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Firmware helps digital power analyser in real-time dynamic measurements

Firmware Version 4.12 has been introduced for the Yokogawa WT3000 digital power analyser that enables the instrument to be used to carry out real-time dynamic measurements on MPPT (maximum power point tracking). It is a system used to optimise the power performance of solar or wind energy inverter systems under changing conditions. The firmware is of importance in situations where the maximum power point is subject to rapidly changing environmental conditions, such as solar cells on orbiting satellites or wind turbines under conditions of variable velocity and direction of wind. The dynamic and nonlinear nature of such systems means that conventional methods of measuring average power and peak power do not produce a meaningful result and hence the instantaneous peak power that is significant, requires an enhanced performance digital power analyser to show how the inverter system is responding to the changing conditions. The firmware allows a number of user-defined parameters such as peak power, instantaneous power and power factor to be calculated from acquired measurements and be made available in real time for storage and display purposes. The firmware supporting the use of the power analyser as an MPPT efficiency tester is available from the company’s website.