ARC fault detection and extinguishing
AssigneeSolantro Semiconductor Corp.
InventorsAlexandru Dorin Nicolescu, Raymond Kenneth Orr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A first switch for connection in a first circuit path between a PV panel string and an inverter in a power system, and a second switch for connection in a second circuit path across an output of the PV panel string, are normally closed and open, respectively, during non-fault operation of the power system. Both series and parallel arc faults in the power system can be extinguished by further control of the switches. Arc fault detection could be based on probabilistic frequency analysis of current or power flow measurements in the PV panel string, current or power imbalance, interruption in communications with the PV panels, or combinations of these techniques.
Claims7
A method comprising:
- obtaining measurement samples of current or power flow at a location in a power system, said power system comprising a plurality of PhotoVoltaic (PV) panels;
- computing, from said measurement samples, frequency components of said current or power flow in a frequency spectrum;
- detecting an arc fault in said power system only when at least a predetermined number of said frequency components, including any of said frequency components in said frequency spectrum, exceed a common threshold amplitude.
A method comprising:
- obtaining measurements of power flow at each of a plurality of PhotoVoltaic (PV) panels connected together in one or more respective circuit paths in a power system;
- determining whether a power imbalance based on said measurements exceeds a threshold;
- detecting an arc fault in said power system where it is determined that said power imbalance exceeds said threshold;
- obtaining measurements of current at each of the plurality of PV panels;
- determining whether a difference in said measurements of said current at different ones of said PV panels in each said circuit path exceeds a threshold for current;
- detecting an arc fault in said power system where it is determined that said difference in said measurements of said current exceeds said threshold for current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.