Arc detection and prevention in a power generation system

• US 10,673,229 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2017
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Yoscovich, Ilan, Sella, Guy, Gazit, Meir, Galin, Yoav, Braginsky, David, Handelsman, Lior, Adest, Meir, Loewenstern, Yakir, Glovinsky, Tzachi, Berkovitch, Nadav, Neuman, Ron, Fishelov, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): Gannon, Levi
• Application Number:
  US15/819,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20180097354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 1/0015 Using arc detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/20 for electronic equipment for converters H02H7/10; for electric measuring instruments G01R1/36; for dc voltage or current semiconductor regulators G05F1/569; for amplifiers H03F1/52; for electronic switching circuits H03K17/08
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• 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: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

Methods for arc detection in a system including one or more photovoltaic generators, one or more photovoltaic power devices and a system power device and/or a load connectible to the photovoltaic generators and/or the photovoltaic power devices. The methods may measure voltage, current, and/or power delivered to the load or system power device, and the methods may measure voltage noise or current noise within the photovoltaic system. The methods may periodically, and/or in response to detecting noise, reduce an electrical parameter such as current or voltage in order to extinguish an arc. The methods may compare one or more measurements to one or more thresholds to detect arcing, and upon a comparison indicating that arcing is or was present, an alarm condition may be set.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

drawing, by a power device, input power from a photovoltaic generator, wherein the input power is at a first voltage level and a first current level;

providing output power at an output of the power device;

reducing, without shorting outputs of the photovoltaic generator, a voltage and a current of the input power to a level that extinguishes an arc while maintaining at least some of the output power;

waiting a predetermined time period; and

responsive to the predetermined time period elapsing, increasing the voltage of the input power.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power device is a photovoltaic inverter that draws the input power from a plurality of photovoltaic generators.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the power device is a direct current to direct current power converter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the voltage of the input power comprises at least one of increasing a current of the input power to be substantially equal to the first current level and increasing the voltage of the input power to be substantially equal to the first voltage level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reducing of the voltage and the current of the input power comprises using at least one power converter located between the power device and the photovoltaic generator to reduce the current of the input power to a second current level, wherein the second current level allows the arc to be extinguished.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reducing of the voltage of the input power is by a power converter.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a second predetermined time period elapsing after the increasing of the voltage, repeating the reducing of the voltage, the waiting of the predetermined time period, and the increasing of the voltage.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is between a hundred milliseconds and several seconds.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the reducing of the voltage and the current;

measuring electrical noise in an electrical system comprising the power device and the photovoltaic generator to obtain a first measurement; and

comparing the first measurement to a first threshold;

and

after the reducing of the voltage and the current;

measuring electrical noise in the electrical system to obtain a second measurement; and

comparing the second measurement to a second threshold.

10. A method comprising:

measuring electrical noise in an electrical system to obtain a first measurement, wherein the electrical system is operational to send an output power to a load;

comparing the first measurement to a first threshold;

responsive to determining that the first measurement is above the first threshold, reducing without shorting outputs of the electrical system, a voltage and a current of the electrical system while maintaining at least some of the output power;

after the reducing of the voltage and the current, measuring electrical noise in the electrical system to obtain a second measurement; and

determining, based on the second measurement, whether to set an alarm condition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of whether to set the alarm condition further comprises determining that a difference between the first measurement and the second measurement is not above a second threshold, wherein the method further comprises increasing the voltage of the electrical system.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining of whether to set the alarm condition further comprises determining that a difference between the first measurement and the second measurement is above a second threshold, wherein the method further comprises setting the alarm condition.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the determination that the difference between the first measurement and the second measurement is above the second threshold indicates that an electrical arc was extinguished.

14. A power device comprising:

one or more controllers configured to cause the power device to;

draw input power from a photovoltaic generator, wherein the input power is at a first voltage level and a first current level;

provide output power at an output of the power device;

reduce, without shorting outputs of the photovoltaic generator, a voltage and a current of the input power to a level that extinguishes an arc while maintaining at least some of the output power;

wait a predetermined time period; and

responsive to the predetermined time period elapsing, increase the voltage of the input power.

15. The power device of claim 14, wherein the power device is a photovoltaic inverter that draws the input power from of the photovoltaic generator via a power converter.

16. The power device of claim 14, wherein the power device is a direct current to direct current power converter.

17. The power device of claim 14, wherein, to increase the voltage of the input power, the one or more controllers are configured to cause the power device to at least one of:

increase a current of the input power to be substantially equal to the first current level; and

increase the voltage of the input power to be substantially equal to the first voltage level.

18. The power device of claim 14, wherein the reducing of the voltage and the current of the input power comprises at least one power converter located between the power device and the photovoltaic generator reducing the current of the input power to a second current level, wherein the second current level allows the arc to be extinguished.

19. The power device of claim 14, wherein the reducing of the voltage of the input power is by a power converter.

20. The power device of claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period is between a hundred milliseconds and several seconds.