EXTREME SOLAR-BATTERY POWER REGULATOR Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: controlling power converters of space-vehicle power supply system using solar batteries as primary sources. SUBSTANCE: proposed extreme power regulator makes step-by-step search for solar battery voltage ensuring maximum power and adequately actuates power converters of power supply system so as to maintain voltage across solar battery at this level. Second reversing counter is additionally introduced for measuring solar-battery capacity; clock input of mentioned counter receives pulses at frequency proportional to solar-battery current within time interval proportional to battery voltage; two measurements of battery power capacity are made within one cycle, one before and other after offset of battery operating point BAX at different counting directions of second reversing counter. Polarity of battery voltage reversal is determined by means of carry output of this counter. Pulses of frequency proportional to battery current are shaped by means of voltage-to-frequency changer; time intervals of length proportional to battery voltage are obtained by means of comparator and sawtooth voltage generator. Proposed device does not incorporate analog-to-digital converters, registers, and digital comparator for saving and comparing data on battery power capacity, nor has it multibit communication links. EFFECT: simplified design at same digital processing of data on battery power capacity. 4 dwg