Methods and systems for isolating a high voltage continuously producing power source
Systems and methods for electrically isolating a high voltage continuously producing power source. In one embodiment, a high voltage continuously producing power supplying system for supplying high voltage electrical power to an automotive system includes a plurality of components configured to supply the high voltage electrical power to the automotive system and a high voltage power controller configured to receive the high voltage electrical power from the plurality of components. The system further includes an electrical isolation device configured to electrically isolate at least one of the plurality of components. The high voltage power controller is configured to detect that a fault state of the automotive system has occurred and when the detected fault state is detected, the high voltage power controller is configured to trigger the electrical isolation device to disconnect the at least one of the plurality of components from the automotive system.
1 . A method for electrically isolating a high voltage continuously producing power source, the method comprising:
a high voltage power controller receiving high voltage electrical power from the high voltage continuously producing power source;
the high voltage power controller providing the high voltage electrical power to a load in a system;
the high voltage power controller detecting that a fault state of the system that is powered by at least the high voltage continuously producing power source has occurred;
the high voltage power controller determining whether one or more of a plurality of components of the high voltage continuously producing power source that supplies the high voltage electrical power to the load of the system is generating a voltage greater than a predetermined threshold value; and
electrically isolating the one or more of the plurality of components of the high voltage continuously producing power source that is generating the voltage that is greater than the predetermined threshold value by disconnecting only a portion of the one or more of the plurality of components, when the detected fault state is detected such that the one or more of the plurality of components is continuously producing the voltage that is less than the predetermined threshold value,
wherein the electrically isolating the one or more of the plurality of components of the high voltage continuously producing power source comprises irreversibly disconnecting the portion of the one or more of the plurality of components.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the high voltage continuously producing power source includes a solar panel array and the plurality of components includes solar panel photovoltaic cells of the solar panel array.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the irreversibly disconnecting the one or more of the plurality of components includes triggering a pyrotechnical switch to disconnect the high voltage continuously producing power source from the system.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the triggering of the pyrotechnical switch includes at least one of remotely activating the pyrotechnical switch via a signal from the high voltage power controller and automatically activating the pyrotechnical switch when the fault state is detected.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detected fault state comprises one or more of a critical fault, accident, or roll-over event.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined voltage threshold is below 60 VDC or 50 VRMS.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the high voltage electrical power prior to electrical isolation is between 400 and 1600 VDC.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more of the plurality of components of the high voltage continuously producing power source, after electrically isolating the one or more of the plurality of components, is generating the voltage between 12 VDC and 60 VDC.
9 . A high voltage continuously producing power supplying system for supplying high voltage electrical power to an automotive system, the high voltage continuously producing power supply system comprising:
a plurality of components configured to supply the high voltage electrical power to a load in the automotive system;
a high voltage power controller configured to receive the high voltage electrical power from the plurality of components,
wherein the high voltage power controller is configured to detect that a fault state of the automotive system has occurred and whether one or more of the plurality of components is generating a voltage greater than a predetermined threshold value, and when the detected fault state is detected, the high voltage power controller is configured to trigger an electrical isolation device to disconnect only a portion of the one or more of the plurality of components that is generating the voltage greater than the predetermined threshold value from the load of the automotive system such that the one or more of the plurality of components is continuously producing the voltage that is less than the predetermined threshold value; and
the electrical isolation device configured to electrically isolate the one or more of the plurality of components that is generating the voltage greater than the predetermined threshold value by disconnecting only the portion of the one or more of the plurality of components to prevent the one or more of the plurality of components from providing the high voltage electrical power,
wherein the electrical isolation device is configured to irreversibly disconnect the portion of the one or more of the plurality of components.
10 . The high voltage continuously producing power supplying system of claim 9 , wherein the high voltage continuously producing power supplying system includes a solar panel array and the plurality of components includes solar panel photovoltaic cells of the solar panel array.
11 . The high voltage continuously producing power supplying system of claim 9 , wherein the electrical isolation device is a pyrotechnical switch.
12 . The high voltage continuously producing power supplying system of claim 11 , wherein the pyrotechnical switch is configured to be triggered to irreversibly disconnect the one or more of the plurality of components by at least one of being remotely triggered and automatically triggered when the fault state is detected.
13 . The high voltage continuously producing power supplying system of claim 9 , wherein the detected fault state comprises one or more of a critical fault, accident, or roll-over event.
14 . An automotive system comprising:
a solar array that includes a plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells for supplying high voltage electrical power to a load of the automotive system;
a high voltage power controller configured to receive the high voltage electrical power from the solar array,
wherein the high voltage power controller is configured to detect whether a fault state of the automotive system has occurred and whether one or more of the plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells is generating a voltage greater than a predetermined threshold value, and when the detected fault state is detected, the high voltage power controller is configured to trigger an electrical isolation device to disconnect only a portion of the one or more of the plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells that is generating the voltage greater than the predetermined threshold value from the load in the automotive system such that the one or more of the plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells is continuously producing the voltage that is less than the predetermined threshold value; and
the electrical isolation device configured to electrically isolate the one or more of the plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells that is generating the voltage greater than the predetermined threshold value by disconnecting only the portion of the one or more of the plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells to prevent the one or more of the plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells from providing the high voltage electrical power,
wherein the electrical isolation device is configured to irreversibly disconnect the portion of the one or more of the plurality of solar panel photovoltaic cells.