Switching device and photovoltaic system

Abstract

The invention discloses a switching device and a photovoltaic system, and belongs to the technical field of electric power. The switching device comprises a shell, a first connecting piece and a second connecting piece which are fixedly connected to the shell, and a switching device, a controller and an energy collector which are accommodated in the shell, the switching device is connected in series between the first connecting piece and the second connecting piece, and the controller is electrically connected with the switching device and used for controlling the switching device to be switched on and switched off; the energy collector is electrically connected with the controller, the energy collector is used for converting environment energy into electric energy, and the environment energy comprises at least one of electromagnetic signals, thermal gradient, vibration energy and light energy. The power supply of the switch device depends on the energy collector instead of the photovoltaic module, so that the problem that the power supply cannot be performed on the switch device when a fire or short circuit occurs in the photovoltaic module for power supply is effectively avoided, and the operation reliability of the switch device is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of power technologies, and particularly to a switching device and a photovoltaic system. Background Art

[0002] A photovoltaic system refers to a system that uses solar energy to generate electricity. It usually includes photovoltaic modules, an inverter, a grid connection cabinet, etc. Among them, the photovoltaic modules convert light energy into electrical energy, and the inverter converts the direct current provided by the photovoltaic modules into alternating current and transmits it to the load via the grid connection cabinet. The photovoltaic system usually uses multiple photovoltaic modules connected in series to meet the voltage and current requirements of the power system. To improve safety, a safety switch is usually provided between the photovoltaic modules. When the photovoltaic modules are in a safe state, the safety switch is turned on. When a fire, short circuit, or maintenance is required for some photovoltaic modules, the safety switch is turned off.

[0003] In the related art, a power circuit is provided in the safety switch, and the power circuit is connected to the photovoltaic modules, so that the photovoltaic modules are used to supply power to the safety switch. However, the above power supply method of the safety switch has the disadvantage of poor reliability, because when a fire or short circuit occurs in the photovoltaic modules for power supply, it cannot be fully guaranteed whether the power supply to the safety switch can be carried out or continued. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a switching device and a photovoltaic system, which can solve the technical problems existing in the related art. The technical solutions are as follows.

[0005] On the one hand, a switching device is provided. The switching device includes an electrical connector, the electrical connector includes a housing, a first connector and a second connector fixedly connected to the housing, and a switching device, a controller, and an energy collector accommodated inside the housing; the switching device is connected in series between the first connector and the second connector, the controller is electrically connected to the switching device and is used to control the on and off of the switching device; the energy collector is electrically connected to the controller, and the energy collector is used to convert environmental energy into electrical energy, where the environmental energy includes at least one of electromagnetic signals, thermal gradients, vibration energy, and light energy.

[0006] The switching device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can be connected in series between multiple photovoltaic modules through the first connector and the second connector of the electrical connector, so as to be used as a safety switch of the photovoltaic system. During application, the controller controls whether the switching device of the switching device is turned on or off in response to whether the operating state of the photovoltaic system is safe. When the switching device is in the on state, the photovoltaic modules connected in series by the switching device remain connected. When the switching device is in the off state, the photovoltaic modules are disconnected, thereby realizing safety management.

[0007] In particular, the switch device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is powered by an energy harvester. The energy harvester collects ambient energy including electromagnetic signals, thermal gradients, vibration energy, and light energy, and converts the ambient energy into electrical energy. Thus, the controller and the switching device are powered based on the energy harvester, which enables the power supply of the switch device not to depend on photovoltaic modules, effectively avoiding the problem that the switch device cannot be powered when the photovoltaic module for power supply catches fire or is short-circuited. In this way, the operation reliability of the switch device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is significantly improved.

[0008] In some possible implementation manners, the energy harvester includes: an ambient energy power generation unit, an energy regulation unit, and an energy storage unit; the ambient energy power generation unit is configured to collect ambient energy and convert the ambient energy into electrical energy; an input end of the energy regulation unit is connected to an output end of the ambient energy power generation unit, an output end of the energy regulation unit is connected to the controller, and the energy regulation unit is configured to adjust the power output of the electrical energy; an input end of the energy storage unit is connected to another output end of the energy regulation unit, an output end of the energy storage unit is connected to the controller, and an output end of the energy storage unit is connected to an input end of the energy regulation unit, and the energy storage unit is configured to store redundant electrical energy.

[0009] Through the above-described implementation manner of the energy harvester, the electrical energy provided by the energy harvester can not only be output to the controller at an appropriate power level, but also the redundant electrical energy can be stored by the energy storage unit, ensuring the maximization of resource utilization.

[0010] In some possible implementation manners, the switch device further includes a wireless communication module, and the wireless communication module is configured to perform wireless communication with the controller. By adopting the wireless communication module to perform wireless communication with the controller in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the above technical problem is effectively solved, and the communication reliability between the switch device and the outside is improved.

[0011] In some possible implementation manners, the wireless communication module includes: a wireless receiving antenna, a high-pass filter, a low-pass filter, a high-frequency signal control circuit, and a low-frequency signal control circuit; the high-pass filter and the low-pass filter are both electrically connected to the wireless receiving antenna, and the high-pass filter and the low-pass filter are arranged in parallel; the high-pass filter is electrically connected to the controller through the high-frequency signal control circuit, and the high-pass filter is configured to receive a high-frequency signal from the high-pass filter and convert it into a high-level signal; the low-pass filter is electrically connected to the controller through the low-frequency signal control circuit, and the low-frequency signal control circuit is configured to receive a low-frequency signal from the low-pass filter and convert it into a low-level signal; the controller is configured to control the switch device to turn on in response to one of the high-level signal and the low-level signal, or control the switch device to turn off in response to the other of the high-level signal and the low-level signal.

