FR2940548A3 - Control device for electric power generating station, has radio transmitter for transmitting signal to be collected by receivers and inducing closing of switch to place modules or series of modules to short-circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

This control device of an electrical energy production installation comprising a plurality of photovoltaic modules (2) connected in series and / or in parallel and coupled to an electrical circuit (1) for supplying a storage battery electricity, or supply of one or more receivers, or even likely to be connected to the power supply network (9), comprises: ▪ at least one switch (4) operable by a dedicated circuit controlled by a receiver radio wave (5), said switch being able to short circuit the photovoltaic modules or series of photovoltaic modules, ▪ and a radio transmitter (8) external to the installation, able to emit a signal likely to to be picked up by said receiver (5), inducing the closing of said switch in order to place the modules or series of modules short-circuited.

Description

-1- DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION PLANT AND ELECTRIC POWER GENERATING PLANT ENHANCING SUCH DEVICE DOMAIN OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the general field of the production of electrical energy by means of panels or photovoltaic modules. In known manner, such panels convert solar energy into a continuous electric current.

It relates more particularly to an installation of electrical energy production. Such installations implement such photovoltaic modules as the electricity generator, and also integrate one or more batteries, or can also be connected to the home network via a converter. PRIOR STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Awareness of the protection of the planet, in addition to the steady rise in fossil fuels, has led for some years now to the development of replacement solutions for the production of so-called renewable energy and in particular solar energy.

In addition to its non-polluting character, solar energy is particularly suitable for the production of electricity in isolated places, such as arid areas, or low population density, in which the distribution of electrical energy by traditional way, that is to say by the domestic network, proves to be prohibitively expensive.

The interest of this type of power generation installation is not limited to these isolated areas alone. Indeed, the rise of renewable energies has led to the establishment of photovoltaic module fields on the roofs of homes. In this case, said installation is connected to the domestic power supply network. This coupling however requires high voltages across the electrical circuit of said installation. In doing so, this installation presents a certain danger to the personnel ensuring its installation and its maintenance, because of the physical principle underlying the production of electrical energy. As a matter of fact, and by design, the photovoltaic modules constituting such an installation produce electricity under the action of solar radiation, this production not stopping notwithstanding the interruption of the circuit to which the modules are connected. connected. This voltage is even higher than the number of modules is itself high, or even the number of branches of such modules connected in parallel with each other, thus constituting the photovoltaic field of the installation.

This danger also concerns rescue personnel, in particular firefighters, in case of fire, who may have to move or intervene at the level of the roof in question.

Thus, the voltage between the two terminals of the electrical energy supply circuit of the dwelling considered, when this energy is produced by photovoltaic modules, easily exceeds the normative value of 120 volts, constituting a safety limit, to reach several hundreds of volts, enough voltage to lead to the electrification or electrocution of the personnel in question.

In order to overcome this difficulty, it has been proposed, for example in document FR 2 894 401, the integration of a transmitter into the circuit of the electrical energy production installation, using the carrier current flowing in said circuit for periodically sending an alternating signal to be picked up by a sensor controlling a switch mounted at the output of the power terminals of each of the modules.

While undoubtedly, this device is an improvement over the installations of the prior art, however, experience shows that the power circuit on which the transmitter is mounted is itself likely to be destroyed including in case of fire. In doing so, and in such a case, it is not possible to emit the signal likely to induce the opening of the switch (s) mounted at the outputs of the modules and thus to interrupt the production of electrical energy, so that the same dangers as those of the known devices, especially in terms of tension for staff likely to evolve at this level remain. It is indeed in positive security mode, so that even if the power cables are cut, the modules or series of modules remain energized.

The object of the invention is to overcome this disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposes a device for controlling an electrical energy production installation comprising a plurality of photovoltaic modules mounted in series and / or in parallel and coupled to an electric circuit for supplying an electric storage battery. , or supplying one or more receivers, or even likely to be connected to the power supply network.

It is characterized in that it comprises: at least one switch actuable by a dedicated circuit controlled by a radio wave receiver, capable of short-circuiting the photovoltaic modules or series of photovoltaic modules, and a transmitter radio external to the installation, able to emit a signal that can be picked up by said receiver, said signal inducing the closing of said switch in order to place the modules or series of modules short-circuited.

In other words, following the closing of the switch (s), each of the modules or each series of modules is placed in short-circuit, so that the voltage at their terminals becomes zero, reducing to zero any danger of electrocution personnel likely to evolve at said installation, even though said modules are still subject to solar radiation.

According to a first version of the invention, each of the modules is provided with a switch in question mounted in parallel at its terminals. The actuation circuit associated with each of said switches is provided with the same radio wave receiver, all of said receivers operating at the same radio frequency as that of the external transmitter, so that the actuation of the latter generates the simultaneous closing of all the switches at each of the modules.

