Description:FIELD OF INVENTION :

The invention relates a cooling system for floating PV solar plant.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION :

The main object of the present invention is an innovative smart cooling system designed specifically for floating solar photovoltaic (PV) plants. The invention addresses the challenge of minimizing operating temperature of solar PV modules and maximizing energy generation from PV plants.

One another objective of the invention is to achieve :

Performance Enhancement: The principal objective of the invention is to minimize thermal losses of floating PV plants by increasing heat dissipation from the PV system installed over water body. The smart cooling system involves advanced techniques to maximize the generation by minimizing the thermal loss of the floating PV solar plant. Principal losses are 1) thermal losses of solar PV panels 2) minimizing IAM and spectral losses due to water veil on PV modules during cooling and 3) minimizing auxiliary power consumption of pumps used for cooling.

Another objective of the invention is to achieve :

Temperature Regulation: The invention offers an efficient mechanism to operate solar PV panels at optimal temperature conditions in floating PV systems all the time. By actively comparing temperature difference between solar cells and inlet water with the preset threshold temperature value, it modulates water flow to maximize heat dissipation.

Another objective of the invention is to achieve :

Reduction of Energy Losses: Another objective is to design a cooling system that can adapt to various environmental conditions typically encountered in floating PV solar plants, such as fluctuating water levels, difference in water inlet temperature in different zones etc. Moreover, smart cooling systems have potential to reduce soiling losses to almost zero percentage. By switching water inlets and ensuring cooler water it prevents overheating and thereby the invention helps to minimize the degradation of solar cells, reduces energy losses, and ensures consistent power output over the plant's operational lifetime.

Another objective of the invention is to achieve :

Environmental Adaptability: Smart controller will check turbidity and chemical properties of inlet water before initiating pumping of water for cooling. Such events may occur in case of drying out of lake or drastic reduction in water level or due to entry of water having higher turbidity or with higher pH.

Another objective of the invention is to achieve :

Intelligent Monitoring and Control: The invention demonstrates smart monitoring control features that allow real time assessment of cooling over non-cooled samples. By leveraging advanced sensors, data analysis algorithm and automated control mechanisms, the system optimizes cooling efficiency and offers net positive generation gain without manual intervention.

Another objective of the invention is to achieve :

Safety and Reliability: Ensuring the safety and reliability of the cooling system is of paramount objective. The invention aims to implement fail-safe mechanisms, protection against water-related hazards such as thermal stress on PV module or self-shading etc. It employs robust construction materials to allow operation with solar tracking or fixed structures and capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions, thereby guaranteeing long-term operation and minimizing maintenance requirements.

Another objective of the invention is to achieve :

Scalability and Cost Effectiveness: The smart cooling system is modular and scalable to accommodate different capacities of floating PV solar plants. It is cost-effective, manufacturer friendly, and has lower installation and maintenance costs to offer manufacturing scalability and cost effectiveness.

By achieving these objectives, the smart cooling system for floating PV solar plants will significantly maximize energy production, ensuring the longevity of solar panels, and improving the overall operational efficiency of floating PV solar installations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION :

Solar PV plants are getting popular day by day. Conventionally and popularly large-scale solar PV plants are installed on ground. Sunlight being scattered source of energy, solar plants require large area of land for utility scale requirement. With growing global population identifying large land parcels close enough in civil area is becoming a point of concern for everyone. Different methods of installation of solar PV plants are being promoted e.g. roof top PV, vertical PV, agro-PV, canal top PV, linear solar along the highway or railway track, floating PV etc. Amongst all the alternate approaches of conserving land, floating PV on reservoir is becoming increasingly popular. Installation of solar PV modules on reservoirs provides unique opportunities for cooling of PV modules and thereby enhancing its efficiency. Traditional cooling methods employed in ground-mounted PV systems, such as natural convection and air-based cooling, are not as effective in floating PV installations. Phase Change Material (PCM) based or any other cooling method has not been proven as economically viable solutions. Using reservoir water for the purpose of cooling of floating PV solar plant has different sets of challenges such as 1) uniform cooling of all solar cells in a module and all the modules connected in series with each other 2) controlling spectral losses 4) safety of solar glass 5) optimized energy generation versus auxiliary cost 5) mechanical design suitable for tracker structures as well as 6) decision on pump operation etc.

