JPH11103537A - Solar battery system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a general-purpose solar battery system that can be used in a variety of loads having different power and voltages, and can also locate a defective solar battery and disconnect such a defective battery. SOLUTION: A plurality of solar batteries C1 and C2 are connected via two-contact selector switches SW1 to SW4 and singlecontact make-break switches SW5, SW6 and SW13 to SW17. By controlling the selector switches SW1 to SW4 and the make-break switches SW5, SW6 and SW13 to SW17, the connection of the batteries C1 and C2 is appropriately switched to, e.g. series connections, parallel connections, combinations of series and parallel connections, single connections or disconnections. In addition, an output power monitoring circuit CH1 for sensing the output power is provided on the output side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solar cell device which is suitably used as a power supply device for a self-luminous road tack or a road sign using a light emitting diode or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In self-luminous road tacks and road signs using light emitting diodes or the like, a solar cell device using a solar cell as a power supply device is generally used. Conventionally,
Such a solar cell device is designed for each load, and a plurality of solar cells are directly connected in series or in parallel with a line, and constant power and voltage designed in advance according to the load are output. It has been made like that.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional solar cell device, a plurality of solar cells are directly connected in series or in parallel with a line so that a constant power or voltage designed for each load is output. Therefore, the output power and voltage cannot be changed, and the power and voltage are not versatile and cannot be diverted to other loads having different power and voltage. In addition, when the output of the solar cell is reduced due to the occurrence of dirt or damage on a part of the plurality of solar cells, there is a problem that the output of the entire device is reduced due to the defective solar cell. It is not easy to disconnect defective solar cells because they are directly connected by wires, and the output of each solar cell is not individually detected. Neither could it be easily detected.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, is versatile, can be used for various loads having different power and voltage, and detects the presence of a defective solar cell.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a solar cell device capable of separating the solar cell.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following arrangement. That is, in the solar cell device according to the present invention, a plurality of solar cells are connected by a two-contact changeover switch and a single-contact open / close switch, and by controlling the changeover switch and the open / close switch, the solar cells are connected in series, in parallel, The connection state can be appropriately switched such as a combination connection in series and parallel, a single connection, or disconnection, and an output power monitoring circuit for detecting output power is provided on the output side. is there.

According to the present invention, by controlling the changeover switch and the open / close switch, the solar cell switches the connection state appropriately, such as series connection, parallel connection, combined connection of series and parallel, single connection, or disconnection. Therefore, it is versatile and can be used for various loads having different power and voltage.

Further, since an output power monitoring circuit for detecting output power is provided on the output side, it is easy to detect output power when switching the connection state, and it is possible to quickly respond to various loads. If the switches and the on / off switch are controlled to sequentially connect each solar cell to a single connection state, the output of each solar cell can be sequentially detected individually, and a failure is determined based on the detected output of each solar cell. It is also possible to detect the existence of a solar cell and output the electric power in an optimum state at all times by separating the defective solar cell.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

First, in FIG. 1, C1 and C2 are solar cells, two of which are provided. Solar cells C1, C2
Any suitable solar cell such as a monocrystalline or polycrystalline crystalline silicon solar cell, an amorphous amorphous silicon solar cell, or a compound semiconductor solar cell is used, and is not particularly limited. The solar cells C1 and C2 may be cells or modules.

Next, SW1 to SW4 are changeover switches having two contacts, that is, at least an A contact and a B contact, and SW5 to SW6 and SW13 to SW17 are single-contact open / close switches which perform on / off operations. T1 and T2 are output terminals to which a load is connected, T1 is a ground line, T2 is a power supply line, and T3 to T5 and T8 are the circuits of FIG. 1 connected in parallel, connected in series, or similar to the present invention. It is an external connection terminal for connecting another solar cell device having a function. The open / close switch SW13, SW
Reference numeral 14 denotes an output terminal T when the output of the solar cells C1 and C2 is detected.
1 and T2 for disconnecting the load. Open / close switches SW15 to SW17 are connected to external connection terminals T3 to T4.
And other external connection devices connected to T8. Note that a load may be directly connected to the output terminals T1 and T2, or may be connected via another circuit or device such as a power storage device.

The changeover switches SW1 to SW4 and the open / close switches SW5 to SW6 and SW13 to SW17 connect the solar cells C1 and C2 to form a predetermined circuit. ~ SW17, the solar cells C1 and C2 are connected in series, connected in parallel,
A connection state such as a combination connection in series and parallel connection, a single connection, or disconnection can be appropriately switched, and power and voltage corresponding to the load are output from the output terminals T1 and T2. And the external connection can be disconnected.

Output power monitoring circuit connection terminals T6 to T7 are connected to output power monitoring circuit CH1. Output power monitoring circuit CH1 is connected to output power monitoring circuit connection terminals T6 to T7. The output power, voltage and the like are detected.

Therefore, the changeover switches SW1 to SW4 and the open / close switches SW5 to SW6 and SW13 to SW17
Is controlled so that the solar cells C1 and C2 are sequentially connected in a single connection state, the output of each of the solar cells C1 and C2 can be individually detected in order, and the detected solar cells C1 and C2 can be sequentially detected.
The presence of a defective solar cell can be detected based on the output of No. 2 and the defective solar cell can be separated to output power in an optimal state at all times. Further, when the connection state is switched, the output power is detected, so that the output power is detected and the solar cell C quickly responds to various loads.
By appropriately switching the connection state, such as series connection, parallel connection, combination connection of series and parallel, single connection, or disconnection, power and voltage corresponding to the load can be output.

