National Semiconductor’s SolarMagic Chipset and Firmware Detect Hazardous Arc Faults in Photovoltaic Systems

National Semiconductor Corp. has introduced the SolarMagic™ arc detection reference design, comprised of analog front end integrated circuits (ICs) and multi-band dynamic filtering firmware, the first commercially available chipset to detect hazardous DC arc faults in photovoltaic (PV) systems.

National will demonstrate the SolarMagic arc detection reference design in its booth in Hall A1.151 at the Intersolar Europe Conference in Munich, Germany, June 8-10.

In PV systems today, intermittent connections or insulation deterioration (faults) can cause DC circuits to generate arcs of considerable energy.  The arc, reaching temperatures of over 3,000 degrees C, poses safety risks to surrounding infrastructure and personnel.  The 2011 U.S. National Electrical Code (NEC) 690.11 requires an arc-fault circuit detect and protect system as part of all new PV system installations.  National’s new SolarMagic arc detection reference design includes analog front end ICs and multi-band dynamic filtering (MBDF) firmware.  Together, they detect the arc fault condition and provide an alert to shutdown system power, extinguishing the arc.

“It’s through National’s comprehensive signal processing and power management product portfolio and years of work in the solar industry that we are able to understand and correct PV module over-voltage problems,” said Patrick Quinn, general manager for National’s Solar IC Division.  “Our arc detection reference design along with the new integrated circuits is one of many systems that National is developing for applications spanning the entire solar PV industry.”