According to another variant of the invention, the photovoltaic modules are mounted in series of several modules, said series being themselves connected in parallel with each other and the characteristic switch is itself connected in parallel to the terminals. of these series. In this variant, the installation therefore comprises only one switch which, when actuated by the external transmitter, causes the short circuit of the power circuit supplied by the series of photovoltaic modules. According to an advantageous version of the invention, the circuit associated with each switch also comprises a radio transmitter, capable of generating a radio signal confirming the good reception and the correct application of the setpoint, capable of to be captured by an indicator, visual including outside the facility, provided with a suitable receiver, thus ensuring effective control for personnel likely to intervene.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The manner in which the invention can be realized and the advantages which result therefrom will emerge more clearly from the following exemplary embodiments, given by way of non-limiting indication, in support of the appended figures.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a circuit according to a first embodiment of the invention in which the power generation plant is coupled to the domestic power supply network. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 thus illustrates a first embodiment of the device according to the invention. The diagram shown relates to an installation for producing electrical energy by the implementation of photovoltaic modules. This installation is, in this case, intended to be coupled to the domestic supply network, it being understood, however, that such an installation could be connected to an electric receiver or to a storage battery via adequate fuse-type protections. or circuit breaker.

This installation basically comprises a certain number of electric power generators (2), connected in series, FIG. 1 illustrating in this case three series (10, 11, 12) of such generators connected in parallel.

Each of these generators (2) consists of a module (3) of photovoltaic energy. Such a module is in itself known for the transformation of solar radiation into direct electric current. These series are mounted on a closed power circuit (1), in particular on an inverter or converter (6), intended, in known manner, to convert the direct current produced by the photovoltaic modules (3) into an alternating current. to allow connection to the home network (9). According to a fundamental characteristic of the invention, the two branches of the power circuit (1) are furthermore capable of being short-circuited by a conductive branch (15) associated with a switch (4). More precisely, this switch (4) is thus capable of closing the branch (15) and thus of shorting the two branches of the power circuit (1), leading to generating a zero voltage across the different series ( 10), (11) and (12) of photovoltaic modules.

According to the invention, this switch (4) is closed by an electric circuit integrated in a box (7) after receiving a radio signal transmitted by a transmitter (8) external to the installation, and received by a receiver ( 5) associated with the electrical circuit (7) of the switch (4).

In other words, at the request of a user, and for example security personnel or firefighters, a radio signal is simply transmitted by means of a transmitter (8) and the power is turned off. power circuit (1) by closing the switch (4).

This switch is for example electronic in nature, for example a MOSFET field effect transistor or a thyristor, but can also be of a mechanical nature, of the relay or circuit breaker type.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in relation with FIG. 2, each of the photovoltaic modules (3) comprises a parallel branch integrating a switch (13) capable, when the latter is closed, of short-circuiting said photovoltaic module (3) and consequently to generate a zero voltage across its terminals, even when said module is subjected to solar radiation. Like the switch (4), each of the switches (13) is controlled by an electric circuit operated by a radio signal received by a transmitter (14) and transmitted to said circuit. In this case, the entire photovoltaic module (3) of the installation is thus simultaneously short-circuited by the transmission of the radio signal by the channel of the transmitter (8). This therefore assumes that all receivers (14) operate on the same radio frequency. According to an advantageous variant of the invention, the electric circuit associated with the switch (4) or with the switches (13) used may also comprise a radio transmitter (not shown), intended to emit a radio signal at level of a sensory, luminous or auditory restitution device (also not shown), placed outside the installation, and suitable for materializing the correct application of the closing instruction of the switch or switches considered.

Under these conditions, the intervention of any personnel, in particular security or maintenance, is secure, since, because of the zero voltage generated on the strips of the series of modules, there is no longer any risk of damage. electrocution even if the output terminals of the power circuit (1) connected to the level of the inverter (6) could be destroyed in particular because of a fire.

It is therefore conceivable that the interest of the invention particularly in terms of securing the speakers.

Claims (5)

REVENDICATIONS1. Control device for an electrical energy production installation comprising a plurality of photovoltaic modules (2) connected in series and / or in parallel and coupled to an electrical circuit (1) for supplying a storage battery of electricity, or supply of one or more receivers, or even likely to be connected to the power supply network (9), characterized in that it comprises: at least one switch (4, 13) operable by a dedicated circuit controlled by a radio wave receiver (5, 14), said switch being capable of short-circuiting the photovoltaic modules or series of photovoltaic modules, ^ and a radio transmitter (8) external to the installation , able to emit a signal capable of being picked up by said receiver (5, 14), inducing the closing of said switch in order to place the modules or series of modules short-circuited. 2. Control device of an electric power generation plant according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the photovoltaic modules (2) is provided with a switch (13) connected in parallel to its terminals, the circuit of actuation associated with each of said switches (13) being provided with a radio wave receiver (14), all of said receivers (14) operating at the same radio frequency as that of the external transmitter (8), so that the actuation of the latter causes the simultaneous closing of all the switches (13) at each of the modules. Control device for an electrical energy production plant according to claim 1, characterized in that the photovoltaic modules (3) are mounted in series (10, 11, 12) of a plurality of modules, said series being themselves same mounted in parallel with each other and the switch (4) is itself connected in parallel across these series. 4. Control device of an electrical power generation installation according to claim 3, characterized in that it incorporates only one switch (4) in parallel across the series of photovoltaic modules. 2940548 -8- 5. Control device of a power generation plant according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the circuit associated with each switch (4, 13) also comprises a radio transmitter, capable of generating a radio signal confirming the good reception and the correct application of the instruction at a sensory restitution member outside the installation, thereby ensuring effective control for personnel likely to intervene.