Patent · US Expired

Method of checking solar panel characteristics in an operating solar electrical system

US5648731A · kind A · utility

245Cited by
3References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 5, 1996
Grant dateJul 15, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S136/293
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a solar electric supply system in which an electrical load is supplied with current produced by a solar array formed of multiple solar panels, each solar panel is individually selected and tested to ensure proper performance by varying the duty cycle of an associated variable transconductance device connected between such solar panel and the electrical load. The method determines the respective solar panel's open circuit voltage, its full-load current and obtains various output voltage and current values responsive to different duty cycles, whereby the maximum power point for the solar panel may be determined.

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