[0012] The working mode of the wireless communication module provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is as follows: The wireless receiving antenna can receive high-frequency signals and low-frequency signals, and the high-pass filter and the low-pass filter are used to filter the signals from the wireless receiving antenna. Among them, the high-frequency signal is transmitted to the high-frequency signal control circuit through the high-pass filter, and the high-frequency signal control circuit converts the high-frequency signal into a high-level signal and transmits it to the controller. The high-level signal can be, for example, a turn-on instruction. Thus, the controller is triggered by the high-level signal and then controls the switch device to turn on. The low-frequency signal will be transmitted to the low-frequency signal control circuit through the low-pass filter, and the low-frequency signal control circuit converts the low-frequency signal into a low-level signal and transmits it to the controller. The low-level signal can be, for example, a turn-off instruction. Thus, the controller is triggered by the low-level signal and then controls the switch device to turn off.

[0013] It can be seen that in the implementation manner of the wireless communication module provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, high-frequency signals and low-frequency signals are used to output turn-on instructions and turn-off instructions. This wireless communication method requires a complex clock and has a simpler encoding. It not only has lower power consumption but also significantly reduces costs.

[0014] In some possible implementation manners, the switch device further includes a sensor, and the sensor is configured to measure electrical parameters and transmit them to the controller. The controller is configured to control the turning on and off of the switch device according to the electrical parameters. Exemplarily, the sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a pressure sensor, and a current sensor.

[0015] By further integrating and arranging sensors in the switching device, the sensors monitor the operating state of the switching device itself and feed back to the controller in real time, enabling the controller to give a timely warning on whether the switching device needs to be disconnected, which further improves the operation reliability of the switching device and ensures the safe operation of the switching device.

[0016] In some examples, the switching device includes Si-based power transistors, SiC power transistors, GaN power transistors, Ga 2 O 3 power transistors, AlN power transistors, diamond power transistors or microelectromechanical system switches, and the above-mentioned power transistors or switches are connected in series between the first connector and the second connector. Exemplarily, the Si-based power transistors include, but are not limited to, the following power transistor types: MOSFET, BJT, JFET, IGBT, etc.

[0017] In some possible implementation manners, the first connector includes a first connector and a first cable, and two ends of the first cable are electrically connected to the first connector and the switching device respectively; the second connector includes a second connector and a second cable, and two ends of the second cable are electrically connected to the second connector and the switching device respectively; wherein, one of the first connector and the second connector is a female connector and the other is a male connector. Correspondingly, safety management objects can be arranged such that, for example, both ends of a photovoltaic module are provided with a male terminal and a female terminal, and the photovoltaic module is adaptively connected to the female connector of the switching device based on its male terminal, and the photovoltaic module is adaptively connected to the male connector of the switching device based on its female terminal. With such an arrangement, it is more beneficial to simplify the installation operation between the switching device and the photovoltaic module.

[0018] On the other hand, a photovoltaic system is provided, which includes at least one switching device, a plurality of photovoltaic modules and a power conversion device, wherein, the switching device is as described in any one of the above; the plurality of photovoltaic modules are connected in series, the switching device is connected in series between two adjacent photovoltaic modules among the plurality of photovoltaic modules, and the power conversion device is electrically connected to the plurality of serially connected photovoltaic modules for converting the direct current provided by the photovoltaic modules into alternating current.

[0019] The photovoltaic system provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure has all the advantages of the switching device involved above, which will not be elaborated herein.

[0020] In some possible implementation manners, one of the first connecting member and the second connecting member of the switch device includes a male connector, and the other includes a female connector; the two adjacent photovoltaic modules respectively have a male terminal and a female terminal, the male terminal is fixedly connected to and electrically connected to the female connector, and the female terminal is fixedly connected to and electrically connected to the male connector. Based on this implementation manner, the switch device can be quickly and reliably connected between adjacent photovoltaic modules, reducing the installation difficulty and improving the installation efficiency.

[0021] In some possible implementation manners, the switch device is integrally arranged with at least one of the male terminal and the female terminal. The above-mentioned integrated arrangement scheme of the switch device enables the switch device to be designed in the terminal of a photovoltaic module and can be connected to the terminal of another adjacent photovoltaic module. On the basis of ensuring the connection efficiency between different photovoltaic modules, it is more beneficial to simplify the structural arrangement of the photovoltaic system and reduce its cost. Description of the Drawings

[0022] Figure 1 Structural schematic diagram of an exemplary switch device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 2 Structural schematic diagram of an exemplary energy collector provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 3 Structural schematic diagram of another exemplary switch device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 4 is Figure 3 Operation flowchart of the shown switch device;

[0026] Figure 5 Structural schematic diagram of an exemplary wireless communication module provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 6 Distribution diagram of an exemplary high-frequency signal and low-frequency signal provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 7 Structural schematic diagram of yet another exemplary switch device provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 8 is Figure 7 Operation flowchart of the shown switch device;

[0030] Figure 9 Partial structural schematic diagram of an exemplary photovoltaic system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] The reference numerals respectively denote:

[0032] 100. Switching device;

[0033] 11. Electrical connector; 110. Housing; 111. First connector; 1111. First connector; 1112. First cable; 112. Second connector; 1121. Second connector; 1122. Second cable; 12. Switching device; 13. Controller; 14. Energy harvester; 141. Ambient energy power generation unit; 142. Energy regulation unit; 143. Energy storage unit; 15. Wireless communication module; 151. Wireless receiving antenna; 152. High-pass filter; 1521. First capacitor; 1522. First inductor; 153. Low-pass filter; 1531. Second inductor; 1532. Second capacitor; 154. High-frequency signal control circuit; 155. Low-frequency signal control circuit; 16. Sensor;

[0034] 200. Photovoltaic module;

[0035] 300. Power conversion device. Detailed implementation

[0036] Currently, a photovoltaic system usually includes a plurality of photovoltaic units connected in parallel between a ground bus and a power bus. Each photovoltaic unit includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules connected in series. And, at least some of the plurality of photovoltaic units are provided with a plurality of safety switches. Each safety switch is connected in series between two adjacent photovoltaic modules. The safety switch can be used to connect or disconnect the adjacent photovoltaic modules. To supply power to the safety switch, the safety switch is provided with a power circuit, and the power circuit is connected to the photovoltaic module. Thus, the photovoltaic module is used to supply power to the safety switch. However, the above-mentioned power supply method of the safety switch relying on the photovoltaic module has the disadvantage of poor reliability. Because, when a fire or short circuit occurs in the photovoltaic module for power supply, it cannot be fully guaranteed whether the power supply to the safety switch can be carried out or continued.

[0037] In view of the above technical problems, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a switching device 100, as shown in the appendix Figure 1 shown, the switching device 100 includes: a housing 110, a first connector 111 and a second connector 112 fixedly connected to the housing 110. Further, Figure 1 it is also shown that the switching device 100 further includes a switching device 12, a controller 13 and an energy harvester 14 accommodated inside the housing 110. The switching device 12 is connected in series between the first connector 111 and the second connector 112. The controller 13 is electrically connected to the switching device 12 and is used to control the connection and disconnection of the switching device 12. The energy harvester 14 is electrically connected to the controller 13. The energy harvester 14 is used to convert ambient energy into electrical energy, where the ambient energy includes at least one of electromagnetic signals, thermal gradients, vibration energy, and light energy.

[0038] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the whole formed by the first connector 111, the second connector 112 and the housing 110 can be referred to as the electrical connector 11. In some examples, the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 are respectively arranged at two ends of the housing 110 distributed along its axial direction. Further, for example, the electrical connector 11 can be designed in the form of a terminal to simplify the assembly operation of the switching device 100 in the photovoltaic system.

[0039] The switching device 100 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can be connected in series between a plurality of photovoltaic modules 200 by arranging the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 on the housing 110, so as to be used as a safety switch of the photovoltaic system. During application, the controller 13 controls whether the switching device 12 of the switching device 100 is turned on or off in response to whether the operating state of the photovoltaic system is safe. When the switching device 12 is in the on state, the photovoltaic modules 200 connected in series by the switching device 100 remain connected. When the switching device 12 is in the off state, the photovoltaic modules 200 are disconnected, thereby realizing safety management.

[0040] Particularly, the switching device 100 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is powered by the energy harvester 14. The energy harvester 14 collects ambient energy including electromagnetic signals, thermal gradients, vibration energy, and light energy, and converts the ambient energy into electrical energy. Thus, the controller 13 and the switching device 12 are powered based on the energy harvester 14, which makes the power supply of the switching device 100 no longer dependent on the photovoltaic modules 200, effectively avoiding the problem that the switching device 100 cannot be powered when the photovoltaic modules 200 for power supply catch fire or are short-circuited. In this way, the operation reliability of the switching device 100 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is significantly improved.

[0041] It should be noted that the energy harvester 14 is electrically connected to the controller 13 to directly power the controller 13. The switching device 12 is controlled and driven by the controller 13 and correspondingly obtains power supply from the controller 13. That is to say, the power supply of the energy harvester 14 to the switching device 12 is an indirect power supply based on the controller 13.

[0042] An energy harvesting (EH) device can collect ambient energy (abbreviated as ambient energy) in the environment and convert the ambient energy into electrical energy, so as to provide power for the switching device 100. The following is an exemplary description of the arrangement and function of the energy harvester 14 involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0043] For an energy harvester 14 that can convert a thermal gradient into electrical energy, also known as a thermal energy harvester, it can convert a thermal gradient (i.e., temperature difference) into electrical energy through a thermoelectric material. It is desirable that the thermoelectric material used has a low thermal conductivity, high electrical conductivity, and high Seebeck coefficient.

[0044] For an energy harvester 14 that can convert vibrational energy into electrical energy, also known as a vibration energy harvester, it converts mechanical vibration into electrical energy based on the piezoelectric effect through a piezoelectric material.

[0045] For an energy harvester 14 that can convert an electromagnetic signal (such as a radio frequency signal) into electrical energy, also known as an electromagnetic energy harvester, it can convert electromagnetic energy into electrical energy through an electromagnetic material.

[0046] For an energy harvester 14 that can convert light energy into electrical energy, also known as a light energy harvester, it converts light energy into electrical energy through a device such as a photovoltaic cell. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the energy harvester 14 employs a light energy harvester, it is necessary to place the energy harvester 14 under a light source condition. For example, the housing 110 is made of a light-transmitting material and the switching device 100 is in a light source environment, and the light source can be, for example, solar energy.

[0047] In some examples, as shown in the appendix Figure 2 The energy harvester 14 includes: an ambient energy power generation unit 141, an energy regulation unit 142, and an energy storage unit 143. Among them, the ambient energy power generation unit 141 is used to collect ambient energy and convert the ambient energy into electrical energy. The input end of the energy regulation unit 142 is connected to the output end of the ambient energy power generation unit 141, one output end of the energy regulation unit 142 is connected to the controller 13, and the energy regulation unit 142 is used to adjust the power output of the electrical energy. The input end of the energy storage unit 143 is connected to the other output end of the energy regulation unit 142, and the output end of the energy storage unit 143 is connected to the controller 13. The energy storage unit 143 is used to store excess electrical energy.

