Voltage-current-power meter for photovoltaic solar arrays
US4163194A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 1977 |
| Grant date | Jul 31, 1979 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S136/29
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A meter is disclosed for measuring the voltage, current, and power (VIP) parameters of a photovoltaic solar array, or array module, under sunlight operating conditions utilizing a variable load connected across the array and controlled by a voltage regulator which responds to the difference between the output voltage of the array and a programmed test voltage from a source which generates a single ramp voltage for measuring and recording current as a function of voltage, repeated ramp voltages at a high rate for peak output measurements or a DC voltage for VIP measurements at selected points on the I-V characteristic curve of the array. The voltage signal from a current sensing element, such as a shunt resistor in series with the variable load, is compared with the output current of a reference solar cell to provide a normalizing signal to be added to the signal from the current-sensing element in order to provide a record of array current as a function of array voltage, i.e., for all load conditions from short circuit to open circuit. As the normalized current is thus measured, an analog multiplier multiplies the array voltage and normalized current to provide a measurement of pow…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.