Solar Charge controllers are sold to consumers as
separate devices, often in conjunction with solar
or wind power
generators, for uses such as RV, boat, and off-the-grid
home battery storage systems. In solar applications, charge controllers
may also be called solar regulators. Some
charge controllers / solar regulators have additional
features, such as a low voltage disconnect
(LVD), a separate circuit which powers down the load when the batteries become
overly discharged (some battery chemistries are such that over-discharge can
ruin the battery).
A series charge controller or series
regulator disables further current flow into batteries when they are full.
A shunt charge controller or shunt regulator diverts excess
electricity to an auxiliary or "shunt" load, such as an electric
water heater, when batteries are full.
Simple charge controllers stop charging a
battery when they exceed a set high voltage level, and re-enable charging when
battery voltage drops back below that level. Pulse width modulation (PWM) and maximum power point tracker (MPPT)
technologies are more electronically sophisticated, adjusting charging rates
depending on the battery's level, to allow charging closer to its maximum
capacity.
A charge controller with MPPT capability
frees the system designer from closely matching available PV voltage to battery
voltage. Considerable efficiency gains can be achieved, particularly when the
PV array is located at some distance from the battery. By way of example, a 150
volt PV array connected to an MPPT charge controller can be used to charge a 24
or 48 volt battery. Higher array voltage means lower array current, so the
savings in wiring costs can more than pay for the controller.
Charge controllers may also monitor battery
temperature to prevent overheating. Some charge controller systems also display
data, transmit data to remote displays, and data logging to track electric flow
over time.
Circuitry that functions as a charge
regulator controller may consist of several electrical components, or may be
encapsulated in a single microchip, an integrated circuit (IC) usually called a charge
controller IC or charge control IC.
Charge controller circuits are used for
rechargeable electronic devices such as cell phones, laptop computers, portable
audio players, and uninterruptible power supplies, as well as for larger
battery systems found in electric vehicles and orbiting space satellites.
No comments:
Post a Comment