Arc detection and prevention in a power generation system
First Claim
1. A method for arc detection comprising:
- receiving a first measurement of a noise voltage of a load connected, via a DC power line, to a serial string of photovoltaic power sources comprising a photovoltaic panel;
receiving a second measurement of a noise voltage of the photovoltaic panel;
comparing the first measurement with the second measurement, thereby producing a differential noise voltage result; and
responsive to determining that the differential noise voltage result is more than a threshold value, detecting an arc condition,wherein at least one of the noise voltage of the load and the noise voltage of the photovoltaic panel is a root mean square (RMS) noise voltage.
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Abstract
A method for arc detection in a system including a photovoltaic panel and a load connectible to the photovoltaic panel with a DC power line. The method measures power delivered to the load thereby producing a first measurement result of the power delivered to the load. Power produced by the photovoltaic panel is also measured, thereby producing a second measurement result of power produced by the photovoltaic panel. The first measurement result is compared with the second measurement result thereby producing a differential power measurement result. Upon the differential power measurement result being more than a threshold value, an alarm condition may also be set. The second measurement result may be modulated and transmitted over the DC power line.
1283 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for arc detection comprising:
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receiving a first measurement of a noise voltage of a load connected, via a DC power line, to a serial string of photovoltaic power sources comprising a photovoltaic panel; receiving a second measurement of a noise voltage of the photovoltaic panel; comparing the first measurement with the second measurement, thereby producing a differential noise voltage result; and responsive to determining that the differential noise voltage result is more than a threshold value, detecting an arc condition, wherein at least one of the noise voltage of the load and the noise voltage of the photovoltaic panel is a root mean square (RMS) noise voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system comprising:
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a serial string of photovoltaic power sources comprising a photovoltaic panel; a load connected, via a DC power line, to the serial string of photovoltaic power sources, wherein the load comprises at least one of a direct-current to direct-current (DC-to-DC) converter and a direct-current to alternating-current (DC-to-AC) converter; a controller; a sensor configured to measure one or more parameters at the load, producing a first measurement, and to provide the first measurement to the controller; and a communication device configured to receive a second measurement of a parameter at the photovoltaic panel, and to provide the second measurement to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to compare the first measurement and the second measurement, and in response to the comparison producing a result above a threshold, to detect an arc condition, and wherein the first measurement indicates a root mean square (RMS) voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a memory; and a controller configured to; receive a first measurement of a root mean square (RMS) noise voltage of a load connected, via a DC power line, to a plurality of photovoltaic panels in a serial string; receive at least one second measurement of an RMS noise voltage of at least one of the plurality of photovoltaic panels; compare the first measurement with the at least one second measurement; and detect an arc condition based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification