System and method for controlling power flow in a power system

An input power control (IPC) module for transferring power from a plurality of power sources to an alternating current (AC) system, comprising:

• a direct current (DC) bus operable at a DC bus voltage;
• a first primary converter module coupled to the DC bus and operable to receive a first amount of power from a first power source that is external to the IPC module, and operable to convert the received first amount of power into a first amount of DC power at the DC bus voltage;
• a second primary converter module coupled to the DC bus and operable to receive a second amount of power from a second power source that is external to the IPC module, and operable to convert the received second amount of power into a second amount of DC power at the DC bus voltage;
• and
• a secondary converter module coupled to the DC bus and electrically coupleable to the AC system, the secondary converter module operable to receive the first and the second amounts of DC power from the DC bus, and operable to convert the first and the second amounts of DC power into AC power that is transferred to the AC system at an AC system voltage;
• and
• a controller controllably coupled to the first primary converter module and the second primary converter module, and wherein the controller is operable to prioritize the first primary converter module with respect to the second primary converter module such that a change in AC power that is transferred to the AC system is allocated to the first primary converter module,
• wherein the IPC module is operable to control the first amount of power transferred through the first primary converter module and to control the second amount of power transferred through the second primary converter module.

An input power control (IPC) module for transferring power from a plurality of power sources to an alternating current (AC) system, comprising:

• a direct current (DC) bus operable at a DC bus voltage;
• a first primary converter module coupled to the DC bus and operable to receive a first amount of power from a first power source that is external to the IPC module, and operable to convert the received first amount of power into a first amount of DC power at the DC bus voltage;
• a second primary converter module coupled to the DC bus and operable to receive a second amount of power from a second power source that is external to the IPC module, and operable to convert the received second amount of power into a second amount of DC power at the DC bus voltage;
• and
• a secondary converter module coupled to the DC bus and electrically coupleable to the AC system, the secondary converter module operable to receive the first and the second amounts of DC power from the DC bus, and operable to convert the first and the second amounts of DC power into AC power that is transferred to the AC system at an AC system voltage;
• wherein the IPC module is operable to control the first amount of power transferred through the first primary converter module and to control the second amount of power transferred through the second primary converter module, and
• wherein the IPC module is operable to prioritize the amount of power drawn from each of the plurality of power sources by limiting an amount of power that flows through at least one of the primary converter modules to a respective capacity rating of the primary converter module.

A method for transferring power from a plurality of power sources though an input power control (IPC) module to an alternating current (AC) system, wherein the plurality of power sources are external to the IPC module, comprising:

• receiving a first amount of power from a first power source that is external to the IPC module, wherein a first primary converter module receives the first amount of power, and the first primary converter module includes one of an alternating current to direct current (AC/DC) converter and a direct current to direct current (DC/DC) converter;
• receiving a second amount of power from a second power source that is external to the IPC module, wherein a second primary converter module receives the second amount of power, and the second primary converter module includes the other of the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter;
• controlling at least a first amount of direct current (DC) power through a first primary converter module coupled to a DC bus;
• receiving a second amount of DC power from a second primary converter module coupled to the DC bus;
• converting the first and the second amounts of DC power into AC power;
• and
• transferring the AC power to the AC power system.

A method for transferring power from a plurality of power sources though an input power control (IPC) module, to an alternating current (AC) system, wherein the plurality of power sources are external to the IPC module, comprising:

• receiving a first amount of power from a first power source that is external to the IPC module;
• receiving a second amount of power from a second power source that is external to the IPC module;
• controlling at least a first amount of direct current (DC) power through a first primary converter module coupled to a DC bus;
• receiving a second amount of DC power from a second primary converter module coupled to the DC bus;
• converting the first and the second amounts of DC power into AC power;
• transferring the AC power to the AC power system;
• and
• prioritizing the first primary converter module with respect to the second primary converter module such that a change in the AC power that is transferred to the AC system is allocated to the first primary converter module.

A system for transferring power from a plurality of power sources to an alternating current (AC) power system, comprising:

• means for controlling at least a first amount of direct current (DC) power from a plurality of first primary converter modules coupled to a DC bus, wherein one of the plurality of first primary converter modules comprises an alternating current to direct current (AC/DC) converter and another of the plurality of first primary converter modules comprises a direct Current to direct current (AC/DC) converter;
• means for receiving a second amount of DC power from a second primary converter module coupled to the DC bus;
• means for converting the first and the second amounts of DC power into AC power;
• and
• means for transferring the AC power to the AC power system.

