Solar photovoltaic module safety shutdown system

• US 10,121,913 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helios Focus, LLC
• Original Assignee: Helios Focus, LLC
• Inventors: Dunton, Randy R., Sutton, Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/532,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20150061409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/7955 using phototransistors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A solar photovoltaic module safety shutdown system includes a module-on switch coupled with a first circuit having a photovoltaic module and a System-Monitor device. The System-Monitor device couples to the module-on switch through a second circuit and to the photovoltaic module and an AC main panelboard through the first circuit. A module-off switch operatively couples with the photovoltaic module and the module-on switch. The System-Monitor device supplies a System-on signal to the module-on switch through the second circuit. The module-on switch disables the photovoltaic module by shorting it or disconnecting it from the first circuit in response to the System-On signal not being received by the module-on switch from the System-Monitor device. The module-off switch disables the photovoltaic module by shorting it in response to the System-On signal not being received by the module-on switch when the photovoltaic module is irradiated with light.

Claims

1. A solar photovoltaic module safety shutdown system, comprising:

a module-on switch configured to operatively couple with a first circuit comprising a photovoltaic module and to operatively couple with a System-Monitor device, the System-Monitor device configured to operatively couple to the module-on switch through a second circuit and configured to operatively couple to the photovoltaic module and an alternating current (AC) main panelboard through the first circuit, wherein the first circuit is electrically isolated from the second circuit; and

a module-off switch coupled with the module-on switch;

wherein the System-Monitor device is configured to generate a System-On signal and to supply the System-On signal to the module-on switch through the second circuit;

wherein there are no intermediate components coupled between the System-Monitor device and the module-on switch;

wherein the module-on switch is configured to disable the photovoltaic module through one of shorting the photovoltaic module and disconnecting the photovoltaic module from the first circuit in response to the System-On signal not being received by the module-on switch from the System-Monitor device; and

wherein the module-off switch is configured to disable the photovoltaic module through shorting the photovoltaic module in response to the System-On signal not being received by the module-on switch when the photovoltaic module is irradiated with light.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising module-off logic configured to operatively couple to the photovoltaic module and configured to operatively couple to the module-off switch, the module-off logic configured to drive the module-off switch to an on state in response to a first positive voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the photovoltaic module when a second positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the photovoltaic module.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising module-off logic configured to operatively couple to the photovoltaic module and configured to operatively couple to the module-off switch, the module-off logic configured to drive the module-off switch to an off state in response to no voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the photovoltaic module when a positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the photovoltaic module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the module-on switch and module-off switch are integrally formed in a back sheet of the photovoltaic module.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising module-off logic configured to operatively couple to the photovoltaic module and configured to operatively couple to the module-off switch, the module-off logic configured to drive the module-off switch between an on state and an off state, wherein the module-off logic comprises an opto-isolator configured to produce a voltage across terminals of a transistor of the module-off switch in response to a first positive voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the photovoltaic module when a second positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the photovoltaic module.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the module-on switch comprises an opto-isolated field effect transistor (FET) photovoltaic driver configured to provide a gate voltage to a power metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) in response to the System-On signal being received by the module-on switch from the System-Monitor device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the module-on switch does not comprise a rectifier, and wherein the opto-isolated FET photovoltaic driver is configured to provide the gate voltage only during half of an AC cycle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a gate of the power MOSFET is configured to store a sufficient charge to remain at a high enough voltage to allow the power MOSFET to remain on during an entire AC cycle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the System-Monitor device comprises a manual switch and is configured to generate the System-On signal and to supply the System-On signal to the module-on switch only when the manual switch is in an on position.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the module-on switch comprises an opto-isolator configured to communicatively couple the first circuit with the second circuit while electrically isolating the first circuit from the second circuit.

