Method and apparatus for in-situ health monitoring of solar cells in space
Abstract
Some embodiments of the present invention describe an apparatus that includes an oscillator, a ramp generator, and an inverter. The apparatus includes an oscillator, an inverter, and a ramp generator. The oscillator is configured to generate a waveform comprising a low time and a high time. The inverter is configured to receive the waveform generated by the oscillator, and invert the waveform. The ramp generator configured to increase a gate control voltage of a transistor connected to a solar cell, and rapidly decrease the gate control voltage of the transistor. During the low time of the waveform, a measurement of a current and a voltage of the solar cell is performed as the current and voltage of the solar cell are transmitted through a first channel and to a second channel. During the high time of the waveform, a measurement of a current of a shorted cell and a voltage reference is performed as the current of the shorted cell and the voltage reference are transmitted through the first channel and the second channel.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Washington, DC (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1576425
- Patent Number(s):
- 10396709
- Application Number:
- 15/158,199
- Assignee:
- The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02S - GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2016 May 18
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 42 ENGINEERING
Citation Formats
Krasowski, Michael J., and Prokop, Norman F. Method and apparatus for in-situ health monitoring of solar cells in space. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web.
Krasowski, Michael J., & Prokop, Norman F. Method and apparatus for in-situ health monitoring of solar cells in space. United States.
Krasowski, Michael J., and Prokop, Norman F. Tue .
"Method and apparatus for in-situ health monitoring of solar cells in space". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1576425.
@article{osti_1576425,
title = {Method and apparatus for in-situ health monitoring of solar cells in space},
author = {Krasowski, Michael J. and Prokop, Norman F.},
abstractNote = {Some embodiments of the present invention describe an apparatus that includes an oscillator, a ramp generator, and an inverter. The apparatus includes an oscillator, an inverter, and a ramp generator. The oscillator is configured to generate a waveform comprising a low time and a high time. The inverter is configured to receive the waveform generated by the oscillator, and invert the waveform. The ramp generator configured to increase a gate control voltage of a transistor connected to a solar cell, and rapidly decrease the gate control voltage of the transistor. During the low time of the waveform, a measurement of a current and a voltage of the solar cell is performed as the current and voltage of the solar cell are transmitted through a first channel and to a second channel. During the high time of the waveform, a measurement of a current of a shorted cell and a voltage reference is performed as the current of the shorted cell and the voltage reference are transmitted through the first channel and the second channel.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2019},
month = {8}
}
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