JP7613037B2 - Ocean Observation System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an offshore observation system.

For example, as in Patent Document 1, when installing a wind power generation system, an observation system that observes wind conditions such as wind speed and wind direction is first installed at the installation location. In recent years, it is not uncommon for wind power generation systems to be installed offshore. When installing a wind power generation system offshore, an offshore observation system is also installed at the installation location. The offshore observation system observes wind conditions such as wind speed and wind direction, and transmits the observed wind conditions as wind condition information. The wind condition information transmitted by the offshore observation system is received by a receiving device installed on land. Then, detailed design of the wind power generation system is carried out based on the wind condition information.

JP 2002-340924 A

By the way, electricity is required to operate the offshore observation system, such as observing wind conditions and transmitting wind condition information. In the offshore observation system, an engine generator that uses diesel or other fuels is used to ensure a stable supply of electricity to the various devices.

However, refueling engine generators requires the transport of fuel by ship. Whether or not fuel can be transported by ship is determined by sea conditions such as wave height, so there is a demand to reduce the fuel consumption of engine generators.

The offshore observation system that solves the above problem includes an engine generator, a wind power generator having a storage battery that stores the electricity generated by the wind turbine, a power supply target including an observation device that observes wind conditions, an interlock circuit that switches the power supply source to the power supply target between the engine generator and the wind power generator, and a control device that controls the interlock circuit depending on the amount of electricity stored in the storage battery.

The offshore observation system having the above configuration preferably further includes a remote control device configured to be capable of communicating with the control device, and the remote control device is configured to be capable of switching the power supply source to the power supply target by operation of an operator.

In the offshore observation system of the above configuration, the power supply target includes an air conditioner that conditions the air-conditioned room in which the control device is installed, and the control device preferably acquires the indoor temperature of the air-conditioned room and starts the air conditioner when the indoor temperature rises to a start-up temperature.

In the offshore observation system having the above configuration, it is preferable that the control device stops the air conditioner when the indoor temperature drops to a stop temperature.
In the offshore observation system having the above-mentioned configuration, it is preferable that the power supply target includes an air conditioner for air-conditioning the air-conditioned room in which the control device is installed, and that the control device switches the power supply source for the power supply target to the engine generator when starting up the air conditioner.

The present invention makes it possible to reduce fuel consumption in engine generators.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an ocean observation system. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line 2 in FIG. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an offshore observation system. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a monitor screen of the remote control device. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an automatic driving process. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an automatic air conditioning process. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a remaining oil amount management process.

An embodiment of an ocean observation system will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1 , the ocean observation system 10 includes a foundation structure 11 .
The foundation structure 11 has a foundation portion 12, a pillar portion 13, and a stage portion 14. The foundation portion 12 is disposed underwater. The foundation portion 12 is supported on the seabed. The pillar portion 13 extends upward from the foundation portion 12. The pillar portion 13 has a portion that is disposed underwater and a portion that is disposed above the sea. The stage portion 14 is provided at the upper end of the pillar portion 13. The stage portion 14 has an external shape of a regular octagon when viewed from above.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stage section 14 is provided with a number of lightning rods 15 extending upward. The lightning rods 15 are installed on the outer periphery of the stage section 14 at positions corresponding to the vertices of a regular octagon. An observation device 16 is provided near the center of the stage section 14. The stage section 14 is provided with an engine generator 17, a fuel tank 18, a windmill 19, a battery room 20, an air-conditioned room 21, and the like, surrounding the observation device 16.

The observation instrument 16 observes wind condition information such as wind direction, wind speed, etc. The observation instrument 16 is, for example, a Doppler LIDAR.
The engine generator 17 generates electricity by driving an engine at a predetermined rotation speed with fuel stored in a fuel tank 18. The fuel in the fuel tank 18 is appropriately replenished based on the amount of fuel consumed by the engine generator 17. The replenished fuel is transported to the ocean observation system 10 by a ship or the like, and is lifted up to the stage unit 14 by a winch (not shown) or the like provided on the stage unit 14.

