Integrated photovoltaic system
First Claim
1. A photovoltaic system for providing a source of AC power, the photovoltaic system comprising:
- a plurality of individual photovoltaic modules for converting solar energy into DC power;
an enclosed busway coupled to each of the plurality of photovoltaic modules to combine the DC power from each module and provide a DC power output, wherein each photovoltaic module includes a sealed plug member that is received in a mating sealed receptacle formed in the busway to provide an environmentally protected electrical coupling between the photovoltaic modules and the busway; and
a power inverter connected to the busway for converting the DC power output from the plurality of photovoltaic modules to AC power for output from the photovoltaic system, wherein the busway provides an environmentally protected connection between the electrical wiring and the power inverter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated photovoltaic system includes a plurality of individual photovoltaic modules that each convert solar energy into DC power. Each of the photovoltaic modules is coupled to a busway that combines the DC power generated by each photovoltaic module into a DC power output. The connection between each photovoltaic module and the busway is environmentally sealed, as is the electrical wiring contained within the busway. The busway is coupled to a DC to AC power inverter that provides a supply of AC power. The coupling between the busway and the power inverter is environmentally protected, such that the entire DC wiring for the photovoltaic system is environmentally sealed and the system functions as an “AC photovoltaic system” having an AC power output.
288 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A photovoltaic system for providing a source of AC power, the photovoltaic system comprising:
-
a plurality of individual photovoltaic modules for converting solar energy into DC power;
an enclosed busway coupled to each of the plurality of photovoltaic modules to combine the DC power from each module and provide a DC power output, wherein each photovoltaic module includes a sealed plug member that is received in a mating sealed receptacle formed in the busway to provide an environmentally protected electrical coupling between the photovoltaic modules and the busway; and
a power inverter connected to the busway for converting the DC power output from the plurality of photovoltaic modules to AC power for output from the photovoltaic system, wherein the busway provides an environmentally protected connection between the electrical wiring and the power inverter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A photovoltaic system for providing a source of AC power, the photovoltaic system comprising:
-
a plurality of individual photovoltaic modules for converting solar energy into DC power;
an enclosed busway coupled to each of the plurality of photovoltaic modules to combine the DC power from each photovoltaic module to provide a DC power output, the busway including electrical wiring interconnecting the photovoltaic modules and providing an environmentally protected connection between the electrical wiring and each of the photovoltaic modules; and
a power inverter coupled to the busway for converting the DC power output from the plurality of photovoltaic modules to AC power for output from the photovoltaic system, the power inverter including a sealed plug that is received in a mating sealed receptacle formed in the busway, such that the power inverter is removably coupled to the busway and the connection between the power inverter and the busway is environmentally sealed by the interaction between the sealed plug and the sealed receptacle.
-
-
13. A photovoltaic system for converting solar energy into a source of AC power, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of individual photovoltaic modules for converting solar energy into DC power, each photovoltaic module including a sealed plug member;
an environmentally sealed busway having a plurality of sealed receptacles, each sealed receptacle receiving the sealed plug member of one of the photovoltaic modules to couple the plurality of photovoltaic modules to the busway such that the busway combines the DC power from each module and provides a DC power output; and
a power inverter directly coupled to the busway for converting the DC power output to AC power for output from the photovoltaic system, wherein the couplings between the busway and the plurality of photovoltaic modules and the coupling between the busway and the power inverter are each environmentally sealed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A device for interconnecting a plurality of individual photovoltaic modules and providing a source of AC power, each module having a plug member that supplies DC power from the photovoltaic module, the device comprising:
-
an enclosed busway including environmentally protected electrical wiring, the busway having a plurality of spaced sealed receptacles that each receive the plug member on one of the photovoltaic modules to connect the photovoltaic module to the electrical wiring within the busway, such that the electrical wiring within the busway combines the DC power from the plurality of photovoltaic modules and provides a DC power output, wherein the connection between the busway and each of the photovoltaic panels is environmentally sealed; and
a power inverter coupled to the busway for converting the DC power output to AC power, the coupling between the power inverter and the busway being environmentally sealed such that the DC power is concealed within the device and the device provides a source of AC power. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification