Distributed Energy Conversion Systems

• US 20090160259A1
• Filed: 12/20/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enphase Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Azuray Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Le, Triet Tu, Naiknaware, Ravindranath, Fiez, Terri Shreeve, Mayaram, Kartikeya
• Granted Patent: US 9,263,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/82
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/26 involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources maximum power point systems in particular G05F1/67
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/40 Synchronising a generator for connection to a network or to another generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/04 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/42 Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4807 having a high frequency intermediate AC stage
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• 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

A distributed energy conversion system may include one or more DC power sources and two or more inverters to convert DC power from the power sources to AC power. The AC power from the two or more inverters may be combined to provide a single AC output. A module may include one or more photovoltaic cells and two or more inverters. An integrated circuit may include power electronics to convert DC input power to AC output power and processing circuitry to control the power electronics. The AC output power may be synchronized with an AC power distribution system.

Claims

1. A module comprising:

one or more photovoltaic cells; and

two or more inverters.

2. The module of claim 1 where each of the inverters is coupled to receive power from a single one of the photovoltaic cells.

3. The module of claim 1 where each of the inverters is coupled to receive power from a single string of the photovoltaic cells.

4. The module of claim 1 where each of the inverters is coupled to receive power from a subset of the photovoltaic cells.

5. The module of claim 1 where two or more of the inverters are included in one housing.

6. The module of claim 1 where:

the module comprises a stratum;

the photovoltaic cells are arranged on a first side of the stratum; and

the inverters are arranged on a second side of the stratum.

7. The module of claim 6 where the stratum comprises an isolation layer.

8. The module of claim 1 where each of the inverters comprises one or more integrated circuits including:

power electronics to convert DC power from one or more of the photovoltaic cells to AC power; and

processing circuitry to control the power electronics.

9. The module of claim 1 where the inverters are coupled together to provide a single AC output.

10. An integrated circuit comprising:

power electronics to convert DC input power to AC output power; and

processing circuitry to control the power electronics.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 10 where the processing circuitry may synchronize the AC output power with an AC power distribution system.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 10 where the power electronics include one or more switches arranged to operate as a DC-DC converter.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 10 where the processing circuitry comprises circuitry to perform one or more of the following functions:

maximum power point tracking, active filtering, HD control, power factor control, waveform generation, optimization, switch control, configuration management, shutdown control, startup control, shadow bypass control, sensing, communications, ground fault processing.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 10 where the power electronics includes one or more low-side switches and one or more high-side switches.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 14 further comprising isolation between the one or more low-side switches and the one or more high-side switches.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 10, where:

the integrated circuit includes a first section isolated from a second section; and

information is transmitted from the first section to the second section.

17. An energy conversion system comprising:

one or more DC power sources; and

two or more inverters to convert DC power from the power sources to AC power.

18. The system of claim 17 where the AC power from the two or more inverters is combined to provide a single AC output.

19. The system of claim 17 where the one or more DC power sources include one or more of the following:

fuel cells, photovoltaic cells, and/or energy storage capacitors.

20. The system of claim 17 where each of the inverters is coupled to a single one of the DC power sources.

21. The system of claim 17 where each of the inverters is coupled to a single string of the DC power sources.