The control of the changeover switches SW1 to SW4 and the open / close switches SW5 to SW6 and SW13 to SW17 may be controlled by an externally connected control device.
And open / close switches SW5 to SW6 and SW13 to SW1
For 7, a low-consumption type latching type, preferably a low-consumption type, such as a relay, a semiconductor relay, a transistor, or an FET, is used, and a control circuit is provided in an output power monitoring circuit CH1, and based on the detected output power, The changeover switches SW1 to SW4 and the open / close switch SW for appropriately switching the connection state of the solar cells C1 and C2.
5 to SW6 and SW13 to SW17 may be controlled by this control circuit.

Next, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be described. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is obtained by connecting the two circuits shown in FIG. 1 in parallel. In this embodiment, four solar cells C1 to C4 are provided, and the four solar cells C1 to C4 are provided.
Are at least two-contact changeover switches SW1 to SW4 and SW7 to SW10 each having an A contact and a B contact, and single-contact open / close switches SW5 to SW6 that perform on / off operations.
1, and T1 and T2 are output terminals connected to a load, as in FIG.
T3 to T5 are external connection terminals, and CH1 is an output power monitoring circuit provided with a control circuit.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, by controlling the changeover switches SW1 to SW4 and SW7 to SW10 and the open / close switches SW5 to SW6 and SW11 to SW17, the solar cells C1 to C4 are connected in series, in parallel and in series. Parallel combination connection, single connection or disconnection, etc.
The connection state can be appropriately switched, power and voltage corresponding to the load are output from the output terminals T1 and T2, and the load and the external connection can be disconnected.

In this embodiment, the changeover switches SW1 to SW
W4 and SW7 to SW10 and open / close switch SW5 to S
Table 1 shows an example of the connection state of the solar cells C1 to C4 in the contact state of W6 and SW11 to SW17. In Table 1, A and B are changeover switches SW1 to SW
4 and the state where SW7 to SW10 are connected to the A contact side is A
, And the case where it is set to the B contact side is indicated by B, and the on and off are set by the open / close switches SW5 to SW6 and SW11 to S
It indicates that W17 is turned on or off, and-indicates a state where any of A contact, B contact, and on / off may be used.

Table 1 will be specifically described for a case where the connection state is "4 series". "4 series" means that all four solar cells C1 to C4 are connected in series, and the contact state in this case is the changeover switches SW1 to SW
3 and SW8 to SW10 are A contacts, changeover switch SW4
And SW7 are connected to the B contact side, and the open / close switch SW6,
SW12 and SW17 are turned off, and the open / close switch S
W5, SW11, SW15, and SW16 indicate that they may be turned on or off.

[0019]

[Table 1]

As shown in Table 1, the changeover switch SW1
To SW4 and SW7 to SW10 and open / close switch SW5
By controlling SW6 to SW6 and SW11 to SW17, the connection state of the solar cells C1 to C4 can be appropriately switched such as series connection, parallel connection, combination connection of series and parallel, single connection, or disconnection. Power and voltage can be quickly switched to output. In addition, by setting the contact states shown in “C1 output detection” and “C2 output detection” in Table 1, each solar cell C1
To C4 can also be confirmed.

Although the circuit of FIG. 1 has a basic configuration and the form of FIG. 2 is connected in parallel with two circuits, the present invention is not limited to this, and an arbitrary number of circuits may be connected in series, in parallel or in series. The connection may be made by combining parallel or the like.

[0022]

According to the present invention, by controlling the changeover switch and the open / close switch, each solar cell can be connected in series, in parallel, in a combination of series and parallel, in a single connection,
Alternatively, since the connection state such as disconnection can be switched as appropriate, it is versatile and can be used for various loads having different power and voltage.

Since the output side is provided with an output power monitoring circuit for detecting the output power, it is easy to detect the output power when switching the connection state, and it is possible to quickly respond to various loads. If the switches and the on / off switch are controlled to sequentially connect each solar cell to a single connection state, the output of each solar cell can be sequentially detected individually, and a failure is determined based on the detected output of each solar cell. It is also possible to detect the existence of a solar cell and output the electric power in an optimum state at all times by separating the defective solar cell.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 C1 to C4 Solar cells SW1 to SW4, SW7 to SW10 Changeover switches SW5 to SW6, SW11 to SW17 Open / close switches T1, T2 Output terminals T3 to T5, T8 External connection terminals T6, T7 Output power monitoring circuit connection terminal CH1 Output power monitoring circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] A plurality of solar cells are connected by a two-contact changeover switch and a single-contact open / close switch, and by controlling the changeover switch and the open / close switch, the solar cells can be connected in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel. A solar cell device characterized in that a connection state such as joint connection, single connection, or disconnection can be appropriately switched, and an output power monitoring circuit for detecting output power is provided on an output side. 2. The output power monitoring circuit is provided with a control circuit for controlling the changeover switch and the open / close switch so as to appropriately switch the connection state of each solar cell based on the detected output power. Solar cell device.