Solar inverter and plant for converting solar energy into electrical energy

• US 8,148,849 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elettronica Santerno S.p.A. (Enertronica Santerno SpA)
• Original Assignee: Elettronica Santerno S.p.A. (Enertronica Santerno SpA)
• Inventors: Zanarini, Sergio, Morici, Riccardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Toan
• Application Number:
  US12/444,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 307/82, 307/76, 307/51
• US Class Current: 307/82
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• 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 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

There is described a plant (1) for converting solar energy into electrical energy, comprising a photovoltaic generator (2a) including at least one string (2) of photovoltaic modules (M), a pulse generator (31) able to send electrical pulses to the input of the string (2), a signal detector (OP) arranged at the output of the string (2) and able to detect, at the output of the string (2), the presence of a signal which is a function of the electrical pulses at the input, and alarm means connected to the signal detector (OP) and able to generate an alarm in the event that there is no signal at the output of the string (2).

Claims

1. A plant for converting solar energy into electrical energy, comprising:

a photovoltaic generator including at least one string of photovoltaic modules,

a pulse generator able to send electrical pulses to an input of the at least one string,

a signal detector arranged at an output of the at least one string and able to detect, at the output of the at least one string, the presence of a signal which is a function of the electrical pulses at the input, and

alarm means connected to the signal detector and able to generate an alarm in the event that there is no signal at the output of the at least one string,

the pulse generator comprising an alternating wave generator and a transformer, the alternating wave generator being electrically connected to a first winding of the transformer and the at least one string being electrically connected to a second winding of the transformer, wherein the transformer is connected in a flyback configuration.

2. The plant according to claim 1, wherein the electrical pulses at the input of the at least one string are fixed energy constant current pulses.

3. The plant according to claim 1, wherein the electrical pulses are sent at a preset frequency.

4. The plant according to claim 1, wherein the electrical pulses are sent at random time intervals.

5. The plant according to claim 1, wherein the signal detector comprises an optoisolator device.

6. The plant according to claim 1, further comprising a monitoring system to which the alarm generated by the alarm means is sent, and means of communication between the monitoring system and the alarm means comprising a serial connection.

7. An inverter for converting direct current from a photovoltaic generator into alternating current, comprising at least one string of photovoltaic module, and comprising an antitheft system comprising

a pulse generator able to send electrical pulses to an input of the at least one string,

a signal detector arranged at an output of the at least one string and able to detect, at the output of the at least one string, the presence of a signal which is a function of the electrical pulses at the input, and

alarm means connected to the signal detector and able to generate an alarm in the event that there is no signal at the output of the at least one string,

the pulse generator comprising an alternating wave generator and a transformer, the alternating wave generator being electrically connected to a first winding of the transformer and the at least one string being electrically connected to a second winding of the transformer, wherein the transformer is connected in a flyback configuration.

8. The inverter according to claim 7, in which the electrical pulses at the input of the at least one string are fixed energy constant current pulses.

9. The inverter according to claim 7, wherein the electrical pulses are sent at a preset frequency.

10. The inverter according to claim 7, wherein the electrical pulses are sent at random time intervals.

11. The inverter according to claim 7, wherein the signal detector comprises an optoisolator device.

12. The inverter according to claim 7, further comprising a monitoring system to which the alarm generated by the alarm means is sent, and means of communication between the monitoring system and the alarm means comprising a serial connection.