Photo-Voltaic Safety De-Energizing Device

• US 20120300347A1
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: FAHRENBRUCH, Shawn Anthony, FERGUSON, Bruce, CENGELCI, Ekrem
• Granted Patent: US 8,842,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/1
• 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 safety mechanism for a solar cell group, the safety mechanism constituted of: a signal receiver arranged to assert a permissive signal indicative of reception by the signal receiver of a predetermined signal; an electronically controlled switch arranged to provide in a closed state an effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group responsive to the absence of the asserted permissive signal of the signal receiver; and a power harvester in communication with the solar cell group and arranged to provide electric power to the signal receiver when the electronically controlled switch is the closed state.

Claims

1. A safety mechanism for a solar cell group, the safety mechanism comprising:

a signal receiver arranged to assert a permissive signal indicative of reception by said signal receiver of a predetermined signal;

an electronically controlled switch arranged to provide in a first state an effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group responsive to the absence of the asserted permissive signal of said signal receiver; and

a power harvester in communication with the solar cell group and arranged to provide an electric power to said signal receiver when said electronically controlled switch is in the first state.

2. The safety mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the signal receiver is further arranged to de-assert the permissive signal responsive to one of:

non-reception by said signal receiver of the predetermined signal; and

a lack of said provided electrical power from said power harvester.

3. The safety mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said power harvester is further arranged to supply power to said electronically controlled switch so as to maintain said electronically controlled switch in the first state.

4. The safety mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said provided electric power from said power harvester, when said electronically controlled switch is in said first state, is discontinuously provided to said signal receiver.

5. The safety mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the solar cell group comprises a cathode terminal and an anode terminal, and wherein the safety mechanism further comprises a control circuitry arranged to set said electronically controlled switch to the first state when the cathode terminal of the solar cell group is negative in relation to the anode terminal of the solar cell group, thus providing a bypass mechanism for the solar cell group.

6. The safety mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said control circuitry is further arranged to:

set said electronically controlled switch to a second state when the cathode terminal of the solar cell group is positive in relation to the anode terminal of the solar cell group and the permissive signal is asserted by said signal receiver, said electronically controlled switch in said second state arranged to allow the solar generated output of the solar cell group to appear across the output terminals of the solar cell group; and

wherein said power harvester is arranged to provide the electric power to said signal receiver from the solar generated output of the solar cell group when said electronically controlled switch is the second state.

7. The safety mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said power harvester comprises a direct current (DC) to DC amplifier arranged to amplify the voltage drop across said electronically controlled switch when said electronically controlled switch is in the first state so as to thereby provide the electric power to said signal receiver when said electronically controlled switch is in the first state.

8. The safety mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said power harvester comprises a direct current (DC) to DC amplifier, and wherein the solar cell group exhibits a cathode terminal and anode terminal, and wherein the safety mechanism further comprises a polarity control circuit arranged to connect the DC to DC amplifier to the respective cathode terminal and anode terminal of the solar cell group alternately in a first polarity and in a second polarity.

9. The safety mechanism according to claim 8, further comprising a control circuit, said polarity control circuit responsive to said control circuit, said control circuit arranged to set said polarity control circuit to connect the positive input of the DC to DC amplifier to the cathode terminal of the solar cell group responsive to:

the solar cell group cathode terminal electric potential being greater than the solar cell group anode terminal electric potential; and

the absence of the asserted permissive signal of said signal receiver.

10. The safety mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said control circuit is further arranged to set said polarity control circuit to connect the positive input of the DC to DC amplifier to the anode terminal of the solar cell group responsive to:

the solar cell group anode terminal electric potential being greater than the solar cell group cathode terminal electric potential;

or

the presence of the asserted permissive signal of said signal receiver.

11. The safety mechanism according to claim 9, wherein said control circuit is further arranged to prevent said electronically controlled switch from providing the effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group responsive to:

the solar cell group cathode terminal electric potential being greater than the solar cell group anode terminal electric potential; and

the presence of the asserted permissive signal of said signal receiver.

12. A method of providing safety for a solar cell group, the method comprising:

asserting a permissive signal output from a signal receiver responsive to reception of a predetermined signal by the signal receiver;

providing an effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group responsive to the absence of the asserted permissive signal;

harvesting power from across the solar cell group; and

supplying at least a portion of said harvested power to the signal receiver when said effective short circuit is provided.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising supplying at least a portion of said harvested power to maintain said provided effective short circuit.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said supplied harvested power is supplied to the signal receiver discontinuously.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

additionally providing the effective short when the cathode terminal of the solar cell group exhibits a negative potential in relation to the anode terminal of the solar cell group.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said harvesting power comprises:

amplifying the voltage drop across an electronically controlled switch arranged to provide said provided effective short circuit.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein said harvesting power comprises:

coupling the cathode terminal of the solar cell group to an amplifier in a first polarity;

amplifying the voltage potential difference between the cathode terminal and the anode terminal so as to harvest said harvested power responsive to;

the solar cell group cathode potential being greater than the solar cell group anode potential; and

the absence of the asserted permissive signal of the signal receiver.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

coupling the cathode terminal of the solar cell group to the amplifier in a second polarity, the second polarity opposing the first polarity, responsive to;

the solar cell group anode terminal potential being greater than the solar cell group cathode terminal potential;

or

the presence of the asserted permissive signal of the signal receiver.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said harvesting comprises:

coupling electric power from a solar generated output of the solar cell group when said effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group is not provided.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

preventing said providing of the effective short circuit across the output of the solar cell group responsive to;

the solar cell group cathode terminal potential being greater than the solar cell group anode terminal potential; and

the presence of the asserted permissive signal of the signal receiver.