A Microchip Integrated Sensor for the Monitoring of High Concentration Photo-voltaic Solar Modules. (2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Corte, F.G. Della; Cocorullo, G.; Corsonello, P.; Felini, C.; Merenda, M.; Perri, S.; Borelli, G.; Carpanelli, M.; Verdilio, D.
• Is Part Of: Procedia engineering. Volume 168(2016)
• Page Start: 1601
• Page End: 1604
• Publication Date: 2016
• Subjects: CMOS sensor -- photovoltaics -- temperature sensor; Engineering -- Congresses; Engineering -- Periodicals; Engineering; Conference proceedings; Periodicals; 620.005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.470
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1877-7058

Abstract

Abstract: A CMOS sensor fabricated in 0.35μm technology, specifically designed for the monitoring of High Concentration Photo-Voltaic (HCPV) modules, is presented. The microchip was designed to monitor temperature and illumination of each solar cell in a module. Temperature is measured by monitoring the base-emitter voltage of two coupled, diode connected, bipolar transistors, while the illumination sensor is an integrated p-n junction photodiode. A custom communication protocol is implemented in the chip to allow the sharing of a two-wire communication resource among the cells.