JP7244062B2 - Wind condition observation system, continuous power supply system, and continuous power supply method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a wind condition observation system, a continuous power supply system, and a continuous power supply method.

In recent years, the development of renewable energy sources has been rapidly promoted due to the growing awareness of environmental problems. The goal is to raise the ratio of renewable energy to total energy from the current level of about 12% to about 20% in the near future. Renewable energy sources currently under development include photovoltaic power generation, wind power generation, fuel cell power generation, and geothermal power generation. Among them, wind power generation is particularly promising as a renewable energy source.

Solar power generation has the advantage that the construction cost of power generation equipment is relatively low, but the disadvantage is that it is necessary to prepare a large site to install the solar panels. Fuel cell power generation and geothermal power generation are currently not reliable enough to operate continuously for long hours throughout the year. Compared to these, wind power generation has progressed in terms of ease of construction and improvement in power generation efficiency due to improvements in the performance of wind turbine structural members and generators. It is attracting particular attention as an energy source.

When constructing a wind power generation facility, it is essential to conduct a wind condition survey at the planned construction site. Conventionally, wind condition surveys are conducted by constructing a wind condition observation tower (see, for example, Patent Document 1) on a planned construction site and analyzing wind condition data obtained from the wind condition observation tower for about one year. It's here. However, construction of a wind observation tower is expensive, and if it turns out that the planned construction site is not suitable for the construction of wind power facilities, the site may be abandoned within a few months.

Furthermore, building a wind condition observation tower with a height of about 60 m to about 100 m on a planned construction site in the mountains where it is difficult to bring in construction equipment entails a large work burden and work cost. Therefore, there is a demerit that a large amount of money is required for the wind condition survey using the conventional wind condition observation tower. In order to overcome these disadvantages, Doppler lidar (see, for example, Patent Document 2) outputs a laser to observe the wind conditions, and Doppler soda (see Patent Document 2) outputs ultrasonic waves to observe the wind conditions. For example, see Patent Document 3) is under development.

Wind observation devices such as Doppler lidar and Doppler soda operate using electric power. Therefore, in order to use such a wind condition observation device, securing a power supply is an issue. Since it is difficult to use a commercial power supply at a planned construction site for a wind power generation facility, such as in the mountains, a portable power supply such as a secondary battery is used to operate the wind condition observation device. However, the wind resource survey is conducted by continuously operating the wind resource observation device for a long period of several months to one year. Therefore, the secondary battery alone cannot supply power to the wind condition observation device.

Regarding the power supply to the observation system, Patent Document 4 below proposes a portable power supply system that charges a secondary battery using a direct methanol fuel cell. In addition, Patent Document 4 below proposes a mechanism for charging a secondary battery using photovoltaic power generation in the above power supply system.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-112039 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-052961 JP 2012-058193 A JP 2014-187865 A

When a wind condition observation device using Doppler lidar or Doppler soda is completed at a certain planned construction site, it is transported to another planned construction site and used for the next wind condition investigation. Similarly, the power supply system (continuous power supply system) that supplies power to the wind condition observation device will also be used for the next wind condition survey at other planned construction sites. If the power supply to the wind condition observation device is interrupted during the survey period, the observation data will be lost. Therefore, a continuous power supply system used for long-term and repeated wind surveys is required to have reliability and a long service life.

In addition, since the continuous power supply system is installed together with the wind condition observation device in a mountain that is difficult to access frequently, it is preferable that the frequency of maintenance is low. Therefore, it is desired that power storage equipment such as a secondary battery included in the continuous power supply system and power supply equipment that supplies electric power to the power storage equipment continue to operate normally without maintenance for a long period of time.

In view of the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, an object thereof is to provide a wind condition observation system capable of stably supplying power for a longer period of time to a continuously operating wind condition observation device. , a continuous power supply system, and a continuous power supply method.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wind condition observation system that includes a wind condition observation device that observes wind conditions in the sky and a continuous power supply system that continuously supplies power to the wind condition observation device. . The continuous power supply system consists of a power storage device that continuously supplies stored power to the wind condition observation device, a solar panel that supplies power to the power storage device, and power generated using replenishable fuel that is supplied to the power storage device. During the operating period of the power generator and the wind condition observation device, the power storage device is maintained in a range between a first threshold value and a second threshold value corresponding to a predetermined depth of discharge. and a controller for controlling charging by the solar panel.

According to the present invention, power can be stably supplied for a longer period of time to a continuously operating wind condition observation device.

It is a block diagram for explaining the wind condition observation system according to the present embodiment. It is a block diagram for explaining the wind condition observation device according to the present embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the power consumption characteristic of the wind condition observation apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a block diagram for explaining the function of the control device according to the present embodiment. 4 is a chart for explaining an output control table according to the embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining output control of the solar panel and power generation control of the generator according to the embodiment; 3 is a block diagram for explaining functions of the remote control device according to the embodiment; FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining hardware capable of realizing the functions of the control device and the like according to the present embodiment; FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining a continuous power supply method according to the embodiment; FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the flow of processing related to heating of the wind condition observation device by the exhaust heat of the generator in the continuous power supply method according to the present embodiment. FIG. 9 is a chart for explaining a charging rate control method according to a modified example of the present embodiment; FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating evaluation of generator operating time.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Elements having substantially the same functions in the present specification and drawings may be denoted by the same reference numerals, thereby omitting redundant description.

[1. Wind condition observation system]
A wind condition observation system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the wind condition observation system according to this embodiment. A wind condition observation system 10 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a wind condition observation system according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the wind condition observation system 10 has a wind condition observation device 11 and a continuous power supply system 12 .

