SOLAR GENERATOR CAPABLE OF POWER TRACKING AND ELECTRIC CHARACTERISTIC CURVE MEASUREMENT AND METHOD FOR REALIZING THE SAME

• US 20100282289A1
• Filed: 05/07/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National Chung Cheng University
• Original Assignee: National Chung Cheng University
• Inventors: Wu, Tsai-Fu, Tsai, Huai-Sheng, Lee, Kung-Yen
• Application Number:
  US12/436,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20100282289A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7861 Solar tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• 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: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement and a method for realizing the same is disclosed. The solar generator of the present invention comprises at least one solar panel receiving solar energy, converting the solar energy into electric energy, and outputting the electric energy; an electric tracking-measuring circuit connected with the solar panel and the external load; and a processor connected with the electric tracking-measuring circuit, controlling the electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive the electric energy and output the electric energy to the external load at the highest power. When the illumination on the solar panel is greater than a preset value, the processor controls the electric tracking-measuring circuit to measure the I-V characteristic curve of the electric energy to determine the operation status of the solar panel.

Claims

1. A solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement, which is connected to at least one external load, comprising

at least one solar panel receiving solar energy, converting said solar energy into electric energy, and outputting said electric energy;

an electric tracking-measuring circuit connected with said solar panel and said external load;

an illuminometer detecting an illumination on said solar panel; and

a processor connected with said illuminometer and said electric tracking-measuring circuit, controlling said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy and output said electric energy to said external load at a highest power, and controlling said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy and measuring a current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy to determine an operation status of said solar panel when said illumination is greater than a preset value.

2. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein before said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy and output said electric energy to said external load at a highest power, said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy and measure a reference current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy;

said processor stores said reference current-voltage characteristic curve;

then said processor compares a current-voltage characteristic curve measured afterward with said reference current-voltage characteristic curve to check an operation status of said solar panel.

3. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein before said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy and output said electric energy to said external load at a highest power, a reference current-voltage characteristic curve is programmed in said processor beforehand;

then said processor compares a current-voltage characteristic curve measured afterward with said reference current-voltage characteristic curve to check an operation status of said solar panel.

4. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein when said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy, said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to incrementally increase or decrease voltage or current supplied by said solar panel to measure said current-voltage characteristic curve.

5. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 2, wherein when said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy, said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to incrementally increase or decrease voltage or current supplied by said solar panel to measure said reference current-voltage characteristic curve.

6. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein when said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to measure said current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy, said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to stop outputting said electric energy to said external load at a highest power.

7. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein during a process that said electric tracking-measuring circuit extracts a highest power from said electric energy and outputs said highest power to said external load, said processor periodically controls operations of said electric tracking-measuring circuit according to a relationship between said illumination and a preset illumination value.

8. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 7, wherein when said illumination is higher than said preset illumination value, said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to measure said current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy.

9. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 7, wherein when said illumination is lower than or equal to said preset illumination value, said processor controls said electric tracking-measuring circuit to keep on receiving said electric energy and outputting said electric energy to said external load at a highest power.

10. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein said electric tracking-measuring circuit and a DC (Direct Current)/DC converter are integrated into an electric tracking-measuring converter;

said electric tracking-measuring converter is connected with said external load and said solar panel;

said electric tracking-measuring converter receives said electric energy and outputs a stable DC power to said external load at a highest power.

11. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 10, wherein said electric tracking-measuring converter is further connected to a DC/AC (Alternating Current) inverter;

said electric tracking-measuring converter converts said electric energy into a stable DC power and outputs said stable DC power to said DC/AC inverter;

said DC/AC inverter converts said stable DC power into a stable AC power and outputs said stable AC power to at least one external load connected to said DC/AC inverter.

12. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein said electric tracking-measuring circuit and a DC/AC inverter are integrated into an electric tracking-measuring inverter;

said electric tracking-measuring inverter is connected with said external load and said solar panel;

said electric tracking-measuring inverter receives said electric energy and outputs a stable AC power to said external load at a highest power.

13. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein said processor is a digital signal processor.

14. The solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 1, wherein said electric tracking-measuring circuit is a voltage-decreasing type electric tracking-measuring circuit or a voltage-increasing type electric tracking-measuring circuit.

15. A method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement, which uses at least one solar panel to receive solar energy, convert said solar energy into electric energy and output said electric energy to an electric tracking-measuring circuit connected to at least one external load, comprising

step (A):

controlling said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy and output said electric energy to said external load at a highest power; and

step (B);

checking whether an illumination on said solar panel is greater than a preset illumination value;

if said illumination on said solar panel is greater than said preset illumination value, controlling said electric tracking-measuring circuit to measure a current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy to determine an operation status of said solar panel;

if said illumination on said solar panel is not greater than said preset illumination value, controlling said electric tracking-measuring circuit to return to said step (A).

16. The method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 15, wherein before said step (A), a step of establishing a reference current-voltage characteristic curve is undertaken:

controlling said electric tracking-measuring circuit to receive said electric energy and measure said reference current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy and then recording said reference current-voltage characteristic curve.

17. The method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 16, wherein in said step (B), if said illumination on said solar panel is greater than said preset illumination value, said electric tracking-measuring circuit is controlled to receive said electric energy and measure said current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy;

then said current-voltage characteristic curve is compared with said reference current-voltage characteristic curve to determine an operation status of said solar panel.

18. The method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 15, wherein before said step (A), a reference current-voltage characteristic curve is programmed;

in said step (B), if said illumination on said solar panel is greater than said preset illumination value, said electric tracking-measuring circuit is controlled to receive said electric energy and measure said current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy;

then said current-voltage characteristic curve is compared with said reference current-voltage characteristic curve to determine an operation status of said solar panel.

19. The method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 15, wherein in said step (B), when said electric tracking-measuring circuit receives said electric energy, said electric tracking-measuring circuit incrementally increases or decreases voltage or current supplied by said solar panel in measuring said current-voltage characteristic curve.

20. The method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 16, wherein in said step of establishing said reference current-voltage characteristic curve, when said electric tracking-measuring circuit receives said electric energy, said electric tracking-measuring circuit incrementally increases or decreases voltage or current supplied by said solar panel in measuring said reference current-voltage characteristic curve.

21. The method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 15, wherein after said step (A) has been undertaken for a given interval of time, said step (B) is undertaken.

22. The method for realizing a solar generator capable of power tracking and electric characteristic curve measurement according to claim 15, wherein in said step (B), when said electric tracking-measuring circuit is measuring said current-voltage characteristic curve of said electric energy, said electric tracking-measuring circuit is controlled to temporarily stop outputting said electric energy to said external load at a highest power.