Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
  • G08B13/00—Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
  • G08B13/02—Mechanical actuation
  • G08B13/14—Mechanical actuation by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles
  • G08B13/1409—Mechanical actuation by lifting or attempted removal of hand-portable articles for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
  • G08B13/1418—Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
  • H01L31/02—Details
  • H01L31/02016—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices
  • H01L31/02019—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
  • H01L31/02021—Circuit arrangements of general character for the devices for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier for solar cells
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
  • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an antitheft and control system for solar panels of the photovoltaic type.
• a well-known type of equipment capable of producing energy starting from sunlight consists of so-called photovoltaic modules or panels. These photovoltaic panels are devices capable of directly converting solar energy into electric energy by means of a photovoltaic effect.
• photovoltaic modules There are substantially two types of photovoltaic modules, depending on whether the single photovoltaic cells of which they are formed are produced with a crystalline structure, usually made of silicon, or with thin layers of materials having photovoltaic properties, among which silicon is still the most widely used in addition to other chemical elements, in this case called thin-film photovoltaic modules.
• photovoltaic solar panels can be installed both on the roofs of buildings and on the ground, normally in uncultivated fields accessible to everyone. In both the former and latter cases, there is an increasing number of thefts of the panels themselves, which are then sold on the black market due to their high commercial value.
• An objective of the present invention is therefore to provide an antitheft system for solar panels of the photovoltaic type capable of making the panel immediately unusable if it is subjected to theft, introducing a deterrent to theft, an innovative factor with respect to the signaling systems of theft and/or intrusion so far used.
• a further objective of the invention is to provide an antitheft system for solar panels which enables the remote control of the activation and deactivation of several panels contemporaneously on the basis of certain situations of use.
• Another objective of the invention is to provide an antitheft system for solar panels capable of measuring various characteristic magnitudes of the panel during functioning, typically voltage, current and temperature of the cells.
• yet another objective of the invention is to provide an antitheft system for solar panels which is particularly economical and easy to produce and install.
• figure 1 is a total schematic sectional view of a generic solar panel to which an antitheft system according to the present invention can be applied.
• figure 2 is a detailed schematic view of the panel of figure 1;
• figure 3 is a schematic view which illustrates an embodiment of an antitheft system for solar panels according to the present invention;
• figures 4 to 6 schematically show the installation phases of an antitheft system according to the present invention on a generic solar panel;
• figures 7 and 8 schematically show two different functioning types of an antitheft system for solar panels according to the present invention.
• the solar panel 10 has a front operative surface 12, facing the sun and capable of converting solar radiation into energy, and a rear surface 14 on which a derivation box 16 is assembled.
• the derivation box 16 contains the electrical connection equipment of the solar panel 10 to the electric power supply and/or possible accumulation batteries (not shown) , by the interposition of an inverter 18 (figures 7 and 8) capable of converting the direct current at a low voltage generated by the solar panel itself 10 into alternating current at the line voltage to be subsequently sent for various uses.
• the derivation box 16 is electrically connected, on one side, to the solar panel 10 through appropriate connection wires 20 and 22 whereas on the other side, it has a terminal connector 24 for connection to the electric system and/or to the electric equipment situated downstream of the solar panel itself 10.
• the antitheft system comprises at least one electronic device 26 installed inside its derivation box 16, said electronic device 26 being electrically connected to the connection wires 20 and 22 at the outlet of the above solar panel 10.
• the electronic device 26, produced in the form of an electronic card having particularly reduced dimensions, so as to be installed without any problems on most of the panels present on the market, is capable of interrupting at least one of the two poles (positive and/or negative) through which the electric energy, produced by the solar panel 10, is supplied towards the electric system.
• the electronic card 26 is capable of activating and deactivating the solar panel 10 on which it is applied in relation to certain codified signals transmitted from one or more remote management centres 28 (figures 7 and 8) .
• the transmission of the signals can take place both according to the serial mode and also the parallel mode.
• said remote management centre 28 can communicate, through a signal transmission technique for example a wireless network (figure 7) , from a power line communication or PLC on an electric line 30 (figure 8), or from a generic communication wire, with each single electronic device 26, 26', 26' ', 26''' situated on a plurality of different solar panels 10, 10', 10'', 10''', generating activation and deactivation commands of the latter according to the requirements.
• Each electronic card 26 contains a switch or relay driven by a microprocessor 32.