PRIOR ART :

Few prior art documents are discussed herein: -

D1 – US 2015/0357969 A1 – COOLING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS

This patent introduces a cooling method and system that combines front surface and rear surface cooling to regulate the temperature of PV solar panels, aiming to improve their efficiency, energy output, and overall performance. Following are key innovative features of the patent.

Dual Cooling System: The patent introduces a cooling method that combines two cooling systems to effectively regulate the temperature of PV solar panels. The first cooling system focuses on cooling the front surface of the panels, while the second system cools the rear surface.

Front Surface Cooling: The invention proposes a cooling technique for the front surface of the solar panels using a liquid cooling medium. This involves circulating a cooling liquid through a network of pipes or channels attached to the front side of the panels to dissipate heat.

Rear Surface Cooling: The patent also presents a rear surface cooling mechanism for PV panels. It suggests utilizing a separate cooling system involving a heat exchanger to transfer heat from the back surface of the solar panels to a different cooling medium, such as air or water.

Temperature Regulation: The cooling system is designed to maintain an optimal temperature range for the PV solar panels. By actively cooling both the front and rear surfaces, the invention aims to prevent excessive heating, which can lead to reduced efficiency and performance degradation.

Increased Energy Output: The cooling method described in the patent aims to enhance the overall energy output of the PV solar panels. By regulating the temperature and preventing overheating, the invention seeks to improve the panels' electrical performance and efficiency, thereby maximizing the electricity generation capacity.

System Integration: The patent discusses the integration of the cooling system with the PV solar panel installation. It proposes the use of suitable sensors, control units, and fluid circulation mechanisms to ensure efficient and automated cooling operations.

D2 – US 10050584 B2 - COOLING APPARATUS FOR SOLAR PANELS

This patent introduces a modular cooling apparatus, a shroud that is coupled to the back side of solar panel. The shroud encloses a space on the back side of the solar panel and includes a nozzle for spraying cooling fluid onto the back side of the solar panel to enhance heat dissipation. The cooling fluid spray is contained within the space and is recirculated through a closed loop system to cool the cooling fluid before again being sprayed by the nozzle. A backing element can be applied to the solar panel that aids transfer of thermal energy to the cooling fluid, directs the drainage flow of the cooling fluid, or comprises a thermo-electric generator to generate additional electrical energy from the system. The design claims to enhance efficient airflow and facilitate adjustable cooling capacity for solar panels. The invention aims to ensure optimal panel performance, extend their lifespan, and provide durability and weather resistance for outdoor installations.

D3 – CN 113328701 A - PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANT RAPID COOLING DEVICE

The invention discloses a photovoltaic power station rapid cooling device, which relates to the technical field of photovoltaic power generation and comprises an aluminum alloy frame and a photovoltaic assembly arranged on the aluminum alloy frame, wherein a fixed box is arranged on the aluminum alloy frame, the inner bottom of the fixed box is connected with a movable plate through an elastic device, one side of the movable plate, which is close to the photovoltaic assembly, is in contact with a back plate of the photovoltaic assembly through a plurality of cooling pipes arranged in a C shape, and the cooling pipes are fixedly connected to the outer side wall of the movable plate. According to the photovoltaic module cooling device, the cooling pipes which are in contact with the photovoltaic module back plate are arranged on the photovoltaic module back plate, the water pump, the radiator and the cooling fan which are installed on the sealing plate are used for radiating cooling liquid in the cooling pipes, the heat conduction principle is adopted for radiating and cooling the photovoltaic module back plate, and therefore the photovoltaic module is cooled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS :

Figure 1 illustrates the Schematic Diagram of Smart Monitoring and Control System for Cooling of PV Panels.

Figure 2 illustrates Logic Diagram of Smart Monitoring and Control System for Cooling of PV Panel.

Figure 3 illustrates components and general arrangement of cooling system.

Figure 4 illustrates Piping, Nozzle with Sprinkler Arrangement of Smart Cooling System.

