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Fault detection in a photovoltaic plant by time domain reflectometry
Author(s) -
Schirone L.,
Califano F. P.,
Pastena M.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.4670020106
Subject(s) - reflectometry , waveform , photovoltaic system , voltage , fault detection and isolation , fault (geology) , string (physics) , time domain , position (finance) , software , electronic engineering , computer science , excitation , electrical engineering , engineering , physics , geology , seismology , finance , quantum mechanics , economics , actuator , computer vision , programming language
A reflectometric technique has been developed for diagnostic monitoring of a photovoltaic plant. Detailed information on the position and type of fault is inferred from the shape of the voltage waveforms resulting when a pulsed voltage excitation is applied to a string consisting of several series‐connected modules. When an open circuit or a short circuit to ground are occurring, direct reading of the results is obtained by means of a software tool performing numerical analysis of the digitized waveforms. Extensions of this approach to the case of parallel‐connected strings, as well as to the cases of a loaded plant and no illumination, are discussed.