[0048] Through the above-described embodiments of the energy harvester 14, the electrical energy provided by the energy harvester 14 can not only be output to the controller 13 at an appropriate power level, but also the excess electrical energy can be stored by the energy storage unit 143 to ensure maximum utilization of resources.

[0049] In some examples, the ambient energy power generation unit 141 outputs direct current (for example, when the ambient energy is light energy or thermal gradient). Correspondingly, the energy regulation unit 142 may further include: a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuit, an energy storage capacitor, and a voltage regulator that are electrically connected in sequence. The input end of the maximum power point tracking circuit is connected to the output end of the ambient energy power generation unit 141, and the output end of the maximum power point tracking circuit is connected to the corresponding energy storage capacitor and boost module. The maximum power point tracking circuit is used to input the voltage at the maximum power to the energy storage capacitor; the voltage regulator is used to adjust the unstable output voltage of the electrical energy provided by the ambient energy power generation unit 141 to a desired stable voltage.

[0050] In other examples, the ambient energy power generation unit 141 outputs alternating current. Correspondingly, the energy regulation unit 142 may further include: a rectifier circuit, an energy storage capacitor, and a voltage regulator that are electrically connected in sequence. The input end of the rectifier circuit is connected to the output end of the ambient energy power generation unit 141, and the output end of the rectifier circuit is connected to the corresponding energy storage capacitor and boost module. The rectifier circuit is used to rectify the alternating current into direct current and input the rectified voltage to the energy storage capacitor; the voltage regulator is used to adjust the unstable output voltage of the electrical energy provided by the ambient energy power generation unit 141 to a desired stable voltage. Some applicable voltage regulators may be at least one of a buck converter, a boost converter, a linear regulator, and a voltage stabilizer. For example, the voltage regulator includes a boost converter and a voltage stabilizer electrically connected to the boost converter. The boost converter is used to boost the voltage of the energy storage capacitor and output a boosted signal to the voltage stabilizer, and the voltage stabilizer is used to regulate the boosted signal and output a regulated signal to the load.

[0051] The energy storage unit 143 is used to store excess energy to ensure that the switching device 100 can be powered in a timely manner when the energy collection is insufficient or the energy is unstable. Exemplarily, the energy storage unit 143 may include a battery or a capacitor. Further, the capacitor may be a conventional traditional capacitor or a supercapacitor. The supercapacitor can store and release a large current in a short time to achieve a fast response. In some examples, the energy collector 14 may further include a power distribution and management unit. The power distribution and management unit is used to distribute the electrical energy output from the energy regulation unit 142 to ensure that multiple devices that need to be powered in the switching device 100 can obtain sufficient electrical energy during operation and are in a low-power or off state when not in operation.

[0052] In summary, the switching device 100 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure collects energy such as electromagnetic signals, thermal gradients, and vibration energy in the surrounding environment based on the energy harvester 14 and converts it into electrical energy to supply power to the switching device 100, thereby improving the reliability of the switching device 100 when operating in a photovoltaic system. Moreover, according to actual requirements, the energy harvester 14 can be further improved. For example, the above solution regarding the energy harvester 14 can perform operations such as collecting, boosting, and stabilizing the electrical energy of alternating current and direct current, ensuring that the energy harvester 14 can continuously and stably output electrical energy with an expected power, which is more beneficial for the independent, continuous, and maintenance-free operation of the switching device 100.

[0053] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the controller 13 can control the switching device 12 to switch from the on state to the off state in response to corresponding instructions. Some implementation manners of the controller 13 include but are not limited to: analog circuits, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSP), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), etc.

[0054] The controller 13 can be configured to be able to independently confirm an unsafe condition (see Figure 1 the above solution. For example, the controller 13 can independently obtain relevant parameters to determine whether an unsafe condition has occurred, thereby performing control operations on the switching device 12).

[0055] Alternatively, the controller 13 can also be configured to receive an indication of an unsafe condition from the outside. For this case, as shown in the appendix Figure 3 the switching device 100 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a wireless communication module 15, and the wireless communication module 15 is used for wireless communication with the controller 13.

[0056] When the switching device 100 includes the wireless communication module 15, the energy controller 13 is further used to supply power to the wireless communication module 15. The wireless communication module 15 can receive instructions from the outside (a disconnect instruction to disconnect the switching device 12, a connect instruction to connect the switching device 12), and transmit the above instructions to the controller 13 in a wireless transmission manner.

[0057] As shown in the appendix Figure 3As shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a switching device 100, which includes: a housing 110, a first connecting member 111 and a second connecting member 112 fixedly connected to the housing 110, and a switching device 12, a controller 13, an energy harvester 14, and a wireless communication module 15 accommodated inside the housing 110. The switching device 12 is serially connected between the first connecting member 111 and the second connecting member 112, and the controller 13 is electrically connected to the switching device 12 for controlling the on and off of the switching device 12. The energy harvester 14 is used to supply power to the controller 13, the switching device 12, and the wireless communication module 15.