The wind condition observation device 11 is, for example, a Doppler soda or a Doppler lidar. A Doppler lidar emits a pulsed laser into the sky, captures the Doppler shift signal from the reflected wave caused by backscattering by aerosol particles floating in the sky, and detects the horizontal velocity and wind direction for each altitude based on the Doppler shift signal. It is a weather analysis device. Doppler soda emits ultrasonic waves into the sky, captures Doppler shift signals from reflected waves caused by backscattering by aerosol particles floating in the sky, and detects horizontal velocity and wind direction by altitude based on the Doppler shift signals. It is a weather analysis device.

The continuous power supply system 12 is a power supply system for continuously supplying power to the wind condition observation device 11 . The continuous power supply system 12 has a power storage device 121 , a solar panel 122 , a power generator 123 , a fuel tank 124 and a control device 125 . A generator 123 of the continuous power supply system 12 is connected to the wind condition observation device 11 via a heat transfer line 126 . Controller 125 may be wirelessly connected to remote control device 20 .

The power storage device 121 is power storage equipment such as a secondary battery. Secondary batteries that can be used as the power storage device 121 include, for example, lead-acid batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, lithium-ion batteries, lithium-polymer batteries, and vanadium batteries. The electric power stored in the power storage device 121 is supplied to the wind condition observation device 11 . Hereinafter, the power supplied from the power storage device 121 to the wind condition observation device 11 may be referred to as power Pw.

The solar panel 122 is a photovoltaic power generation facility that generates power from sunlight. The generator 123 is power generation equipment that uses the fuel stored in the fuel tank 124 to generate power. For example, the generator 123 is a gas generator that generates power using LP gas, or a fuel cell that generates power using hydrogen fuel, hydrocarbon fuel, alcohol fuel, or the like. However, it is preferable to apply a gas generator from the viewpoint of reliability and cost of the generator 123 .

A fuel tank 124 that supplies fuel to the generator 123 can be removed from the generator 123 and taken out of the continuous power supply system 12 . For example, the fuel tank 124 is a portable gas cylinder filled with LP gas. In this case, the fuel tank 124 may contain two or more gas cylinders. For example, two gas cylinders may be connected to the generator 123 and used one by one, so that the gas cylinders can be exchanged while supplying fuel to the generator 123 .

Electric power generated by the solar panel 122 and the generator 123 is supplied to the power storage device 121 . Hereinafter, power supplied from the generator 123 to the power storage device 121 may be referred to as power Pw1, and power supplied to the power storage device 121 from the solar panel 122 may be referred to as power Pw2. Charging of the power storage device 121 by the solar panel 122 and the generator 123 is controlled by the control device 125 . Also, the power supply to the wind condition observation device 11 by the power storage device 121 is controlled by the control device 125 .

The heat transfer line 126 is a heat transfer mechanism for transferring exhaust heat generated by the generator 123 to the wind condition observation device 11 . One end of the heat transfer line 126 is installed at or near a portion of the wind condition observation device 11 to be kept warm. On the other hand, the other end of the heat transfer line 126 is connected to the exhaust heat valve 123 a of the generator 123 . The exhaust heat valve 123 a is a valve that controls the amount of heat transferred to the heat transfer line 126 .

The heat transfer line 126 is, for example, a pipe that conducts high-temperature (higher than the outside air temperature) gas discharged from the generator 123 . In this case, high-temperature gas flows inside the pipe, and the high-temperature gas discharged from one end of the heat transfer line 126 hits the temperature-retaining target portion of the wind condition observation device 11, thereby warming the target portion. Also, the exhaust heat valve 123a controls the amount of gas flowing from the exhaust port of the generator 123 to the pipe by adjusting the amount of opening. The amount of opening of the exhaust heat valve 123 a is controlled by the control device 125 .

In order to maintain the performance of the wind condition observation device 11 and realize stable operation, it is necessary to keep the internal temperature within a certain temperature range. Therefore, the wind condition observation device 11 is equipped with a heater (a heater 114 to be described later), and the heater operates to warm the wind condition observation device 11 in a low-temperature environment such as a cold region, when it snows, or when it freezes. Operation of the heater increases the power consumption of the wind condition observation device 11 . However, by using the exhaust heat of the generator 123 to heat the wind condition observation device 11, the number of times the heater is operated is reduced, and power consumption is suppressed.

Control device 125 communicates wirelessly with remote control device 20 . For example, the control device 125 may transmit data acquired from the wind condition observation device 11 to the remote control device 20 . In addition, the control device 125 may transmit to the remote control device 20 data regarding the power storage status of the power storage device 121 , the output of the solar panel 122 , the remaining amount of the fuel tank 124 , and the like. The control device 125 may also receive a control signal regarding operation control of the wind condition observation device 11 and the continuous power supply system 12 from the remote control device 20 .

As described above, the continuous power supply system 12 combines the solar panel 122 and the generator 123 to supply power (Pw1, Pw2) to the power storage device 121, and the power (Pw) from the power storage device 121 to the wind condition observation device 11. is supplied. With this mechanism, power Pw2 from the solar panel 122 is supplied from the solar panel 122 during sunshine hours, thereby suppressing the opportunity for power generation by the generator 123, and during hours when the sunshine is insufficient, the power generator 123 stably supplies power to the power storage device 121. can be done.

Suppression of power generation opportunities by the generator 123 contributes to suppression of fuel consumption and leads to reduction in the number of replacement times of the fuel tank 124 . This leads to a significant reduction in maintenance burden. In addition, since the electric power temporarily stored in the power storage device 121 is supplied to the wind condition observation device 11, the wind condition observation device 11 is supplied with stable power Pw.

The above-described wind condition observation device 11, control device 125, and remote control device 20 will be further described below.

