Method and apparatus for controlling solar power systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11258265-B2
Application number	US-202016780293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2020
Priority date	Apr 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus includes a four-switch power converter having input terminals coupled to a power source and output terminals coupled to a capacitor, wherein the capacitor is connected in series with the power source, and a common node of the capacitor and the power source is connected to one input terminal of the four-switch power converter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a four-switch power converter having input terminals coupled to a first terminal and a second terminal of a power source respectively, and output terminals coupled to a first terminal and a second terminal of a capacitor respectively, wherein:
the first terminal of the power source is connected to the second terminal of the capacitor;
a first switch and a second switch of the four-switch power converter are connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal of the power source; and
a third switch and a fourth switch of the four-switch power converter are connected in series between the first terminal of the capacitor and the second terminal of the power source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the power source is a solar panel configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the four-switch power converter, the capacitor and the power source form a power module, and wherein:
the capacitor is connected between a positive terminal of the power source and a first output terminal of the power module; and
a negative terminal of the power source is connected to a second output terminal of the power module.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the four-switch power converter, the capacitor and the power source form a power module, and wherein:
the capacitor is connected between a negative terminal of the power source and a second output terminal of the power module; and
a positive terminal of the power source is connected to a first output terminal of the power module.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the four-switch power converter is a four-switch buck-boost converter.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the four-switch buck-boost converter comprises:
an inductor connected between a common node of the first switch and the second switch, and a common node of the third switch and the fourth switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
the third switch and the fourth switch are connected in series between a negative terminal of the power source and the first terminal of the capacitor, and wherein the second terminal of the capacitor is connected to a positive terminal of the power source.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
the third switch and the fourth switch are connected in series between a positive terminal of the power source and the first terminal of the capacitor, and wherein the second terminal of the capacitor is connected to a negative terminal of the power source.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
the four-switch buck-boost converter is configured to operate in a pass-through mode after a duty cycle of the third switch is less than a first predetermined duty cycle.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein:
the four-switch buck-boost converter is configured to operate in a pass-through mode after a duty cycle of the first switch is greater than a second predetermined duty cycle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:
in the pass-through mode, the first switch and the fourth switch are turned on, and the second switch and the third switch are turned off.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the power source is a solar panel, and wherein one terminal of the capacitor is electrically in direct contact with one terminal of the solar panel.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a solar panel and a capacitor connected in series, wherein a first terminal of the solar panel is connected to a second terminal of the capacitor; and
a buck-boost converter comprising a first switch and a second switch connected in series between the first terminal and a second terminal of the solar panel, and a third switch and a fourth switch connected in series between a first terminal of the capacitor and the second terminal of the solar panel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
the buck-boost converter is a four-switch buck-boost converter.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
the capacitor is electrically in direct contact with the first terminal of the solar panel.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
a voltage potential at the first terminal of the solar panel is higher than a voltage potential at the second terminal of the solar panel.

17. An apparatus comprising:
a power source;
a capacitor connected in series with the power source; and
a buck-boost converter having a first switch and a second switch connected in series between a first terminal and a second terminal of the power source, and a third switch and a fourth switch connected in series between a first terminal of the capacitor and the second terminal of the power source.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the buck-boost converter comprises:
an inductor connected between a common node of the first switch and the second switch, and a common node of the third switch and the fourth switch.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:
the capacitor and the power source are connected between the first terminal of the capacitor and the second terminal of the power source, and wherein a positive terminal of the power source is connected to the capacitor.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:
the power source and the capacitor are connected between the second terminal of the power source and the first terminal of the capacitor, and wherein a negative terminal of the power source is connected to the capacitor.

Assignees

• Futurewei Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Dai Heping
• Mao Xiaolin
• Fu Dianbo
• Zhu Huibin

Classifications

• H02J2101/25

  involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources · CPC title

• H02J3/46

  Controlling the sharing of generated power between the generators, sources or networks · CPC title

• H02S50/10 Primary

  Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells (testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing {H10P74/00}) · CPC title

• H02S50/00

  Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification · CPC title

• H02J3/381

  Dispersed generators · CPC title