Solar module, operating method for a solar module, and photovoltaic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11075601-B2
Application number	US-201815905002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A solar module includes one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules, a short-circuit switch connected in parallel with at least one of the one or PV modules, and a control unit connected in parallel with the short-circuit switch. The at least one of the one or more PV modules supplies electrical power to the control unit and is connectable via a first and a second module terminal to further solar modules to form a string. The control unit is configured to actuate the short-circuit switch depending on an insulation voltage dropped between a ground potential reference terminal of the solar module and one of the first and second module terminals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar module, comprising:
one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules;
a short-circuit switch connected in parallel with at least one of the one or more PV modules; and
a control unit connected in parallel with the short-circuit switch,
wherein at least one of the one or more PV modules supplies electrical power to the control unit and is connectable via a first and a second module terminal to further solar modules to form a string, and
wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the short-circuit switch depending on an insulation voltage dropped between a ground potential reference terminal of the solar module and one of the first and second module terminals.

2. The solar module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control unit is furthermore configured to actuate the short-circuit switch depending on a module voltage dropped across the first and second module terminals.

3. The solar module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the solar module comprises a series connection of a first partial PV module and a second partial PV module, wherein the short-circuit switch is connected in parallel with the second partial PV module and the control unit is connected in parallel with the first partial PV module.

4. The solar module as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising an additional short-circuit switch operated by the control unit connected in parallel with the first partial PV module.

5. The solar module as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the series connection comprises at least one further partial PV module, with which a further short-circuit switch is connected in parallel, and wherein the control unit is configured to actuate selectively the further short-circuit switch depending on the insulation voltage and a module voltage dropped across the first and second terminals.

6. The solar module as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first threshold value is stored in the control unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to close the short-circuit switch when the insulation voltage exceeds the first threshold value.

7. The solar module as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a second, different threshold value is stored in the control unit, and wherein the control unit is configured to close the short-circuit switch when the module voltage exceeds the second, different threshold value.

8. The solar module as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the control unit is configured to adjust one of the first and second threshold values depending on the other one of the first and second threshold values.

9. A photovoltaic system comprising a series connection of solar modules, wherein at least one of the solar modules comprises:
one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules;
a short-circuit switch connected in parallel with at least one of the one or more PV modules; and
a control unit connected in parallel with the short-circuit switch,
wherein at least one of the one or more PV modules supplies electrical power to the control unit and is connectable via a first and a second module terminal to further solar modules to form a string, and
wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the short-circuit switch depending on an insulation voltage dropped between a ground potential reference terminal of the solar module and one of the first and second module terminals.

10. An operating method for a solar module with two module terminals through which the solar module is connectable to further solar modules to form a string, and a ground potential reference terminal, comprising:
measuring an insulation voltage between the ground potential reference terminal of the solar module and one of the two module terminals by means of a control unit; and
short-circuiting at least a part of the solar module by means of the control unit selectively activating a short-circuit switch depending on the insulation voltage,
wherein the control unit is electrically powered by the solar module.

11. The operating method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
measuring a module voltage between the module terminals by means of the control unit, and
short-circuiting at least a part of the solar module by means of the control unit selectively activating a short-circuit switch depending on the module voltage.

12. The operating method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the control unit is configured to distinguish between at least three conditions depending on the insulation voltage and the module voltage, wherein in a first condition, no short-circuiting of the solar module takes place, in a second condition, the short-circuiting of a part of the solar module takes place, and in a third condition, the short-circuiting of the entire solar module takes place.

Assignees

• Sma Solar Technology Ag

Inventors

• Falk Andreas

Classifications

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title

• H02S40/34 Primary

  comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes · CPC title

• H02J3/46 Primary

  Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks · CPC title

• H02J3/381

  Dispersed generators · CPC title

• Y02E10/56

  Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers · CPC title