(About the wind condition observation device)
The wind condition observation device 11 will be further described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the wind condition observation device according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the wind condition observation device 11 has an observed wave output section 111, a reflected wave reception section 112, a thermometer 113, a heater 114, a cooling fan 115, a wiper 116, a communication section 117, and a control section 118. . However, if the wind condition observation device 11 is a Doppler soda, the wiper 116 is omitted.

The observation wave output unit 111 outputs an observation wave such as a pulsed laser or an ultrasonic wave toward the sky. For example, if the wind condition observation device 11 is a Doppler lidar, the observation wave output unit 111 outputs a pulse laser. When the wind condition observation device 11 is a Doppler soda, the observation wave output unit 111 outputs ultrasonic waves. The reflected wave receiving unit 112 receives reflected waves caused by backscattering caused by aerosol particles floating in the sky.

A thermometer 113 measures the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 . The thermometer 113 may measure the outside temperature in addition to the inside temperature. The internal temperature is, for example, the temperature inside the housing of the wind condition observation device 11, or the temperature at or near the main parts related to the observation performance of the wind condition observation device 11. FIG. The wind condition observation device 11 has a temperature range in which it can exhibit suitable observation performance. If the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 is higher than that temperature range, or if it is lower than that temperature range, the observation performance deteriorates.

The heater 114 is heating means for warming the wind condition observation device 11 in order to suppress deterioration in observation performance when the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 drops. The cooling fan 115 is cooling means for cooling the wind condition observation device 11 in order to suppress deterioration in observation performance when the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 rises. By appropriately controlling the heater 114 and the cooling fan 115, the observation performance of the wind condition observation device 11 can be maintained.

A wiper 116 is installed on a transparent protective member at least one of the output portion of the observed wave and the input portion of the reflected wave, and removes water droplets and the like adhering to the protective member. The protective member is a window for preventing rain, dew, snow and frost from entering the observation wave output portion and the reflected wave input portion. The protective member is formed of, for example, glass or a resin material (such as plastic) having a color through which light waves are transmitted.

The communication unit 117 is communication means for communicating with the control device 125 . The wind condition observation device 11 and the control device 125 can be connected by wire or wirelessly. For example, the wind condition observation device 11 and the control device 125 may be wired with a communication cable, or may be connected by LTE-M (LTE category M1), ZigBee (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or other may be wirelessly connected in an ad-hoc network of

The control unit 118 controls the operation of each component of the wind condition observation device 11 . For example, the control unit 118 controls the output timing of the observation wave by the observation wave output unit 111, captures the Doppler shift signal from the reflected wave received by the reflected wave reception unit 112, and determines the wind conditions in the sky based on the Doppler shift signal. to parse Then, the control unit 118 holds the analysis result as observation data.

Also, the control unit 118 controls the operation of the heater 114 and the cooling fan 115 based on the internal temperature output from the thermometer 113 . In addition, the control unit 118 controls the operation of the wiper 116 according to the state of adhesion of moisture to the protective member. As shown in FIG. 3, when the heater 114, the cooling fan 115, and the wiper 116 operate, the power consumption of the wind condition observation device 11 increases. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining power consumption characteristics of the wind condition observation device according to the present embodiment.

In the example of FIG. 3, the heater 114 is turned ON when the internal temperature is in the range of −20° C. to 0° C., the heater 114 is turned OFF when the internal temperature is in the range of 0° C. to 20° C., and the internal temperature is 20° C. or higher. Then, the cooling fan 115 is turned on. In this example, power consumption increases by 80 W when the heater 114 is turned on, and power consumption increases by 12 W when the cooling fan 115 is turned on. Also, when the wiper 116 is turned on, the power consumption increases by 20W. The wiper 116 is turned off after operating for about two seconds.

As described above, the power consumption of the heater 114, the cooling fan 115, and the wiper 116 is relatively large. In the example of FIG. In the example of FIG. 3, more than twice the power of 60 W) is consumed. Therefore, as described above, the wind condition observation system 10 heats the wind condition observation device 11 using the exhaust heat of the generator 123, thereby reducing the time during which the heater 114 is ON.

As a result, the consumption of electric power stored in the power storage device 121 is suppressed, the chances of power generation by the generator 123 are reduced, and fuel can be saved. Saving fuel leads to fewer opportunities to replace the fuel tank 124, and can reduce the burden of maintenance. In addition, since the chances of charging power storage device 121 are reduced, the life of power storage device 121 is extended. As a result, it contributes to lowering the operation cost of the wind condition observation system 10 which is repeatedly used in many places for a long period of time.

(Regarding the control device)
Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the functions of the controller 125 will be further described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the functions of the control device according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 125 has a storage unit 151, an SOC monitoring unit 152, a generator control unit 153, a panel output control unit 154, a temperature monitoring unit 155, a heating control unit 156, and a communication unit 157. .

The storage unit 151 stores an output control table 151a and a determination temperature value 151b. The output control table 151a is a table containing control information regarding control of the solar panel 122 and the generator 123 (hereinafter referred to as charging control). The output control table 151 a is referred to by the generator control section 153 and the panel output control section 154 . The determination temperature value 151b is an upper limit temperature value and a lower limit temperature value used for opening/closing control of the exhaust heat valve 123a. The temperature value for determination 151b is referred to by the heating control section 156. FIG.

The output control table 151a will be further described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a chart for explaining the output control table according to this embodiment. The output control table 151a of FIG. 5 describes the control conditions and the operations of the controlled objects (the solar panel 122 and the generator 123).

In this embodiment, three thresholds TH1, TH2, and TH3 are used for charging control. The thresholds TH1, TH2, and TH3 have a relationship of "TH1<TH3<TH2". Thresholds TH1 and TH2 are set in advance based on the optimum depth of discharge for keeping the life of power storage device 121 long.

