DC-DC converter in a non-steady system
AssigneeMainspring Energy, Inc.
InventorsAnthony Da Costa, John Powers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Multiphase electromagnetic machines, such as free-piston engines or compressors, may require, or supply, a pulsed power profile from or to a DC bus, respectively. The pulsed power profile may include relatively large fluctuations in instantaneous power. Sourcing, sinking, or otherwise exchanging power with an AC grid, via an inverter, may be accomplished by using an energy storage device and a DC-DC converter coupled to a DC bus. The energy storage device may aid in smoothing the pulsed power profile, while the DC-DC converter may aid in reducing fluctuations in voltage across a DC bus due to energy storage in the energy storage device.
Claims20
A power management system comprising:
- a DC bus comprising a first bus at a first voltage and a second bus at a second voltage lower than the first voltage;
- an inverter comprising a first DC-DC converter coupled to the DC bus, wherein the inverter is configured to output a smoothed power output relative to a power output from a free-piston power generator;
- at least one energy storage device coupled to the DC bus, wherein the at least one energy storage device is configured to store and release electrical energy from the DC bus;
- and
- a power electronics module comprising a second DC-DC converter coupled to DC bus and to the free-piston power generator, wherein the power electronics module is configured to receive the power output from the free-piston power generator.
A power management system comprising:
- a DC bus comprising a first bus at a first voltage and a second bus at a second voltage lower than the first voltage;
- an inverter comprising a first DC-DC converter coupled to the DC bus, wherein the inverter is configured to receive a power input;
- at least one energy storage device coupled to the DC bus, wherein the at least one energy storage device is configured to store and release electrical energy from the DC bus;
- and
- a power electronics module comprising a second DC-DC converter coupled to DC bus and to a free-piston machine, wherein the power electronics module is configured to provide a pulsed power input to the free-piston machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.