DC power-generation system and integral control apparatus therefor
First Claim
1. A direct-current (DC) power-generation array system comprising:
- a DC power-generation array comprising N strings comprising M DC power-generation cells each, where N is an integer greater than 1, and where M is a positive integer; and
an integral control apparatus having a common substrate and comprising;
a current summing bus affixed to said common substrate and coupled to each of said N strings;
N string units affixed to said common substrate, wherein each of said N string units is coupled between one of said N strings and said current summing bus, and configured to measure a string current through said one string; and
a process unit affixed to said common substrate, coupled to each of said N string units, and configured to evaluate said string current through said one string.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A DC power-generation array system (30) is made up of an array (32) of power-generation cells (36) arranged as N strings (38) of M cells (36) each. The system (30) incorporates an integral control apparatus (34) having N string units (52) and a single process unit (54). Each string unit (52) is coupled to one of the strings (38), and is made up of monitor module (72) to measure a string current (IS(X)) through that string (38), and a switching module (74) to switch that string (38) into and out of the array (32). The process unit (54) is made up of a processor (90) to evaluate the string currents (IS(X), and a data I/O module (98) to provide a remote monitoring and control of the system (30). The system (30) also has an interface unit (92) to provide local monitoring and control of the system (30). The processor (90) causes the switching modules (74) to couple or decouple strings (38) from array (32) under automatic, remote, and/or local control.
154 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A direct-current (DC) power-generation array system comprising:
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a DC power-generation array comprising N strings comprising M DC power-generation cells each, where N is an integer greater than 1, and where M is a positive integer; and
an integral control apparatus having a common substrate and comprising;
a current summing bus affixed to said common substrate and coupled to each of said N strings;
N string units affixed to said common substrate, wherein each of said N string units is coupled between one of said N strings and said current summing bus, and configured to measure a string current through said one string; and
a process unit affixed to said common substrate, coupled to each of said N string units, and configured to evaluate said string current through said one string. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An integral control apparatus for a direct-current (DC) power-generation array formed of N strings, where N is an integer greater than 1, said apparatus comprising:
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a common substrate;
a string unit affixed to said common substrate, coupled to one of said N strings, and configured to measure a string current through said one string; and
a process unit affixed to said common substrate, coupled to said string unit, and configured to evaluate said string current though said one string. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A direct-current (DC) power-generation array system comprising:
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a DC power-generation array comprising N×
M DC power-generation cells arranged as N strings of M cells each, where N is an integer greater than 1, and where M is a positive integer;
an integral control apparatus comprising;
a common substrate;
N string units affixed to said common substrate, wherein each of said N string units is coupled to one of said N strings and comprises;
a monitor module configured to measure a string current through said one string; and
a switching module configured to effect electrical couple and decouple said one string with a remainder of said N strings;
a current summing bus affixed to said common substrate, coupled to each of said N string units, and configured to sum said string currents from each of said N strings;
a process unit comprising;
a processor coupled to each of said monitor modules, coupled to each of said switching modules, configured to evaluate each of said string currents through said N strings, and configured to cause said switching modules to couple and decouple said strings with said array; and
a data input/output module configured to provide a remote control of said processor; and
an interface unit affixed to said common substrate, coupled to said process unit, and configured to provide local control of said processor, wherein said processor is configured to cause each of said switching modules to one of couple and decoupled an associated one of said strings with said array in response to one of an automatic control, said remote control, and said local control
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Specification