In this embodiment, four wind turbines 19 are provided on the stage section 14. The wind turbines 19 are installed at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the regular octagonal stage section 14. Each wind turbine 19 is installed in the center of every other side in the circumferential direction of the stage section 14, at the midpoint between a pair of adjacent lightning rods 15. This makes it possible to ensure sufficient space inside the four wind turbines 19 while avoiding contact between the wind turbines 19 and the lightning rods 15.

Each wind turbine 19 is equipped with a wind speed sensor. Each wind turbine 19 is configured to generate electricity when the wind speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined wind speed (e.g., 3 m/s). The electricity generated by each wind turbine 19 is stored in a storage battery 22 arranged in a battery room 20. The electricity stored in the storage battery 22 is converted to AC by an inverter 23 provided in the battery room 20 and then output. The wind turbines 19, storage battery 22, and inverter 23 constitute a wind power generator 24 as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the offshore observation system 10 is equipped with an interlock circuit 25, an uninterruptible power supply 26, and a control device 27. These are installed in an air-conditioned room 21 that can be air-conditioned by an air conditioner 28. In the following, the air conditioner 28 may be referred to as an "air conditioner" in some cases.

The above-mentioned inverter 23 and engine generator 17 are connected to the interlock circuit 25. The interlock circuit 25 switches the power supply source for the various measuring instruments 30, the control device 27, and the air conditioner 28, which are the targets of the power supply, between the wind power generator 24 and the engine generator 17.

The uninterruptible power supply 26 supplies power to the power supply target in place of the engine generator 17 and the wind power generator 24 during the period when the power supply is temporarily cut off due to the switching of the power supply source by the interlock circuit 25.

The control device 27 is configured to be capable of communicating with the remote control device 31. The control device 27 and the remote control device 31 acquire various information and execute various processes based on the acquired information, as well as programs and various data stored in memory. The control device 27 and the remote control device 31 may be configured as a circuit including one or more dedicated hardware circuits such as an ASIC, one or more processors that operate according to a computer program (software), or a combination thereof. The processor includes a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM, and the memory stores program code or instructions configured to cause the CPU to execute processes. Memory, i.e., computer-readable medium, includes any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer.

The remote control device 31 is installed on land. The remote control device 31 is configured to be operable by an operator. The remote control device 31 transmits the operator's operation information to the control device 27. The operation information includes mode information, automatic driving information, manual driving information, etc.

The mode information is information that instructs the control device 27 on the operation mode of the offshore observation system 10. The mode information is composed of an automatic operation mode in which the control device 27 automatically controls the offshore observation system 10, and a manual operation mode in which the control device 27 controls the offshore observation system 10 according to instructions from the remote control device 31. The automatic operation information is information that indicates the start temperature T1 at which the air conditioner 28 is started and the stop temperature T2 at which the air conditioner 28 is stopped in the automatic operation mode. The manual operation information is information that indicates start and stop instructions for the air conditioner 28 and the engine generator 17 in the manual operation mode.

The control device 27 acquires the following information in addition to the above-mentioned operation information.
The control device 27 acquires wind condition information observed by the observation device 16. The control device 27 acquires various information measured by the various measuring devices 30. The various measuring devices 30 include an upper room temperature sensor, a lower room temperature sensor, an outdoor temperature sensor, a wind speed sensor, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, a strain gauge, an engine RPM sensor, a remaining oil level sensor, and the like.

The upper indoor temperature sensor and the lower indoor temperature sensor are provided in the air-conditioned room 21 and measure the upper indoor temperature and the lower indoor temperature as indoor temperature information. The outdoor temperature sensor is provided outside the air-conditioned room 21 and measures the outdoor temperature as outdoor temperature information. The wind speed sensor is provided in each wind turbine 19 and measures the wind speed as wind speed information. The voltage sensor is provided in the storage battery 22 and measures the storage battery voltage V as storage battery voltage information. The current sensor is provided in the air conditioner 28 and measures the air conditioner current flowing through the air conditioner 28 as current information. The strain gauges are provided at various locations on the foundation structure 11 and measure the strain at each location as strain information. The engine speed sensor is provided in the engine generator and measures the engine speed as driving information for the engine generator 17. The remaining oil amount sensor is provided in the fuel tank 18 and measures the remaining oil amount Q in the fuel tank 18 as remaining oil amount information. The control device 27 then acquires the information measured by the various measuring instruments 30 and transmits it to the remote control device 31.