As will be described later, the threshold TH1 is an SOC (State Of Charge) value at which charging by the generator 123 is started, and the threshold TH2 is an SOC value at which charging by the generator 123 is stopped. When the depth of discharge is 70%, for example, the threshold TH2 is set to SOC 90% and the threshold TH1 is set to SOC 20%. That is, the thresholds TH1 and TH2 are set such that |TH2-TH1| corresponds to the optimum depth of discharge.

The first condition of the output control table 151a (the condition shown at the top of the table) is that the SOC of the power storage device 121 decreases to reach the threshold TH1. When the first condition is satisfied, power generation by the generator 123 is started, and charging of the power storage device 121 from the generator 123 is started. Power generation by the generator 123 is started regardless of the state of charging of the power storage device 121 by the solar panel 122 . While charging power storage device 121 from generator 123 continues, the SOC of power storage device 121 increases.

The second condition of the output control table 151a (the condition shown in the lower part of the first condition) is that the generator 123 is in operation and the SOC of the power storage device 121 reaches the threshold TH2. When the second condition is satisfied, power generation by the generator 123 is stopped, and charging from the generator 123 to the power storage device 121 is stopped. Further, when charging by the solar panel 122 is being executed, power supply from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121 is also stopped.

In general, a secondary battery tends to deteriorate more as the depth of discharge is deeper and as it is used in a state closer to full charge. In order to reduce deterioration of the power storage device 121 due to these reasons, the relationship between the thresholds TH1 and TH2 is set based on the optimum depth of discharge, and the threshold TH2 is set to a value less than 100% (for example, in the range of 85% to 95%). some value). In addition, when the SOC of the power storage device 121 reaches the threshold TH2, neither the output of the generator 123 nor the solar panel 122 is supplied to the power storage device 121 . Thereby, deterioration of the power storage device 121 can be reduced.

The third condition of the output control table 151a (the condition shown in the lower part of the second condition) is that the SOC of the power storage device 121 reaches the threshold TH2 while the generator 123 is stopped. When the third condition is satisfied, power supply from solar panel 122 to power storage device 121 is stopped. The third condition is a condition for reducing deterioration of the power storage device 121 by avoiding a situation where the power storage device 121 is used in a nearly fully charged state, like the second condition described above. Even if the solar panel 122 can supply power during the sunshine hours, the power supply from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121 is stopped when the third condition is satisfied.

The fourth condition of the output control table 151a (the condition shown in the lower part of the third condition) is that the SOC of the power storage device 121 reaches the threshold TH3 while the output of the solar panel 122 is stopped. The relationship between the thresholds TH1 and TH3 is "TH1<TH3".

When the SOC of the power storage device 121 reaches the threshold TH2, power supply to the power storage device 121 by the solar panel 122 and the generator 123 is stopped. Therefore, the SOC of the power storage device 121 decreases as the wind condition observation device 11 consumes power.

As described above, when the SOC of power storage device 121 reaches threshold TH2 (first condition), charging of power storage device 121 from generator 123 is started. However, it is preferable to preferentially use the solar panel 122, which does not consume fuel, over the power generator 123, which consumes the fuel in the fuel tank 124, from the viewpoint of fuel saving during sunshine hours. Therefore, in the output control table 151a, a fourth condition is set such that charging by the solar panel 122 is started before the SOC of the power storage device 121 reaches the threshold TH1.

When the fourth condition is satisfied, power supply from solar panel 122 to power storage device 121 is started. However, even when the solar panel 122 is supplying power to the power storage device 121 due to a lack of sunlight or the like, the fourth condition may be satisfied. power supply continues. Even in such a case, the power supply from the solar panel 122 lengthens the time until the SOC of the power storage device 121 reaches the threshold TH1, which contributes to saving fuel consumption.

Please refer to FIG. 4 again. SOC monitoring unit 152 monitors the SOC of power storage device 121 . The generator control unit 153 determines whether or not the conditions of the output control table 151a are satisfied based on the SOC value output from the SOC monitoring unit 152, and controls the generator 123 corresponding to the satisfied conditions. Execute. The panel output control unit 154 determines whether or not the conditions of the output control table 151a are satisfied based on the SOC value output from the SOC monitoring unit 152, and controls the solar panel 122 corresponding to the satisfied conditions. Execute.

For example, the generator controller 153 and the panel output controller 154 control operations of the solar panel 122 and the generator 123 as shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining output control of the solar panel and power generation control of the generator according to this embodiment. The upper part of FIG. 6 shows the supply timing of the power Pw2 (the output power of the solar panel 122), the middle part of FIG. 6 shows the transition of the SOC, and the lower part of FIG. 123 output power) is shown.

In the example of FIG. 6, the threshold TH1 is 20% (0.2 in the figure), the threshold TH2 is 90% (0.9 in the figure), and the threshold TH3 is 70% (0.7 in the figure). ) is set. For convenience of explanation, the daylight hours are assumed to be from 7:00 to 16:00.

Focusing on the time change of the SOC shown in the middle of FIG. 6, the SOC reaches the threshold TH1 at time t1 before sunrise. At this time, the first condition of the output control table 151a is satisfied, so the generator control unit 153 causes the generator 123 to operate. The power supplied from the generator 123 increases the SOC and reaches the threshold TH2 at time t2. At this time, the generator control unit 153 stops the generator 123 because the second condition of the output control table 151a is satisfied.

Since the solar panel 122 and the generator 123 do not supply power after time t2, the power stored in the power storage device 121 is consumed by the wind condition observation device 11 and the SOC decreases. When the SOC reaches the threshold TH3 at time t3, the fourth condition of the output control table 151a is satisfied, so the panel output control unit 154 starts power supply from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121. In the example of FIG. 6, the power supplied by the solar panel 122 exceeds the power consumption of the wind condition observation device 11, so the SOC increases.

