Patent ID: 8570017
Filing Date: 2013-10-29
Classification: H01L,H02H,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A voltage limiter device operable to limit voltage delivered by an assembly of photovoltaic modules through an output of the voltage limiter device, the voltage limiter device having a pair of input terminals couplable to the assembly of photovoltaic modules and having a pair of output terminals at the output, the voltage limiter device comprising: an electronic switch operable to interrupt a current delivered by said assembly of photovoltaic modules, the electronic switch being disposed between a first input terminal and a first output terminal of the voltage limiter device; a first comparator operable to compare a voltage at the output of the voltage limiter device with a reference voltage value that is set to a value above a voltage corresponding to a maximum power of the assembly of photovoltaic modules, increased by a strictly positive voltage V′ less than a voltage generated by an electric arc; and a controller operable to open said switch to thereby prevent passage of current from the assembly of photovoltaic modules to the output by way of the first input and first output terminals, and to close said switch to thereby permit passage of current from the assembly of photovoltaic modules to the output by way of the first input and first output terminals, depending on a result of a comparison carried out by the first comparator, wherein during operation, the input voltage of the voltage limiter device is approximately equal to the output voltage of the voltage limiter device when the switch is closed and the voltage compared by the comparator to the reference voltage corresponds to a voltage at the output of the switch.