Intelligent Power
SMPS Solar Power
Renewable resources, especially solar power and Photovoltaic (PV) systems, have gained great visibility during the past few years as convenient and promising renewable energy sources. Solar power systems offer several benefits, such as:
- Clean and renewable energy that replaces power produced by coal, oil and nuclear power
- Reduction/elimination of electric bills
- Ample resources since silicon for manufacturing PV panels is the second most abundant element on Earth
- The ability to provide power to remote locations
Our grid-connected solar microinverter reference design, featuring a dsPIC® Digital Signal Controller (DSC), has a maximum power output of 215W and provides a high efficiency of ~94% at nominal conditions (230V AC). We also offer a portable solar charging reference design based on an 8-bit PIC16F microcontroller (MCU) that can charge a 24V battery system from a 130W/12V solar panel. This design can provide 1.3 kWh of energy in 10 hours of charging time.
Solar Power Reference Designs
Grid-Connected Solar Microinverter Reference Design
Our Grid-Connected Solar Microinverter Reference Design demonstrates the flexibility and power of SMPS dsPIC DCS in grid-connected solar microinverter systems. This reference design has a maximum output power of 215W and ensures maximum power point tracking for PV panel voltages between 20V to 45V DC. Its high efficiency was achieved by implementing a novel interleaved active-clamp flyback topology with Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS).
Solar Power Application Notes
Solar MPPT Battery Charger for the Rural Electrification System (AN2321)
This application note describes how to develop a portable solar charging system for use in a rural area.Recommended Products
dsPIC Digital Signal Controllers
| Product | Core | Number of Pins | Program Flash (KB) | RAM (KB) | IC/OC/ MCCP/SCCP | SMPS PWM | ADCs | Number of Op Amps/ PGAs | Number of Analog Comparators | Number of UART/I2C/ SPI Interfaces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dsPIC33EP 'GS' Family | 70 MIPS Single Core | Up to 80 | Up to 128 | Up to 8 | 4/4 | 16 Channels 1 nS | 22 × 12-bit, 5x S/H | 2 | 4x | 2/2/3 |
| dsPIC33CK 'MP' Family | 100 MIPS Single Core | Up to 80 | Up to 256 | Up to 24 | 9 | 16 Channels 250 pS | 24 × 12-bit, 3x S/H | 3 | 3 | 3/3/3 |
| dsPIC33CH 'MP' Family | 100 MIPS Dual Core | Up to 80 | Up to 512/72 | Up to 48 + 16 | 8 + 4 | 8+4 Channels 250 pS | 18 × 12-bit, 4x S/H | 3 | 3 | 3/3/3 |
IC = Input Capture
OC = Output Compare
MCCP = Multiple Capture/Compare/PWM
SCCP = Single Capture/Compare/PWM
SMPS PWM = Power Supply Pulse Width Modulation