Three port converter with dual independent maximum power point tracking and dual operating modes
AssigneeEnphase Energy, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Harrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a three port converter with independent dual input comprising: a first DC port for coupling a first half-bridge circuit of the three-port converter to a first external DC line, a second DC port for coupling a second half-bridge circuit of the three-port converter to a second external DC line, wherein the second half-bridge circuit is decoupled from the first half-bridge circuit, and an AC port for coupling to an external AC line, wherein (i) the first half-bridge circuit and the second half-bridge circuit are operated as a full H-bridge during a full-bridge operating mode, and (ii) the first half-bridge circuit or the second half-bridge circuit is operated as a half H-bridge during a half-bridge operating mode.
Claims18
Apparatus for power conversion, comprising:
- a three-port converter comprising:
- a DC stage comprising a first half-bridge circuit that receives a first DC input power via a first DC port, and a second half-bridge circuit, decoupled from the first half-bridge circuit, that receives a second DC input power via a second DC port, wherein the DC stage converts at least one of the first or the second DC input power to a first power;
- a resonant circuit that generates a second power from the first power received from the DC stage;
- an AC stage that converts the second power from the resonant circuit to AC output power and couples the AC output power to an AC line via an AC port;
- and
- a controller, coupled to the first and second half-bridge circuits, that controls the level of the AC output power by (i) operating the first half-bridge circuit and the second half-bridge circuit as a full H-bridge during a full-bridge operating mode during a first plurality of time periods, and (ii) operating one of the first half-bridge circuit or the second half-bridge circuit as a half H-bridge during a half-bridge operating mode during a second plurality of time periods.
A method for operating a three-port converter, comprising:
- converting, by a DC stage of the three-port converter having a (i) a first half-bridge circuit that receives a first DC input power via a first DC port and (ii) a second half-bridge circuit, decoupled from the first half-bridge circuit, that receives a second DC input power via a second DC port, at least one of the first or the second DC input power to a first power;
- generating, by a resonant circuit, a second power from the first power from the DC stage;
- and
- generating an AC output power from the second power from the resonant circuit, wherein the level of the AC output power is controlled by (a) operating the first half-bridge circuit and the second half-bridge circuit as a full H-bridge during a full-bridge operating mode during a first plurality of time periods, and (b) operating, during a second plurality of time periods interleaved with the first plurality of time periods, one of the first half-bridge circuit or the second half-bridge circuit as a half H-bridge during a half-bridge operating mode.
A system for power conversion, comprising:
- a first photovoltaic (PV) module;
- a second PV module;
- a three-port converter comprising:
- a DC stage comprising a first half-bridge circuit coupled to the first PV module for receiving a first DC input power via a first DC port and a second half-bridge circuit, decoupled from the first half-bridge circuit, coupled to the second PV module for receiving a second DC input power via a second DC port, wherein the DC stage converts at least one of the first or the second DC input power to a first power;
- a resonant circuit that generates a second power from the first power received from the DC stage;
- an AC stage that converts the second power from the resonant circuit to AC output power and couples the AC output power to an AC line via an AC port;
- and
- a controller, coupled to the first and second half-bridge circuits, that controls the level of the AC output power by (i) operating the first half-bridge circuit and the second half-bridge circuit as a full H-bridge during a full-bridge operating mode during a first plurality of time periods, and (ii) operating one of the first half-bridge circuit or the second half-bridge circuit as a half H-bridge during a half-bridge operating mode during a second plurality of time periods.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.