SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ARC DETECTION AND INTERVENTION IN SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS

摘要

An arc detection and intervention system for a solar energy system. One or more arc detectors are strategically located among strings of solar panels. In conjunction with local management units (LMUs), arcs can be isolated and affected panels disconnected from the solar energy system.

主权项

1. A photovoltaic system, comprising:
a plurality of photovoltaic panels; a plurality of local management units coupled to the plurality of photovoltaic panels respectively, each respective local management unit of the plurality of local management units coupled to a respective photovoltaic panel of the plurality of photovoltaic panels to receive electricity generated by the respective photovoltaic panel and convert the electricity into an output; a set of wires connecting outputs of the local management units; an arc detector coupled to the set of wires to detect arc occurrences; and a system management unit in communication with the arc detector and the local management units; wherein the system management unit is configured to identify a location of an arc by at least communicating to a first local management unit in the plurality of photovoltaic panels to turn off an output of the first local management unit and determining absence of arc detected by the arc detector in a predetermined period of time after turning off the output of the first local management unit.