Figure 5 illustrates Position and Placing of Smart Cooling System Over Floating Platform and Module Mounting Structure

Figure 6 illustrates Sprinkler Position for No Shading.

Figure 7 illustrates Pump Locations in Plant.

Figure 8 illustrates Foldable Sprinkler Nozzle Attachment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION :

The system should be capable of maintaining optimal cooling performance under different circumstances, ensuring reliable and efficient operation. The invention incorporates advanced sensors for measuring temperature, radiation and turbidity, and a sophisticated control mechanism that continuously compares the temperature difference between the solar cells and the surrounding water and if water quality as reflected from pH sensor is unacceptable, cooling system will not initiate pumping of the water. Further, use of water for cooling of PV module requires creating thin film of water over glass surface, which may induce spectral losses and modify incident angle of incoming radiation. Smart cooling offers an efficient way to minimize solar spectral radiation loss by controlling frequency and duration of the water flow. Also, by maintaining the temperature difference within a preset threshold, the system effectively prevents overheating , thereby addressing the associated performance and longevity issues. The cooling system and a cooling method for floating PV Solar panels also yields increased performance by keeping the surface at optimal temperature, and also allows cleaning dust or fouling residues off the said surface.

To summarize, the smart cooling system for floating PV solar plants described in this invention provides complete solution to carry out efficient and optimized cooling of PV modules, enabling optimal performance and contributes to overall productivity of floating PV solar plants.

The system includes several components and features, as summarized below:

Reference Solar System: The system incorporates a set of solar PV panels that serve as a reference for comparison.

Automatic Water Sprinkling System: A dedicated water sprinkling system is designed to automatically cool the reference solar system.

Sensor Network: Various sensors measure parameters such as temperature, current, and voltage of the reference solar system, as well as water temperature, turbidity, and pH at the inlet.

Control and Communication Modules: The system comprises a micro-controller, memory, logic units, relays, charger modules, batteries, fuses, communication modules (GPS, GPRS, USB connectors, Ethernet port), and other protection devices.

Weather Station: Equipped with sensors for air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and solar radiation, the weather station is connected to a data logger with wired and wireless communication modules.

Safety and Protection Devices: The system includes safety and protection devices to ensure reliable and secure operation.

DC Pump and Fluid Control System: A DC pump with a variable frequency drive is employed, along with a specially designed U-shaped inlet pipe (204), non-return valve, flow meter, flow control valve, pressure gauge, pressure release valve, pipeline with sprinklers, and air-release valve to enable controlled water flow for cooling.

Water Intake System: The system features a specially designed U-shaped water inlet pipe (204) with a foot valve and sediment filter, positioned near the reservoir bottom to intake cooler water without large debris or sediments.

Grid-Connected/Off-Grid/Hybrid Operation: The system allows for grid-connected or off-grid operation, utilizing DC pumps powered directly from the solar array or AC pumps with inverters for converting solar DC power. It can draw power from the grid when required.

Flexible Nozzles for Sun-Tracking: Adjustable nozzles/sprayers connected to solar structures through rotary couplers enable uniform water distribution without casting shadows on adjacent PV panels, and are adaptable to sun-tracking movement.

Smart Monitoring and Control Unit: The heart of the system, it includes a micro-controller, memory, logical units, relays, charger modules, batteries, and communication modules. It receives data from various sensors and utilizes decision matrices to control pump operation based on multiple conditions such as net energy output, turbidity, pH, and temperature.

The described system aims to efficiently cool floating PV systems, enhancing their performance and preventing thermal stress. The use of smart monitoring and control enables optimized and automated operation, leading to increased energy output and improved reliability.