As shown in FIG. 4, the various information transmitted by the control device 27 is displayed on the monitor screen 35 of the remote control device 31. In addition, the start and stop of the engine generator 17 and the air conditioner 28 are displayed on the monitor screen 35 as a history.

The remote control device 31 is configured to allow the operation mode of the offshore observation system 10 to be selected between automatic operation mode and manual operation mode in the mode selection box 36 on the monitor screen 35.

The remote control device 31 is configured to be able to select the start temperature T1 and stop temperature T2 of the air conditioner 28 in the automatic operation mode in the air conditioner selection box 37 on the monitor screen 35. The selected start temperature T1 and stop temperature T2 are transmitted to the control device 27 as automatic operation information.

The remote control device 31 is configured to be able to instruct the air conditioner 28 to start and stop when the manual operation mode is selected in the air conditioner selection box 37 on the monitor screen 35. The remote control device 31 is also configured to be able to instruct the engine generator 17 to start and stop when the manual operation mode is selected in the generator selection box 38 on the monitor screen 35. The start and stop instructions for the selected air conditioner 28 and engine generator 17 are sent to the control device 27 as manual operation information.

The control device 27 controls the offshore observation system 10 in an operation mode based on mode information from the remote control device 31 .
In the manual operation mode, the control device 27 controls the inverter 23 of the wind power generator 24 , the interlock circuit 25 , the engine generator 17 , and the air conditioner 28 in accordance with manual operation information from the remote control device 31 .

Specifically, the control device 27 drives the air conditioner 28 in accordance with start and stop instructions for the air conditioner 28 .
The control device 27 starts the engine generator 17 and stops the inverter 23 of the wind power generator 24 in accordance with the start instruction for the engine generator 17. The control device 27 also controls the interlock circuit 25 to switch the power supply to the power supply target from the wind power generator 24 to the engine generator 17.

The control device 27 stops the engine generator 17 and starts the inverter 23 of the wind power generator 24 in accordance with the stop instruction of the engine generator 17. The control device 27 also controls the interlock circuit 25 to switch the power supply to the power supply target from the engine generator 17 to the wind power generator 24.

In the automatic operation mode, the control device 27 executes automatic operation processing to control the inverter 23 of the wind power generator 24, the interlock circuit 25, and the engine generator 17 based on the automatic operation information.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the automatic operation process, the control device 27 first determines whether the first supply control or the second supply control is currently being executed, for example, based on the drive information of the engine generator 17 (step S101).

The first supply control is a state in which the engine generator 17 serves as the power supply source, and the power generated by each wind turbine 19 is stored in the storage battery 22, thereby causing the storage battery voltage V to rise.
The second supply control is a state in which the wind power generator 24 serves as the power supply source, and the power stored in the storage battery 22 is supplied to the power supply target, thereby causing the storage battery voltage V to decrease.

If the control device 27 is executing the first supply control (step S101: YES), it proceeds to step S102, and if the control device 27 is executing the second supply control (step S101: NO), it proceeds to step S104.

In step S102, the control device 27 acquires the storage battery voltage V and determines whether the acquired storage battery voltage V is equal to or greater than the second voltage V2. The second voltage V2 is the storage battery voltage V at which it is determined that sufficient power is stored in the storage battery 22.

If the storage battery voltage V is equal to or higher than the second voltage V2 (step S102: YES), the control device 27 selects the second supply control (step S103). The control device 27 that selects the second supply control switches the power supply source from the engine generator 17 to the wind power generator 24 by controlling the interlock circuit 25. With this switching, the control device 27 controls the engine generator 17 to an idling state and then stops it, and checks the operation of the inverter 23. The period until the engine generator 17 stops is a period during which the power supply from the engine generator 17 and the wind power generator 24 to the power supply target is temporarily cut off. During this period, the uninterruptible power supply device 26 supplies power to the power supply target.

