Multi-source, multi-load systems with a power extractor

• US 10,158,233 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2016
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apparent Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Xslent Energy Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Besser, David A., Matan, Jr., Stefan, Bullen, Melvin James
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US15/058,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20160181808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 307 24, 307 43, 307109, 307113, 307126, 307 99, 323293, 323234
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/26 involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/388 Islanding, i.e. disconnection of local power supply from the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/466 Scheduling the operation of the generators, e.g. connecting or disconnecting generators to meet a given demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects

Abstract

Apparatuses and systems enable power transfer from one or more energy sources to one or more loads. The input power from the energy sources may be unregulated, and the output power to the loads is managed. The power transfer is based on a dynamic implementation of Jacobi'"'"'s Law (also known as the Maximum Power Theorem). In some embodiments, the energy sources are selectively coupled and decoupled from the power transfer circuitry. In some embodiments, the loads are selectively coupled and decoupled from the power transfer circuitry. Power transfer to the loads is dynamically controlled.

Claims

1. An apparatus to transfer energy from a source to a load, comprising:

an input port to connect to an energy source;

an output port to connect to a load; and

a power extractor to transfer energy from the energy source to the load, the power extractor including

a first transformer including one end of a primary winding coupled to the input port and the other end of the primary winding coupled to a node via a first capacitor; and

a second transformer including one end of a primary winding coupled to the output port and the other end of the primary winding coupled to the node via a second capacitor; and

wherein the node is coupled through the first transformer secondary winding to circuit ground, and the node is coupled through the second transformer secondary winding to circuit ground, and wherein the power extractor is configured to switch the other end of the primary winding of the first transformer and the other end of the primary winding of the second transformer in accordance with a power change detection at the input port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input port is to connect to multiple energy sources.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output port is to connect to multiple loads.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a slope detection circuit coupled to the input node to detect a slope of instantaneous power changes at the energy source;

wherein the power extractor is to control switching based on the detected slope.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

first switching control coupled between the first transformer primary winding and the first capacitor; and

second switching control coupled between the second transformer primary winding and the second capacitor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, where the first and second switching control alter a duty cycle of the switching based on the detected slope.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second switching control comprise complementary switching control signals, wherein when the first switching control closes its switch, the second switching control opens its switch, and when the first switching control opens its switch, the second switching control closes its switch.

8. A method for transferring energy from an energy source to a load, comprising:

receiving energy from the energy source at one end of a primary winding of a first transformer;

transferring the received energy via the primary winding of the first transformer to a first capacitor coupled between the other end of the primary winding of the first transformer and a node, and through the node to a second capacitor coupled between the node and one end of a primary winding of a second transformer, wherein the node is coupled through the first transformer secondary winding to circuit ground, and the node is coupled through the second transformer secondary winding to circuit ground;

including

switching the first capacitor between the primary winding of the first transformer and circuit ground; and

switching the second capacitor between the primary winding of the second transformer and circuit ground; and

outputting energy to the load via the other end of the primary winding of the second transformer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving energy from the energy source comprises receiving energy from multiple energy sources.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein outputting energy to the load comprises outputting energy to multiple loads.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a slope of instantaneous power changes at the energy source prior to the primary winding of the first transformer;

wherein switching the first and second capacitors comprises switching the capacitors based on the detected slope.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

altering a duty cycle of switching the first or second capacitors based on the detected slope.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein switching the first and second capacitors comprises switching the second capacitor complementary to the first capacitor, wherein when the first capacitor is switched to the first transformer primary winding when the second capacitor is switched to ground, and when the first capacitor is switched to ground the second capacitor is switch to the second transformer primary winding.