[0058] Figure 4 As shown Figure 3 The working flowchart of the switching device 100 shown is referred to Figure 4 , the energy harvester 14 supplies power, the switching device 100 is in the working state, and the switching device 12 is in the on state. If the wireless communication module 15 receives a disconnection instruction and transmits it to the controller 13, the controller 13 executes the operation of disconnecting the switching device 12, and the switching device 12 switches from the on state to the off state. The wireless communication module 15 waits for a connection instruction. If the wireless communication module 15 receives a connection instruction and transmits it to the controller 13, the controller 13 executes the operation of connecting the switching device 12, and the switching device 12 switches from the off state to the on state. Conversely, if the wireless communication module 15 does not receive a connection instruction, the switching device 12 maintains the off state.

[0059] In the related art, a power cable is used to connect the controller and the communication device. When accidents such as fires and short circuits occur in the environment where the switching device is located, the power cable is more likely to be damaged, and the power line may not be able to communicate to send a command to the safety switch, thus unable to ensure the reliable communication of the switching device 100. However, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the wireless communication module 15 is used to perform wireless communication with the controller 13, effectively solving the above technical problems and improving the communication reliability between the switching device 100 and the outside world.

[0060] Some wireless communication protocols based on the wireless communication module 15 in the embodiment of the present disclosure include but are not limited to the following: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Z-Wave, cellular communication (such as 4G / 5G networks), Long Range Radio (LoRa), etc., which can be selected according to actual needs.

[0061] In some examples, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a new type of wireless communication module 15, referred to Figure 5, the wireless communication module 15 includes: a wireless receiving antenna 151, a high-pass filter 152, a low-pass filter 153, a high-frequency signal control circuit 154, and a low-frequency signal control circuit 155. Among them, both the high-pass filter 152 and the low-pass filter 153 are electrically connected to the wireless receiving antenna 151, and the high-pass filter 152 and the low-pass filter 153 are arranged in parallel; the high-pass filter 152 is electrically connected to the controller 13 through the high-frequency signal control circuit 154, and the high-frequency signal control circuit 154 is used to receive the high-frequency signal from the high-pass filter 152 and convert it into a high-level signal; the low-pass filter 153 is electrically connected to the controller 13 through the low-frequency signal control circuit 155, and the low-frequency signal control circuit 155 is used to receive the low-frequency signal from the low-pass filter 153 and convert it into a low-level signal. The controller 13 is used to control the switch device 12 to turn on in response to one of the high-level signal and the low-level signal, or to control the switch device 12 to turn off in response to the other of the high-level signal and the low-level signal.

[0062] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, one of the high-level signal and the low-level signal is used to turn on the switch device 12, and the other is used to turn off the switch device 12. For example, the high-level signal is used to turn on the switch device 12, and the low-level signal is used to turn off the switch device 12.

[0063] The wireless receiving antenna 151 can receive high-frequency signals and low-frequency signals. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in the appendix Figure 6 , it is only necessary to make the frequency of the high-frequency signal higher than the frequency of the low-frequency signal. For example, the difference between the frequency of the high-frequency signal and the frequency of the low-frequency signal can be greater than or equal to 10 kHz, and further can be greater than or equal to 50 kHz to 100 kHz, etc. Further, for example, the frequency range of the low-frequency signal can be less than or equal to 100 kHz, and the frequency range of the high-frequency signal can be greater than 100 kHz.

[0064] Among them, the high-pass filter 152 allows high-frequency signals to pass through and blocks low-frequency signals from passing through, and the low-pass filter 153 allows low-frequency signals to pass through and blocks high-frequency signals from passing through. Thus, the high-pass filter 152 and the low-pass filter 153 perform filtering processing on the signals from the wireless receiving antenna 151 to achieve wave division.

[0065] The high-frequency signal control circuit 154 is configured to be able to process high-frequency signals to convert them into high-level signals that can be recognized by the controller 13. Exemplarily, the processing of high-frequency signals by the high-frequency signal control circuit 154 includes, but is not limited to, rectification, amplification, etc. For example, for high-frequency alternating current signals (such as high-frequency sine wave signals), through rectification (the corresponding rectification circuit part can adopt a diode bridge rectification circuit, etc.), the high-frequency alternating current signal is converted into a unidirectional pulsating direct current signal. Then, through the amplification circuit part (for example, including an operational amplifier), the amplitude of the pulsating direct current signal is amplified to an amplitude that meets the high-level requirements, and the formed high-level signal can then be recognized by the controller 13 as a logic level signal.

[0066] The low-frequency signal control circuit 155 is configured to be able to process low-frequency signals to convert them into low-level signals that can be recognized by the controller 13. As described above, the processing of low-frequency signals by the low-frequency signal control circuit 155 includes, but is not limited to, rectification, amplification, etc. The low-frequency signal is converted into a unidirectional pulsating direct current signal through rectification. Then, through the amplification circuit, the amplitude of the pulsating direct current signal is amplified to an amplitude that meets the low-level requirements, and the formed low-level signal can then be recognized by the controller 13 as a logic level signal.

[0067] In summary, the working mode of the wireless communication module 15 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure is as follows: The wireless receiving antenna 151 can receive high-frequency signals and low-frequency signals. The high-pass filter 152 and the low-pass filter 153 are used to filter the signals from the wireless receiving antenna 151. Among them, the high-frequency signal is transmitted to the high-frequency signal control circuit 154 via the high-pass filter 152. The high-frequency signal control circuit 154 converts the high-frequency signal into a high-level signal and transmits it to the controller 13. The high-level signal can be, for example, a turn-on instruction. Thus, the controller 13 is triggered by the high-level signal and then controls the switch device 12 to turn on. The low-frequency signal will be transmitted to the low-frequency signal control circuit 155 via the low-pass filter 153. The low-frequency signal control circuit 155 converts the low-frequency signal into a low-level signal and transmits it to the controller 13. The low-level signal can be, for example, a turn-off instruction. Thus, the controller 13 is triggered by the low-level signal and then controls the switch device 12 to turn off.

