Controlling dynamic systems by measuring the no-load voltage of a photovoltaic generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9698595-B2
Application number	US-201113882964-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2011
Priority date	Nov 2, 2010
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

The dynamic system is part of a dynamic apparatus having at least one photovoltaic generator, at least one battery and at least one device for controlling the dynamic apparatus. The method for controlling the dynamic system on the basis of sunlight involves electrically isolating the photovoltaic generator from the battery, reading the no-load voltage of the photovoltaic generator, determining a numerical value on the basis of the no load voltage, corresponding to the no-load voltage reading, and comparing the predetermined numerical value with at least one reference threshold value. When the predetermined numerical value corresponds to a value range limited by at least one such reference threshold value the dynamic system is controlled so as to thereon confer a configuration corresponding to the value range.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of controlling an apparatus based on sunlight, said apparatus being comprised of a dynamic system having a first configuration and a second configuration, a photovoltaic generator connected to said dynamic system, a battery connected to said dynamic system and said photovoltaic generator so as to store electrical energy supplied by the photovoltaic generator and to supply electrical energy to said dynamic system, and a means for controlling said apparatus being connected to said dynamic system, said photovoltaic generator, and said battery, said method comprising the steps of:
setting a reference threshold value corresponding to a first value range and a second value range, said first value range being associated with said first configuration of said dynamic system, and said second value range being associated with said second configuration of said dynamic system;
electrically isolating said photovoltaic generator from said battery;
taking a no-load voltage reading of said photovoltaic generator so as to determine a numerical value based on sunlight exposure of said photovoltaic generator;
comparing said numerical value to said reference threshold value; and
based upon the comparison result, setting said dynamic system in said first configuration or in said second configuration, wherein said dynamic system is placed in said first configuration based upon the numerical value based on sunlight exposure of said photovoltaic generator being within said first value range, and wherein said dynamic system is placed in said second configuration, differing from said first configuration, based upon the numerical value of the sunlight exposure of said photovoltaic generator being within said second value range.

2. The method of controlling, according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
repeating the steps of reading no-load voltage, comparing said numerical value, setting said dynamic system in said first configuration, and setting said dynamic system in said second configuration intervals.

3. The method of controlling, according to claim 1 , wherein said numerical value is comprised of a fraction of said no-load voltage reading from said step of taking said no-load voltage reading.

4. The method of controlling, according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
saving said reference threshold value in a memory, before the step of comparing said numerical value.

5. The method of controlling, according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
setting a threshold temperature value corresponding to a threshold temperature range;
taking a temperature measurement concurrent with the step of taking said no-load voltage reading;
comparing said temperature measurement to said threshold temperature value;
inhibiting the step of setting said dynamic system in said first configuration and the step of setting said dynamic system in said second configuration, when said temperature measurement is outside of said threshold temperature range; and
proceeding to the step of setting said dynamic system in said first configuration and the step of setting said dynamic system in said second configuration, when said temperature measurement is within said threshold temperature range.

6. The method of controlling, according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
setting a predetermined time value corresponding to a predetermined time range;
taking a time measurement concurrent with the step of taking said no-load voltage reading;
comparing said time measurement to said predetermined time value;
inhibiting the step of setting said dynamic system in said first configuration and the step of setting said dynamic system in said second configuration, when said time measurement is outside of said predetermined time range; and
proceeding to the step of setting said dynamic system in said first configuration and the step of setting said dynamic system in said second configuration, when said time measurement is within said predefined time range.

7. The method of controlling, according to claim 1 , wherein said first value range is greater than said reference threshold value, and wherein said second value range is less than said reference threshold value.

8. An apparatus for utilizing sunlight, said apparatus comprising:
a dynamic system having a first configuration and a second configuration;
a photovoltaic generator connected to said dynamic system;
a battery, connected to said photovoltaic generator and said dynamic system, configured to receive electrical energy from said photovoltaic generator and to supply electrical energy to said dynamic system; and
a means for controlling the step of setting said dynamic system in said first configuration and the step of setting said dynamic system in said second configuration, according to claim 1 , said means for controlling being comprised of:
a means for setting a reference threshold value corresponding to a first value range and a second value range, said first value range being associated with said first configuration of said dynamic system, and said second value range being associated with said second configuration of said dynamic system;
a means for electrically isolating said photovoltaic generator from said battery;
a means for taking a no-load voltage reading of said photovoltaic generator;
a means for determining said numerical value based on sunlight exposure of said photovoltaic generator corresponding to said no-load voltage reading;
a means for comparing said numerical value to said reference threshold value; and
a means for setting said dynamic system in said first configuration and said second configuration;
wherein, based upon the comparison result of said means for comparing, said dynamic system is placed in said first configuration based upon the numerical value based on sunlight exposure of said photovoltaic generator being within said first value range, and wherein said dynamic system is placed in said second configuration, differing from said first configuration, based upon the numerical value based on sunlight exposure of said photovoltaic generator being within said second value range.

9. The apparatus based on sunlight, according to claim 8 , wherein the means for electrically isolating said photovoltaic generator is comprised of
an electromechanical relay, placed between the said photovoltaic generator and the battery;
a contact having a closed status and an opened status; and
a coil connected to said battery so as to supply power to said coil.

10. The apparatus based on sunlight, according to claim 8 , wherein the means for electrically isolating the photovoltaic generator is comprised of:
placed between said photovoltaic generator and the battery.

11. The apparatus based on sunlight, according to claim 8 , wherein the means for determining said numerical value comprises means for converting an analog signal into a digital signal, said no-load voltage reading being an analog signal.

12. The apparatus based on sunlight, according to claim 11 , wherein the means for determining said numerical value further comprises a voltage divider, placed between said photovoltaic generator and said means for converting said analog signal into said digital signal.

13. The apparatus based on sunlight, according to claim 8 , wherein the means for controlling repeats the steps of reading no-load voltage, comparing said numerical value, setting said dynamic system in said first configuration, and setting said dynamic system in said second configuration at intervals with the means for electrically isolating, the means for reading, the means for determining said numer

Assignees

• Renzi Virginie
• Chaintreuil Nicolas
• Delpy Vincent
• Perichon Pierre
• Bubendorff
• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Renzi Virginie
• Chaintreuil Nicolas
• Delpy Vincent
• Perichon Pierre

Classifications

• H02S40/38

  Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules · CPC title

• E06B2009/6854

  sensing torque · CPC title

• E06B9/68

  Operating devices or mechanisms, e.g. with electric drive · CPC title

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• Y10T307/718

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic