Sequential Switching Shunt Regulator Cell with Non-Redundant Rectifier

Description of the offer

The invention relates to an improved sequential switching shunt regulator cell, and to a solar power regulator comprising a plurality of said cells.

In many applications it is essential to ensure that a single failure cannot result in a significant loss of operation. A short-circuit of the diode of a single sequential switching shunt (S3R) sequential switching shunt series regulator (S4R) cell would result in a total loss of operation. Therefore, two diodes connected in series are generally used, but unfortunately, reduces the power efficiency of the system. The increase in power dissipation hinders miniaturisation of the regulator and requires bulky and heavy heat sinks. The offered technology aims at avoiding this major drawback by providing a sequential switching shunt regulator cell comprising a power line connecting a power source to a power bus including a shunting switch with driving means. The cell furthermore comprises a non-redundant rectifier connected in series to the power line for disconnecting the power bus from the shunting switch if closed. A fault detector is included to detect short-circuit conditions in the non-redundant rectifier and to open the shunting switch in such a case.

Innovations and advantages of the offer:

The offered technology:

• Provides several different embodiments of the fault detector, which is able to monitor the voltage levels of the power line and driving means in order to detect a short-circuit fault.
• Obtains an ever greater increase in power efficiency by the use of a synchronous rectifier which replaces the diode.
• Solved the difficulty to distinguish between a failure condition and a transient which can occur in nominal operation by providing a solution based on the observation that it is not necessary to activate the fault detector within a single cycle of the shunting switch.

Considering a typical power system comprises several cells, and several generators, the efficiency gain provided by the offered technology can be quite substantial.

Domain of Application:

Although S3R (S4R) regulators are widely spread in the space sector for solar cells and arrays in satellites, the offered technology may also be applied, among others, to power supplies in the automotive sector and the terrestrial solar energy sector.

• Power Supplies
• Solar Energy
• Photovoltaic Solar
• Other Energy

Energy Management