• the microprocessor 32 is capable of communicating, by means of the appropriate signal transmission technique, with the remote management centre 28, receiving coded identification signals of the relative panel 26 from it, and consequently activating the relay which closes the contact and puts the pole, interrupted by the same relay, in communication, through a suitable terminal connector 34, with the electric plant to which the solar panel 10 is connected.
• this can be provided, instead of with a microprocessor 32, with simpler electronic circuits having a specific control logic.
• the lack of communication between the microprocessor 32 on each single electronic card 26 and the remote management centre 28, causes the desiccation of the relay, with a consequent physical interruption of the energy supply on the part of the relative solar panel 10.
• Each electronic card 26 has its own electric power supply, consisting for example of a connection to an independent serial line, which serves to communicate with the remote management centre 28, or specific accumulators (not shown) , to be able to remain activated even when the solar panel 10 is not generating electric energy and therefore being independent of the solar panel itself 10.
• the electronic card 26 can be constructed with the ultrafine technology, i.e. with a thickness of less than 1 mm and with an operative surface of less than 10 cm 2 .
• This manufacturing technology allows the installation of the electronic card 26 inside any solar panel 10 of the photovoltaic type currently on the market, between the rear surface 14 of the panel 10 (usually made of Tedlar ) and the EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) film situated above the photovoltaic cells, subsequently covered by the front glass before the lamination process.
• the insertion of the electronic card 26 can be effected in correspondence with the collection and closing point of the series of electric conductors of the solar panel 10, at the end of the positive and negative poles of the generator, by welding.
• the conductors of the negative and positive poles leaving the back of the Tedlar sheet are connected, again by welding, as will be better indicated hereunder, to the electronic card 26 and are fixed in the derivation box 16. This installation procedure allows the electronic card 26 to be visible on the front operative surface 12 of the solar panel 10, but also inaccessible unless the solar panel 10 is destroyed or seriously damaged.
• the antitheft system for solar panels according to the present invention can be applied both in the production phase of a certain solar panel 10, or on solar panels 10 already produced, installed or waiting to be installed.
• the electronic card 26 can be applied directly on the electric connection wires 20 and 22 leaving the solar panel 10, inside the specific derivation box, according to the following method (shown in figures 4 to 6) .
• connection wire 20, 22 is introduced into a corresponding alveolus 36, 38 specifically arranged on the electronic card 26, so that it can be positioned adjacent to the rear surface 14 of the solar panel 10 in the outlet area of the two connection wires 20 and 22.
• connection wires 20 and 22 are irremovably fixed, for example by welding, to the respective alveoli 36 and 38 (figure 5) and the card 26 itself is at least partially covered with an adhesive layer of composed resin 40 (figure 6) until it remains blocked in position on the rear surface 14 of the panel 10.
• the whole electronic card 26 is preferably covered by the layer of resin 40, except for its terminal connector 34 for connection to the electric system.
• the electronic card 26 can also have electronic means for controlling the physical parameters (voltage V, current A and temperature T) of the solar panel 10, thus grouping together, in a single device, all the functions necessary for the management and control of the panel 10 itself. More specifically, the voltage values V, current A and temperature T are measured by means of specific probes, situated inside the solar panel 10 and connected to the electronic card 26, which is capable of indicating said values and transmitting them to the remote management centre 28.
• the antitheft system for solar panels achieves the objectives indicated above.
• the application of the electronic card to the panel allows this to be protected, by interrupting the power supply if the panel is disconnected from the plant, with the necessity of knowing the codes for its re-activation, or irreparably damaging it in an attempt to remove the card.
• the objectives of the invention are also achieved with particular attention with reference to the validity of the certifications IEC 61215 and IEC 61646 mentioned above.
• the objectives are achieved if the introduction of the electronic antitheft device does not modify the behaviour of the solar panel as an electric generator. If the antitheft device in no way subtracts energy from the solar panel, as it is electrically supplied independently of the solar panel itself, the certification of the panel is not modified.
• the device in this case, consists of an electronic circuit with reduced dimensions, it can be introduced into the junction box of the solar panel, normally installed on the back of the panel itself.
• the power supply of the electronic device is guaranteed by a connection of an independent serial line, necessary for ensuring data communication to a central unit and, at the same time, providing the electric power supply of the device itself, inserted in the junction box of the solar panel. It is therefore sufficient to certify the mechanical installation of the electronic device inside said junction box and the behaviour of the device itself, without having to certify the whole capacity of the solar panel of responding to the above regulations . This aspect becomes extremely important and sometimes essential.

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Cited By (64)

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Citations (3)

• 2007
  • 2007-10-30 IT ITMI20072094 patent/ITMI20072094A1/it unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-10-24 WO PCT/IB2008/002911 patent/WO2009056957A2/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (3)

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