurality of side walls, and in which a holding system ensures the fixing of a photovoltaic panel on the wall of the plastic envelope, the upper walls of the plastic envelope projecting relative to the photovoltaic panel in the direction V, and in which said gateway is configured to come into abutment, astride two plastic envelopes of two consecutive support devices of a column ,

- Said support devices each comprise a float constituted by a waterproof plastic envelope of substantially parallelepiped shape and fixing ears at the four corners of said waterproof plastic envelope, two consecutive support devices of a column being assembled by means of said fixing ears of each of said support devices in cooperation with tightening keys passing through said fixing ears of each of the support devices, the removable gangway, in particular the support portion, comprising a through hole, configured so as to allow access to said ears fixing and / or to said tightening keys, when the removable wall is in the position of use.

The invention also relates to a method for maintaining a floating photovoltaic installation according to the invention, in which the components of the the installation by successive displacement of said at least one gateway in different positions of use.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least some of the positions of use correspond to the positioning of the removable gangway system between two rows of support devices, each of said rows being perpendicular to the direction V, the removable gangway system being then in the storage position of the removable gangway system for which said at least two removable gangways are stacked one on the other, then one proceeds to slide one of the two removable gangways relative to the other removable gangway in said direction perpendicular to direction V to pass to the deployed position of the gangway system.

Other advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, accompanied by the figures, among which:

FIG. 1 represents a top view of a floating photovoltaic installation according to an embodiment according to the invention, in which removable walkways of the removable walkway system are positioned in different positions of use,

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a floating photovoltaic installation according to an embodiment according to the invention, in which a removable gateway of the removable gateway system is positioned in a position of use,

FIG. 3 is a front view of a removable gateway of a photovoltaic installation according to an embodiment according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a top view of the bridge of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the gateway of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a front view of two removable walkways stacked with a removable walkway system of a floating photovoltaic installation according to an embodiment according to the invention,

FIG. 7a is a side view of a set of removable walkways of a photovoltaic installation according to an embodiment according to the invention, in a first position, FIG. 7b is a side view of a set of removable walkways of a photovoltaic installation according to an embodiment according to the invention, in a second position,

- Figure 7c is a side view of a set of removable walkways of a photovoltaic installation according to an embodiment according to the invention, in a third position.

The invention relates to a floating photovoltaic installation 1 comprising:

- a modular floating network comprising a network structure formed by:

a plurality of floating support devices 10 for PV photovoltaic panels, each floating device 10 receiving or not receiving a PV photovoltaic panel,

bracing elements 2 connecting said floating devices 10 and configured so as to form two columns C1, C2 of support devices 10 supporting photovoltaic panels, each column C1, C2 extending in a direction V, the two columns C1, C2 being separated by a spacing interspace e, in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction V.

The network structure formed by the assembly of floating devices supporting photovoltaic panels and bracing elements, is flexible (and not rigid), namely that the floating devices supporting 10 photovoltaic panels can tilt relative to one another. to others depending on the swell conditions. This network structure is anchored to the bottom (or possibly to the banks) by anchor lines.

It is understood that the elements of the network structure - namely bracing element 2 and support devices 10 are configured so as to take up the forces of the network, and in particular the compression forces, the substantially horizontal tension forces, which appear, for example when the wind rises, and / or when the floating network is subjected to swell and / or a current.

By convention, we mean:

- column C1, C2, C3, C4, of support devices 10 for photovoltaic panels: a succession of support devices 10 for photovoltaic panels assembled directly to each other in the direction Y, supporting photovoltaic panels: each column may consist of two, three, four, five, or more support devices 10 assembled to each other,

row R1, R2, R3, R4: a succession of support devices 10 for photovoltaic panels, supporting photovoltaic panels, in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction V, spaced from each other of said interspaces e.