A system for transmitting power between at least one external power source and an alternating current (AC) power system, comprising:

• at least two co-located input power conversion (IPC) modules, each IPC module comprising:
• a direct current (DC) bus that operates at a nominal DC voltage;
• a plurality of primary converters coupled to the DC bus and operable to receive power from an external power source, wherein the first converter converts received power to DC power at the nominal DC voltage, wherein one of the plurality of primary converters comprises an alternating current to direct current (AC/DC) converter and another of the plurality of primary converters comprises a direct current to direct current (DC/DC) converter;
• and
• an output power converter coupled between the DC bus and the AC power system that converts DC power received from the primary converter into output AC power, and is operable to transfer the output AC power to the AC power system,
• wherein the system is operable to control an amount of output AC power transferred by each of the IPC modules to the AC power system.

A system for transmitting power between at least one external power source and an alternating current (AC) power system, comprising:

• at least two co-located input power conversion (IPC) modules, each IPC module comprising:
• a direct current (DC) bus that operates at a nominal I)C voltage;
• a primary converter coupled to the DC bus and operable to receive power from an external power source, wherein the first converter converts received power to DC power at the nominal DC voltage;
• and
• an output power converter coupled between the DC bus and the AC power system that converts DC power received from the primary converter into output AC power, and is operable to transfer the output AC power to the AC power system;
• a controller controllably coupled to at least one IPC, and wherein the controller controls the amount of output AC power transferred to the AC power system by each of the IPC modules
• wherein the system is operable to control an amount of output AC power transferred by each of the IPC modules to the AC power system, and
• wherein the controller is operable to control a level of an operating voltage of at least one DC bus such that an amount of output AC power transferred through at least one of the IPC modules is prioritized.

A system for transmitting power between at least one external power source and an alternating current (AC) power system, comprising:

• at least two co-located in put power conversion (IPC) modules, each IPC module comprising:
• a direct current (DC) bus that operates at a nominal DC voltage;
• a primary converter coupled to the DC bus and operable to receive power from an external power source, wherein the first converter converts received power to DC power at the nominal DC voltage;
• an output power converter coupled between the DC bus and the AC power system that converts DC power received from the primary converter into output AC power, and is operable to transfer the output AC power to the AC power system;
• and
• a controller controllably coupled to at least two of the IPC modules, and wherein the controller is operable to prioritize a first IPC module with respect to a second IPC module such that a portion of a change in the output AC power that is transferred to the AC system is allocated to the first IPC module,
• wherein the system is operable to control an amount of output AC power transferred by each of the IPC modules to the AC power system.

An input power control (IPC) module for transferring power from at least one power source to an alternating current (AC) system, comprising:

• a direct current (DC) bus operable at a DC bus voltage;
• a plurality of primary converter modules coupled to the DC bus, each primary converter module operable to receive an amount of power from a power source, and operable to convert the received amount of power into an amount of DC power at the DC bus voltage, wherein one of the plurality of primary converter modules comprises an alternating current to direct current (AC/DC) converter and another of the plurality of primary converter modules comprises a direct current to direct current (DC/DC) converter;
• and
• a plurality of secondary converter modules coupled to the DC bus and electrically coupleable to the AC system, each of the secondary converter modules operable to receive at least a portion of the amounts of DC power from the DC bus, and operable to convert the amounts of DC power into AC power that is transferred to the AC system at an AC system voltage,
• wherein the IPC module is operable to control the amounts of power transferred through the respective primary converter modules and to control the amounts of AC power transferred through the secondary converter modules.

An input power control (IPC) module for transferring power from at least a direct current (DC) bus operable at a DC bus voltage;

• a plurality of primary converter modules coupled to the DC bus, each primary converter module operable to receive an amount of power from a power source, and operable to convert the received amount of power into an amount of DC power at the DC bus voltage;
• and
• a plurality of secondary converter modules coupled to the DC bus and electrically coupleable to the AC system, each of the secondary converter modules operable to receive at least a portion of the amounts of DC power from the DC bus, and operable to convert the amounts of DC power into AC power that is transferred to the AC at an AC system voltage,
• wherein the IPC module is operable to control the amounts of power transferred through the respective primary converter modules and to control amounts of AC power transferred through the secondary converter modules, and
• wherein at least two primary converter modules receive power from a single power source.