Table: Part Details

S No Part No Part Name
1 101 Set of Solar Photovoltaic Panels
2 102 Module Temperature Sensor
3 103 Current and Voltage sensor
4 104 Turbidity Sensor
5 105 Water pH Sensor
6 106 Micro Controller
7 107 Memory and Logic Unit
8 108 Relay
9 109 Charger Module
10 110 Battery
11 111 Fuse
12 112 Reverse Protection Relay
13 113 GPS
14 114 GPRS
15 115 USB Connector
16 116 Ethernet Port
17 117 Bluetooth
18 118 Air Humidity Sensor
19 119 Wind Speed Sensor
20 120 Wind Direction Sensor
21 121 Solar Radiation Sensor
22 122 Water Temperature Sensor
23 123 Ambient Air Temperature Sensor
24 124 Data Logger
25 125 Wired/Wireless Communication Module
26 201 Module Mounting Structure (MMS)
27 202 Floats
28 203 Solar PV Panel
29 204 U shaped Water Inlet Pipe
30 205 Foot valve with Strainer
31 206 Open Well Submersible Pump (DC/AC)
32 207 Motor Starter
33 208 Timer Control
34 209 Main Distribution Pipelines (Flexible)
35 210 Non-return Valve (NRV)
36 211 Flow Meter
37 212 Flow Control Valve
38 213 Pressure Gauge
39 214 Pressure Release Valve (PRV)
40 215 Branching Pipelines (Flexible)
41 216 Distribution Line to Sprinklers
42 217 Rotary Coupling
43 218 Clamps
44 219 Sprinkler Nozzles
45 220 Air Release Valve (ARV)
46 221 Mooring Line
47 222 Anchoring
48 223 Reservoir Basin
49 224 Foldable Sprinkler Nozzle Attachment
50 225 Valve System
51 301 PV Panel -1 (Cooled)
52 302 PV Panel -2 (Non-Cooled)
53 303 Turbidity, Water Temperature
54 304 Weather Sensors
55 305 Current Sensor
56 306 External EEPROM
57 307 12 V, 12 Ah Battery
58 308 Ethernet / Modbus TCP
59 401 pH of Water (Inlet)
60 402 Turbidity of Water (Inlet)
61 403 Tmod (Not-Cooled)
62 404 Power (Cooled and Non-Cooled Panels)
63 405 Compare with Preset Range
64 406 Compare with Preset Values
65 407 Compare with Preset Cumulative Range
66 408 PUMP off
67 409 If pH of Intel water Within Prescribed Range?
68 410 If Turbidity of Intel Water Within Prescribed Range?
69 411 If Tmod (Not-Cooled)Pump Consumption
71 413 PUMP On
72 414 Yes
73 415 No
74 416 Tmod > Preset Value?
75 417 Tmod (Not-Cooled)
76 418 Repeat at Preset Interval
77 501 Pump Location
78 502 Pump Location 2
79 503 Pump Location 3

The smart cooling system suitable for off-grid, grid-connected or hybrid application for floating PV application comprises of

1. A set of solar photovoltaic panels (101) which acts as reference solar system.
2. Dedicated and automatic water sprinkling system for the reference system.
3. Various sensors to record different parameters such as module temperature (102), current and voltage (103) of reference solar system, water temperature (122), ambient air temperature (123), turbidity (104), and pH (105) of water at inlet.
4. Micro-controller (106), memory and logic units (107), relays (108), charger modules (109), battery (110), fuses (111), Reverse Protection Relay (112) and other protection devices, communication modules like GPS (113), GPRS (114), USB connectors (115), Ethernet port (116), Bluetooth (117) and Data Logger (124).
5. Weather station with various sensors like ambient air temperature (123) and relative humidity of air (118), wind speed (119) and direction (120) and solar radiation sensors (121). The weather station has an associated data logger (124) which has sufficient no. of analog / digital channels and is self-powered with associated solar PV panels (203), batteries (110), enclosures and wired and wireless communication modules (125) etc.
6. Safety and protection devices.
7. DC pump (206) with variable frequency drive and Specially designed U-shaped inlet pipe (204) with non-return valve (208), flow meter (209), flow control valve (210), pressure gauge (211), pressure release valve (212), pipeline with sprinkler (214), air-release valve (218), timer (206), motor starter (205) unit etc. ensures unidirectional and controlled flow of water (Valve System 225).