When the photovoltaic panels are rectangular (with a small side and a large side), it is possible to form rows of photovoltaic panels, each oriented along the longitudinal axis of the photovoltaic panels and in the direction perpendicular to the direction V. These panels photovoltaics may advantageously be provided projecting from the support devices, at least one (or even both) longitudinal ends of each photovoltaic panel extending directly above said free space left between the two columns C1, C2 of support devices for photovoltaic panels .

According to the invention, the installation 1 comprises a system of removable walkways 3 comprising at least one removable walkway 3, intended to be arranged in a removable manner in a plurality of positions of use P1, P2, P3 distinct on the photovoltaic installation floating 1, in each of which said at least one removable gateway 3 is disposed between at least two columns C1, C2 of support devices 10 so as to connect said two columns C1, C2 of support devices 10.

For example, said at least one removable gateway 3 comprises a flat support portion 31 comprising an upper face F31s, a lower face F31i and two longitudinal edges B31. According to the invention, the gateway in particular said support portion 31 is of length L31 strictly greater than the spacing e between two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10.

Thus, thanks to the floating photovoltaic installation 1 according to the invention, and unlike the floating photovoltaic installations of the prior art, it is not necessary to provide floating modules, or more generally connection elements belonging to the network structure, arranged so as to constitute one or more maintenance corridors allowing access to all of the photovoltaic panels of said floating photovoltaic installation to facilitate maintenance. The gateway system according to the invention does not form part of the components of the network structure, intended to take up the efforts of the network: said at least one gateway can be moved or simply removed, without damaging the integrity of the structure of the network.

Indeed, as can be seen in the embodiment of FIG. 1, if an operator wishes to access an element of said floating photovoltaic installation 1, for example a PV photovoltaic panel, to carry out its maintenance, it suffices to place one or more several removable walkways 3 of the removable walkway system 3 at the use positions P1, P2, thereby enabling it to constitute a “temporary” maintenance corridor in order to access said element of the floating photovoltaic installation 1.

If he then wishes to access another element of said floating photovoltaic installation 1, for example another photovoltaic PV panel, he can use the same removable gateway (s) 3 and arrange them at other use positions P3, P4 so that you can reach this other element.

Therefore, with a limited number of removable walkways 3, it is possible to reach all of the elements of said photovoltaic installation 1, and in particular all of the photovoltaic panels. This reduces the amount of plastic required to produce the structure of such a photovoltaic installation 1, as well as its installation time, and therefore its overall cost price.

As shown in the embodiment of Figure 1, said spacer elements 2 may include devices 21, 22, (floating or not) configured to also constitute a maintenance corridor Cm, when assembled together.

Such devices 21, 22, when floating, for example comprise a sealed plastic envelope, for example of substantially parallelepiped shape, and comprising for example a flat upper wall, allowing an operator to move stably over it. They can for example be produced by extrusion blow molding or injection blow molding. The plastic envelope can be left hollow, i.e. filled with air, or possibly filled with plastic foam.

These maintenance corridors Cm can for example be arranged extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction Y of the columns Cl, C2 of the support devices 10. Furthermore, said support devices 10 assembled in the direction V, when not supporting a PV photovoltaic panel, can also advantageously constitute a maintenance corridor Cm ', for example arranged parallel to said columns C1, C2 of support devices.

Alternatively or additionally, said spacer elements 2 can for example also include non-floating elements, such as for example spacers, for example plastic or metal, connecting the support devices 10 of different columns C1, C2.

As can be seen in the embodiment of FIG. 2, said flat support portion 31 of said removable walkway 3 can be of substantially rectangular shape with two longitudinal edges B31, and is for example made of thermoplastic material.

In order to reduce the weight, the flat support portion 31, and thus of the gangway 3, said flat support portion 31 may be hollow, in particular made up of a sandwich (plastic or aluminum) comprising an upper wall, a lower wall, as well as an intermediate cellular reinforcement structure, for example with hexagonal cells, disposed between said upper wall and said lower wall.

PV photovoltaic panels can be held in position on said support device by any support means known to those skilled in the art.

