Converters and inverters for photovoltaic power systems
AssigneeAstec International Limited
InventorVijay G. Phadke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power system includes a plurality of DC/DC converters and a DC/AC inverter. The plurality of DC/DC converters having outputs electrically connected in parallel for supplying a DC voltage bus to an input of the DC/AC inverter. The plurality of DC/DC converters each include a maximum power point tracker (MPPT). Various DC/DC converters and DC/AC inverters suitable for use in this system and others are also disclosed.
Claims24
A DC/DC converter having an input, an output for providing an output voltage, at least one power switch coupled between the input and the output, and a controller for operating the at least one power switch to control operation of the DC/DC converter, the controller configured to operate in a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) mode when the output voltage of the DC/DC converter is above a threshold level, and to operate the DC/DC converter in a power decreasing with decreasing voltage region of a power delivery curve of the DC/DC converter when the output voltage is below the threshold level.
A system comprising at least two DC/DC converters, each DC/DC converter having an input, an output for providing an output voltage, at least one power switch coupled between the input and the output, and a controller for operating the at least one power switch, each controller configured to operate in a maximum power point tracker (MPPT) mode when the output voltage of its DC/DC converter is above a threshold level, and to operate its DC/DC converter in a power decreasing with decreasing voltage region of a power delivery curve of its DC/DC converter when the output voltage of its DC/DC converter is below the threshold level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.