[0068] It can be seen that the implementation scheme of the wireless communication module 15 provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure uses high-frequency signals and low-frequency signals to output turn-on instructions and turn-off instructions. This wireless communication method requires a complex clock and has a simpler coding. It not only has lower power consumption but also significantly reduces costs.

[0069] See further Figure 5, which shows that the high-pass filter 152 includes two first capacitors 1521 arranged in parallel and a first inductor 1522 connected between the two first capacitors 1521. The first inductor 1522 is used to block low-frequency signals and allow high-frequency signals to pass through.

[0070] The low-pass filter 153 includes two second inductors 1531 arranged in parallel and a second capacitor 1532 connected between the two second inductors 1531. The second capacitor 1532 is used to block high-frequency signals and allow low-frequency signals to pass through.

[0071] Combined with any one of the above-mentioned switching devices 100, as shown in the appendix Figure 7 As shown, the switching device 100 involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes: a sensor 16 electrically connected to the controller 13. The sensor 16 is used to measure electrical parameters and transmit them to the controller 13, and the controller 13 is used to control the on and off of the switching device 12 according to the electrical parameters.

[0072] The electrical parameters measured by the sensor 16 can be at least one of temperature, current, voltage, and gas. For example, the sensor 16 can be a current sensor for measuring the current flowing through the first connection member 111 and the second connection member 112. The controller 13 is used to compare the current measurement value with a set current threshold. If the current measurement value is higher than the set current threshold, the controller 13 controls the switching device 12 to switch from the on state to the off state. The sensor 16 can also be a voltage sensor for measuring the voltage drop across the switching device 12. The controller 13 is used to compare the voltage drop measurement value with a set voltage drop threshold. If the voltage drop measurement value is lower than the set voltage drop threshold, the controller 13 controls the switching device 12 to switch from the on state to the off state. The sensor 16 can also be a temperature sensor for measuring the internal temperature of the housing 110 of the switching device 100. For example, the ambient temperature around any device inside the housing 110, and further for example, the ambient temperature near the switching device 12. The controller 13 is used to compare the temperature measurement value with a set temperature threshold. If the temperature measurement value is higher than the set temperature threshold, the controller 13 controls the switching device 12 to switch from the on state to the off state. The sensor 16 can also be a gas sensor for detecting ambient gas. If abnormal gas is detected, such as flammable gas, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), etc., the sensor 16 alarms the controller 13, and the controller 13 controls the switching device 12 to switch from the on state to the off state.

[0073] It can be seen that by further integrating and arranging the sensor 16 in the switching device 100, the sensor 16 monitors the operating state of the switching device 100 itself and feeds it back to the controller 13 in real time, enabling the controller 13 to give a timely warning as to whether the switching device 100 needs to be disconnected. This further improves the operation reliability of the switching device 100 and ensures the safe operation of the switching device 100.

[0074] As shown in the Figure 7 accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a switching device 100, which includes: a housing 110, a first connector 111 and a second connector 112 fixedly connected to the housing 110, and a switching device 12, a controller 13, an energy harvester 14, a wireless communication module 15 and a sensor 16 accommodated inside the housing 110. The switching device 12 is serially connected between the first connector 111 and the second connector 112. The controller 13 is electrically connected to the switching device 12 and is used to control the connection and disconnection of the switching device 12. The sensor 16 is electrically connected to the controller 13 and is used to measure electrical parameters and transmit them to the controller 13. The controller 13 is used to control the connection and disconnection of the switching device 12 according to the electrical parameters. The energy harvester 14 is used to supply power to the controller 13, the switching device 12, the wireless communication module 15 and the sensor 16.

[0075] Figure 8 shows the Figure 7 workflow diagram of the switching device 100 shown in the accompanying drawings. Referring to Figure 8 , the energy harvester 14 supplies power, and the switching device 100 is in the working state. The switching device 12 is in the on state and the electrical parameters monitored by the sensor 16 are normal. According to whether the electrical parameters monitored by the sensor 16 are normal, the next operation is carried out. If the electrical parameters monitored by the sensor 16 are normal, the wireless communication module 15 determines whether to disconnect the switching device 12 according to the received instruction. If the wireless communication module 15 receives a disconnection instruction, the controller 13 controls the switching device 12 to disconnect, and the switching device 12 switches from the on state to the off state. If the electrical parameters monitored by the sensor 16 are abnormal, the controller 13 directly performs the operation of disconnecting the switching device 12, and the switching device 12 switches from the on state to the off state. At this time, it is no longer considered whether the wireless communication module 15 has received a disconnection instruction.

[0076] After the switching device 12 is turned off, the wireless communication module 15 waits for a turn-on instruction. If the wireless communication module 15 receives a turn-on instruction and the sensor 16 monitors that the electrical parameters are normal, the controller 13 performs the operation of turning on the switching device 12, and the switching device 12 switches from the off state to the on state. Conversely, if the wireless communication module 15 does not receive a turn-on instruction, or the sensor 16 monitors that the electrical parameters are abnormal, the wireless communication module 15 maintains the state of waiting for a turn-on instruction, and the switching device 12 remains in the off state.

[0077] For any of the above-mentioned switching devices 100, in some examples, the switching device 12 includes a Si-based power transistor, a SiC power transistor, a GaN power transistor, a Ga 2 O 3 power transistor, an AlN power transistor, a diamond power transistor, or a microelectromechanical system switch. The above power transistors or switches are connected in series between the first connector and the second connector. When the above power transistors or switches are applied to the embodiments of the present disclosure, they can all act as sensitive switches.

