Device and method for optimization of power harvested from solar panels
OwnerAlessandro Caraglioinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for optimizing the electric power produced by direct current electric power generators, specifically photovoltaic panels, can be interposed between the generators of a string and its inverter and it includes a DC/DC conversion module suitable to implement an algorithm of MPPT, bypass means and a reactive energy compensation module. By measuring the voltage and current at input and output of the device a suitable algorithm activates and manages the above modules to extract from the panels the maximum amount of energy.
Claims13
1-14. (canceled)
A device for the optimization of power produced by direct current electric power generators connected in series to form at least one string of generators connected to at least an inverter, wherein the device is of the type that is interposed between the generators and the inverter and includes a DC/DC conversion module suitable to implement a maximum power point tracking algorithm, comprising:
- at least one input module comprising a bypass device suitable for shorting the generator and disconnecting it from a remaining portion of the string and preventing a reverse bias;
- at least one reactive energy compensation module comprising at least one component with adjustable reactance;
- at least one DC/DC conversion module with switching technology adapted to implement an algorithm of maximum power point tracking;
- a bypass device associated with each DC/DC conversion module for bypassing the DC/DC conversion module thereof;
- an input voltage or current measuring device and output voltage or current measuring device;
- and
- a control unit adapted to control the input, reactive energy compensation or DC/DC conversion modules and the bypass device as a function of the input and output current or voltage to optimize a power output of the string;
- wherein the reactance generated in the reactive energy compensation module is adjusted by the control unit as a function of a duty-cycle that the control unit sets and a working frequency of a load connected at an output of the device.
A method for the optimization of power produced by direct current electric power generators connected in series to form at least one string of generators connected to at least one inverter, wherein optimisation devices are interposed between each of the generators and the inverter, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one input module comprising an input bypass device suitable for shorting the generator and disconnecting it from a remaining portion of the string and preventing a reverse bias;
- providing at least one reactive energy compensation module comprising at least one component with adjustable reactance, wherein the reactance generated in the reactive energy compensation module is adjusted by a control unit as a function of a duty-cycle that the control unit sets and the working frequency of a load connected at an output of the device;
- providing at least one DC/DC conversion module with switching technology adapted to implement an algorithm of maximum power point tracking;
- providing a bypass device associated with each of the DC/DC conversion modules for bypassing the DC/DC conversion module thereof;
- and
- providing an input voltage or current measuring device and output voltage or current measuring device;
- wherein, as a function of detection of the input and output voltages or current, an optimisation mode of the power produced by the generators associated with the device is performed by selecting the optimisation mode among any of:
- bypassing the generator by controlling the input bypass device;
- performing reactive compensation by driving the reactive energy compensation module;
- and
- activating, through a switching technology, a maximum power point tracking algorithm implemented via the DC/DC conversion module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.