In step S104, the control device 27 acquires the storage battery voltage V and determines whether the acquired storage battery voltage V is less than the first voltage V1. The first voltage V1 is a value smaller than the second voltage V2. The first voltage V1 is the storage battery voltage V at which it is determined that sufficient power is not stored in the storage battery 22.

If the storage battery voltage V is equal to or higher than the first voltage V1 (step S104: NO), the control device 27 repeatedly executes the process of step S104 while executing the second supply control. On the other hand, if the storage battery voltage V is lower than the first voltage V1 (step S104: YES), the control device 27 selects the first supply control (step S105). The control device 27 that selects the first supply control controls the interlock circuit 25 to switch the power supply source from the wind power generator 24 to the engine generator 17.

As a result of this switching, the control device 27 stops the inverter 23 and starts the engine generator 17. During the period until the engine generator 17 starts, the power supply from the engine generator 17 and the wind power generator 24 to the power supply target is temporarily cut off. During this period, the uninterruptible power supply 26 supplies power to the power supply target. After that, the control device 27 repeatedly executes the processes of steps S102 to S105.

As shown in FIG. 6, the control device 27 executes an automatic air conditioning process for controlling the air conditioner 28 based on the automatic operation information.
In the automatic air conditioning process, the control device 27 determines whether or not the room temperature T of the air conditioned room 21 has risen to or above the start-up temperature T1 (step S201).

When the indoor temperature T becomes equal to or higher than the start-up temperature T1 (step S201: YES), the control device 27 starts the air conditioner 28 to start air conditioning (step S202). After that, the control device 27 judges whether the indoor temperature T has dropped to the stop temperature T2 (step S203). When the indoor temperature T has dropped to the stop temperature T2 (step S203: YES), the control device 27 stops the air conditioner 28 to stop air conditioning (step S204). This allows the indoor temperature T of the air-conditioned room 21 in which the control device 27 and the like are installed to be maintained at an appropriate temperature that suppresses the thermal effects on various devices. Note that the indoor temperature T may be any temperature within the air-conditioned room 21, and may be the upper indoor temperature or the lower indoor temperature. It may also be the average temperature of the upper indoor temperature and the lower indoor temperature, etc.

As shown in FIG. 7, the control device 27 executes a remaining oil amount management process that manages the remaining oil amount Q in the fuel tank 18. Specifically, the control device 27 acquires the remaining oil amount Q in the fuel tank 18 based on the measurement value of the remaining oil amount sensor, and determines whether the acquired remaining oil amount Q has reached the required refueling amount Q1 (step S301). When the remaining oil amount Q reaches the required refueling amount Q1 (step S301: YES), the control device 27 transmits refueling information indicating that refueling is required to the remote control device 31 (step S302). The required refueling amount Q1 is set to an amount that allows the engine generator 17 to operate continuously for a certain number of days.

(Action)
The above-described offshore observation system 10 includes a wind power generator 24 in addition to the engine generator 17. Therefore, power stored in the storage battery 22 of the wind power generator 24 can be supplied to the power supply target.

The effects of this embodiment will be described.
(1) The ocean observation system 10 includes a wind power generator 24 in addition to the engine generator 17, and switches the power supply source to the power supply target according to the amount of electricity stored in the storage battery 22. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of fuel consumed by the engine generator 17.

(2) In addition, when refueling, there are cases where the ship cannot depart due to rough seas, such as strong winds. In such cases, the wind power generator 24 efficiently generates electricity by taking advantage of the strong winds, so that electricity can be supplied to the power supply target without driving the engine generator 17. In other words, the fuel consumption of the engine generator 17 can be effectively reduced when the ship cannot depart.

(3) The offshore observation system 10 is configured to allow the power supply source to be manually switched using the remote control device 31. This allows the power supply source to be manually switched to the engine generator 17, for example, when some kind of trouble occurs with the wind power generator 24.

(4) In the offshore observation system 10, the control device 27 starts the air conditioner 28 when the indoor temperature T rises to the start-up temperature T1. This makes it possible to reduce the power consumption of the air conditioner 28 while suppressing the thermal impact on various devices in the air-conditioned room 21.