When the SOC reaches the threshold TH2 at time t4, the third condition of the output control table 151a is satisfied, so the panel output control unit 154 stops power supply from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121. After that, the power stored in the power storage device 121 is consumed as the wind condition observation device 11 consumes power, and control by the generator control unit 153 and the panel output control unit 154 is appropriately performed in the same manner as described above.

Please refer to FIG. 4 again. The temperature monitoring unit 155 monitors the internal temperature measured by the thermometer 113 of the wind condition observation device 11 . The heating control unit 156 determines whether the value of the internal temperature output from the temperature monitoring unit 155 is within the temperature range specified by the determination temperature value 151b (upper limit temperature value, lower limit temperature value). Based on the result, the opening degree of the exhaust heat valve 123a is controlled.

The lower limit temperature value can be set to, for example, the operation start temperature of the heater 114 (0° C. in the example of FIG. 3) or a temperature higher than the operation start temperature by a predetermined value (eg, 5° C.). The upper limit temperature value can be set to the operation start temperature of the cooling fan 115 (20° C. in the example of FIG. 3) or a temperature lower than the operation start temperature by a predetermined value (eg, 15° C.).

When the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 reaches the lower limit temperature value while the generator 123 is in operation, the heating control unit 156 opens the exhaust heat valve 123 a to discharge the generator 123 through the heat transfer line 126 . The heat is transferred to the wind condition observation device 11 . In addition, when the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 reaches the upper limit temperature value, the heating control unit 156 closes the open exhaust heat valve 123a so that the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 does not rise any further. to The heating control unit 156 may adaptively control the opening of the exhaust heat valve 123a according to the internal temperature.

The communication unit 157 is communication means for wirelessly communicating with the remote control device 20 . The communication unit 157 communicates with the remote control device 20 using various wireless communication technologies such as mobile communication, satellite communication, and wireless LAN (Local Area Network).

For example, the communication unit 157 transmits observation data and internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11, SOC of the power storage device 121, remaining amount of the fuel tank 124, output of the solar panel 122, and other data to the remote control device 20. may The communication unit 157 may also receive control signals for controlling operations of the generator control unit 153 , the panel output control unit 154 , and the heating control unit 156 from the remote control device 20 . In this case, the generator control section 153 , the panel output control section 154 and the heating control section 156 can operate according to control signals received from the remote control device 20 .

(Regarding remote control equipment)
Next, the remote control device 20 will be further described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining the functions of the remote control device according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the remote control device 20 has a monitor control section 201 , a storage section 202 and a communication section 203 . The monitoring control unit 201 is control means for monitoring the operation of the wind condition observation system 10 and controlling the operation of the continuous power supply system 12 . The storage unit 202 is storage means for storing data and the like received from the continuous power supply system 12 . The communication unit 203 is communication means for wirelessly communicating with the continuous power supply system 12 .

The monitoring control unit 201 performs charging control 211, SOC monitoring 212, generator operation control 213, temperature monitoring 214, fuel storage amount monitoring 215, generator operating time monitoring 216, observation data acquisition 217, data missing monitoring 218, and maintenance notification. 219, emergency shutdown control 220, and panel output control 221.

The function of the charge control 211 is a function corresponding to the charge control based on the output control table 151 a described above, and cooperates with the functions of the generator operation control 213 and the panel output control 221 . The function of the SOC monitor 212 is a function corresponding to the SOC monitor 152 described above. The function of the generator operation control 213 is a function corresponding to the generator control unit 153 described above. The function of the temperature monitor 214 is a function corresponding to the temperature monitor 155 described above.

The function of the fuel storage amount monitor 215 is to periodically acquire data indicating the remaining amount (fuel storage amount) of the fuel tank 124 from the control device 125 via the communication unit 203 and monitor the fuel storage amount. . The function of the generator operating time monitoring 216 is a function of monitoring the control status (start and stop) of the generator 123 by the generator control unit 153 via the communication unit 203 and measuring the operating time of the generator 123. .

A function of the observation data acquisition 217 is a function of acquiring observation data indicating the result of wind condition observation by the wind condition observation device 11 directly by the communication unit 203 or via the control device 125 . The missing data monitoring function 218 is a function of detecting missing data based on the observation data acquired by the observation data acquisition function 217 .

The function of the maintenance notification 219 is a function of notifying timing such as replacement timing of the fuel tank 124 and regular maintenance of the wind condition observation system 10 . For example, the maintenance notification function 219 outputs a message prompting replacement of the fuel tank 124 when the fuel storage amount monitoring function 215 reduces the fuel storage amount to a preset storage amount or less.

The function of the emergency shutdown control 220 is to detect a serious abnormality in the wind condition observation system 10 based on the results of SOC monitoring 212, temperature monitoring 214, fuel storage amount monitoring 215, generator operating time monitoring 216, and data missing monitoring 218. This is a function to send an emergency shutdown signal to the control device 125 to emergency stop the operation of the wind condition observation system 10 when it is recognized. For example, when the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 becomes abnormal, or when the amount of stored fuel is decreasing at an abnormal speed, an emergency shutoff signal is transmitted.

The function of the panel output control 221 is a function corresponding to the panel output control 221 described above. Each function of charging control 211, SOC monitoring 212, generator operation control 213, temperature monitoring 214, and panel output control 221 replaces at least part of the control function of the corresponding control device 125 with remote control by the remote control device 20. At least part of the functions may be omitted from the remote control device 20 .

(Regarding hardware such as control devices)
Next, hardware of the control device 125 will be described with reference to FIG. Although the hardware of the control device 125 will be described below, it is also possible to implement the functions of the remote control device 20 by using at least part of the hardware in FIG. Therefore, detailed description of the hardware of the remote control device 20 will be omitted by referring to the hardware shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a block diagram for explaining hardware capable of realizing the functions of the control device and the like according to this embodiment.

