High efficiency remotely controllable solar energy system

• US 8,242,634 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ampt, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ampt, LLC
• Inventors: Schatz, Douglas S., Porter, Robert M., Ledenev, Anatoli
• Primary Examiner(s): RUTLAND WALLIS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/682,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20100308662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 307/80, 307/82
• US Class Current: 307/82
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• 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 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/388 Islanding, i.e. disconnection of local power supply from the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0077 Plural converter units whose outputs are connected in series
• 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: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 136/293 Circuits

Abstract

A solar energy system (55) has aspects that can allow individualized control and analysis for overall field power control that can be used while harvesting maximum power from a solar energy source (1) and a string of solar panels (11) for a power grid (10). The invention provides control of power at high efficiency with aspects that can exist independently including: 1) power management with switch disconnect control (64), 2) sequenced start of a solar power system, 3) providing a safety output system that can be handled by installers and maintenance and advantageously controlled, 4) providing programmable power functionality controller (86) either on site or remotely from an administrative facility by radio transmission individual solar panel disconnect control (85), 5) a system with pattern analyzer (87) for operational, installation, and maintenance indications, and 6) systems with individual solar panel string power simulator (89) for disparate components.

Claims

1. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system comprising:

a plurality of individual solar energy sources, each having an output;

a plurality of source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries, each responsive to said output to provide a DC photovoltaic output;

a plurality of source individualized photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controllers to which each of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries is responsive, and that is configured to wirelessly control a transition between different power delivering operational modes for each of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries;

a wireless remotely programmable individualized conversion circuitry alterable power functionality change controller having remote individualized source alterable capabilities to which said plurality of source individualized photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controllers are individually responsive; and

a power grid responsive to said plurality of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries.

2. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller comprises a photovoltaic DC-DC power converter switch controller.

3. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 2 wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC power converter switch controller comprises a converter inoperability switch disconnect controller.

4. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 2 wherein said photovoltaic DC-DC power converter switch controller comprises a field effect transistor timing controller.

5. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 and further comprising:

an interchangeable DC photovoltaic condition of said DC photovoltaic output;

a secure command controller in response to said interchangeable DC photovoltaic condition; and

a transition controller of said interchangeable DC photovoltaic condition from a first DC photovoltaic condition to a second DC photovoltaic condition.

6. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 5 wherein said interchangeable DC photovoltaic condition comprises an interchangeable DC photovoltaic safety output condition.

7. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said plurality of source individualized photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controllers to which each of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries is responsive, and that is configured to wirelessly control a transition between different power delivering operational modes for each of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries comprises a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller selected from a group consisting of:

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different power delivering power limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different power delivering voltage limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different power delivering current limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different solar panel power delivering power limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different solar panel power delivering voltage limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different solar panel power delivering current limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different solar panel string power delivering power limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different solar panel string power delivering voltage limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different solar panel string power delivering current limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different individual solar panel power delivering power limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different individual solar panel power delivering voltage limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different individual solar panel power delivering current limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different individual solar panel string power delivering power limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different individual solar panel string power delivering voltage limits;

a photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controller configured to wirelessly alter between different individual solar panel string power delivering current limits; and

any combination thereof.

8. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said plurality of source individualized photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controllers to which each of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries is responsive, and that is configured to wirelessly control a transition between different power delivering operational modes for each of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries comprises a plurality of source individualized photovoltaic power generation operational mode functionality change controllers to which each of said source individualized photovoltaic power conversion circuitries is responsive, and that is configured to wirelessly control a transition of a power delivering operational mode to an operational mode selected from a group consisting of:

a low power operational mode;

a pre-power state operational mode;

a power down operational mode;

a night-time control operational mode;

a power off operational mode; and

a substantial solar energy electrical power operational mode.

9. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 and further comprising a remote condition reporter element.

10. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 9 wherein said remote condition reporter element comprises an unusually low power situation condition reporter element.

11. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said wireless remotely programmable individualized conversion circuitry alterable power functionality change controller comprises a remotely controlled power off disconnect control.

12. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 11 wherein said remotely controlled power off disconnect control comprises a remotely controlled power off disconnect control of a source, said source selected from a group consisting of an individual solar energy source, an individual solar panel, a string of connected items, a string of connected solar panels, a group of solar energy sources, and a group of solar panels.

13. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said wireless remotely programmable individualized conversion circuitry alterable power functionality change controller comprises a remote panel fault reactive power functionality controller.

14. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said plurality of individual solar energy sources comprises a plurality of solar panels, and wherein said wireless remotely programmable individualized conversion circuitry alterable power functionality change controller comprises a centralized, multi-panel remote power functionality change controller.

15. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 14 wherein said centralized, multi-panel remote power functionality change controller comprises an administrative panel sea facility control.

16. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 and further comprising at least one string of electrically connected items connected in electrical series responsive DC-DC converted solar panel outputs.

17. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 16 wherein said at least one string of electrically connected items connected in electrical series responsive DC-DC converted solar panel outputs comprises a plurality of serially connected photovoltaic DC-DC power converters.

18. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 17 wherein said at least one string of electrically connected items connected in electrical series responsive DC-DC converted solar panel outputs further comprises a plurality of individually panel dedicated maximum photovoltaic power point converter functionality controls.

19. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said wireless remotely programmable individualized conversion circuitry alterable power functionality change controller comprises a controller selected from a group consisting of:

a user programmable power functionality controller;

an electrical code programmable power functionality controller;

an individual solar panel programmable power functionality controller; and

a solar panel model characteristic power functionality controller.

20. An individually alterable power conversion-functionality solar energy system as described in claim 1 wherein said wireless remotely programmable individualized conversion circuitry alterable power functionality change controller comprises a power functionality change controller selected from a group consisting of:

a solar panel string voltage functionality controller;

a solar panel string current functionality controller;

a solar panel inverter input voltage functionality controller;

a solar panel inverter input current functionality controller;

a solar panel inverter input power functionality controller; and

a solar panel voltage functionality controller.