According to one embodiment, each column C1, C2 results from the assembly in series of at least two, in particular at least three, support devices 10.

According to one embodiment, said at least one removable gateway 3 comprises said flat support portion 31, as well as a bracing portion 32 projecting from the underside F31i of the flat support portion 31 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the flat support portion 31, said bracing portion 32 being of length L32 less (slightly) or equal to the distance e separating the two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10, so as to ensure the stop in translation of the removable bridge 3 with respect to the two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10, in a horizontal direction, substantially oriented along the axis of the bridge. This direction is perpendicular to the direction V of the two columns C1, C2 of support devices 10, when positioned in the position of use. The bracing portion 32 can define at its ends, respectively a first stop Bl and a second stop B2, intended respectively to bear against the side walls of the support devices 10 of the two columns C1, C2 so as to ensure the stop in translation of the removable bridge 3 with respect to the two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10, in a horizontal direction oriented along the axis of the removable bridge, perpendicular to the direction V of the two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10, when positioned in position of use PI, P2, P3, P4.

It is also noted that the two end portions of the bridge 3 extending beyond the bracing portion 32, and respectively form two support portions 310, 311 of the removable bridge 3, intended to come into abutment on horizontal walls support devices 10 belonging to the two columns C1, C2.

Thanks to this advantageous arrangement of the invention, the stop in translation of the removable bridge 3 with respect to the two columns Cl, C2 of support devices, in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction V of said two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10 is done particularly simply, in that there is no need to provide additional means to fulfill this function.

Indeed, in the event of translation of said removable gangway 3 relative to the two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10, in said horizontal direction perpendicular to said direction V, said spacer portion 32 abuts, in particular by means of the first stop Bl and / or the second stop B2, against one or the other of said support devices 10 of one or the other of the two columns C1, C2, so as to ensure said stop in translation. It is therefore possible for an operator to quickly place and remove said removable gateway 3 from a position of use PI, P2, P3, P4.

Advantageously, as can be seen in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the length L32 of said bracing portion 32 can be substantially equal to the spacing e between two columns C1, C2 of the floating photovoltaic installation 1, or slightly lower, namely that the length L32 represents at least 80%, or even at least 90% of the spacing e. This reduces the possibilities of relative movement in the horizontal direction perpendicular to said direction V of the two columns C1, C2, between the removable bridge 3 and the support devices 10 of each of the columns C1, C2. Note that the two end portions of the removable bridge 3 which extend beyond the bracing portion 32 respectively form the two support portions 310, 311 of the bridge. In Figure 5, the gateway removable 3 has, on the left, the support portion 310 which extends beyond the first stop Bl, and on the right, the support portion 311 which extends beyond the second stop B2.

These two support portions 310, 311 are intended to come to bear on the horizontal walls of the support devices 10 belonging to the two columns C1, C2. We also note that the length L310, L311 of each support portion 310, 311, in the direction V of said removable gangway 3 is greater than the possible longitudinal clearance separating, on the one hand, the first stop Bl or the second stop B2 , of the side walls of the support devices 10 of the columns C1, C2 separated from the spacing e, on the other hand, in the position of use PI, P2, P3, P4 of the removable gangway 3. According to one embodiment, the bracing portion 32 comprises two sections 33, arranged in parallel, in a longitudinal direction L3 of the removable bridge.

Said bracing portion 32 of the removable bridge 3 is therefore particularly simple to produce, in that it suffices to fix the two sections 33 on the underside F31i of the support portion 31 of the removable bridge 3, by example using fixing means, such as screws, or simply by gluing or welding.

As can be seen, more particularly in the embodiment of FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, said sections 33 can be arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal plane of symmetry of the support portion 31 of the removable bridge 3.

As can be seen in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6, said sections 33 can be of substantially rectangular section or even in the form of an "L", and can be made of metal, plastic or any other material.

