US 2026/0291252 A1Published application

Curvature-based control system and method for dc power sources

OwnerArpan LAHA, Abirami KALATHY +2inventors

InventorsArpan LAHA, Abirami KALATHY, Majid PAHLEVANINEZHAD, Praveen K. JAIN

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Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling a behaviour of a DC power source in a power generation system. A DC power source (e.g. a DC/DC converter coupled to one or more photovoltaic panels) has its output characteristics measured and a curvature of a plot of those output characteristics is estimated. Based on whether the control system is in on-grid or off-grid mode, the curvature estimate is used to control the behaviour of the DC power source. When in on-grid mode, the curvature estimate is used in MPPT. When in off-grid mode, the curvature estimate is used to optimize power sharing among DC/DC converters and the inverters in the power generation system as well as to regulate a bus voltage. The curvature may be a power-voltage curve for the DC power source.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A control subsystem for controlling a DC power source in a power generation system, the control subsystem comprising:

a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller for controlling power from said DC power source to thereby provide maximum power to a power grid when said control subsystem is in on-grid mode;
and
a bus voltage controller for controlling said power from said DC power source to thereby provide said power to off-grid loads when said control subsystem is in off-grid mode,
wherein
said power generation system exclusively provides power to said power grid when said control subsystem is in said on-grid mode;
said power generation system exclusively provides power to said off-grid loads when said control subsystem is in said off-grid mode;
when said control subsystem is in said on-grid mode, said control subsystem uses an estimate of a curvature for an output characteristic of a component of said DC power source to perform maximum power point tracking with said DC power source;
and
when said control subsystem is in said off-grid mode, said control subsystem uses said estimate of said curvature for said output characteristic of said component of said DC power source to perform at least one of:
determining a power reference signal that is used in regulating a bus voltage for said power generation system;
adjusting power sharing between a plurality of DC/DC converters that are connected to a DC bus of an AC inverter in said power generation system;
and
adjusting power sharing between different AC inverters that are connected at a point of common coupling in said power generation system.

10 more elements

A power generation system comprising:

a plurality of photovoltaic panels;
a plurality of DC/DC converters coupled at their outputs, each of said plurality of DC/DC converters being coupled at its input to at least one of said plurality of photovoltaic panels;
a DC/AC inverter receiving DC outputs of said plurality of DC/DC converters to thereby produce AC power;
a DC/DC control subsystem for providing signals to control switches in said plurality of DC/DC converters;
and
a DC/AC control subsystem for providing signals to control switches in said DC/AC inverter,
wherein
said power generation system switchably operates exclusively in either on-grid mode or off-grid mode;
when said power generation system is in said on-grid mode, AC power from said DC/AC inverter is routed to a power grid;
when said power generation system is in said off-grid mode, AC power from said DC/AC inverter is routed to at least one off-grid load;
each of said plurality of DC/DC converters is paired with at least one corresponding photovoltaic panel to result in a DC power source such that each DC/DC converter is coupled to its corresponding at least one photovoltaic panel at an input of each DC/DC converter and such that said plurality of DC/DC converters and said plurality of photovoltaic panels result in a plurality of DC power sources for said power generation system;
said DC/DC control subsystem uses estimated curvatures of output characteristics of at least one component of said DC power sources to control a behavior of said DC power sources;
and
said DC/AC control subsystem uses said estimated curvatures of output characteristics of at least one component of said DC power sources to control a behavior of said DC/AC inverter.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/084,914Filed 20 Mar 2025
Published: 24 Sep 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H02J 3/46
Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised…
H02J 3/381
Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised…
H02M 7/493
Using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode: the static converters being arranged for operation…
H02J 2101/25
Photovoltaics: involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources