Solar cell array control device

• US 20050139258A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Liu, Yung-Hsiang, Chu, Guo-Shin, Huang, Yung-Fu, Luor, Tain-Syh
• Application Number:
  US10/745,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20050139258A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/244
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A solar cell array control device has a plurality of solar cell modules, a bidirectional DC converter, at least a voltage sensor and a control unit. The bidirectional DC converter corresponds to and is electrically connected to the solar cell modules to connect these solar cell modules in series to form a solar cell array. The voltage sensor is electrically connected to the solar cell modules, and can generate an abnormal voltage when detecting that one of the solar cell modules is abnormal. The control unit is electrically connected to the voltage sensor and the bidirectional DC converter, and outputs a pulse width modulation signal by detecting the abnormal voltage to control the bidirectional DC converter for compensating the conversion current and thus enhancing the output power of this solar cell module.

Claims

1. A solar cell array control device, comprising:

a plurality of solar cell modules connected together in series to form a solar cell array;

a bidirectional DC converter having a plurality of input terminals corresponding to and electrically connected to output terminals of said solar cell modules for connecting all of said solar cell modules in series, said bidirectional DC converter being capable of inputting a pulse width modulation signal to control a compensation current when abnormality is detected in one of said solar cell modules;

at least a voltage sensor having a plurality of input terminals electrically connected to said solar cell modules, said voltage sensor being capable of generating an abnormal voltage when abnormality is detected in one of said solar cell modules; and

a control unit electrically connected to said voltage sensor and said bidirectional DC converter, said control unit being used to output said pulse width modulation signal by determining said abnormal voltage to control said bidirectional DC converter for compensating the conversion current and thus enhancing an output power of said solar cell modules.

2. The solar cell array control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said solar cell module is composed of at least a solar panel and at least a storage battery, and said solar panel is used to convert solar energy into electric energy stored into said storage battery.

3. The solar cell array control device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an AC/DC converter capable of tracking the maximum power, said AC/DC converter being electrically connected to an output terminal of said bidirectional DC converter and used to convert the output power of said solar cell array into an AC power connected in shunt with the public electric power grid or used as an independent power source.

4. The solar cell array control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bidirectional DC converter further comprises:

a flyback transformer having a plurality of series-connected input terminals corresponding to and electrically connected to the output terminals of said solar cell modules for connecting all of said solar cell modules in series; and

a plurality of electric switches corresponding to and series connected to the input terminals of said flyback transformer, each said electric switch having a pulse width modulation input terminal, and said pulse width modulation signal being input through said pulse width modulation input terminal to compensate the conversion current of one of said solar cell modules for enhancing the output power.

5. The solar cell array control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said electric switch is a high power MOSFET.

6. The solar cell array control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said voltage sensor is a comparator used to compare voltage values of at least arbitrary two of said solar cell modules electrically connected to said input terminals of said voltage sensor and output an abnormal voltage to said control unit when an absolute value of the voltage difference of said two solar cell modules is larger than a set value.

7. The solar cell array control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit is a microprocessor used to execute an abnormal pulse width modulation procedure and output said pulse width modulation signal when one of said solar cell modules is abnormal, thereby controlling said bidirectional DC converter to compensate the conversion current and thus enhance the output power of said solar cell module.

8. The solar cell array control device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a drive circuit electrically connected between said bidirectional DC converter and said control unit and used to amplify said pulse width modulation signal and drive said bidirectional DC converter to switch the pulse width for compensating the conversion current.

9. A solar cell array control method comprising the steps of:

a. building a bidirectional DC converter to connect a plurality of solar array modules in series to form a solar cell array;

b. reading a voltage value of at least an arbitrary two of said solar cell modules;

c. calculating a read voltage value to determine whether said read voltage values is larger than a set value and output an abnormal voltage if an answer is yes; and

d. generating a pulse width modulation signal input to said bidirectional DC converter to switch the pulse width for compensating the conversion current of said solar cell modules and thus enhancing the output power.

10. The solar cell array control method as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least a voltage sensor is used to read the voltage value of said solar cell modules in said step b.

11. The solar cell array control method as claimed in claim 9, wherein an absolute value of the voltage difference of the arbitrary two of said solar cell modules is calculated to determine whether the absolute value of the voltage difference is larger than said set value and output said abnormal voltage if an answer is yes in said step c.

12. The solar cell array control method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said abnormal voltage is set to zero if said voltage value is not larger than said set value in said step c.

13. The solar cell array control method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said pulse width modulation signal is used to control an electronic switch to switch an output pulse width of said solar cell modules for compensating the conversion current in said step d.