Automatic Monitoring and Adjustment of a Solar Panel Array

• US 20120310427A1
• Filed: 05/23/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Draker Laboratories Incorporated (Also Energy Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Draker Laboratories Incorporated (Also Energy Incorporated)
• Inventors: Williams, B. Jeffery, Burgess, Raymond A., Dublin, Wilbur L. III, Merritt, John W.
• Application Number:
  US13/478,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310427A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/287
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0218 characterised by the fault detection method dealing with either existing or incipient faults
• 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: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2213/10 using simultaneously two or more different transmission means
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/00 Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/10 Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

Automatically determining issues associated with a photovoltaic (PV) system. Information regarding the PV system may be stored. The information may include logical information regarding a logical configuration of the PV system and physical information regarding a physical layout of the PV system. Measurement data regarding the PV system may be received. The measurement data regarding the PV system may be automatically analyzed using the logical information and the physical information. An indication of any issues determined by said analyzing may be automatically provided.

Claims

1. A method for automatically determining issues associated with a photovoltaic (PV) system, the method comprising:

utilizing a computer system to perform;

storing information regarding the PV system, wherein the information comprises logical information regarding a logical configuration of the PV system and physical information regarding a physical layout of the PV system;

receiving measurement data regarding the PV system;

automatically analyzing the measurement data regarding the PV system, wherein said analyzing comprises utilizing the logical information and the physical information,

automatically providing an indication of any issues determined by said analyzing.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein said storing information regarding the PV system comprises automatically obtaining information regarding the logical configuration and the physical layout of the PV system.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said storing information regarding the PV system comprises receiving information regarding the PV system from a device operated by a user.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the device comprises GPS circuitry and/or a barcode scanner to assist in providing the information.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving measurement data regarding the PV system comprises the computer system receiving the measurement data over a wide area network, wherein the computer system is coupled to the PV system over the wide area network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a model which describes a projected performance of the PV system based on the information regarding the logical configuration of the PV system;

wherein said automatically analyzing uses the model.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a model which describes a projected performance of the PV system based on the information regarding the logical configuration of the PV system and the physical layout of the PV system;

wherein said automatically analyzing uses the model.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises comparing the received measurement data with an expected operation of the PV system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the expected operation of the PV system is based on environmental conditions and losses due to impairments in the PV system.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the expected operation is based on environmental conditions, geographical location, and seasonal variance data.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises performing pattern matching to identify known patterns in the received measurement data regarding the PV system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the pattern matching is based on the logical configuration of the PV system.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises comparing the received measurement data with statistical information of past measurement data to determine anomalies in the received measurement data regarding the PV system.

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises determining changes in the received measurement data over time.

15. The method of claim 1,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises determining:

1) a rate of change (first derivative) of one or more parameters in the received measurement data; and

2) a rate of rate of change (second derivative) of one or more parameters in the received measurement data.

16. The method of claim 1,

wherein said receiving measurement data regarding the PV system and said automatically analyzing the measurement data regarding the PV system are iteratively performed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said automatically analyzing comprises:

extrapolating one or more trends from the iterative measurement data to project PV system performance; and

comparing the measurement data to the projected PV system performance.

18. The method of claim 1,

wherein said storing information comprises storing information regarding characteristics of the components of the PV system.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the characteristics include:

physical information;

electrical information; and

unique identifying information for a plurality of components of the PV system.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a rules engine which provide rules for messaging alerts;

wherein said automatically providing an indication of any issues determined by said analyzing is performed according to the rules engine.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically adjusting operation of the PV system based on said automatically analyzing.

22. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for automatically determining issues associated with a photovoltaic (PV) system, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

store information regarding the PV system, wherein the information comprises logical information regarding a logical configuration of the PV system and physical information regarding a physical layout of the PV system;

receive measurement data regarding the PV system;

automatically analyze the measurement data regarding the PV system, wherein said analyzing comprises utilizing the logical information and the physical information,

automatically provide an indication of any issues determined by said analyzing.

23. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said storing information regarding the PV system comprises automatically obtaining information regarding the logical configuration and the physical layout of the PV system.

24. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said storing information regarding the PV system comprises receiving information regarding the PV system from a device operated by a user.

25. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 24,

wherein the device comprises GPS circuitry and/or a barcode scanner to assist in providing the information.

26. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said receiving measurement data regarding the PV system comprises the computer system receiving the measurement data over a wide area network, wherein the computer system is coupled to the PV system over the wide area network.

27. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said automatically analyzing uses a model which describes a projected performance of the PV system based on the information regarding the logical configuration of the PV system.

28. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said automatically analyzing uses a model which describes a projected performance of the PV system based on the information regarding the logical configuration of the PV system and the physical layout of the PV system.

29. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises comparing the received measurement data with an expected operation of the PV system.

30. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 29,

wherein the expected operation of the PV system is based on environmental conditions and losses due to impairments in the PV system.

31. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 29,

wherein the expected operation is based on environmental conditions, geographical location, and seasonal variance data.

32. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises performing pattern matching to identify known patterns in the received measurement data regarding the PV system.

33. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein the pattern matching is based on the logical configuration of the PV system.

34. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises comparing the received measurement data with statistical information of past measurement data to determine anomalies in the received measurement data regarding the PV system.

35. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said automatically analyzing comprises determining changes in the received measurement data over time.

36. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22, wherein said automatically analyzing comprises determining:

1) a rate of change (first derivative) of one or more parameters in the received measurement data; and

2) a rate of rate of change (second derivative) of one or more parameters in the received measurement data.

37. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said receiving measurement data regarding the PV system and said automatically analyzing the measurement data regarding the PV system are iteratively performed.

38. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 37, wherein said automatically analyzing comprises:

extrapolating one or more trends from the iterative measurement data to project PV system performance; and

comparing the measurement data to the projected PV system performance.

39. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22,

wherein said storing information comprises storing information regarding characteristics of the components of the PV system.

40. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 39, wherein the characteristics include:

physical information;

electrical information; and

unique identifying information for a plurality of components of the PV system.

41. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

store a rules engine which provide rules for messaging alerts;

wherein said automatically providing an indication of any issues determined by said analyzing is performed according to the rules engine.

42. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium of claim 22, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

automatically adjust operation of the PV system based on said automatically analyzing.