PHOTOVOLTAIC PANEL MONITORING APPARATUS

• US 20110037600A1
• Filed: 08/17/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Core Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Applied Core Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Takada, Shinichi, Takehara, Toru
• Granted Patent: US 8,410,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/635
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/886 using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) panel monitoring apparatus includes a monitoring module for measuring parameter values related to PV panel output, comparing measured values against minimum and maximum values saved in the monitoring module, and outputting an alarm signal when a measured value is outside a range defined by the minimum and maximum values. An alarm signal causes a visual indicator to activate and an audible indicator to sound, thereby assisting maintenance personnel in locating a PV panel with an out-of-range parameter value. The monitoring module further includes a PV panel identification memory for saving an identification code for each PV panel in a PV array. The identification code is transmitted with time, date, and parameter data when the monitoring module detects an out-of-range parameter value. Data may optionally be transmitted from the monitoring module through a communications input/output port or through a wireless transmitter to an external monitoring and control system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a monitoring module adapted for electrical connection to a photovoltaic panel for monitoring the photovoltaic panel;

a sensor adapted to send a signal related to an operating condition of the photovoltaic panel to said monitoring module; and

an alarm indicator adapted to be activated by said monitoring module in response to a signal received from said sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said monitoring module comprises:

a power management and battery backup circuit adapted to receive electrical power from the photovoltaic panel and supply a portion of the electrical power received from the photovoltaic panel to the monitoring module;

a module controller electrically connected to said power management and battery backup circuit; and

a communications port electrically connected to said module controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said monitoring module further comprises a wireless transmitter electrically connected to said module controller and a beacon antenna electrically connected to said wireless transmitter.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said monitoring module further comprises a clock/calendar circuit electrically connected to said module controller.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said monitoring module further comprises a data and program memory electrically connected to said module controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said monitoring module further comprises a photovoltaic panel identification memory electrically connected to said module controller.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said module controller is adapted to retrieve a value from said photovoltaic panel identification memory and send the value to said wireless transmitter and to said communications port.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a sensor/indicator input/output circuit electrically connected to said module controller.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first alarm indicator electrically connected to said sensor/indicator input/output circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a second alarm indicator electrically connected to said sensor/indicator input/output circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first alarm indicator is a visual indicator.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said visual indicator comprises an alphanumeric display.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said second alarm indicator is an audible indicator.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a ground fault circuit detector electrically connected in parallel with said power management and battery backup circuit.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an arc fault circuit detector electrically connected in parallel with said power management and battery backup circuit.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said sensor is an illumination sensor for detecting an amount of sunlight incident upon a photovoltaic panel.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said monitoring module further comprises a photovoltaic panel output voltage sensor electrically connected to said sensor/indicator input/output circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said monitoring module further comprises a photovoltaic panel output current sensor electrically connected to said sensor/indicator input/output circuit.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a temperature sensor electrically connected to said sensor/indicator input/output circuit, wherein said temperature sensor is adapted to read an operating temperature of said photovoltaic panel.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a photovoltaic panel electrically connected to said monitoring module.