Advanced renewable energy harvesting

• US 8,138,631 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eIQ Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: eIQ Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Allen, James, Krzywinski, Eugene, Speers, Troy
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/338,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 307/43, 307/71, 307/82
• US Class Current: 307/82
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• 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: H02J 3/40 Synchronising a generator for connection to a network or to another generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 using wireless data transmission

Abstract

The power of DC electrical sources is combined onto a DC buss, such that each source behaves independently from any other source attached to the buss. In one embodiment, a converter module is attached to each of a plurality of solar photovoltaic panels and its output is attached in a parallel manner to a common buss that forms the input to a DC AC inverter. The converter module includes a Maximum Power Point Tracking component that matches the output impedance of the panels to the input impedance of the converter module. The converter also includes a communication component that provides parametric data and identification to a central inverter. Data generated by each converter module is transmitted over the power line or by wireless means and is collected at the inverter and forwarded to a data collection and reporting system.

Claims

1. A system for harvesting maximum power from a plurality of energy sources comprising:

an inverter for inverting electrical energy from direct current (DC) to an alternating current (AC);

a DC buss for transmitting DC to said inverter, wherein said DC buss operates at a DC buss voltage set by said inverter;

a plurality of energy receiving components each configured for outputting direct current (DC) from energy received from at least one energy source independently from each other, wherein each energy receiving component from among said plurality of energy receiving components further comprises a converter component comprising;

a boost converter for upconverting said DC from said energy receiving component to said DC buss voltage; and

a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) component for real time determination of an output impedance of said energy receiving component, said MPPT component varying an operating point of said boost converter to match said impedance of said DC from said energy receiving component to maximize transfer of power;

wherein each of said at least one converter component is connected to said DC buss in parallel with others of said at least one converter component; and

wherein said boost converter in each respective converter component operates said converter component as an independent power producer by converting a variable DC voltage and current received from energy receiving component to an output power at a voltage determined by the DC buss as set by the inverter; and

a power capturing source for receiving said AC from said inverter.

2. The system of claim 1, said converter component further comprising:

an input filter for filtering electromagnetic interference and reducing voltage and current ripple backfeed from said DC to said energy receiving components;

a switching network for upconverting a voltage of said DC from said energy receiving components to said DC buss voltage;

an output filter for filtering electromagnetic interference and reducing said DC voltage and current ripple to said DC buss;

an ORing component for preventing backfeed from said DC buss into said converter component; and

a common mode choke for facilitating power line communications via radio frequency (RF) signals superimposed onto said DC buss.

3. The system of claim 1, said MPPT component further comprising:

a MPPT control for generating a maximum power point for said DC; and

a pulse width modulator for matching an input impedance of said converter component to an output impedance of said energy receiving source.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication component for gathering information about said energy receiving components, said communication component transmitting a signal over a power line by generating radio frequency signals that represent digital signals.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said information gathered by said communication component comprises at least one of:

temperature, voltage, power, current, efficiency, and diagnostics of said energy receiving components.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said communication component receives inputs.

7. The system of claim 6, said communication component comprising:

means for transmitting instructions to said converter component to deactivate said converter component'"'"'s output in response to any of user input, loss of an enable signal from said inverter, disconnection from said DC buss, and disconnection of said inverter from said DC buss.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy receiving components comprise solar panels.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said energy receiving components receive energy from at least one of solar power, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, a fuel cell, and a battery.

10. The system of claim 1, said inverter further comprising:

a communications component that transmits information about said system using a wireless transmission.

11. A method for harvesting energy, the method comprising the steps of:

inverting, with an inverter, electrical enemy from direct current (DC) to an alternating current (AC), wherein said inverter is configured with a threshold voltage;

transmitting, with a DC buss, to an inverter, wherein each of said DC buss operates at a DC buss voltage equal to said threshold voltage;

capturing energy with a plurality of energy receiving components, wherein said captured energy is output as a direct current (DC), and wherein each enemy receiving component captures enemy independently from one another by configuring each energy receiving component with a boost converter for upconverting said DC from said energy receiving component to said DC buss voltage;

upconverting, by said boost converter, said DC from each said energy receiving component;

determining, by a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) component within each of said at least one boost converter, an output impedance of at least one energy receiving component by varying an operation point of said boost converter to match said impedance of said DC from said energy receiving component;

wherein each boost converter is connected to said DC buss in parallel to others of said at least one boost converter;

wherein said boost converter in each respective converter component operates said converter component as an independent power producer by;

converting a variable DC voltage and current received from energy receiving component to an output power at a voltage determined by the DC buss as set by the inverter; and

said inverter transmitting said AC to a power capturing source.

12. The method of, claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

filtering electromagnetic interference and reducing voltage and current ripple backfeed from said DC to said energy receiving components an input filter;

upconverting said DC voltage from said energy receiving components to said DC buss voltage with a switching network;

filtering electromagnetic interference and reducing voltage of said DC and current ripple to said DC buss with an output filter;

preventing backfeed from said DC buss into said converter component with an ORing component; and

facilitating power line communications via radio frequency (RF) signals superimposed onto said DC buss with a common mode choke.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

generating a maximum power point for voltage of said DC with an MPPT control; and

matching an input impedance of said converter component to an output impedance of said energy receiving component with a pulse width modulator.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

gathering information about said energy receiving components with a communications component, said communication component transmitting a signal over a power line by generating radio frequency signals that represent digital signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said information gathered by said communication component comprises at least one of temperature, voltage, power, current, efficiency, and diagnostics of said energy receiving components.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

said communication component receiving inputs from a user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

transmitting instructions to said converter component with said communication component to deactivate said converter component'"'"'s output in response to any of user input, loss of an enable signal from said inverter, disconnection from said DC buss, and disconnection of said inverter from said DC buss.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said energy receiving components comprise solar panels.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

receiving energy from at least one of solar power, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, a fuel cell, and a battery with said energy receiving components.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

transmitting information about said system through wireless transmission with said communications component.