Innovative Water Intake System

The specially designed plurality of U-shaped water inlet pipe (204) with foot-valve and sediment filter (205) is positioned near the reservoir basin (221) where cooler water is expected. The opening of the inlet pipe will be facing the sky and the length of curvature of inlet pipe is kept sufficiently above the reservoir bed. This arrangement will ensure that the cooling system receives most cooler water from spatially distributed water inlets and at the same time it will not intake large debris, sediments, or solid particles etc. from the reservoir bottom. An HDPE pipe “T” fitting is used to evacuate inlet water from into two branching pipelines (213). For connecting branching pipelines with different diameters, compression “T” is used. The HDPE pipes with suitable diameter are laid down along the length tracker as well as pitch direction. The pipe design used for cooling is flexible to accommodate the wave motion and cools down the front surface of the module and it is connected with floats (202) and necessary clamping’s.

Facilitating Grid – Connected / Off-Grid / Hybrid Mode of Operation

Plurality of submersible type of pump sets (206) with required head and wattage capacity. The pump (206) employed for the smart cooling system for floating PV is either DC pump (206) with variable frequency drive which can operate directly through DC power from solar array or it can be AC pump (206) with inverter to convert input solar DC power into required AC power. In both the cases, pump (206) derives its energy from DC array. It facilitates operation of pump (206) with variable input electrical power. This allows cooling operation to commence in grid-connected or off-grid mode as well. However, for specific requirements and where feasible, pump (206) can draw power from the grid as well.

Fluid Control System

Unidirectional gate valves for flow control (212), a pressure release valve (PRV) (214) are used to regulate pipeline pressure and release valves are used to ensure safety of the piped network. Pressure gauges (213), flow meters (211) are used to monitor and control pressure which is often a necessity in flow of water at required head. Automatic control system requires an external power source, which is operated on timer control (208). The smart cooling system involves automatic control system comprising of control module, timer control (208), pressure releasing valves (214), flow control valves (212), air release valves (220), etc.

Flexible Nozzles for Facilitating Sun-Tracking Movement

At the outlet, suitable fluid sprayers (219) are connected to the tracking / fixed tilt type solar structures (201) through rotary coupling (217). Fluid sprayers are sprinklers (219), micro sprinklers, drip sprayers, sheet sprayers or the like. Rotary coupling (217) ensures that sprinkler (219) moves with the tracker movement. The sprinklers (219) are adjustable i.e. up or down, wet or dry, for maximum convenience which can uniformly cater to nearest and farthest solar PV panels (203) installed on respective modules of solar tracker structure (201). The position of the sprinkler (219) ensures that it covers the front side of all the solar PV panels (203) and is spaced in such a way so as not to cast any shadow on adjacent solar PV panels (203). The nozzle attachment is foldable to allow material / man-power movement (224). Placement and selection of sprinkler nozzles (219) are done in such a way that water does not reach the rear side of the solar PV panels (203) where electrical circuits are housed. A multi stranded steel wire is used to tie the main distribution pipeline (209), branching pipeline (215), pump (206), float (202), and other connections wherever necessary as per requirement. Only one rotor is needed to cover those hardscapes.

Smart Monitoring and Control Unit

Smart monitoring and control unit is the heart of the smart cooling system. It comprises of the reference solar PV system for cooling gain measurement which in turn has a micro-controller (106), associated memory and logical units (107), relays (108), charger modules (109), battery (110), communication modules like GPS (113), GPRS (114), USB (115), Ethernet (116), Bluetooth (117), Wi-Fi etc. The smart monitoring and control unit is receiving various input data for different parameters such as temperature, current and voltage (103) of reference solar PV system, module temperature (102), water temperature (122), air temperature (123), turbidity (104), and pH (105) of water at inlet, relative humidity of air (118) , wind speed (119) and direction (120) and solar radiation sensors (121) etc., from different sensors. The smart monitoring and control system is housed properly in a suitable waterproof enclosure and is self – powered from reference solar panels. Communication devices (125) and data exchange platforms such as GPS (113), GPRS (114), Modem, USB / Ethernet ports (116/117) ensures faster data storage to datalogger (124) and transfer of data at any given location or over cloud server.

Reference solar PV system for cooling gain measurement system is made of two sets of solar PV panels (101). One set of the solar PV panels (203) is cooled through dedicated and automatic water sprinkler system while the other set is not cooled. Micro-controller through current sensors (103) measures and records output current from both the panels. Micro-controller compares current from both the solar PV panels (203), the difference between these two sets of PV panels (101), serves as one of the inputs to the micro-controller unit (106) to take decision for start/stop by motor starter (207) or continuation of the pumping operation for efficient cooling of the floating PV plants. Turbidity (104) and pH sensors (105) installed at the U-shaped water inlet pipe (204), provides the second input signal to the micro-controller (106). Optionally it can also initiate operation based on preset value of temperature of reference solar panel which is not cooled.

Innovative Decision Matrix

Smart monitoring and control system through its unique and innovative decision matrices (system logic) controls pump (206) operation. Smart monitoring and control system initiates pumping operations if following conditions are met and stop the operation if those conditions are violated.

1) If reference set of solar PV panel system (101) delivers net higher electrical energy output from the cooled solar panels over non-cooled panels, which is higher than auxiliary power consumption of the pump (206) OR
As one of the alternate strategies, if temperature of non-cooled solar panel reaches a certain specified value
2) If turbidity and pH of water at inlet is less than the preset value and
3) If the temperature difference at the water inlet and that of solar panel is less than the threshold value.

Auxiliary power consumption of the pump is fed into the system logic based on the power rating of all the pumps (206) employed for cooling of solar panels.

Threshold temperature value is the safe temperature of solar panels which if exceeded, cooling of solar PV panels (203) may result into thermal stress on solar panels which may result into damage to solar glass and solar cells underneath. Such kind of events may occur if either plant or cooling system or both, were not operational from the beginning of the day and solar PV panels (203) have acquired very high temperatures.

Additionally, the operator has the freedom to preset panel temperature which if reached and if conditions 2 and 3 above are satisfied, smart cooling system will initiate pumping.

As detailed above, there are many aspects involved in designing the system.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a cooling system for floating PV solar plant with water supplied from a water reservoir (221) comprising a first reference set of solar PV panels and a second reference set of solar PV panels. A set of pipe lines (214) is arranged along the length of tracker and along the pitch direction of tracker of all PV modules including the first reference set of solar PV modules and a set of sprinklers (219) with rotating coupling (217) and flexible pipe is attached to one end of the pipe lines (214) and is mounted adaptably to move corresponding to tracker motion and having foldable nozzles which are mounted an elevation above the PV modules and are directed away from the rear side of the solar PV panels (203) and facing the front surface of the module. Further U shaped pipe (204) with opening of each facing upwardly are attached to the other end of the pipe lines (214) and are arranged proximate to the reservoir basin (221). A pump (206) is associated operationally for pumping water from reservoir into pipe lines. The arrangement also has a control module to capture the electrical energy output of the first reference set of solar PV panels connected to cooling pipes and also electrical energy output of second reference set of solar PV panels not connected to cooling pipes and only if electrical energy output of first cooled reference setoff solar PV panel is detected as higher than second non-cooled reference set of solar PV panel, then it triggers initiation pumping operation of water from reservoir (221) into pipe lines (214). A set of sensors is associated with the control module and is adapted to capture the turbidity value and pH value of water inlet and then control module triggers initiation of pumping operation of water from reservoir (221) into pipe lines (214) only if these detected values are less than predetermined values, and a another set of sensors is associated with the control module and is adapted to capture the temperature difference at the water inlet and that of solar panel and then triggers initiation of pumping operation of water from reservoir (221) into pipe lines (214) only if temperature difference is less than the threshold predetermined value, which threshold value is a safe temperature of solar panels, which if exceeded, cooling of solar panels will result into thermal stress and cause damage to solar glass and solar cells of solar panels.

In another aspect the pump (206) derives energy from DC array wherein the pump (206) is operable with variable frequency drive from DC power from solar array or it is an AC pump (206) operable with inverter to convert input solar DC power into AC power.

In another aspect the U-shaped inlet pipe is configured to efficiently deliver water of acceptable quality from desired depth of reservoir to the PV panels, ensuring maximum cooling effectiveness and minimizing water loss.

