Solar Charging System Fault Detection via Middle Point Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing solar charging systems erroneously determine a charge disable state of a high-voltage battery as a communication line break when there is actually a decrease in electric power due to insufficient solar radiation, leading to incorrect identification of faults.
Innovation Solution
A solar charging system that includes a solar panel, a power conversion unit, and processors to transmit charge enable/disable signals and determine communication line abnormalities based on the electric power generated by the solar panel and the voltage at a middle point between the solar panel and the battery, allowing for accurate differentiation between power shortages and communication line issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system checks for communication line breaks using charge permission signals, then communication line abnormalities can be detected, but erroneous determination occurs when solar power generation decreases due to insufficient solar radiation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a middle point voltage as an intermediary parameter between the solar panel and battery to distinguish between communication line breaks and solar radiation issues. By monitoring the voltage at this intermediate point, the system can determine whether charging failure is due to communication problems or insufficient solar power generation, thereby eliminating erroneous determinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring both the charge permission signal status and the middle point voltage, then using this feedback information to accurately identify the cause of charging failures. The control unit adjusts its determination logic based on the feedback from voltage measurements, enabling reliable distinction between different fault types.
2Productivity
If the system directly charges the battery from the solar panel without temporary storage, then charging efficiency is improved, but the ability to distinguish between power shortage and communication failure is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex diagnostic mechanisms with a simple voltage measurement approach. Instead of using additional sensors or complex diagnostic equipment to distinguish between power shortage and communication failure, the system uses electrical voltage measurement at the middle point, which is already part of the charging circuit, to achieve accurate fault identification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces erroneous determinations of charge disable states, ensuring that power shortages due to solar radiation are correctly identified and not mistaken for communication line breaks, thereby improving the reliability of solar charging systems.
Implementation Method 1
a solar panel 10, a solar DDC 20 that converts a power generation voltage of the solar panel 10 into a predetermined voltage and outputs the voltage
Data Source
AI summary
A solar charging system includes a solar panel, a power conversion unit configured to output electric power generated by the solar panel, a battery configured to be directly charged via the power conversion unit with electric power generated by the solar panel, and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to transmit, to the power conversion unit via a communication line, a signal that controls a charge enable or disable status of charging from the solar panel to the battery, and determine whether an abnormality in the communication line is present based on the electric power generated by the solar panel, and a voltage at a middle point between the solar panel and the battery.