According to one embodiment, the removable gateway system 3 comprises at least two identical removable gateways 3, 3 ′, called the first removable gateway 3 and the second removable gateway 3 ′, configured to pass from a storage position Rp3, in which said two removable walkways are stacked one on the other, in a deployed position Dp3, in which the two removable walkways 3, 3 'are no longer stacked one on the other, and at least one of the two walkways 3, 3 ′ is positioned between the columns C1, C2 of support devices 10 of the installation, in one of said positions of use PI, P2, P3, P4. This advantageous arrangement of the invention makes it possible to facilitate the handling and the displacement of said removable gangway system 3, in that it is easier to simultaneously move two or more removable gangways 3, 3 ′ of the removable gangway system 3, when 'They are in said storage position Rp3, stacked one on the other, as visible in the exemplary embodiments of Figures 6 and 7a.

In fact, in the case where said floating photovoltaic installation 1 comprises more than two columns C1, C2 of support devices 10, as visible in the embodiment of FIG. 1, depending on the element of the floating photovoltaic installation 1 to reach by an operator to carry out its maintenance, it may be necessary for the operator to use a plurality of removable walkways 3 arranged contiguously in several positions of use PI, P2, P3, P4, in order to allow him to 'reach said element.

According to one embodiment, each removable walkway 3, 3 ′ of the removable walkway system 3 comprises two longitudinal guide rails 34, disposed at the longitudinal edges B31 of said flat support portion 31 with a spacing e34, and projecting from the upper face F31s of the flat support portion 31, perpendicular to the plane P31 of the flat support portion 31, the two rails 34 being configured so as to guide in translation the first removable gangway 3 relative to the second gangway removable 3 '.

Thus, the passage from the storage position Rp3 of the removable gangway system 3 to the deployed position Dp3 is effected by simple sliding of the first removable gangway 3 relative to the second removable gangway 3 ', as is the passage from the position deployed Dp3 to the storage position Rp3, which facilitates the handling of said removable walkways 3 when they are put in place at the different positions of use PI, P2, P3, P4.

As can be seen in the embodiment of FIG. 2, said longitudinal guide rails 34 can be made in the form of a profile, for example made of metal or plastic, of section substantially in the shape of an L.

Said longitudinal guide rails can for example be fixed to the upper face F31s of the support portion 31 of the removable gangway 3, for example using fixing means, such as screws, or even simply by bonding or welding . As can be seen more particularly in the embodiment of FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, said longitudinal guide rails 34 can be arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal plane of symmetry of the support portion 31 of the removable bridge 3.

As can be seen in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 7a to 7c, the operator can firstly position the second removable gangway 3 ′ of the removable gangway system 3 in a position of use (for example the position Pl) between the two columns C1, C2 of support devices 10, with the first gangway 3 stacked above, the gangway system 3 being in its storage position Rp3, shown in FIG. 7a.

In this configuration, the removable walkways 3, 3 'of the removable walkway system can advantageously be configured so that an operator can move on the first removable walkway 3 stacked on the second removable walkway 3', without damaging one or the other of said removable walkways 3, 3 'or one of the support devices 10 on which they are supported.

Then, the operator can then slide the first removable walkway 3 relative to the second removable walkway 3 ’along the guide rails 34 of the second removable walkway 3’, as visible in FIG. 7b.

This sliding can take place until the removable walkways 3, 3 'are in said deployed position Dp3, as visible in FIG. 7c, in which the first removable walkway 3 and the second removable walkway 3' are each at a position of use Pl, P2, in particular adjacent, the first position of use Pl being for example defined between the first column C1 and the second column C2 of support devices 10, the second position of use P2 being for example defined between the second column C2 and a third column of support devices 10 forming a maintenance corridor Cm '

Thus, a maintenance corridor Cm is quickly formed between these three columns Cl, C2, C3 of support devices 10.

These operations can be carried out in reverse order to return the removable gangway system 3 to the storage position Rp3, so that it can be moved.

