Dual use photovoltaic system

• US 9,276,410 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Binder, Yaron, Sella, Guy, Adest, Meir, Handelsman, Lior, Galin, Yoav, Fishelov, Amir
• Primary Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/187,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 307/46, 307/64, 307/82, 307/85
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• 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 3/38 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 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A system for providing power from a direct current (DC) source to the power grid. The system includes a first inverter with an input and an output. The input is adapted to connect to the DC source. A first switch disposed between the output and the power grid. A second inverter with a DC terminal and an AC terminal, the AC terminal is adapted to connect in parallel with the output of the first inverter. A battery adapted to connect to the DC terminal of the second inverter. A second switch connected between the DC terminal of the second inverter and the input of the first inverter. The second switch also operatively connects the DC source to the battery. The system may further include a charging circuit adapted to be disposed between the input and the DC terminal and a load adapted to connect to the output.

Claims

1. A system comprising a first inverter, a second inverter, a switch, and direct-current power nodes;

wherein alternating-current terminals of the first inverter are connected to alternating-current terminals of the second inverter; and

wherein the direct-current power nodes are connected to direct-current terminals of the first inverter and connected through the switch to direct-current terminals of the second inverter.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second switch and alternating-current power nodes, wherein the alternating-current power nodes are connected through the second switch to the alternating-current terminals of the first inverter and the alternating-current terminals of the second inverter.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to:

close the second switch in response to a presence of an external energy source energizing the alternating-current power nodes; and

open the second switch in response to an absence of the external energy source energizing the alternating-current power nodes.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to:

open the switch in response to a presence of an external energy source energizing the alternating-current power nodes; and

close the switch in response to an absence of the external energy source energizing the alternating-current power nodes.

5. The system of claim 2, the second inverter being configured to:

convert alternating-current power on the alternating-current terminals of the second inverter to direct-current power on the direct-current terminals of the second inverter in response to a presence of an external energy source energizing the alternating-current power nodes; and

convert direct-current power on the direct-current terminals of the second inverter to alternating-current power on the alternating-current terminals of the second inverter in response to an absence of the external energy source energizing the alternating-current power nodes.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the system is configured to operate in a plurality of modes when a load is connected to the alternating-current terminals of the first inverter and the alternating-current terminals of the second inverter, a battery is connected to the direct-current terminals of the second inverter, a power source is connected to the direct-current power nodes, and a power grid is connected to the alternating-current power nodes, the plurality of modes including at least one of:

the system being configured to supply power to the load solely from the power source;

the system being configured to supply power to the load solely from the power grid;

the system being configured to supply power to the load solely from the battery;

the system being configured to supply power to the load solely from the power source and the power grid;

the system being configured to supply power to the load solely from the power source and the battery; and

the system being configured to supply power to the load solely from the power source, the battery, and the power grid.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery connected to the direct-current terminals of the second inverter.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a charging circuit connected between the battery and the direct-current power nodes through the switch.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source connected to the direct-current power nodes.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a load connected to the alternating-current terminals of the first inverter and the alternating-current terminals of the second inverter.

11. A method comprising:

connecting direct-current terminals of a first inverter to direct-current terminals of a second inverter in response to sensing a power grid not being energized, the direct-current terminals of the first inverter being connected to a power source, and alternating-current terminals of the first inverter and alternating-current terminals of the second inverter being connected to a load; and

disconnecting the direct-current terminals of the first inverter from the direct-current terminals of the second inverter in response to sensing the power grid being energized.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

connecting the alternating-current terminals of the first inverter and the alternating-current terminals of the second inverter to the power grid in response to the sensing of the power grid being energized; and

disconnecting the alternating-current terminals of the first inverter and the alternating-current terminals of the second inverter from the power grid in response to the sensing of the power grid not being energized.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

the sensing of the power grid being energized and not being energized.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

converting, with the first inverter, direct-current power received from the power source to alternating-current power output to the power grid and to the load in response to the sensing of the power grid being energized.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

converting, with the second inverter, direct-current power received from the power source to alternating-current power output to the load in response to the sensing of the power grid not being energized.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

converting, with the second inverter, direct-current power received from a battery to alternating-current power output to the load in response to the sensing of the power grid not being energized.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

charging a battery connected the direct-current terminals of the second inverter with power provided from the power source or from the power grid.

18. The method of claim 17, the charging comprising:

converting, with the second inverter, alternating-current power provided from the first inverter or from the power grid to direct-current power output to the battery in response to the sensing of the power grid being energized.

19. The method of claim 17, the charging comprising:

charging the battery from the power source through a connection of the direct-current terminals of the second inverter to the direct-current terminals of the first inverter made in response to the sensing the power grid not being energized.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

disconnecting the battery and the direct-current terminals of the second inverter from the power source and from the direct-current terminals of the first inverter in response to sensing a voltage across the direct-current terminals of the first inverter exceeding a predetermined threshold.