11. A solar photovoltaic module safety shutdown system, comprising:

a photovoltaic module comprising a module-on switch operatively coupled thereto, the module-on switch and photovoltaic module configured to operatively couple with a first circuit, the module-on switch configured to operatively couple with a System-Monitor device, the System-Monitor device configured to operatively couple to the module-on switch through a second circuit and configured to operatively couple to the photovoltaic module and an alternating current (AC) main panelboard through the first circuit, wherein the first circuit is electrically isolated from the second circuit; and

a module-off switch operatively coupled with the photovoltaic module and the module-on switch;

wherein the System-Monitor device is configured to generate a System-On signal and to supply the System-On signal to the module-on switch through the second circuit;

wherein there are no intermediate components coupled between the System-Monitor device and the module-on switch;

wherein the module-on switch is configured to disable the photovoltaic module in response to the System-On signal not being received by the module-on switch from the System-Monitor device; and

wherein the module-off switch is configured to disable the photovoltaic module through shorting the photovoltaic module in response to the System-on signal not being received by the module-on switch when the photovoltaic module is irradiated with light.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising module-off logic configured to drive the module-off switch to an on state in response to a first positive voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the photovoltaic module when a second positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the photovoltaic module.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising module-off logic configured to drive the module-off switch to an off state in response to no voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the photovoltaic module when a positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the photovoltaic module.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the module-on switch and module-off switch are integrally formed within a back sheet of the photovoltaic module.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising module-off logic configured to drive the module-off switch between an on state and an off state, wherein the module-off logic comprises an opto-isolator configured to produce a voltage across terminals of a transistor of the module-off switch in response to a first positive voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the photovoltaic module when a second positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the photovoltaic module.

16. A solar photovoltaic module safety shutdown system, comprising:

a first photovoltaic module comprising a first module-on switch and a first module-off switch, the first photovoltaic module operatively coupled with a first circuit, the first circuit operatively coupled to an alternating current (AC) main panelboard;

a second photovoltaic module comprising a second module-on switch and a second module-off switch, the second photovoltaic module operatively coupled with the first photovoltaic module through the first circuit;

a second circuit operatively coupled with the first module-on switch and with the second module-on switch, wherein the second circuit is electrically isolated from the first circuit; and

a System-Monitor device operatively coupled with the first circuit, the second circuit, and the AC main panelboard, the System-Monitor device comprising a manual switch, the System-Monitor device configured to generate a System-On signal and to supply the System-On signal to the first module-on switch and to the second module-on switch through the second circuit when the manual switch is in an on state;

wherein there are no intermediate components coupled between the System-Monitor device and the module-on switch;

wherein the first module-on switch is configured to disable the first photovoltaic module when the System-On signal is not received by the first module-on switch from the second circuit;

wherein the first module-off switch is configured to disable the first photovoltaic module through shorting the first photovoltaic module in response to the System-On signal not being received by the first module-on switch when the first photovoltaic module is irradiated with light;

wherein the second module-on switch is configured to disable the second photovoltaic module when the System-On signal is not received by the second module-on switch from the second circuit; and

wherein the second module-off switch is configured to disable the second photovoltaic module through shorting the second photovoltaic module in response to the System-On signal not being received by the second module-on switch when the second photovoltaic module is irradiated with light.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first photovoltaic module comprises module-off logic configured to drive the first module-off switch to an on state in response to a first positive voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the first module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the first photovoltaic module when a second positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the first photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the first photovoltaic module.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the first module-on switch and first module-off switch are integrally formed in a back sheet of the first photovoltaic module and wherein the second module-on switch and second module-off switch are integrally formed in a back sheet of the second photovoltaic module.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first photovoltaic module comprises module-off logic configured to drive the first module-off switch to an off state in response to no voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the first module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the first photovoltaic module when a positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the first photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the first photovoltaic module.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the first photovoltaic module comprises module-off logic configured to drive the first module-off switch between an on state and an off state, wherein the module-off logic comprises an opto-isolator configured to produce a voltage across terminals of a transistor of the first module-off switch in response to a first positive voltage being present between a gate of a transistor of the first module-on switch and a negative terminal of a first cell of the first photovoltaic module when a second positive voltage is present between a positive terminal of a last cell of the first photovoltaic module and the negative terminal of the first cell of the first photovoltaic module.