The functions of the control device 125 can be implemented using, for example, the hardware resources shown in FIG. That is, the functions of the control device 125 can be realized by controlling the hardware shown in FIG. 8 using a computer program.

As shown in FIG. 8, the above hardware has a processor 125a, a memory 125b, a display I/F (Interface) 125c, a communication I/F 125d, and a connection I/F 125e.

The processor 125a is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like.

The memory 125b is, for example, a storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), and flash memory.

The display I/F 125c is an interface for connecting display devices such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and ELD (Electro-Luminescence Display). For example, the display I/F 125c performs display control by a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit) mounted on the processor 125a or the display I/F 125c.

The communication I/F 125d is an interface for connecting to a wired and/or wireless network. The communication I/F 125d can be connected to, for example, a wired LAN (Local Area Network), a wireless LAN, an optical communication network, a mobile phone network, and the like.

The connection I/F 125e is an interface for connecting external devices. The connection I/F 125e is, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, IEEE1394 port, SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), or the like.

Input interfaces such as a keyboard, mouse, touch panel, and touch pad can be connected to the connection I/F 125e. A portable recording medium 125f can be connected to the connection I/F 125e. The recording medium 125f is, for example, a magnetic recording medium, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like.

The processor 125a described above can read the program stored in the recording medium 125f, store it in the memory 125b, and control the operation of the control device 125 according to the program read from the memory 125b. In addition, the program may be stored in advance in the memory 125b, or may be downloaded from the network via the communication I/F 125d.

The functions of the storage units 151 and 202 described above can be realized mainly by the memory 125b. The functions of the SOC monitoring unit 152, the generator control unit 153, the panel output control unit 154, the temperature monitoring unit 155, the heating control unit 156, and the monitoring control unit 201 described above can be mainly realized by the processor 125a. The functions of the communication units 157 and 203 described above are mainly realized by the processor 125a and the communication I/F 125d.

[2. Continuous power supply method]
Next, a continuous power supply method realized by the controller 125 of the continuous power supply system 12 described above will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart for explaining the continuous power supply method according to this embodiment.

(S101) When observation by the wind condition observation device 11 is started, power supply from the power storage device 121 to the wind condition observation device 11 is started. In addition, control device 125 starts monitoring the SOC of power storage device 121 . It is assumed that the power storage device 121 is in a charged state at the start of observation.

(S102) Control device 125 determines whether the SOC of power storage device 121 has reached threshold TH3. If the SOC has reached the threshold TH3, the process proceeds to S103. On the other hand, if the SOC has not reached the threshold TH3, monitoring of the SOC is continued, and the process of S102 is executed again.

(S103) The control device 125 starts output from the solar panel 122. As a result, power is supplied from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121 during the sunshine hours, and the SOC of the power storage device 121 increases. However, when the amount of sunshine is small and it is not possible to cover all the power consumption of the wind condition observation device 11, the SOC of the power storage device 121 may decrease even if power is being supplied from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121. .

(S104) Control device 125 determines whether the SOC of power storage device 121 has reached threshold TH1. When sufficient power is supplied from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121 and the SOC reaches the threshold TH1, the process proceeds to S105. On the other hand, if the SOC has not reached the threshold TH1, the process proceeds to S107.

(S105) The control device 125 stops the output from the solar panel 122. After stopping the output from the solar panel 122, the SOC of the power storage device 121 decreases. When the threshold TH1 is set to less than 100%, the charging of the power storage device 121 is stopped before the power storage device 121 is fully charged, which contributes to suppressing deterioration of the power storage device 121 .

(S106) Control device 125 determines whether the SOC of power storage device 121 has reached threshold TH3. If the SOC has reached the threshold TH3, the process proceeds to S103. On the other hand, if the SOC has not reached the threshold TH3, monitoring of the SOC is continued, and the process of S106 is executed again.

(S107) Control device 125 determines whether the SOC of power storage device 121 has reached threshold TH2. When the solar panel 122 does not supply a sufficient amount of power and the SOC decreases, and the SOC reaches the threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S108. On the other hand, if the SOC has not reached the threshold TH2, the process proceeds to S104.

(S108) The control device 125 starts power generation by the power generator 123. As a result, power supply from generator 123 to power storage device 121 is started, and the SOC of power storage device 121 increases.

(S109) Control device 125 determines whether the SOC of power storage device 121 has reached threshold TH1. If the SOC has reached the threshold TH1, the process proceeds to S110. On the other hand, if the SOC has not reached the threshold TH1, monitoring of the SOC is continued, and the process of S109 is executed again.

(S110, S111) The control device 125 stops power generation by the power generator 123. Further, when power is being supplied from the solar panel 122 to the power storage device 121 , the control device 125 stops the output from the solar panel 122 . When threshold TH1 is set to less than 100%, these controls stop charging power storage device 121 before it reaches full charge, which contributes to suppressing deterioration of power storage device 121 .

When the process of S111 is completed, the process proceeds to S102. While the observation by the wind condition observation device 11 continues, the processing shown in FIG. 9 is continuously executed. Then, when the observation by the wind condition observation device 11 ends, the process shown in FIG. 9 stops. In addition, when an emergency shutdown signal is transmitted from the remote control device 20 to the control device 125, the control device 125 urgently stops the output from the solar panel 122 and the power generation of the generator 123, and stops the processing shown in FIG. do.

(heating control)
Next, the opening/closing control (heating control) of the exhaust heat valve 123a by the controller 125 of the continuous power supply system 12 will be further described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the flow of processing related to heating of the wind condition observation device by exhaust heat of the generator in the continuous power supply method according to the present embodiment.

