Patent · US Active

Methods and systems for maintaining photovoltaic power plant reactive power capability

US10431987B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
2References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 24, 2015
Grant dateOct 1, 2019
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 23, 2038

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY04S40/126
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable media are disclosed for maintaining photovoltaic power plant reactive power capability, e.g., through the manipulation of direct current (DC) voltage. In some examples, A control system includes a monitor input for receiving a monitor signal indicative of an input voltage of an inverter system and a control output for outputting a control signal to a voltage-clipping device of a solar panel system supplying a solar output voltage to the inverter system. The control system includes a control circuit configured to perform operations comprising: determining, using the monitor signal, that the input voltage of the inverter system exceeds a threshold voltage; and in response to determining that the input voltage of the inverter system exceeds the threshold voltage, causing, using the control signal, the voltage-clipping device to reduce the solar output voltage by shorting out one or more photovoltaic solar cells of the solar panel system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.