Novel DC Power Conversion Circuit

• US 20180374965A1
• Filed: 07/05/2018
• Published: 12/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ampt, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ampt, LLC
• Inventors: Ledenev, Anatoli, Porter, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,714,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• 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 3/38 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: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/08 using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/44 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/36 characterised by special electrical interconnection means between two or more PV modules, e.g. electrical module-to-module connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

The inventive technology, in certain embodiments, may be generally described as a solar power generation system with a converter, which may potentially include two or more sub-converters, established intermediately of one or more strings of solar panels. Particular embodiments may involve sweet spot operation in order to achieve improvements in efficiency, and bucking of open circuit voltages by the converter in order that more panels may be placed on an individual string or substring, reducing the number of strings required for a given design, and achieving overall system and array manufacture savings.

Claims

1-95. -95. (canceled)

96. A DC-DC power converter comprising:

an inductor established along a first conductor, between a first and a second node, said first node defined by an intersection of said first conductor, a second conductor, and a third conductor, and said second node defined by an intersection of said first conductor, a fourth conductor, and a fifth conductor;

a first switch established along said second conductor between said first node and a third node, said third node defined by an intersection of said second conductor, a sixth conductor, and a first power generator connector;

a first diode established along said third conductor between said first node and a fifth node defined by an intersection of said third conductor, said sixth conductor, and a higher voltage conductor, said first diode allowing flow towards said fifth node;

a first capacitor established along said sixth conductor between said third node and said fifth node;

a second switch established along said fourth conductor between said second node and a fourth node, said fourth node defined by an intersection of said fourth conductor, a seventh conductor, and a second power generator connector;

a second diode established along said fifth conductor between a sixth node and said second node, said sixth node defined by an intersection of said fifth conductor, said seventh conductor, and a lower voltage conductor, said second diode allowing flow towards said second node; and

a second capacitor established along said seventh conductor between said fourth node and said sixth node.

97. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 further comprising a first power generator connected to said first power generator connector.

98. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 97 wherein current flows from said first power generator away from said DC-DC converter.

99. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 further comprising a second power generator connected to said second power generator connector.

100. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 99 wherein current flows from said second power generator towards said DC-DC converter.

101. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 further comprising at least one additional parallely connected converter and at least two additional power generators connected with each of said at least one additional parallely connected converter.

102. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 wherein said DC-DC converter is part of a unipolar power generation system.

103. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 wherein said DC-DC converter is part of a bipolar power generation system.

104. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 wherein said higher voltage conductor connects to a positive rail.

105. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 104 wherein said first power generator is connected with said positive rail.

106. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 wherein said lower voltage conductor connects to a negative rail.

107. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 106 wherein said second power generator is connected with said negative rail.

108-197. -197. (canceled)

198. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 96 wherein said DC-DC converter comprises a photovoltaic DC-DC power converter.

199. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 97 wherein said first power generator comprises a first solar power generator.

200. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 199 wherein said first solar power generator comprises a first solar panel substring.

201. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 99 wherein said second power generator comprises a second solar power generator.

202. The DC-DC power converter as described in claim 201 wherein said first solar power generator comprises a first solar panel substring.