IOT News

With the rapid growth of the photovoltaic industry, the number and scale of solar power plants under construction are increasing every year. This places a heavy burden on management teams. Plant operators are deeply concerned about operational quality and energy efficiency, and they need a complete system for plant quality inspection and performance uation.

Unlike traditional approaches that involve retrofitting an entire plant with a permanent long-term management system, one company has taken an innovative approach. They offer a short-term, cost-effective solution for plant monitoring and uation. Their system integrates various PV inspection instruments into a mobile vehicle. The vehicle travels to different plant sites for periodic inspections (e.g., staying at each site for two months) and generates various data reports for the PV operator. This allows the operator to take timely action, continuously improve photovoltaic power generation efficiency, and enhance management practices.

System Architecture

1. Device Layer: Includes the vehicle's generator set, data terminals, as well as various inspection instruments and sensors.

2. Gateway Layer: WideIOT industrial IoT gateways connect to the above devices via serial ports or Ethernet ports. They collect equipment status and parameters in real time and upload the data to the enterprise management cloud platform over 4G networks.

3. Platform Layer: Based on the uploaded data, the management cloud platform can generate multi-dimensional data reports using built-in algorithms. These reports provide customers with insights into plant operational performance and changes in efficiency.

Key Features Implemented

The system collects various types of data, including inspection instrument readings, vehicle operating conditions, and on-site environmental data. After standardization by the gateway, the data is uploaded to the cloud platform via 4G. Users can view the inspection vehicle's location, operational status, inspection data, and GPS track in real time, enabling remote control and improving management efficiency.

The management cloud platform automatically processes the uploaded data. It supports custom alert thresholds for abnormal situations such as equipment failure or vehicle malfunction. Alerts are sent through multiple channels, including WeChat, SMS, and email, allowing for rapid issue identification and resolution, thereby ensuring safe inspection operations.

The platform supports remote task scheduling for multiple inspection vehicles and multiple plant sites. Tasks can be assigned based on plant needs, and resources can be rationally allocated to ensure inspections are completed on time. The system includes role-based access control, granting permissions according to user roles, ensuring secure and standardized system operation while enabling efficient collaboration.

The gateway uses a modular design that adapts to various inspection devices and vehicles. It supports multiple connection methods and device upgrades, making it suitable for different types of solar plants. It can also interface with existing plant monitoring systems and supports various deployment modes, lowering the barrier to entry and improving practicality and adoption.