According to one embodiment, the first removable walkway 3 and the second removable walkway 3 ′ of the removable walkway system comprise said bracing portion 32, the width W32 of the bracing portion 32 being strictly less than the width W31 of the support portion 31, itself substantially equal to the spacing e34 between the two longitudinal guide rails 34.

The guiding in translation between the first removable walkway 3 and the second removable walkway 3 'is effected by means of the bracing portion 32 of the first removable walkway 3 sliding between the longitudinal guide rails 34 of the second walkway removable 3 '.

Thanks to this advantageous arrangement of the invention, the bracing portion 32 simultaneously performs the bracing function with stop in translation between two support devices 10 of two columns C1, C2, as described above, and a guiding function of the first removable gateway 3 relative to the second removable gateway 3 ', which simplifies the production of said removable gateways 3, 3'.

According to one embodiment, said removable gangway 3 is in simple support, via the lower face F31i of its flat support portion 31, on a support device 10 of a column C1, C2 of support devices, in position of use PI, P2, P3, P4.

This advantageous arrangement of the invention makes it possible to ensure the positioning of the removable gangway (s) 3, 3 ′ in a simple and rapid manner, in that it is not necessary to provide additional fixing means to ensure stopping in a vertical direction perpendicular to the direction of extension V of the two columns Cl, C2 of support devices 10. The installation or removal of said at least one gateway from a position of use is rapid, does not requiring no organ to unlock.

Furthermore, when an operator is on said removable gangway 3 in the position of use PI, P2, P3, P4, its weight improves the stability of said removable gangway 3 with respect to the support devices 10 of the columns C1, C2, in this reinforces the support of the lower face F31i of the support portion 31 of said removable gateway 3 on said support device 10.

Advantageously, and as can be seen in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 7a to 7c, said removable gateway 3 can be by simple pressing on at least one (or even two) support devices 10 of a first column C1 and on at least (even two) support devices 10 for a second column C2. According to one embodiment, said support devices 10 each comprise a float constituted by a sealed plastic envelope with an upper wall 11, a lower wall 12 and a plurality of side walls 13, 14, 15, 16, said upper wall 11 being of width Wll. Each flat support portion 31 of the removable gangway 3 can be of length L31 such as to cover between 30% and 50% of the width W11 of said upper wall 11, when bearing on said support device 10.

Thus, the removable gateway 3 can be supported on said at least support device 10 of the first column C1 and of the second column C2, by means of the lower face F31i of its support portion 31 being supported on the upper wall 11 of the plastic envelope of each of the support devices 10.

With a length L31 such as to cover between 30% and 50% of the width Wll of said upper wall 11 of the plastic envelope of the support device 10, the stability of the removable gangway 3, when pressing on the support device 10, is improved.

As can be seen in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, a through opening 17 can be provided, for example substantially in the center of the plastic envelope of the support device 10, making it possible to stiffen said plastic envelope and / or to ensure cooling of the PV photovoltaic panel when received on said support device 10.

According to one embodiment, said support devices 10 each comprise said float constituted by a sealed plastic envelope of substantially parallelepiped shape.

A holding system secures a photovoltaic PV panel on the upper wall 11 of the plastic casing. Advantageously, the upper wall 11 of the plastic envelope can be provided projecting relative to the photovoltaic panel PV in the direction V. According to this embodiment, said removable gateway 3 is configured to come to rest, straddling the protruding sections of the upper walls 11 of two plastic envelopes of two consecutive support devices 10 of the same column Cl, C2.

We also note the presence of fixing lugs 18, in particular at the four corners of said waterproof plastic envelope, two consecutive support devices 10 of the same column C1; C2, being assembled by means of said fixing lugs 18 of each of said support devices 10 in cooperation with tightening keys 19 coming through said fixing lugs 18 of each of the support devices 10. Advantageously, the support portion 31 of said removable gangway 3 comprises a through hole 35, configured so as to allow access to said fixing lugs 18 and / or to said tightening keys 19, when the removable gangway 3 is in the position of use Pl , P2, P3, P4.

