The present invention provides a photovoltaic module comprising a photovoltaics and a signal generation means for generating a signal by application of a voltage, wherein the photovoltaics and the signal generating means are connected in parallel and the voltage is a voltage output by the photovoltaics which is connected in parallel with at least the signal generating means, thereby enabling detection of a failed photovoltaic module, regardless of the structure of a photovoltaic module array or the failure mode of the photovoltaic module.

Photovoltaic module, photovoltaic module array, photovoltaic system, and method of detecting failure of photovoltaic module

A photovoltaic inverter control method includes steps of monitoring a variation in output voltage of a solar battery by a power and voltage monitoring circuit (51) and, when the variation occurs, accelerating or decelerating an electric motor (3) to maximize the output voltage of the solar battery (1), whereby the electric motor for driving, for example, a pump and a fan by the solar battery as a power source can be driven by a photovoltaic inverter always at the maximum power point of the solar battery.

Method and device for controlling photovoltaic inverter, and feed water device

An elliptical satellite system which carries out communication. The satellite orbits a height above the earth less than that necessary for geosynchronous orbits. When the satellite is near the apogee portion of its orbit, its velocity approximates the rotational velocity of the earth, and during that period it appears to hover over the earth. Each ground station on the earth always communicates a satellite within a predetermined position of its apogee, and hence that satellite appears to the ground station to hover over the earth. The satellite hence does not communicate with any earth station when it is outside of that apogee portion. During the times when the satellite is outside the apogee portion, its communication is therefore shut off to prevent any possibility of interfering with geosynchronous satellites. During this time, the power supply on the satellite is also used to charge a battery on the satellite. This enables the power supply to be made smaller by an amount equivalent to the duty cycle of the satellite: during the time which it is on.

Elliptical satellite system which emulates the characteristics of geosynchronous satellites

A method and apparatus relates to systems powered by energy stored in capacitors. The capacitors may be charged using any desired power source. The system does not require batteries, which increases the reliability and life span of the system. In one example, an automatic feeder system uses the combination of solar panels and a capacitive network to power the feeder system indefinitely with minimal required maintenance.

System and method using capacitors to power an automatic feeder system

A photovoltaic energy system that accumulates mechanical energy, i.e., pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, or performs mechanical work, i.e., pumping water, without using electrochemical batteries. The system includes one or more photovoltaic panels, one or more high capacitance electrical capacitors, an electrical motor and an electric/electronic control circuit. In essence, the system takes the energy produced by the photovoltaic modules and accumulates it in the capacitors. Once enough energy is accumulated to run the motor, the controller circuit activates the motor. As the motor consumption is larger than the power produced by the photovoltaic module, it takes current from the charged capacitors and the voltage in the capacitors quickly decreases. Once the voltage reaches a minimum where the operation of the motor is no longer practical, the control circuit stops the motor to let the photovoltaic modules recharge the capacitors and the cycle is then repeated. What the above arrangement does is to take the small amount of power generated by a photovoltaic modules and concentrate it in an electrical capacitor. The accumulated energy is then used to produce a burst of power to run an electrical motor which in turn performs the desired mechanical work such as compressing air, pumping hydraulic pressure or pumping water.

Battery-less solar power system

A starter for a natural energy powered motor comprises, an electricity storage means connectable to be charged with electrical energy from a natural energy source, a voltage conversion means are provided to step up the charging voltage to the electricity storage means. An energy level sensor means is connected to the electricity storage means to sense a predetermined maximum charging level and to thereupon in use trigger discharge from the storage means of sufficient electrical energy to start to motor to be driven by electricity from the natural energy source in use.

Villiers Ian Louis De

Papers

Natural energy powered motor starter utilizing a capacitor circuit charged by a solar panel

Natural energy powered motor starter