[0078] Exemplarily, the Si-based power transistor includes, but is not limited to, the following power transistor types: Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET), bipolar junction transistor (BJT), Junction Field-Effect Transistor (JFET), Insulate-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), etc.

[0079] The SiC power transistor, GaN power transistor, Ga 2 O 3 power transistor, AlN power transistor, and diamond power transistor can all be wide-bandgap power transistors. In some examples, they can all adopt a structure similar to that of a MOSFET power transistor.

[0080] The microelectromechanical system switch, also known as the (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System, MEMS) switch, is a tiny electronic switch manufactured based on microelectromechanical system technology. Some applicable MEMS switches can be capacitive MEMS switches, cantilever beam MEMS switches, diaphragm MEMS switches, etc.

[0081] As described above, the whole formed by the first connecting member 111, the second connecting member 112 and the housing 110 is referred to as the electrical connecting member 11. For the electrical connecting member 11 in the switch device 100 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in the attached Figure 1 figure, its first connecting member 111 includes a first connector 1111 and a first cable 1112. Two ends of the first cable 1112 are electrically connected to the first connector 1111 and the switching device 12 respectively; the second connecting member 112 includes a second connector 1121 and a second cable 1122. Two ends of the second cable 1122 are electrically connected to the second connector 1121 and the switching device 12 respectively.

[0082] The first connector 1111 is used for electrically connecting with the first safety management object, and the second connector 1121 is used for electrically connecting with the second safety object. For example, the first safety management object and the second safety management object are adjacent photovoltaic modules 200. Both the first connector 1111 and the second connector 1121 can transfer the power from the photovoltaic module 200 to the switching device 12. Thus, two adjacent photovoltaic modules 200 are connected in series based on the switch device 100. Furthermore, the connection between two adjacent photovoltaic modules 200 can be controlled by turning on or off the switch device 100.

[0083] It is not excluded that the first cable 1112 and the second cable 1122 are not limited to the form of wires, and it is also feasible for them to adopt the form of circuit boards. When adopting the form of wires, it is beneficial to simplify the structure and cost of the switch device 100.

[0084] In some examples, one of the first connector 1111 and the second connector 1121 is a female connector, and the other is a male connector. Correspondingly, it is possible to provide male terminals and female terminals at both ends of the safety management object, for example, the photovoltaic module 200. The photovoltaic module 200 is adaptively connected to the female connector of the switch device 100 based on its male terminals, and the photovoltaic module 200 is adaptively connected to the male connector of the switch device 100 based on its female terminals. Such a setting is more beneficial for simplifying the installation operation between the switch device 100 and the photovoltaic module 200.

[0085] The embodiments of the present disclosure can set the electrical connecting member 11 in the form of a terminal block, for example, designed in the form of an MC4 terminal block. The electrical connecting member 11 in the form of the terminal block is adapted to the terminals of the safety management object, for example, the photovoltaic module 200, to ensure a fast and reliable connection between the switch device 100 and the photovoltaic module 200.

[0086] Furthermore, the terminals of the photovoltaic module 200 can be used as the electrical connectors 11, that is, other devices in the switching device 100 except for the electrical connectors 11 are integrally arranged inside the terminals of the photovoltaic module 200, which is more beneficial for simplifying the structural arrangement of the photovoltaic system and reducing its cost, because at this time, the switching device 100 does not need to be provided with additional electrical connectors 11, and the terminals of the photovoltaic module 200 can be borrowed.

[0087] On the other hand, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a photovoltaic system. As shown in the appended Figure 9 figures, the photovoltaic system includes at least one switching device 100, a plurality of photovoltaic modules 200, and a power conversion device 300. Among them, the switching device 100 is as described in any one of the above. The plurality of photovoltaic modules 200 are connected in series, the switching device 100 is connected in series between two adjacent photovoltaic modules 200 among the plurality of photovoltaic modules 200, and the power conversion device 300 is electrically connected to the plurality of serially connected photovoltaic modules 200 for converting the direct current provided by the photovoltaic modules 200 into alternating current.

[0088] The photovoltaic system provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure has all the advantages of the switching device 100 involved above, which will not be elaborated here. Among them, in the photovoltaic system, the switching device 100 can be connected between any two adjacent photovoltaic modules 200 among the plurality of photovoltaic modules 200, or the switching device 100 can be connected between some adjacent photovoltaic modules 200 among the plurality of photovoltaic modules 200.

[0089] The appended Figure 9 figures also show that the photovoltaic system includes a plurality of photovoltaic units. For example, a plurality of photovoltaic units are connected in parallel between the ground bus and the power bus, and each photovoltaic unit includes at least one switching device 100 and a plurality of photovoltaic modules 200 involved above.

[0090] In some examples, one of the first connector 111 and the second connector 112 of the switching device 100 includes a male connector, and the other includes a female connector; two adjacent photovoltaic modules 200 respectively have a male terminal and a female terminal, the male terminal is fixedly connected and electrically connected to the female connector, and the female terminal is fixedly connected and electrically connected to the male connector. Based on this implementation, the switching device 100 can be arranged independently of the photovoltaic module 200, and the switching device 100 can be quickly and reliably connected between adjacent photovoltaic modules 200, reducing the installation difficulty and improving the installation efficiency.

