JPH05122867A - Onboard solar cell panel for satellite - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a variation in output power characteristics of a solar cell paddle by altering connection of solar cells by a switch according to a variation in a temperature of the cell upon change of a solar light intensity in a case where the characteristics of the paddle are largely varied in an artificial satellite (e.g. a Mars probe satellite, etc.) of an orbit in which the intensity is significantly varied. CONSTITUTION:If a solar light intensity is strong, a cell output current is large and an output voltage is low, changeover switches 3, 6 are closed. If the intensity is weak and the output current is small, the switches are all opened. If the intensity is intermediate, the switches 4, 5 are closed, thereby reducing a variation in output characteristics.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solar cell panel mounted on an artificial satellite, and more particularly to a solar cell panel for a planetary exploration satellite which is inserted into an axial path where the intensity of sunlight greatly changes during planetary exploration.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a solar cell panel of this type is shown in FIG.
As shown in the characteristic diagram of Fig. 3, the solar cell output current is large at a point where the sunlight intensity is strong, but the solar cell temperature rises and the output voltage decreases. Therefore, the solar cell output characteristic is the voltage-current characteristic 11 Similarly, the current drops at a low voltage due to drooping characteristics. Further, at the point where the sunlight intensity is weak, the solar cell output voltage is large, but the output current is small, so a large current value like the voltage-current characteristic 12 cannot be obtained.

[0003]

Since the output characteristics of the above-mentioned conventional solar cell panel vary greatly depending on the intensity of sunlight, in order to obtain electric power above a specified value at a certain constant voltage, It is necessary to determine the number of solar cells connected in series under conditions where the sunlight intensity is high and the number of parallel connections under conditions where the sunlight intensity is low, resulting in a larger overall solar panel configuration. There was a flaw.

[0004]

A satellite-mounted solar cell panel of the present invention is an artificial satellite-mounted solar cell panel in which a plurality of solar cells used for Mars exploration are connected. Utilizing the characteristic that the output power changes according to the change in the temperature of the solar cells with the change in the intensity of the sunlight radiated to the cells, the number of the series-parallel number of the plurality of solar cells is used to irradiate the sunlight. It has a plurality of switches which change according to it.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a solar cell paddle according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 1, two solar cell blocks 1 are connected in series, and six of these blocks are connected in parallel. Also, two solar cells 1 connected in series
Two blocking diodes 2 are connected to both ends of each of the two, and two arms of the two diodes are connected to the solar cells 1 connected in series. Further, the switches 3 to 6 constitute a circuit so as to form a bypass circuit to each arm in order to perform the operation described later as shown in FIG. At a point where the intensity of sunlight is strong in the satellite axis, the changeover switches 33 and 6 are turned on to increase the number of solar cells in series. Next, when the intensity of sunlight gradually decreases, the temperature of the solar battery cell decreases, and the output voltage increases, the changeover switches 3 and 6 are turned off and the changeover switches 4 and 5 are turned on. As a result, the number of series is 3/4
And the parallel number becomes 4/3. If the changeover switches 4 and 5 are turned off when the sunlight intensity becomes weaker, the number of series is halved and the number of parallels is doubled.

[0006]

As described above, the present invention has the effect that the output power of a solar cell can be efficiently extracted by switching the number of series of solar cell blocks according to the intensity of sunlight.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram of a conventional solar cell panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Solar cell 2 Blocking diode 3-6 Changeover switch 7,8 Output terminal 11 Characteristics in strong sunlight 12 Characteristics in weak sunlight

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A solar battery panel for mounting an artificial satellite, which is connected to a plurality of solar battery cells and is used for Mars exploration, and the like, wherein the solar cells are accompanied by a change in the intensity of sunlight applied to the plurality of solar battery cells. Utilizing the characteristic that the output power changes according to the change of the cell temperature, it has a plurality of switches for switching the number of series-parallel of the plurality of solar cells according to the intensity of the irradiated sunlight. Satellite mounted solar panel. 2. The operation of maximizing the number of the solar cells connected in series at a point where the plurality of switches is irradiated with strong sunlight, and the parallel operation of the solar cells at a point where the irradiated sunlight is weak. The operation for maximizing the number and the operation for making the number of series and the number of parallel of the solar cells substantially equal to each other at an intermediate point of the irradiated sunlight are carried out. Solar panel.