JPH03132081A - Solar cell panel having optical signal receiving function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a solar cell panel with serves as a high sensitivity optical signal receiver by switching over an electric connection of a plurality of solar cell modules to a series connection during optical power generation and parallel connection during optical signal receiving. CONSTITUTION:A solar cell panel comprises four solar cell units 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101D, which are switched over for electrical connection in series (S side) and parallel (P side) by using a change over switch 103. Therefore, the panel is capable of outputting a high voltage during optical power generation and preventing power loss during power transmission. It is also capable of obtaining high sensitivity electric signal output accurately in conformity with the amount of incidence light merely by directing an optical signal to a part of the solar cell panel during optical signal receiving.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a solar cell panel with an optical signal receiving function.

[Conventional technology] Conventionally, photovoltaic power generation systems using solar cells are non-polluting, non-noise, and provide lean energy, so they have been used, for example, in watches, watches, etc.
Applications have been devised in a variety of fields, from electrical products such as calculators, to unmanned radio repeaters, power generation systems on the roofs of houses, and large-scale power generation systems.

On the other hand, an electronic device with solar cells that uses solar cells as a power source and optical information input was published in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-1.
54562. This was done by equipping the solar cells of small electronic devices such as electronic desktop calculators with a power generation function and an optical signal reception function, adding the ability to collect information using light.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, if the above-mentioned conventional idea is further advanced and an attempt is made to receive an optical signal using a general power solar cell panel that outputs more than a certain amount of power other than a small electronic device, had the following problems.

Usually, a single photovoltaic element has a small output voltage (for example, an amorphous silicon photovoltaic element has a low output voltage of about 0.7 V), so a plurality of elements are connected in series to form a solar cell panel. In addition, especially in the case of power solar panels, it is essential to connect the elements in series in order to reduce the output current (and reduce power transmission losses). Multiple photovoltaic cells connected in series In this case, the overall output is determined by the cell with the smallest output current.This is because in the case of daytime solar power generation, almost uniform illuminance is obtained over the entire surface of the solar panel. No problem.

However, when a solar panel functions as an optical signal receiver, it is often difficult to receive the signal light uniformly over a large area, so the illuminance of the signal light is spread over the entire surface of the solar panel. Not uniformly obtained. If there is a part of the panel where the signal light is not irradiated or where the illuminance is insufficient, the signal output will be extremely small, resulting in poor sensitivity, and the input signal light amount and output electrical signal strength will be different. There were problems such as loss of proportion.

[Object of the Invention] The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems with the conventional solar cell panel that also serves as an optical signal receiver, to output high voltage during photovoltaic power generation, to prevent power loss during power transmission, and to ,
The object of this invention is to realize a highly sensitive solar cell panel that also serves as an optical signal receiver, which can output an electrical signal according to the amount of incident light by simply irradiating a portion of the wide solar panel with the optical signal when receiving an optical signal.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] The present inventor has achieved the above-mentioned object of the present invention by overcoming the aforementioned problems in the conventional solar cell panel that also serves as an optical signal receiver (through extensive research). We have recently discovered that by switching the electrical connections of solar cell modules to series connection during photovoltaic power generation and parallel connection when receiving optical signals, it is possible to substantially increase the sensitivity when receiving optical signals.

That is, the solar cell panel provided by the present invention is characterized by having a built-in means for switching the electrical connection of the solar cell modules to series connection during photovoltaic power generation and to parallel connection when receiving optical signals. It is an attempt to solve problems.

According to the present invention, by connecting solar cell modules in series during photovoltaic power generation, it is possible to output high voltage and prevent power loss during power transmission, and by connecting them in parallel when receiving optical signals, it is possible to output high voltage and prevent power loss during power transmission. By simply irradiating a portion of the battery panel with an optical signal, it is possible to obtain an electrical signal output according to the amount of incident light.

In the present invention, the unit of the solar cell module whose connection is switched may be a unit cell or a solar cell unit in which a plurality of cells are connected in series or in parallel. However, when unit cells are serialized within the unit, the size of the unit is determined so that signal light is simultaneously irradiated to all cells within the serialized unit when receiving an optical signal.

Means for switching electrical connections include electromagnetic relays that move electrical contacts using electrical signals, mechanical switches that move electrical contacts using mechanical signals such as wires, hydraulic pressure, and air pressure, and optical signals that move electrical contacts. Examples include those that are switched using switching elements such as diodes, phototransistors, and photoconductive elements.

[Example] (Example 1) The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings of the example, but the present invention is not equally limited thereby.

FIG. 1 is a schematic equivalent circuit diagram showing an example of a solar cell panel equipped with an optical signal receiving function according to the present invention. In the figure, the solar panel includes four solar cell units l0I
A, 10IB, 10IG, and 1010, and the electrical connection can be switched between series (S side) and parallel (P side) by a changeover switch 103. Each solar cell unit has an area of 20 cm x 20 cm and has 5 unit cells connected in series, and simulates sunlight A M 1.5.
, the optimum operating point under 100 mW/am2 is 0.
75VX 5 stages = 3.75V and 0.6A.

Changeover switches 103 and 111 are electromagnetic relay contacts,
By switching the changeover switch 109, the connection can be switched to the series connection side (S) or the parallel connection side (P). When the changeover switch 109 is tilted toward the series connection side (S), no current flows through the electromagnetic coil 104, and the changeover switches 103 and 111 are also tilted toward the series connection side (S). As a result, the units 101A to 101D are connected in series, and a low current and high voltage output is supplied to the load 107. When the changeover switch 109 is turned to the parallel connection side (P), current flows through the electromagnetic coil 104, and the changeover switches 103 and 111 are turned to the parallel connection side (P). As a result, the units 101A to 101D are connected in parallel, and a highly sensitive signal output is transmitted to the information device 10g.

