System and Method for Portable Solar Array Deployment

• US 20130187464A1
• Filed: 01/22/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seldon Energy Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Seldon Energy Partners LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Mark Berry, Bisig, David Charles Jr., Harris, William Tol
• Application Number:
  US13/747,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187464A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/47
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/50 Rollable or foldable solar heat collector modules
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2030/145 Tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/40 Casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/40 Mobile PV generator systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/30 Supporting structures being movable or adjustable, e.g. for angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 30/20 Collapsible or foldable PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy

Abstract

A deployable portable solar system is provided. The portable solar system provides power for industrial use situations. The portable solar system contains solar cells, one or more charge controllers, one or more battery banks, DC to AC inverters, and a disconnect. Optionally, the solar system contains a backup AC generator, one or more transfer switches, a backup DC generator, a utility line connection, one or more transformers, and a variable frequency drive.

Claims

1. A portable solar power generator comprising:

one or more solar cells;

one or more charge controllers electrically coupled to the one or more solar cells, the one or more charge controllers configured to receive power from the one or more solar cells;

a battery bank electrically coupled to the one or more charge controllers, the one or more charge controllers configured to charge the battery bank;

one or more direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) inverters electrically coupled to the battery bank; and

a disconnect electrically coupled to the one or more DC to AC inverters, the one or more DC to AC inverters configured to provide AC current via the disconnect.

2. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a backup DC generator.

3. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a rotary converter electrically coupled to the one or more DC to AC inverters.

4. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the generator is configured to provide single, dual, or three phase power.

5. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a transfer switch electrically coupled to one or more of a group consisting of a backup AC generator, a combustion generator, and a utility power line.

6. The portable solar power generator of claim 5, wherein an electrical component is configured to provide excess power generated by the one or more solar cells to the utility power line.

7. The portable solar power generator of claim 6, wherein the excess power is power that is generated in excess of the power requirements of a load electrically coupled to the disconnect.

8. The portable solar power generator of claim 5, wherein the backup AC generator is configured to activate when the battery bank malfunctions.

9. The portable solar power generator of claim 5, wherein the backup AC generator is configured to activate when the battery bank is unable to provide sufficient operating power to a load electrically coupled to the disconnect.

10. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a transformer electrically coupled to the DC to AC inverter.

11. The portable solar power generator of claim 10, wherein the transformer is configured to receive legs of 208 VAC power and output three phase 480 VAC power.

12. The portable solar power generator of claim 10, wherein an output of the transformer varies based on one or more of:

an output of the DC to AC inverters, an output of a rotary converter, an output of a backup generator, or an output of utility power, and wherein the output of the transformer is selected to provide sufficient operating power to a load electrically coupled to the disconnect.

13. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the battery bank is configured to support an inrush current of power related to start-up of a load electrically coupled to the disconnect.

14. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the battery bank comprises a plurality of batteries, wherein a number of the plurality of batteries is selected based upon the power requirements of a load electrically coupled to the disconnect.

15. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, wherein the battery bank comprises a plurality of batteries, wherein a number of the plurality of batteries is selected based upon one or more of:

providing continuous power for twenty-four hours to a load electrically coupled to the disconnect; and

the operating hours of the load.

16. The portable solar power generator of claim 1, further comprising a transformer, wherein the plurality of solar cells comprises 96 solar cells, wherein each of the solar cells is configured to output 230 watts (W) of power at 48 volts (V) DC, wherein the one or more charge controllers comprises 6 charge controllers, wherein each of the 6 charge controllers is configured to provide 150 amps (A) at 48 VDC, wherein the battery bank is configured to provide a surge current of 96 A at 48 VDC, wherein the DC to AC inverter receives 48 VDC from the battery bank and outputs three phase 208 VAC, and wherein the transformer receives the three phase 208 VAC and outputs three phase 480 VAC.

17. The portable solar power generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a transformer; and

wherein the plurality of solar cells comprises 96 solar cells, wherein each of the solar cells is configured to output 250 watts (W) of power at 48 volts (V) DC, wherein the one or more charge controllers comprises 6 charge controllers, wherein each of the 6 charge controllers is configured to provide 150 amps (A) at 48 VDC, wherein the battery bank is configured to provide a surge current of 96 A at 48 VDC, wherein the DC to AC inverter receives 48 VDC from the battery bank and outputs three phase 208 VAC, and wherein the transformer receives the three phase 208 VAC and outputs three phase 480 VAC.

18. The portable solar power generator of claim 1 further comprising:

a variable frequency drive, wherein the variable frequency drive is selected based upon one or more of;

an in-rush current resulting from starting of a load electrically coupled to the disconnect; and

a change in electrical resistance of the load while running.

19. A method for providing industrial solar power comprising:

generating an output voltage from an array of solar cells;

receiving the output voltage at a charge controller;

charging a battery bank by the charge controller using the output voltage;

receiving a DC battery voltage from the battery bank at a DC to AC inverter;

converting the DC battery voltage to an AC voltage by the DC to AC inverter; and

outputting the AC voltage by DC to AC inverter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the AC voltage is any one of single, dual and three phase power at any one of 110-120 VAC, 208-240 VAC, 460-480 VAC, and up to 800 VAC.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising concurrently drawing power from a utility line as a secondary power source.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising drawing power from the utility line when additional power is needed and supplying power to the utility line when the generated power exceeds the power required by an attached load.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the utility line is supplying two phase or single phase power.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein one or more attached loads receive power directly from a variable frequency drive as well as power that bypasses the variable frequency drive.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising a rotary converter receiving a single phase or two phase signal from the DC to AC inverter and wherein the rotary converter converts the power to three phase power.