US-12627253-B2 - Multi-branch fixed offshore photovoltaic structure with automatic pitch adjustment

US12627253B2US 12627253 B2US12627253 B2US 12627253B2US-12627253-B2

Abstract

A multi-branch fixed offshore photovoltaic (PV) structure with automatic pitch adjustment includes a fixed base, a multi-branch integrated tower, and a PV device. The fixed base includes an upper section, a middle section and a lower section arranged in the seabed. The upper section is above the sea level and connected to the multi-branch integrated tower. The multi-branch integrated tower includes a main tower body and multiple pitch-regulating frames rotatably connected to the main tower body. The main tower body is provided with a control and energy storage system to drive the pitch-regulating frames to rotate. The PV device is fixed to the pitch-regulating frames. The main body is provided with a sunlight monitoring system to monitor solar orientation and inclination angle of a sunlight relative to the PV device. The sunlight monitoring system is connected to the control and energy storage system.

Inventors

Bin Wang
Shan GAO
Dezhi Wang
Gang Wang
Xiudi REN

Assignees

POWERCHINA HUADONG ENGINEERING CORPORATION LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240117
Priority Date: 20230117

Claims (10)

1 . A multi-branch fixed offshore photovoltaic (PV) structure with automatic pitch adjustment, comprising: a fixed base; a multi-branch integrated tower; a sunlight monitoring system; a PV device; and a control and energy storage system; wherein the fixed base comprises an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section connected in sequence; the lower section is configured for arrangement in a seabed; and an end of the upper section away from the middle section is connected to the multi-branch integrated tower through a counter flange; the multi-branch integrated tower comprises a main tower body and a plurality of pitch-regulating frames; the plurality of pitch-regulating frames is rotatably provided on the main tower body; the main tower body comprises a rotating tower portion and a fixed tower portion; the rotating tower portion is rotatably provided on an upper portion of the fixed tower portion; the fixed tower portion is connected to the upper section of the fixed base through the counter flange; the sunlight monitoring system is provided on the rotating tower portion for monitoring a solar orientation and an inclination angle of sunlight relative to the main tower body; each of the plurality of pitch-regulating frames is fixedly provided with the PV device; the PV device is integrated with a light-sensing device, and the light-sensing device is configured to monitor an illumination area and an illumination intensity on the PV device; the control and energy storage system is provided in the fixed tower portion; the main tower body, the plurality of pitch-regulating frames, the sunlight monitoring system, and the light-sensing device are all in signal connection with the control and energy storage system; the control and energy storage system is in wire or wireless communication with the sunlight monitoring system and the light-sensing device for data transmission; and the control and energy storage system is configured to control the rotating tower portion to perform axial rotation relative to the fixed tower portion, and to control each of the plurality of pitch-regulating frames to rotate relative to the main tower body, so as to adjust an angle of the PV device; each of the plurality of pitch-regulating frames comprises a bearing motor, a spindle rotary plate, and a main beam; and the bearing motor is provided with a motor spindle which is connected to the spindle rotary plate; the spindle rotary plate is connected to the main beam; the PV device is fixedly provided on the main beam; the bearing motor is in signal connection with the control and energy storage system; and the control and energy storage system is configured to control the motor spindle of the bearing motor to rotate, so as to make the spindle rotary plate drive the main beam to rotate relative to the fixed tower portion, thereby adjusting the angle of the PV device.
2 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pitch-regulating frames further comprises a support bearing, a connecting bolt, and an inner platform; the bearing motor is mounted on the inner platform; the spindle rotary plate is connected to the main beam through the connecting bolt; and both the support bearing and the inner platform are connected to the main tower body.
3 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 1 , wherein the middle section is a variable-diameter section; a cross-section of the middle section is circular; and a radius of the cross-section of the middle section decreases progressively from an end of the middle section connected with the lower section to an end of the middle section connected with the upper section.
4 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 1 , wherein the middle section is provided with a sacrificial anode block, or an outer periphery of the fixed base is coated with an anti-corrosion coating.
5 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 1 , wherein the PV device is connected to an external power grid via a submarine cable; the PV device is configured to generate and transmit electricity to the external power grid via the submarine cable; and the submarine cable is sleevedly provided with a protection sleeve.
6 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 1 , wherein the counter flange comprises a first flange plate and a second flange plate; the first flange plate is fixedly connected to the upper section; the second flange plate is fixedly connected to the fixed tower portion; the first flange plate is connected to the second flange plate, so as to connect the fixed tower portion to the upper section.
7 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 1 , wherein the main tower body further comprises a rotating platform through which the rotating tower portion is connected to the fixed tower portion; and the rotating platform comprises a rotating bearing, a first bolt and a second bolt; the rotating bearing comprises an inner ring, an outer ring, and a ball rolling element provided between the inner ring and the outer ring; the ball rolling element is configured to enable relative rotation between the inner ring and the outer ring; the outer ring is connected to the rotating tower portion through the first bolt; the inner ring is connected to the fixed tower portion through the second bolt, so as to realize a rotational connection between the rotating tower portion and the fixed tower portion.
8 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 7 , wherein the control and energy storage system is provided in the main tower body; the rotating platform further comprises a rotating motor which is fixedly connected to the rotating tower portion; a first meshing tooth is provided on an outer periphery of a rotating shaft of the rotating motor; a second meshing tooth is provided on an inner side of the inner ring; the rotating motor is engaged with the inner ring through the first meshing tooth and the second meshing tooth to drive the rotating shaft of the rotating motor to rotate, so as to drive the rotating tower portion to rotate relative to the fixed tower portion; and the control and energy storage system is in signal connection with the rotating motor to control the rotating motor to rotate.
9 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 8 , wherein the control and energy storage system comprises a control unit and an energy storage unit; the rotating motor, each of the plurality of pitch-regulating frames, the sunlight monitoring system, and the light-sensing device are in signal connection with the control unit; the PV device is electrically connected to the energy storage unit; the PV device is configured to charge the energy storage unit; and the energy storage unit is configured to power the control unit, the rotating motor and the plurality of pitch-regulating frames.
10 . The multi-branch fixed offshore PV structure of claim 9 , wherein the PV device is configured to send power to a power grid through a submarine cable after the energy storage unit is fully charged.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 202310091452.4, filed on Jan. 17, 2023. The content of the aforementioned application, including any intervening amendments thereto, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD This application relates to offshore photovoltaic power generation, and more particularly to a multi-branch fixed offshore photovoltaic (PV) structure with automatic pitch adjustment. BACKGROUND With the continuous development of photovoltaic (PV) industry, land-based PV and water-based PV (such as in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, shoals, and bays) systems have become increasingly mature. Traditional land-based PV power stations occupy a large area, resulting in the waste of land, especially arable land. Therefore, the emerging water-based photovoltaic power stations with less land resources consumption have attracted considerable attention. Compared with lakes and reservoirs, seas are much broader in area, and the offshore PV power generation exhibits a promising prospect. The offshore PV includes offshore fixed pile-based PV and floating offshore PV. For a shallow water area with smaller water level changes and relatively stable underwater geological composition, the pile-based fixed offshore PV is preferable compared to the floating offshore PV due to the lower construction cost. At present, the pile-based offshore PV foundation generally adopts high-strength prestressed concrete piles with low structural strength and small load-bearing capacity, which are only suitable for shallow water areas. While the floating offshore PV is mainly used in the waters protected by anti-wave measures. The floating structure is made of high-strength polyethylene (HDPE) by blow molding. The floating structure is of a shallow draught and a low freeboard, which is only suited to sea area with wave heights of less than 1 m, to prevent the wave from attacking the PV modules. Traditional prestressed concrete pipe pile-based offshore PV and floating HDPE PV structures have poor applicability due to their unsatisfactory ability to withstand harsh sea conditions. The pipe piles have low strength, and the number of PV panels supported by each pipe pile is very small, resulting in poor utilization efficiency of the piles. The floating HDPE PV requires the floating breakwaters to dissipate the waves, which will lead to a sharp increase in costs. In addition, such two types of PV structures cannot adjust the angle according to the sun orientation, resulting in low power generation efficiency. SUMMARY In view of the deficiencies of low utilization efficiency of pipe piles and poor power generation efficiency in the prior art, this application provides a multi-branch fixed offshore photovoltaic (PV) structure with automatic pitch adjustment, which can adjust the angle according to the sun orientation, so as to maximally receive the sunlight and improve the power generation efficiency. Moreover, a multi-branch integrated tower structure is adopted on which a plurality of PV panels are arranged, so as to improve the utilization rate of pipe piles. Technical solutions of this application are described as follows. This application provides a multi-branch fixed offshore photovoltaic (PV) structure with automatic pitch adjustment, comprising: a fixed base;a multi-branch integrated tower;a sunlight monitoring system;a PV device; anda control and energy storage system;wherein the fixed base comprises an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section connected in sequence; the lower section is configured for arrangement in a seabed; and an end of the upper section away from the middle section is connected to the multi-branch integrated tower through a counter flange;the multi-branch integrated tower comprises a main tower body and a plurality of pitch-regulating frames; the plurality of pitch-regulating frames is rotatably provided on the main tower body; the main tower body comprises a rotating tower portion and a fixed tower portion; the rotating tower portion is rotatably provided on an upper portion of the fixed tower portion; the fixed tower portion is connected to the upper section of the fixed base through the counter flange;the sunlight monitoring system is provided on the rotating tower portion for monitoring a solar orientation and an inclination angle of sunlight relative to the main tower body;each of the plurality of pitch-regulating frames is fixedly provided with the PV device; the PV device is integrated with a light-sensing device, and the light-sensing device is configured to monitor an illumination area and an illumination intensity on the PV device; andthe control and energy storage system is provided in the fixed tower portion; the main tower body, the plurality of pitch-regulating frames, the sunlight monitoring system, and the light-sensing device are all in signal connection with the control and en