Arc Protection Dual-Drive Solution: Fonrich’s Rapid Shutdown AFCI Arc Detection and Protection Strategies Strengthening Highway PV Safety

Guided by the “dual carbon” goals, the global energy transition is accelerating. The innovative “photovoltaic + highway” model is emerging as a bright star in the field of green transportation. Along highways lie abundant idle resources—rooftops of service areas and toll stations, slopes, ramp areas, tunnel median strips… These spaces, previously overlooked, are now covered with photovoltaic panels, transforming into vital “energy corridors.”

Opportunities coexist with challenges; the complexity of highway photovoltaic scenarios far exceeds expectations. Continuous slope vibration, dense traffic flow, and long-term equipment exposure to extreme environments… These special conditions pose three core risks:

DC High-Voltage Fire Hazards: Data indicates that over 50% of photovoltaic fires are triggered by DC arcs. In highway settings, collisions from traffic accidents can cause component damage and exposed electrodes, instantly sparking arcs with a high risk of rapid fire spread.

Impeded Emergency Rescue: Traditional photovoltaic systems lack the capability for rapid shutdown of DC high voltage. In the event of a fire, rescuers face the risk of electric shock, delaying firefighting efforts, and resulting in potentially significant losses.

Difficulty in Fault Location: Highway photovoltaic strings often span several kilometers. Manual inspection of fault arcs or break points is time-consuming and laborious, leading to severe power generation losses and high operation and maintenance (O&M) costs.

To address these challenges, Fonrich New Energy leverages innovative technology, launching component-level safety protectors and string-level arc protection solutions, establishing a dual-layer safety defense for highway photovoltaic projects.

Fonrich Component-Level Safety Protector: Safeguarding Every Photovoltaic Module

Tailored to the specific needs of highway photovoltaic projects, the Fonrich component-level safety protector provides comprehensive protection from the module level up to the system level through three core functions:

01 Component-Level Rapid Shutdown: Swift Response, Enhanced Safety

Through remote or manual operation, the Fonrich component-level rapid shutdown device can instantly disconnect each photovoltaic module, reducing the system voltage to a safe level. This feature provides valuable time for fire rescue and emergency response, effectively eliminating the risk of high-voltage electric shock.

02 Component-Level Arc Protection: Precise Detection, Rapid Cutoff

Real-time monitoring of series, parallel, and ground arcs. Upon detecting an arc fault, the system immediately isolates the faulty module, preventing the spread of fire.

03 Intelligent Monitoring Technology: Data-Driven, Efficient O&M

By collecting key data such as voltage, current, power output, and temperature for each module in real-time, the Fonrich solution can accurately pinpoint faulty modules, significantly reducing O&M costs. An intelligent data management platform makes photovoltaic power plant operations more transparent and efficient.

Fonrich String-Level Arc Protection: Wide-Area Monitoring, Risk Mitigation in Seconds

For the retrofitting of older projects and safety in complex scenarios, the Fonrich string-level arc protection solution offers a more comprehensive approach:

01 Wide-Area Monitoring, Precise Fault Location

Real-time detection of series and parallel arcs at the string level, accurately locating faulty strings. It can even quickly identify arc faults caused by issues like loose wiring in highway photovoltaic strings due to long-term vibration and wind-blown sand erosion.

02 Cost Savings, Hassle-Free Retrofitting

Major renovations to the existing electrical structure and wiring are unnecessary. Simply installing protectors at the string end achieves arc protection. This design significantly reduces retrofitting costs and shortens the construction period.

03 Minimal Impact on Power Generation, Maximizing Benefits

When a fault occurs, the system only shuts down the faulty string, allowing the remaining strings to continue generating power normally. This “precise shutdown” strategy avoids the power generation losses caused by the “all-or-nothing” shutdown approach of traditional solutions, ensuring the economic benefits of the power plant.

“On this dynamic energy landscape of highways, we don’t act as fire brigades responding after the fact; we are guardians who prepare for challenges in advance.”

Fonrich New Energy firmly believes that safety is the cornerstone of photovoltaic development. Through the dual-drive of component-level and string-level arc protection solutions, we are committed to making every kilometer of highway a safe and efficient green energy corridor, ensuring that every unit of green electricity is generated by the sun and delivered safely.