Starting of photovoltaic system

• US 9,063,194 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marici Holdings The Netherlands B.V.
• Original Assignee: Abb Oy (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Hellberg, Janne, Uusimki, Jari, Kokkonen, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US13/897,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 324/761.01, 324/500, 324313-316, 324/425, 324/431, 324/441, 324/200, 324/242, 324/530, 32475003-75006, 324/750.28, 324/670, 324/685, 324/721, 438/69, 438/64, 438/65, 438/93, 136/243, 136/251, 136/259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2607 Circuits therefor G01R31/2642 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• 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

Abstract

A method and arrangement of determining starting conditions of a solar converter in a photovoltaic system. The photovoltaic system includes a photovoltaic panel system having one or more photovoltaic panels. The method includes determining an open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic panel system, and determining beforehand limit values for the starting conditions, where the limit values include an open circuit voltage value and a temperature value, with which values the solar converter can be started. The method also includes determining beforehand the temperature dependency of the open circuit voltage of the panel system, determining a temperature of the panel system, and setting a criterion for starting the converter. The criterion includes determining, by using the determined temperature dependency and the determined limit values for the starting conditions, whether the determined temperature and the determined open circuit voltage enable the starting of the converter.

Claims

1. A method of determining starting conditions of a solar converter in a photovoltaic system, the photovoltaic system including a photovoltaic panel system having one or more photovoltaic panels, the method comprising:

determining an open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic panel system;

determining beforehand limit values for the starting conditions, the limit values including an open circuit voltage value and a temperature value, with which values the solar converter is configured to be started;

determining beforehand a temperature dependency of the open circuit voltage of the panel system;

determining a temperature of the panel system; and

setting a criterion for starting the converter, the criterion comprising determining, by using the determined temperature dependency and the determined limit values for the starting conditions, whether the determined temperature and the determined open circuit voltage enable the starting of the converter.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the determining of the limit values for the starting conditions comprises determining a value for the open circuit voltage of the panel system at which the solar converter is started at a known panel system temperature,

the method comprises calculating an open circuit voltage limit required for starting the converter at the determined temperature by using the determined temperature and the temperature dependency; and

the determining whether the determined open circuit voltage enables the starting of the converter comprises comparing whether the determined open circuit voltage exceeds the calculated open circuit voltage limit.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the criterion for starting the converter comprises:

determining an irradiation level received by the panels; and

determining whether the determined irradiation level exceeds a set limit.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the criterion for starting the converter comprises:

setting a minimum level for the open circuit voltage; and

determining whether the determined open circuit voltage exceeds the minimum level.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the open circuit voltage comprises determining the open circuit voltage of a subsystem of the photovoltaic panel system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the temperature of the panel system comprises determining the temperature of a subsystem of the photovoltaic panel system.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the temperature of the panel system comprises determining the temperature as an average of multiple measurements.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the panel system is measured directly from one or multiple panels.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

measuring an ambient temperature of the panel system, and

determining the temperature of the panel system on the basis of the measured ambient temperature.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the panel system is determined by measuring a temperature relating to the panel system.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the starting of the converter comprises starting a modulation of the converter for processing power from the photovoltaic panel system.

12. The method according to claim 2, wherein the criterion for starting the converter comprises:

determining an irradiation level received by the panels; and

determining whether the determined irradiation level exceeds a set limit.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the criterion for starting the converter comprises:

setting a minimum level for the open circuit voltage; and

determining whether the determined open circuit voltage exceeds the minimum level.

14. The method according to claim 3, wherein the criterion for starting the converter comprises:

setting a minimum level for the open circuit voltage; and

determining whether the determined open circuit voltage exceeds the minimum level.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the starting of the converter comprises starting a modulation of the converter for processing power from the photovoltaic panel system.

16. The method according to claim 6, wherein the determining of the temperature of the panel system comprises determining the temperature as an average of multiple measurements of a subsystem of the photovoltaic panel system.

17. The method according to claim 8, wherein the determining of the temperature of the panel system comprises determining the temperature as an average of multiple measurements.

18. The method according to claim 2, wherein the starting of the converter comprises starting a modulation of the converter for processing power from the photovoltaic panel system.

19. An arrangement for determining the starting conditions of a solar converter in a photovoltaic system, the photovoltaic system including a photovoltaic panel system having one or more photovoltaic panels, the arrangement comprising:

means for determining an open circuit voltage of the photovoltaic panel system;

means for determining beforehand limit values for the starting conditions, the limit values including an open circuit voltage value and a temperature value, with which values the solar converter are configured to be started;

means for determining beforehand a temperature dependency of the open circuit voltage of the panel system;

means for determining a temperature of the panel system,

means for setting a criterion for starting the converter, the criterion comprising determining, by using the determined temperature dependency and the determined limit values for the starting conditions, whether the determined temperature and the determined open circuit voltage enable the starting of the converter