Rapid de-energization of DC conductors with a power source at both ends
AssigneeKoolbridge Solar, Inc.
InventorPaul Wilkinson Dent
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Abstract
A method, circuit and system arrangement is described for providing rapid de-energization for safety reasons of conductors having a DC power source at both ends. The invention is particularly envisaged for use in solar energy systems in which a battery is charged by solar power from a photovoltaic array, the invention comprising controlling the array to interrupt charge current flow and then isolating the battery from the conductors to be de-energized in a fail-safe manner.
Claims15
A safety circuit and system arrangement for rapidly de-energizing conductors carry DC current from a first power source to a second power source, comprising:
- at least one first controlled switch located at said first power source operative to interrupt the current flow from said first power source to said second power source along said conductors;
- and
- when said first controlled switch has interrupted said current flow, means for preventing the voltage of said second power source from appearing on said conductors.
A solar energy installation having a storage battery charged by a solar array having a system and circuit arrangement to provide rapid de-energization for safety reasons of the conductors carrying charging current to the battery, comprising:
- switches in proximity to said solar array which are controlled to interrupt said charging current when it is desired to de-energize said conductors;
- and
- means for preventing the voltage of said battery from appearing on said conductors when said charging current has been interrupted for the purposes of de-energizing said conductors.
A method of de-energizing conductors carrying DC current from a first power source to a second power source, comprising:
- interrupting the current flow from said first power source to said second power source by controlling said first power source using a first control signal on a remote control cable;
- electrically isolating said second power source from said conductors using a second control signal on said remote control cable;
- and
- applying a short circuit between said conductors to operate an overcurrent protection device in the conductors connected to said second source if said electrically isolating step fails to provide isolation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.