POWER HARVESTING CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR SERIALLY COUPLED DC POWER SOURCES

• US 20140145509A1
• Filed: 01/06/2014
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andre P. Willis
• Original Assignee: Andre P. Willis
• Inventors: WILLIS, Andre P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,281,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/77
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/26 involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy

Abstract

Circuitry and a method for maximizing power from multiple serially coupled DC power sources. Electrodes provide for serial coupling of multiple DC power sources, capacitive circuitry couples to each one of the electrodes, switching circuitry couples among various ones of the electrodes, and inductive circuitry couples among various others of the electrodes and the switching circuitry.

Claims

1. An apparatus including circuitry for maximizing power from multiple DC power sources, comprising:

a plurality of electrodes, including a plurality of intermediate electrodes between first and last electrodes, for serially coupling a plurality of DC power sources;

capacitive circuitry coupled to each one of said plurality of electrodes;

first switching circuitry coupled to at least one of said first and last electrodes and at least one of said plurality of intermediate electrodes;

first inductive circuitry coupled between a first portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes and said first switching circuitry;

second switching circuitry coupled to at least one of said first and last electrodes; and

second inductive circuitry coupled between a second portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes and said second switching circuitry.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second portions of said plurality of intermediate electrodes are mutually exclusive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises first alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes;

said second portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises second alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes; and

said first and second alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes are mutually exclusive.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of electrodes comprises a plurality of N electrodes;

said capacitive circuitry comprises a plurality of N−

1 capacitances; and

each one of said plurality of N−

1 capacitances is coupled between respective successive pairs of said plurality of N electrodes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first switching circuitry comprises a first plurality of switching devices serially coupled between said first electrode and one of:

said last electrode; and

a first one of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said second switching circuitry comprises a second plurality of switching devices serially coupled between said last electrode and one of:

said first electrode; and

a second one of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first inductive circuitry comprises a first plurality of inductances coupled between first alternating pairs of said plurality of electrodes and said first switching circuitry.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said second inductive circuitry comprises one or more inductances coupled between second alternating pairs of said plurality of electrodes and said second switching circuitry.

11. A method for maximizing power from multiple DC power sources, comprising:

serially coupling a plurality of DC power sources with a plurality of electrodes, including a plurality of intermediate electrodes between first and last electrodes;

capacitively coupling to each one of said plurality of electrodes;

switchably and inductively coupling at least one of said first and last electrodes and a first portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes; and

switchably and inductively coupling at least one of said first and last electrodes and a second portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first and second portions of said plurality of intermediate electrodes are mutually exclusive.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said first portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said second portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

said first portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises first alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes;

said second portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises second alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes; and

said first and second alternating ones of said plurality of intermediate electrodes are mutually exclusive.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said capacitively coupling to each one of said plurality of electrodes comprises capacitively coupling between respective successive pairs of said plurality of electrodes.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said switchably and inductively coupling at least one of said first and last electrodes and a first portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises switchably and inductively coupling among said first electrode, electrodes between first alternating pairs of said plurality of electrodes, and one of:

said last electrode; and

a first one of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said switchably and inductively coupling at least one of said first and last electrodes and a second portion of said plurality of intermediate electrodes comprises switchably and inductively coupling among said last electrode, electrodes between second alternating pairs of said plurality of electrodes, and one of:

said first electrode; and

a second one of said plurality of intermediate electrodes.