In another aspect the plurality of sprinklers are connected with the torque tube of solar structure through rotary coupler. The sprinklers make use of flexible pipeline to make the design for sun-tracking / fixed solar structure arrays.

In another aspect the sprinklers are installed at an elevation above the PV modules and optimizing the location making it suitable for tracking as well as fixed tilt solar structures.

In another aspect the sprinklers are installed at a distance from the PV module edge with the nozzle of the sprinkler at an elevation above the PV module surface in order to prevent the sprinkler shadow on the PV modules.

In another aspect the operation of the sprinkler system ensures uniform distribution of water over the top side of the solar PV panels, and avoiding the direct spray of water on the bottom side of solar PV panels to ensure electrical safety of the system.

In another aspect a weather station with sensors for temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and solar radiation, along with a data logger and associated solar PV panels, batteries, enclosures, and wired and wireless communication modules provides necessary environmental information for smart monitoring and control numerous systems.

In another aspect the water temperature sensor, turbidity and pH sensor, ambient air temperature sensor, relative humidity (RH) sensor, wind sensor, and solar radiation sensor are stationed strategically to provide accurate environmental data for optimal cooling system.

In another aspect the innovative decision matrix enables automated, safe and reliable operation of the smart cooling system which can provide additional generation gain.

In another aspect the installation of cooling system at stationed locations throughout the array enables quantification of additional generation gain.

In another aspect DC or AC pump with variable frequency drive, draws its operating power from the DC array to make it suitable to operate in grid-connected / off-grid or hybrid mode.

In another aspect the pump with a non-return valve, flow meter, flow control valve, pressure gauge, pressure release valve, air-release valve, timer, motor starter unit, and pump controller unit collectively enable controlled water flow, pressure regulation, frequency control and efficient operation of the cooling system.

The invention has been described as detailed above but various embodiments and variations are possible beyond the preferred embodiments disclosed in this document. All such variations and modifications as obvious to the skilled person is within the scope of this invention.
, Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A cooling system for floating PV solar plant with water supplied from a water reservoir (221) comprising :-
a) a first reference set of solar PV panels,
b) a second reference set of solar PV panels,
c) a plurality of pipe lines (214) arranged along the length of tracker and along the pitch direction of tracker of all PV modules including the first reference set of solar PV modules,
d) a plurality of sprinklers (219) with rotating coupling (217) and flexible pipe attached to one end of the pipe lines (214) and mounted adaptably to move corresponding to tracker motion and having foldable nozzles which are mounted an elevation above the PV modules and directed away from the rear side of the solar PV panels (203) and facing the front surface of the module,
e) a plurality of U shaped pipe (204) with opening of each facing upwardly and attached to the other end of the pipe lines (214) is arranged proximate to the reservoir basin (221),
f) a pump (206) associated operationally for pumping water from reservoir into pipe lines,
g) a control module to capture the electrical energy output of the first reference set of solar PV panels connected to cooling pipes and also electrical energy output of second reference set of solar PV panels not connected to cooling pipes and only if electrical energy output of first cooled reference setoff solar PV panel is detected as higher than second non-cooled reference set of solar PV panel, then it triggers initiation pumping operation of water from reservoir (221) into pipe lines (214),
h) a plurality of sensors associated with the control module adapted to capture the turbidity value and pH value of water inlet and then control module triggers initiation of pumping operation of water from reservoir (221) into pipe lines (214) only if these detected values are less than predetermined values, and
i) a plurality of sensors associated with the control module and adapted to capture the temperature difference at the water inlet and that of solar panel and then triggers initiation of pumping operation of water from reservoir (221) into pipe lines (214) only if temperature difference is less than the threshold predetermined value, which threshold value is a safe temperature of solar panels, which if exceeded, cooling of solar panels will result into thermal stress and cause damage to solar glass and solar cells of solar panels.
2. The cooling system as claimed in claim 1 wherein pump (206) derives energy from DC array wherein the pump (206) is operable with variable frequency drive from DC power from solar array or it is an AC pump (206) operable with inverter to convert input solar DC power into AC power.