[0091] In some other examples, the switching device 100 is integrally arranged with at least one of the male terminal and the female terminal. For example, the male terminal and the female terminal are respectively arranged at both ends of the photovoltaic module 200, and the switching device 100 can be integrally arranged in both the male terminal and the female terminal. It should be noted that the integral arrangement of the switching device 100 with at least one of the male terminal and the female terminal involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure means that the switching device 12, the controller 13, the energy collector 14 and the optional wireless communication module 15 and the sensor 16 of the switching device 100 are all arranged inside the terminal housing of the male terminal and / or the female terminal of the photovoltaic module 200.

[0092] It can be seen that the above-mentioned integral arrangement scheme of the switching device 100 enables the switching device 100 to be designed in the terminal of a photovoltaic module 200 and can be connected to the terminal of another adjacent photovoltaic module 200. On the basis of ensuring the connection efficiency between different photovoltaic modules 200, it is more beneficial to simplify the structural arrangement of the photovoltaic system and reduce its cost.

[0093] In addition, it should be noted that for the above-mentioned photovoltaic module 200, it may include solar cells, solar cell strings, solar panels, solar shingles or a combination thereof.

[0094] The above description is only for the convenience of those skilled in the art to understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A switch device, characterized in that: The switch device (100) comprises: a housing (110), a first connecting member (111) and a second connecting member (112) fixedly connected to the housing (110), and a switch device (12), a controller (13) and an energy collector (14) accommodated inside the housing (110); The switch device (12) is connected in series between the first connection member (111) and the second connection member (112), and the controller (13) is electrically connected to the switch device (12) for controlling the switching on and off of the switch device (12); The energy collector (14) is electrically connected to the controller (13), and the energy collector (14) is used to convert environmental energy into electrical energy, wherein the environmental energy includes at least one of electromagnetic signals, thermal gradients, vibration energy, and light energy.

2. The switch device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy collector (14) comprises: an environmental energy power generation unit (141), an energy regulation unit (142) and an energy storage unit (143); The environmental energy power generation unit (141) is used to collect environmental energy and convert the environmental energy into electrical energy; An input end of the energy regulating unit (142) is connected to an output end of the environmental energy power generation unit (141), an output end of the energy regulating unit (142) is connected to the controller (13), and the energy regulating unit (142) is used to adjust the power output of electric energy; The input end of the energy storage unit (143) is connected to the other output end of the energy regulating unit (142), the output end of the energy storage unit (143) is connected to the controller (13), and the energy storage unit (143) is used to store excess electrical energy.

3. The switch device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The switch device (100) further comprises a wireless communication module (15), wherein the wireless communication module (15) is used for wirelessly communicating with the controller (13).

4. The switch device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The wireless communication module (15) comprises: a wireless receiving antenna (151), a high-pass filter (152), a low-pass filter (153), a high-frequency signal control circuit (154), and a low-frequency signal control circuit (155); The high-pass filter (152) and the low-pass filter (153) are both electrically connected to the wireless receiving antenna (151), and the high-pass filter (152) and the low-pass filter (153) are arranged in parallel; The high-pass filter (152) is electrically connected to the controller (13) via the high-frequency signal control circuit (154), and the high-pass filter (152) is used to receive the high-frequency signal from the high-pass filter (152) and convert it into a high-level signal; The low-pass filter (153) is electrically connected to the controller (13) via the low-frequency signal control circuit (155), and the low-frequency signal control circuit (155) is used to receive the low-frequency signal from the low-pass filter (153) and convert it into a low-level signal; The controller (13) is used for controlling the switch device (12) to be turned on in response to one of the high level signal and the low level signal, or for controlling the switch device (12) to be turned off in response to the other of the high level signal and the low level signal.

5. The switch device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The switch device (100) further comprises a sensor (16), wherein the sensor (16) is used to measure electrical parameters and transmit the measured electrical parameters to the controller (13), and the controller (13) is used to control the switching device (12) to be turned on and off according to the electrical parameters.

6. The switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The switch device (12) comprises a Si-based power tube, a SiC power tube, a GaN power tube, a Ga2O3 power tube, an AlN power tube, a diamond power tube or a micro-electromechanical system switch.

7. The switch device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The first connecting member (111) comprises a first connector (1111) and a first cable (1112), and two ends of the first cable (1112) are electrically connected to the first connector (1111) and the switch device (12) respectively; The second connecting member (112) comprises a second connector (1121) and a second cable (1122), and two ends of the second cable (1122) are electrically connected to the second connector (1121) and the switch device (12) respectively; Among them, one of the first connector (1111) and the second connector (1121) is a female connector, and the other is a male connector.

8. A photovoltaic system, characterized in that: The photovoltaic system comprises at least one switch device (100), a plurality of photovoltaic modules (200) and a power conversion device (300), wherein the switch device (100) is as described in any one of claims 1 to 7; The plurality of photovoltaic assemblies (200) are connected in series, the switch device (100) is connected in series between two adjacent photovoltaic assemblies (200) among the plurality of photovoltaic assemblies (200), and the power conversion device (300) is electrically connected to the plurality of photovoltaic assemblies (200) connected in series, and is used for converting direct current provided by the photovoltaic assemblies (200) into alternating current.

9. The photovoltaic system according to claim 8, characterized in that: One of the first connecting member (111) and the second connecting member (112) of the switch device (100) comprises a male connector, and the other comprises a female connector; The two adjacent photovoltaic modules (200) respectively have a male terminal and a female terminal, the male terminal is fixedly connected to the female connector and electrically conductive, and the female terminal is fixedly connected to the male connector and electrically conductive.

10. The photovoltaic system according to claim 8, characterized in that: The switch device (100) is arranged integrally with at least one of the male terminal and the female terminal.

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