Thus, it is possible for an operator to easily access said fixing ears 18 and / or said tightening keys 19, even when the removable gangway 3 is in the position of use P1, P2, P3, P4 by covering said ears with attachment 18 and / or to said tightening keys 19 which would then be inaccessible in the absence of such a through hole 35.

Indeed, as can be seen in the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, said fixing lugs 18 can be positioned on the plastic envelope of the support devices 10 projecting in a horizontal direction towards the outside of said plastic envelope, for example from a side wall 13, 14, 15, 16 of said plastic envelope.

Therefore, said fixing lugs 18 of two support devices 10 adjacent to the same column C1, C2 can be found between these two support devices of the same column C1 or C2, depending on the direction of extension V.

However, the plastic envelope of said support devices 10 can advantageously be configured so that the PV photovoltaic panels are arranged projecting from said plastic envelope, as can be seen in particular in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, in order to minimize the quantity of plastic necessary for the production of said plastic envelope.

Thus, and in order not to obstruct the passage of an operator on the removable bridge 3 in the position of use P1, P2, P3, P4, it can be advantageously provided that said position of use P1, P2, P3, P4 corresponds to a position of the removable gangway 3 in which the latter finds itself astride two consecutive support devices of the same column C1, or C2. It is noted that the contiguous upper walls 11 of two consecutive support devices 10, projecting relative to the photovoltaic panel PV in the direction V, serve as the seat for the support portion 310 (or 311) of the removable bridge 3.

The invention also relates to a method for maintaining a floating photovoltaic installation 1 according to the invention, in which the components of the installation 1 are maintained by successively moving said at least one removable walkway 3 in different positions. use Pl, P2, P3, P4. According to one embodiment, at least some of the positions of use P1, P2, P3, P4 correspond to the positioning of the removable gangway system between two rows R1, R2 of support devices 10, each of said rows R1, R2 being perpendicular to the direction V, the removable gangway system then being in the storage position Rp3 of the removable gangway system for which said at least two removable gangways 3.3 ′ are stacked one on the other, then the sliding of one of the two removable gangways 3 with respect to the other removable gangway 3 'in said direction perpendicular to direction V in order to pass to the deployed position Dp3 of the gangway system. Naturally, other embodiments could have been envisaged by the skilled person without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims below.

NOMENCLATURE

1. Floating photovoltaic system

PV. Solar panel

Rl, R2, R3. Row

e. Spacing

V. Extension direction

10. Floating support device

11. Upper wall

Wl 1. Width

12. Lower wall

13. 14, 15, 16. Side face

17. Through hole

18. Fixing lug

19. Tightening wrench

2. Crossing element

Cl, C2, C3, C4 columns of floating support devices assembled directly to each other in the direction V,

Rl, R2, R3, R4, rows of floating support devices spaced apart from said inter-space Cm, Cm ’. Maintenance corridor

21, 22. Floating device

3.3 '. Removable gangway system / removable gangway

Rp3. Storage position

Dp3. Deployed position

L3. Longitudinal direction

31. Support portion

310, 311. Support portions at the ends of the extending gangway, extending beyond the bracing portion

L310, L311. Support portion lengths

B31. Longitudinal edge F3ls. Upper side

F3li. Lower side

L31. Length

W31. Width

32. Portion of bracing

Bl, B2. First stop and second stop formed by the W32 spacer portion. Width

33. Profiles

34. Longitudinal guide rails

e34. Spacing

35. Through hole

Pl, P2, P3, P4. Position of use

Claims

1. Floating photovoltaic installation (1) comprising:

- a modular floating network comprising a network structure formed by:

a plurality of floating support devices (10) for photovoltaic panels (PV), each support device (10) receiving or not receiving a photovoltaic panel,

