Apparatus and method for managing and conditioning photovoltaic power harvesting systems
OwnerAlessandro Caraglio, Paolo Carlettiinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The efficiency of a PV power generation system (10) is maximised by an apparatus providing series of electronic units (20) connected to the PV modules (12) and comprising microprocessor controlled DC converters/power supply units. A managing unit (60) communicates with the electronic units (20) of a string (11) in order to carry out a synergic optimization of the efficiency both of the single PV modules (12) and of the entire string (11). The apparatus also provides PV module (12) by PV module (12) diagnostic features and it is able to communicate with external devices for a full system control.
Claims15
1-14. (canceled)
A method for managing and conditioning power generation systems in which DC power generators are wired in series to form at least one string (11) of DC power generators and in which, in case the system comprises several strings (11), the strings are connected in parallel to a DC power bus connected to at least one inverter (40) operable to convert DC current to AC current, wherein the voltage and/or current at the output of at least two of said DC power generators are subjected to their own phases of:
- measuring voltage and/or current values;
- processing the measured values;
- and
- DC to DC conversion/power supply;
- wherein said DC to DC conversion/power supply takes place according to the results of said processing phase, each of said processing phases being performed as a function of:
- the voltage and/or current values measured at the output of the respective DC power generator;
- the voltage and/or current values measured at the output of the respective DC to DC conversion/power supply phase;
- the voltage and/or current values measured at the output of at least another DC power generator;
- and
- the voltage and/or current values measured at the output of the DC to DC conversion/power supply phase associated to said another DC power generator.
An apparatus for managing and conditioning PV power generation systems in which PV modules (12) are wired in series to form at least one string (11) of modules (12) and in which, in case the system comprises several strings (11), the strings are connected in parallel to a DC power bus connected to at least one inverter (40) operable convert DC current to suitable AC current, comprising:
- DC to DC converters/power supply units (24) acting upon the voltage and/or current at the output of said PV modules (12);
- a measuring system (22) for measuring the voltage and/or current at the output of said PV modules (12);
- a second measuring system (26) for measuring the voltage and/or current at the output of said DC to DC converters/power supply units (24);
- a driving system (29) for operating said DC to DC converters/power supply units (24);
- and
- at least one microprocessor (27) operable to control said driving system (29) of a single DC to DC converters/power supply unit (24) depending on the voltage and/or current at the output of at least two of said PV modules (12) and on the voltage and/or current at the output of at least two of said DC to DC converters/power supply units (24).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.