07 Feb 2012

TI unveils MCU solar kits

Texas Instruments has developed two solar kits based on its C2000 32-bit Piccolo and Concerto microcontrollers (MCUs).

These new solar kits bring advanced peripherals, application-targeted development hardware, schematics, comprehensive software libraries of algorithms and an industry-leading development environment to the renewable energy market. According to TI, the kits allow designers to easily create solar inverter designs while evaluating various solar algorithms and topologies.

The C2000 Solar Developer’s Kit is TI’s first complete, high-voltage, string-ready, isolated MCU-controlled solar solution to help power designers create high-voltage solar applications.

Comprised of two separate development boards, the Solar Developer’s Kit provides a dual-controller design allowing developers to work with high-voltage power stages and inter-processor communications systems.

The primary board features a 300VDC compatible input stage supporting up to 500W with an interleaved boost stage for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) and a resonant LLC stage for isolation, with both stages controlled by a single Piccolo MCU. The secondary board features a full bridge DC/AC inverter supporting 120/220VAC output with grid-matching, and can be controlled by a Concerto or Piccolo MCU, offering both control and connectivity in one processor.

Supporting both Piccolo and Concerto C2000 MCUs, the Solar Explorer Kit provides a complete, non-isolated design and features multiple power stages controlled with a single low-cost digital controller – all perfect for designing solar and renewable energy applications.

The kit includes multiple DC/DC conversions, as well as a DC/AC stage that supports 12VDC/100W input stage for a safe, low-cost architecture that can be used in desktop or low-voltage bench top experimentation lab situations for learning digitally controlled power stages or use in non-grid-tied applications. These stages are all controlled by a single Piccolo MCU.

Featuring a single-switch DC/DC boost for MPPT, DC/DC SEPIC for battery charging and a full bridge DC/AC inverter capable of driving 24VAC, the Solar Explorer Kit enables flexibility for low-voltage solar designs. Also included on this kit is a secondary processor controlling a solar panel emulator circuit, featuring a photo-diode for light sensing.

TI also provides complete open source software and tools to ease development. As part of the C2000 family of MCU devices, both solar development boards are fully supported in the controlSUITE software offering. With controlSUITE, designers can quickly find all the necessary tools and documentation for the solar development kits, including both general purpose algorithm libraries, as well as renewable energy-specific functions.

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