Alternating current photovoltaic building block
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsWard Issac Bower, Michael G. Thomas, Douglas S. Ruby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modular apparatus for and method of alternating current photovoltaic power generation comprising via a photovoltaic module, generating power in the form of direct current; and converting direct current to alternating current and exporting power via one or more power conversion and transfer units attached to the module, each unit comprising a unitary housing extending a length or width of the module, which housing comprises: contact means for receiving direct current from the module; one or more direct current-to-alternating current inverters; an alternating current bus; and contact means for receiving alternating current from the one or more inverters.
Claims22
A modular alternating current photovoltaic power generation apparatus comprising:
- a photovoltaic module generating power in the form of direct current;
- and
- one or more power conversion and transfer units attached to said module, each said unit comprising a unitary housing extending a length or width of said module, which housing comprises:
- contact means for receiving direct current from said module;
- one or more direct current-to-alternating current inverters, and
- an alternating current bus.
A method of alternating current photovoltaic power generation, the method comprising:
- via a photovoltaic module, generating power in the form of direct current;
- and
- converting direct current to alternating current and exporting power via one or more power conversion and transfer units attached to the module, each unit comprising a unitary housing extending a length or width of the module, which housing comprises:
- contact means for receiving direct current from the module;
- one or more direct current-to-alternating current inverters;
- and
- an alternating current bus.
A modular alternating current photovoltaic power generation apparatus comprising:
- a photovoltaic module generating power in the form of direct current;
- one or more direct current-to-alternating current inverters receiving direct current from said photovoltaic module;
- and
- one or more power transfer units attached to said module, each said unit comprising a unitary housing extending a length or width of said module, which housing comprises:
- contact means for receiving alternating current from said one or more inverters, and
- an alternating current bus.
A method of generating alternating current photovoltaic power, the method comprising the steps of:
- via a photovoltaic module, generating power in the form of direct current,
- receiving the direct current and converting to alternating current via one or more direct current-to-alternating current inverters;
- and
- exporting the alternating current via one or more power transfer units attached to the module, each unit comprising a unitary housing extending a length or width of the module, which housing comprises:
- contact means for delivering direct current to the one or more inverters and contact means for receiving alternating current from the one or more inverters;
- and
- an alternating current bus.
A modular photovoltaic power generation apparatus comprising:
- a photovoltaic panel comprising an edge;
- a hollow structural member attached to said edge of said panel;
- and
- a direct current-to-alternating current inverter module attached to said structural member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.