Technologies for interleaved control of an inverter array

An apparatus configured to deliver an alternating current (AC) power at a first frequency to a power grid, the apparatus comprising:

• a controller having a processor and memory;
• a photovoltaic panel comprising a plurality of solar cells;
• and
• a plurality of power inventers in communication with the controller, wherein each power inverter of the plurality of power inverters includes a direct current (DC) input connected to a different subset of solar cells of the plurality of solar cells and comprises an active filter connected to a DC power bus of the corresponding power inverter, each active filter comprising:
• at least two switching converters electrically coupled in parallel at a first common node and a second common node, wherein each switching converter of the at least two switching converters includes:
• a first switch having a first terminal electrically coupled to the first common node and a second terminal electrically coupled to an internal node of the corresponding switching converter;
• a second switch having a first terminal electrically coupled to the internal node and a second terminal electrically coupled to the second common node;
• and
• at least one corresponding energy storage device electrically coupled to the internal node,
• wherein each switching converter is configured to supply a first AC power with a fundamental frequency at twice the first frequency to and absorb a second AC power with a fundamental frequency at twice the first frequency from the DC power bus using the at least one corresponding energy storage device of the corresponding switching converter,
• wherein each of the first switch and the second switch is configured to operate in a series of switching cycles, the duration of which defines a switching period and a switching frequency for the corresponding switching converter and is configured to be controlled by the controller to control the AC power delivered by each said switching converter;
• and
• wherein the controller is configured to control the switching cycles of the at least two switching converters to be interleaved with respect to one another.

A method of operating a plurality of power inverters each of which is a direct current (DC)-alternating current (AC) power inverter to deliver an AC power at a first frequency to a power grid, the method comprising:

• receiving, by each power inverter of the plurality of power inverters, a corresponding DC input from a corresponding subset of solar cells of a photovoltaic panel, wherein each power inverter comprises an active filter connected to a DC power bus of the corresponding power inverter, wherein each active filter comprises at least two switching converters electrically coupled in parallel at a first common node and a second common node, wherein each switching converter of the at least two switching converters comprises (i) a first switch having a first terminal electrically coupled to the first common node and a second terminal electrically coupled to an internal node of the corresponding switching converter, (ii) a second switch having a first terminal electrically coupled to the internal node and a second terminal electrically coupled to the second common node, and (iii) at least one energy storage device electrically coupled to the internal node;
• and
• controlling switching cycles of an active filter of each said power inverter in an interleaved manner to supply a first AC power with a fundamental frequency at twice the first frequency to and absorb a second AC power with a fundamental frequency at twice the first frequency from a corresponding DC power bus of a corresponding power inverter using the at least one energy storage device of the corresponding active filter,
• wherein each of the first switch and the second switch is configured to operate in a series of switching cycles, the duration of which defines a switching period and a switching frequency for the corresponding switching converter and is configured to be controlled by the controller to control the AC power delivered by each said switching converter.