- bracing elements (2) connecting said support devices (10) and configured so as to form two columns (Cl, C2) of support devices (10) supporting photovoltaic panels, each column (Cl, C2) extending in a direction V, the two columns (C1, C2) being separated by a spacing gap (e), in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction V, in which the installation (1) comprises a system of gangways removable (3), independent of the network structure, comprising at least one removable gateway (3), intended to be disposed in a removable manner in a plurality of positions of use (PI, P2, P3, P4) distinct on the floating photovoltaic installation (1), in each of which said at least one removable gateway (3) is arranged between at least two columns (Cl, C2) of support devices (10) so as to connect said two columns (Cl, C2) of support devices (10), in which said at least one removable gangway (3) is of length (L31) strictly greater than the spacing (e) between two columns (Cl, C2) of support devices (10), and in which said gangway removable (3) is configured to be simple support, on at least one, or even two support devices (10) of a first column and at least one, or even two support devices (10), of a second column (C2) , in position of use (PI, P2, P3, P4).

2. Installation according to claim 1, wherein each column (Cl, C2) results from the series assembly of at least two support devices (10) in the direction (V).

3. floating photovoltaic installation (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which the removable gateway system (3) comprises at least two identical removable gateways (3, 3 ′), called the first removable gateway (3) and second removable gateway (3 ') configured to move from a storage position (Rp3), in which said two removable walkways (3, 3 ') are stacked one on the other, to a deployed position (Dp3), in which the two removable walkways ( 3, 3 ') are no longer stacked one on the other, and at least one of the two gangways (3, 3') is positioned between two columns (Cl, C2) of support devices (10) of the installation (1), in one of said positions of use (PI, P2, P3, P4).

4. floating photovoltaic installation (1) according to claim 3, wherein each removable walkway (3, 3 ') of the removable walkway system (3) comprises two longitudinal guide rails (34), arranged at the longitudinal edges (B31 ) of the gangway (3, 3 '), the two rails (34) projecting above the gangway (3, 3') and being configured so as to guide the first removable gangway (3) in translation relative to the second removable walkway (3 ').

5. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said support devices (10) each comprise a float constituted by a sealed plastic envelope with an upper wall (11), a lower wall (12) and a plurality of walls side (13, 14, 15, 16), and in which a holding system ensures the fixing of a photovoltaic panel on the wall of the plastic envelope, the upper wall of the plastic envelope being protruding relative to the photovoltaic panel in direction V, in which said gateway is configured to come to rest, straddling two plastic envelopes of two consecutive support devices (10) of the same column (Cl, C2).

6. floating photovoltaic installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said support devices (10) each comprise a float constituted by a sealed plastic envelope of substantially parallelepiped shape and fixing ears (18) at the four corners of said sealed plastic envelope, two support devices (10) consecutive of a column (Cl, C2) being assembled by means of said fixing lugs (18) of each of said support devices (10) in cooperation with tightening wrenches (19) coming through said fixing lugs (18) of each of the support devices (10), the removable gangway (3) comprising a through hole (35), configured so as to allow access to said fixing lugs (18) and / or to said tightening keys (19), when the removable gangway (3) is in the position of use (PI, P2, P3, P4).

7. A method of maintaining a floating photovoltaic installation according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the components of the installation are maintained. by successive displacement of said at least one gateway (3.3 ′) in different positions of use (Pl, P2, P3, P4).

8. Maintenance method according to claim 7, of an installation according to claim 3 or 4, wherein at least some of the positions of use correspond to the positioning of the removable gangway system between two rows (Rl, R2) of support devices (10), each of said rows (Rl, R2) being perpendicular to direction V, the removable gangway system then being in the storage position (Rp3) of the removable gangway system for which said at least two removable gangways (3 , 3 ') are stacked one on the other, then one of the two removable walkways (3) is slid relative to the other removable walkway (3'), in said direction perpendicular to the direction V to move to the deployed position (Dp3) of the removable gangway system.