(5) In the offshore observation system 10, the control device 27 stops the air conditioner 28 when the indoor temperature T drops to the stop temperature T2. This effectively reduces the power consumption of the air conditioner 28.

(6) When the remaining fuel amount Q decreases to the required fuel amount Q1, the control device 27 transmits refueling information to the remote control device 31. The operator who confirms the refueling information on the remote control device 31 arranges for refueling at the relevant locations. This makes it possible to more reliably refuel the fuel tank 18.

This embodiment can be modified as follows: This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that there is no technical contradiction.
When starting the air conditioner 28, the control device 27 may control the power supply source to be the engine generator 17. This makes it possible to reliably supply power to the air conditioner 28, which consumes a large amount of power.

- The control device 27 is not limited to a configuration that stops the air conditioner 28 when the indoor temperature T of the air-conditioned room 21 drops to the stop temperature T2, but may be configured to operate the air conditioner 28 for a fixed period of time when the indoor temperature T reaches the start-up temperature T1.

- The control device 27 is not limited to being configured to start the air conditioner 28 when the indoor temperature T of the air-conditioned room 21 rises to the start-up temperature T1, but may also be configured to drive the air conditioner 28 at all times regardless of the indoor temperature T.

The remaining oil amount Q may be calculated by subtracting the amount of fuel consumed based on the operating time of the engine generator 17 from the initial remaining oil amount. In this case, the initial remaining oil amount is set to a value obtained by adding the amount of oil remaining at the time of refueling and the amount of fuel refueled into the fuel tank 18.

The power supply source for the power supply target may be configured to always automatically switch.
The wind power generator 24 may have any configuration as long as it has one or more wind turbines 19.

10...Offshore observation system, 11...Foundation structure, 12...Foundation section, 13...Column section, 14...Stage section, 15...Lightning rod, 16...Observation equipment, 17...Engine generator, 18...Fuel tank, 19...Wind turbine, 20...Battery room, 21...Air-conditioned room, 22...Storage battery, 23...Inverter, 24...Wind turbine, 25...Interlock circuit, 26...Uninterruptible power supply, 27...Control device, 28...Air conditioner, 30...Measuring instrument, 31...Remote control device, 35...Monitor screen, 36...Mode selection box, 37...Air conditioner selection box, 38...Generator selection box.

Claims (5)

An engine generator,
A wind power generator having a storage battery for storing the power generated by the wind turbine;
A power supply target including an observation device for observing wind conditions;
an interlock circuit that switches a power supply source to the power supply target between the engine generator and the wind power generator;
a control device that controls the interlock circuit in accordance with a charge amount of the storage battery,
The power supply target includes an air conditioner that air-conditions an air-conditioned room in which the control device is installed,
The control device switches the power supply source to the engine generator when starting up the air conditioner. An engine generator,
A wind power generator having a storage battery for storing the power generated by the wind turbine;
A power supply target including an observation device for observing wind conditions;
an interlock circuit that switches a power supply source to the power supply target between the engine generator and the wind power generator;
a control device that controls the interlock circuit in accordance with a charge amount of the storage battery,
The control device includes:
A storage battery voltage, which is a voltage of the storage battery, is acquired as the stored power amount;
An offshore observation system, wherein when the power supply source is the wind power generator and the storage battery voltage drops to a first voltage, the power supply source is switched to the engine generator, and thereafter, when the storage battery voltage reaches a second voltage higher than the first voltage, the power supply source is switched back to the wind power generator. A remote control device configured to be capable of communicating with the control device is further provided,
The ocean observation system according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the remote control device is configured to be capable of switching the power supply source to the power supply target by an operator's operation. The power supply target includes an air conditioner that air-conditions an air-conditioned room in which the control device is installed,
The offshore observation system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the control device acquires an indoor temperature of the room to be air-conditioned, and starts the air conditioner when the indoor temperature rises to a start-up temperature. The ocean observation system according to claim 4 , wherein the control device stops the air conditioner when the indoor temperature drops to a stop temperature.