ARCHITECTURE FOR POWER PLANT COMPRISING CLUSTERS OF POWER-GENERATION DEVICES
First Claim
1. An apparatus for balancing power output comprising:
- an array of balancers coupled with a cluster of power-generating elements that are coupled in series via a conductor through which a common current flows, the array of balancers having an output coupled in parallel,wherein the array of balancers is configured to;
unidirectionally draw current from the power generating elements;
unidirectionally supply current to the power-generating elements; and
bidirectionally pass current through shunt paths,wherein each power-generating element in the cluster of power generating elements operates independently at a maximum power to supply a total current different from the common current.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various techniques are employed alone or in combination, to reduce the levelized cost of energy imposed by a power plant system. Solar energy concentrators in the form of inflated reflectors, focus light onto photovoltaic receivers. Multiple concentrators are grouped into a series-connected cluster that shares control circuitry and support structure. Individual concentrators are maintained at their maximum power point via balance controllers that control the flow of current that shunts this series connection. DC current from clusters is transmitted moderate distances to a centralized inverter. The inductance of transmission lines is maximized using an air-spaced twisted pair, enhancing the performance of boost-type three phase inverters. Cluster outputs are separate from individual inverters in massively interleaved arrays co-located at a central location. Step-up transformers convert inverter voltages to grid voltages, and small transformers provide isolation and voltage step-up only on receiver-to-receiver imbalance currents, typically <20% of the total current.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for balancing power output comprising:
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an array of balancers coupled with a cluster of power-generating elements that are coupled in series via a conductor through which a common current flows, the array of balancers having an output coupled in parallel, wherein the array of balancers is configured to; unidirectionally draw current from the power generating elements; unidirectionally supply current to the power-generating elements; and bidirectionally pass current through shunt paths, wherein each power-generating element in the cluster of power generating elements operates independently at a maximum power to supply a total current different from the common current. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus for balancing power output comprising:
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an array of balancers coupled with a cluster of power-generating elements that are coupled in series via a conductor through which a common current flows, the array of balancers each being coupled to a separated isolated winding of a single transformer, wherein the array of balancers is configured to bidirectionally pass current between balancers, and wherein each power-generating element of the cluster of power generating elements operates independently at a maximum power to supply a total current different from the common current.
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5. A power harvesting apparatus comprising:
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at least ten clusters comprising a plurality of power-generating elements configured to output a DC current; an interleaved inverter having at least ten input terminals, and an output terminal; at least ten transmission lines having a first end coupled to one of the clusters, and having a second end coupled to a respective one of the ten input terminals. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification