# US 12,222,741 B2 · Extender and stabilizer for solar string power generation systems and a method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,222,741 B2 - Document ID: US12222741B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/038,572 - Filed: 2021-11-25 - Published: 2024-01-04 - Granted: 2025-02-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-29 - Assignees: Solad - Solar Electronics Ltd. - Applicants: Solad-Solar Electronics Ltd. - Inventors: Shlomo Haim Adler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222741B2 ## CPC - G05F 1/67: to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell - H02J 3/381: {Dispersed generators} - H02J 1/08: Three-wire DC power distribution systems; Systems having more than three wires - H02J 7/35: with light sensitive cells - H02S 50/00: Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification - H02J 2101/25: {involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources} - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H02S: GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES (obtaining electrical energy from radioactive sources G21H1/12; light sensitive inorganic semiconductor devices H10F; light sensitive organic semiconductor devices H10K30/00; thermoelectric devices H10N10/00; pyroelectric devices H10N15/00) ## Abstract The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for extending solar photovoltaic system's strings size and stabilizing their DC-Bus voltage at any desired constant level up to the maximum level permitted by the local electric code (LEC), This will maximize the energy production of a multi module solar string power generation system, comprising; an Injection Circuit (IC), connected to a DC-Bus and to a primary substring of solar panels, wherein the IC is also connected to an extension substring with at least one solar panel. The IC lifts up and regulates the voltage of the connected primary substring and the extension substring to a desired stabilized constant level at the input of the solar inverter. The IC comprises: (i) a first MPPT mechanism, for finding the MPP of the primary substring; (ii) a second MPPT mechanism, for finding the MPP of the extension substring; (iii) a first DC/DC converter for converting some of the power from the extension substring, for lifting up and regulating the voltage level of the primary substring; and (iv) a second DC/DC converter, for lifting up and regulating the voltage level of the extension substring and for conducting the excess power from the extension substring to the solar inverter via the DC-Bus. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for extending string size and maximizing the power of a multi module solar string power generation system, comprising: at least one string comprising a primary substring of solar panels and an extension substring of solar panels with at least one solar panel; a DC-Bus connected to said string; a solar inverter, connected, at its input, to said DC-Bus, for converting the solar DC power, from said at least one string, to AC power; and an Injection Circuit (IC), connected to said primary substring and said DC-Bus, wherein said IC is also connected to said extension substring, which comprises at least one solar panel, and wherein said IC maximizes the power production of said connected primary substring, utilizes the energy produced by the said extension substring to lift up and regulate the voltage level of the said DC-Bus and conducts the excess power from said extension substring to said solar inverter via said DC-Bus, where said IC comprises: a first MPPT mechanism, for finding the MPP of said primary substring, connected to said IC; a second MPPT mechanism, for finding the MPP of said extension substring, connected to said IC; a first DC/DC converter, for converting and regulating the power of said connected primary substring by converting some of the power, from said extension substring to lift up the voltage of the said DC-Bus to a desired voltage level; and a second DC/DC converter, for converting and regulating the power from said extension substring and for converting and utilizing the excess power from said extension substring to said DC-Bus. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, where the string is part of an array of strings of solar panels wherein said strings are connected in parallel through the DC-Bus to form said array of strings of solar panels. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An apparatus according to claim 2, where each said string of said array comprises panels of different technology and power capabilities than then other said strings in said array. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, where said primary substring comprises panels of different technology or different power capabilities than its associated said extension substring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1, where the IC comprises a third DC/DC converter, for utilizing excess power, from the panels which have a higher power capability, to said DC-Bus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1 where the inverter comprises an MPPT mechanism at its DC-Bus input. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1 where the inverter has a constant input voltage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An apparatus according to claim 1 where the lifting of the DC-Bus voltage to a desired voltage level is limited only by the Local Electrical Code (LEC) or the inverter's maximum input voltage. ### Claim 9 A method for maximizing the power of a multi module solar string power generation system, comprising: at least one string comprising a primary substring of solar panels and an extension substring of solar panels with at least one solar panel; providing a DC-Bus, connected to said string; providing a solar inverter, connected, at its input, to said DC-Bus, for converting the solar DC power, from said at least one string, to AC power; and providing an Injection Circuit (IC), connected to said DC-Bus, wherein said IC is also connected to said primary substring and said extension substring; lifting up the voltage of said primary substring to a stabilized constant desired voltage level by converting some of the power, from said extension substring; and lifting up the power of said extension substring to a stabilized constant desired voltage level and utilizing the excess power from said extension substring to said DC-Bus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method according to claim 9, where the string is part of an array of strings of solar panels wherein said strings are connected in parallel through the DC-Bus to form said array of strings of solar panels.