In this example, an amorphous silicon solar cell was used as the solar cell panel of the present invention having the schematic equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 1, and was installed on the roof of a house on a midsummer day.

As the load 107, a night illuminator (IOW fluorescent lamp) and an electronic clock (power consumption 10 mW) having a storage battery (12 V, 200 Wh) are installed, and as the information device 108, a personal computer having an I10 interface with a current input amplifier is installed. Connected.

In the apparatus of the embodiment having the above-described configuration, in order to generate photovoltaic power during the day, the changeover switch 109 is turned to the series connection side (S), and the electric power generated in each solar cell unit is transferred to the load 107.
The surplus power was stored in a storage battery (not shown). At this time, the maximum output of the solar panel is 15V, 0
．． It was 6A.

The amount of electricity generated on day 1 was approximately 25 watt hours, of which the electricity consumed by the clock was negligible compared to the electricity stored in the storage battery (most of the electricity was stored in the storage battery).

At night, in order to receive optical signals, the changeover switch 109 is turned to the parallel connection side (P), so that the optical signals received by each solar cell unit can be transmitted to a personal computer serving as information equipment 108. . When the changeover switch 109 is turned to the P side, the changeover switch 111 is also turned to the P side, and the solar panel and load 1 are
07 was electrically disconnected. The clock of load 107 could be illuminated for about 3 hours at night by the built-in storage battery.

The light source for the optical signal was a 3 mW helium neon laser, which was installed 300 m away from the solar panel, and was modulated into a pulse code using a liquid crystal shutter. This signal light is irradiated onto the solar cell panel, and the signals received by the solar cell units 101A to 101D are
0 interface to a personal computer as information equipment 108. As a result, the signal transmitted by the helium-neon laser of this example could be faithfully received by the personal computer.

(Example 2) In this example, as in Example 1, an amorphous silicon solar cell was used as the solar cell panel of the present invention having the schematic equivalent circuit shown in FIG. Ta.

In this example, the light-receiving area of the solar panel is tripled, and the output of each unit cell is 0.7V x 5 stages = 3.7
The voltage was 5V and 1.8A. In addition, the load 107 includes a night illuminator (10W LED) and a storage battery (12V, 60V).
An electronic clock (power consumption: 10 mW) with a power consumption of 0 Wh) was attached. Further, as the information device 108, a personal computer having the same configuration as in the first embodiment was installed.

In order to use the device of this embodiment having the above-described configuration to generate photovoltaic power during the day, the changeover switch 109 is turned to the series connection side (S).
The power generated in each solar cell unit was supplied to a clock as a load 107, and surplus power was stored in a storage battery (not shown). - The amount of electricity generated on the day was approximately 75 watt hours, of which the electricity consumed by the clock was negligible compared to the electricity stored in the storage battery, and most of the electricity was stored in the storage battery.

At night, the selector switch 109 is used to receive optical signals.
is placed on the parallel connection side CP), so that the optical signal received by each solar cell unit can be transmitted to a personal computer serving as information equipment 108. load 10
In No. 7, the built-in storage battery was able to illuminate the clock as a load for about 9 hours at night.

The light source for the optical signal was a 10 mW argon ion laser, which was installed at a distance of 1 km from the solar cell panel, modulated into a pulse code by a liquid crystal shutter, and the signal light was irradiated onto the solar cell panel. The signal received by the solar cell unit 10IA-D was transmitted to the personal computer via the I10 interface.

In this example as well, the signal transmitted by the argon ion laser could be faithfully received by the personal computer serving as the information device 108.

(Example 3) In this example, the amorphous silicon solar cell shown in Example 2 is replaced with a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, and the same load 107 and information equipment 108 as in Example 2 are connected, and the After generating power, lighting at night, and receiving optical signals,
In this example as well, the optical signal transmitted by the argon ion laser could be faithfully reproduced by the personal computer serving as the information device 108.

[Effect of the invention 1 As mentioned above, 5 The solar panel with the optical signal receiving function of the present invention outputs a high voltage at the time of first power generation by switching the electrical connection, and reduces power loss during power transmission. Furthermore, when receiving an optical signal, by simply irradiating the optical signal onto a portion of the wide solar panel, an electric signal output corresponding to the amount of incident light can be obtained with high sensitivity and fidelity.

In addition, since it can serve as a solar battery panel for power generation and a reception sensor for receiving optical signals, it saves space and does not spoil the appearance.

Furthermore, there is an effect that the power solar battery panel and the receiving sensor for receiving optical signals can be supplied at a lower cost than if they were manufactured separately.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic equivalent circuit diagram of the solar cell panel of the present invention. In the figure, 101A, 101B, 10IC, 10ID...Solar cell unit 102...Solar cell 103, 109, 111...Selector switch 104...
- Electromagnetic coil 105... Interlocking switch mechanism 106... Output line 107... Load 108... Information equipment 110... Power supply

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In a solar cell panel having an optical signal receiving function, means for switching the electrical connection of a plurality of solar cell modules in the solar cell panel to series connection during photovoltaic power generation and to parallel connection when receiving optical signals. A solar cell panel having an optical signal receiving function.