(S121) When observation by the wind condition observation device 11 is started and control by the continuous power supply system 12 is started, heating control by the controller 125 is also started. The control device 125 starts monitoring the temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 and periodically acquires the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 . For example, the control device 125 acquires the internal temperature from the wind condition observation device 11 at preset time intervals (eg, several seconds, several tens of seconds, one minute, five minutes, etc.).

(S122) The control device 125 determines whether or not the monitored temperature (acquired internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11) is lower than the minimum temperature value. The lower limit temperature value is set to a temperature higher than the operation start temperature of the heater 114 (0° C. in the example of FIG. 3). If the monitored temperature is lower than the lower limit temperature value, the process proceeds to S123. On the other hand, if the monitored temperature is not lower than the lower limit temperature value, temperature monitoring is continued and the process of S122 is executed again.

(S123) The controller 125 opens the exhaust heat valve 123a of the generator 123. As shown in FIG. As a result, heat transfer to the wind condition observation device 11 via the heat transfer line 126 is started, and the wind condition observation device 11 is warmed.

When the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 rises due to exhaust heat, the operation of the heater 114 is avoided, and an increase in power consumption due to the operation of the heater 114 is avoided. Depending on the outside temperature, even if the wind condition observation device 11 is warmed by the exhaust heat, the internal temperature may continue to decrease. The operating time of the heater 114 can be shortened. As a result, the consumption of electric power stored in the power storage device 121 is suppressed, the operation time of the power generator 123 is shortened, which leads to saving of fuel, and contributes to reduction of maintenance burden.

As a modification, the control device 125 may adjust the opening degree of the exhaust heat valve 123a according to the outside air temperature. For example, the control device 125 may monitor the temperature difference between the internal temperature and the outside air temperature and open the exhaust heat valve 123a to an opening proportional to the temperature difference. According to this modification, when the temperature difference is small, the rate of decrease in the internal temperature is slow, and the rate of temperature rise due to exhaust heat is also increased. Therefore, by reducing the opening of the exhaust heat valve 123a to reduce the amount of exhaust heat supplied and suppressing a rapid rise in internal temperature, the wind condition observation device 11 is protected from sudden temperature changes. It is possible to reduce the number of times of opening and closing 123a.

(S124) The control device 125 determines whether or not the monitored temperature is higher than the upper limit temperature value. The upper limit temperature value is set to a temperature lower than the operation start temperature of the cooling fan 115 (20° C. in the example of FIG. 3). If the monitored temperature is higher than the upper limit temperature value, the process proceeds to S125. On the other hand, if the monitored temperature is not higher than the upper limit temperature value, temperature monitoring is continued and the process of S124 is executed again.

(S125) The controller 125 closes the exhaust heat valve 123a of the generator 123. As a result, the exhaust heat transmitted to the wind condition observation device 11 via the heat transfer line 126 is blocked, and the warming of the wind condition observation device 11 is stopped.

As described above, the operation of the heater 114 can be avoided by increasing the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device 11 due to the exhaust heat. However, if the internal temperature rises too much, the cooling fan 115 will operate and the power consumption of the wind condition observation device 11 will increase. Therefore, when the monitored temperature becomes higher than the upper limit temperature value, the control device 125 stops the supply of exhaust heat to suppress the rise of the internal temperature.

When the process of S125 is completed, the process proceeds to S122. While the observation by the wind condition observation device 11 continues, the processing shown in FIG. 10 is continuously executed. Then, when the observation by the wind condition observation device 11 ends, the process shown in FIG. 10 stops. When an emergency shutoff signal is transmitted from the remote control device 20 to the control device 125 and the generator 123 is stopped in an emergency, the process shown in FIG. 10 is also stopped.

[3. Modification]
Next, a modified example of this embodiment will be described. As a modified example, a charge rate control method will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a chart for explaining a charging rate control method according to a modified example of the present embodiment.

In this modification, three charging control modes with different depths of discharge as shown in FIG. 11 are introduced. Here, the charging control mode in which the set value of the depth of discharge is relatively large (eg, 90%) is the high current value charging mode, and the charging mode in which the set value of the depth of discharge is a standard value (eg, 70%). The standard mode and the charge control mode in which the set value of the depth of discharge is a relatively small value (for example, 50%) are referred to as the low current value charge mode.

Since the set value of the depth of discharge is large in the high current value charge mode, the amount of charge per charge is larger than in the standard mode. Therefore, the charging rate is set to a large value, and rapid charging of power storage device 121 is performed. In the example of FIG. 11, the charge rate in the high current value charge mode is set to 2C. The charging rate (C rate) represents a current value that reaches a fully charged state (SOC 100%) in one hour when charging from an empty state (SOC 0%) with a certain constant current value. Since the charge rate in the standard mode is set to 1C, in the high current value charge mode, the battery is charged with a current value that is double that in the standard mode.

In the low current value charge mode, the set value of the depth of discharge is small, so the amount of charge per charge is smaller than in the standard mode. Therefore, the charging rate is set to a small value (0.5C), and the charging speed of power storage device 121 becomes slow. In general, the higher the charging rate, the greater the deterioration of the secondary battery. That is, the low current value charging mode is a charging control mode that reduces deterioration of the power storage device 121 . The control device 125 may adaptively switch the charging control mode, or may switch according to a control signal from the remote control device 20 .

[4. Evaluation of generator operating time]
Next, the evaluation of generator operating time will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining evaluation of generator operating time.

In the bar graph shown in FIG. 12, the hatched portion is the charging amount by the solar panel, and the remaining portion is the charging amount by the generator. A sawtooth-shaped graph indicated by a solid line indicates the SOC transition of the lead-acid battery. FIG. 12 shows three types of graphs: a low temperature period in which the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device is 0° C. or lower, a suitable temperature period in which the temperature is in the range of 0° C. to 20° C., and a high temperature period in which the temperature is 20° C. or higher.

In the model of FIG. 12, for the sake of simplification, charging is started when the SOC reaches 70%, and charging is stopped when the SOC approaches 100%. In this model, the amount of charge by the solar panel is set to r1 in the low temperature period, r2 to the amount of charge in the high temperature period, and r3 to the amount of charge in the appropriate temperature period. Also, heating due to wiper operation and waste heat is not taken into account. The power consumption of the wind condition observation device is the largest during the low temperature period, the second largest during the high temperature period, and the smallest during the suitable temperature period.

According to the simplified model above, when the capacity is 5184 Wh, the depth of discharge is 70%, the power generation of the generator is 1255 Wh, the power generation of the solar panel is 300 Wh, and the power generation efficiency is 0.46 kg / h (LPG), the power generation per day The number of times the machine was operated was about 2.2 times during the low temperature period, about 1.0 times during the moderate temperature period, and 1.2 times during the moderate temperature period. Converting this to gas storage capacity, the gas storage volume required for 90 days of operation in the low temperature period is about 61 kg, the gas storage amount required to operate for 60 days in the moderate temperature period is about 35.8 kg, The gas storage capacity required for 210 days of operation was approximately 82.8 kg.

In the case of an LPG cylinder with a storage capacity of 20 kg, the LPG cylinder should be replaced approximately once every three weeks during the low temperature period, once every month during the moderate temperature period, and once every six weeks during the high temperature period. Become. In addition, if a plurality of LPG cylinders are used, the number of cylinder exchanges can be reduced. This is considered to significantly reduce the maintenance burden when installing the wind condition observation system in the mountains where it is difficult for transportation vehicles to enter. In addition, by applying the continuous power supply method according to the present embodiment, it is expected that the fuel consumption will be reduced more than the above simplified model, so it is expected that the operational burden of the wind condition observation system will be further reduced. .

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or modifications within the scope described in the claims, which naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

10 wind condition observation system 11 wind condition observation device 12 continuous power supply system 20 remote control device 111 observation wave output unit 112 reflected wave reception unit 113 thermometer 114 heater 115 cooling fan 116 wiper 117 communication unit 118 control unit 121 power storage device 122 solar panel 123 power generator 123a exhaust heat valve 124 fuel tank 125 control device 126 heat transfer line 151, 202 storage unit 151a output control table 151b determination temperature value 152 SOC monitoring unit 153 generator control unit 154 panel output control unit 155 temperature monitoring unit 156 Heating control unit 157, 203 Communication unit 201 Monitoring control unit Pw, Pw1, Pw2 Power TH1, TH2, TH3 Threshold

Claims (7)

a wind condition observation device that observes wind conditions in the sky;
a continuous power supply system that continuously supplies power to the wind condition observation device;
The continuous power supply system includes:
a power storage device that continuously supplies the stored power to the wind condition observation device;
a solar panel that supplies power to the power storage device;
a generator that supplies electric power generated using replenishable fuel to the power storage device;
During the operating period of the wind condition observation device, the generator and the a controller for controlling charging by the solar panel ;
The control device is
stopping power supply from the solar panel to the power storage device when the charging rate reaches the second threshold that is higher than the first threshold, and
When the charging rate reaches a third threshold that is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold due to discharging, power supply from the solar panel to the power storage device is started.
Wind observation system. The control device is
when the charging rate reaches the first threshold value due to discharging, power generation by the generator is started;
2. The wind condition observation system according to claim 1, wherein power generation by the generator is stopped when the charging rate reaches the second threshold larger than the first threshold. The continuous power supply system further has a heat transfer line for transferring waste heat from the generator to the wind condition observation device,
The control device is
when the internal temperature of the wind condition observation device becomes lower than a predetermined temperature, exhaust heat supply to the wind condition observation device via the heat transfer line is started;
The wind condition observation system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the internal temperature becomes higher than the predetermined temperature, exhaust heat supply to the wind condition observation device via the heat transfer line is stopped. The wind condition observation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the generator is a small gas generator that generates power using gas fuel supplied from a gas cylinder connected to the generator. The continuous power supply system includes a remote control device that wirelessly communicates with the control device,
5. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device provides the remote control device with notification information including at least one of the remaining amount of fuel and lack of observation data in the wind condition observation device. Wind observation system. A continuous power supply system capable of continuously supplying power to an external device,
a power storage device that continuously supplies the stored power to the external device;
a solar panel that supplies power to the power storage device;
a generator that supplies electric power generated using replenishable fuel to the power storage device;
The generator and the solar panel such that the charging rate of the power storage device is maintained within a range between a first threshold value and a second threshold value corresponding to a predetermined depth of discharge during the operating period of the external device. a controller for controlling charging by
The control device is
stopping power supply from the solar panel to the power storage device when the charging rate reaches the second threshold that is higher than the first threshold, and
When the charging rate reaches a third threshold that is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold due to discharging, power supply from the solar panel to the power storage device is started.
Continuous power supply system. A continuous power supply method for continuously supplying power to a wind condition observation device,
a step of continuously supplying the stored electric power to the wind condition observation device from a power storage device;
supplying power to the power storage device with a solar panel;
supplying electric power generated by a generator using replenishable fuel to the power storage device;
The control device maintains the charging rate of the power storage device within a range between a first threshold value and a second threshold value corresponding to a predetermined depth of discharge during the operating period of the wind condition observation device. controlling charging by a generator and the solar panel ;
including
The step of controlling the charging includes:
stopping power supply from the solar panel to the power storage device when the charging rate reaches the second threshold that is higher than the first threshold;
When the charging rate reaches a third threshold that is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold due to discharging, power supply from the solar panel to the power storage device is started.
continuous power feeding method , including

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