Method and apparatus for controlling solar power systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11824496-B2
Application number	US-202217651812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2022
Priority date	Apr 21, 2017
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A system includes a plurality of power modules connected in series between two input terminals of an inverter, a plurality of local controllers coupled to their respective power modules, wherein a first local controller of the plurality of local controllers is coupled to a first power module comprising a first solar panel, a first capacitor and a first power optimizer, and wherein the first local controller is configured to enable the first power optimizer to switch among a buck mode, a boost mode and a pass-through mode based upon a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) current of the first solar panel, and a central controller coupled to the inverter, wherein the central controller is configured to regulate an input voltage of the inverter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a plurality of power modules connected in series between two input terminals of an inverter;
a plurality of local controllers coupled to their respective power modules, wherein a first local controller of the plurality of local controllers is coupled to a first power module comprising a first solar panel, a first capacitor, and a first power optimizer, wherein the first solar panel is the only solar panel of the first power module, wherein the first capacitor and the first solar panel are connected in series between a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the first power module, wherein the first capacitor is connected between the first solar panel and a solar panel in an adjacent power module, and wherein the first local controller is configured to enable the first power optimizer to switch among a buck mode, a boost mode and a pass-through mode based upon a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) current of the first solar panel; and
a central controller coupled to the inverter, wherein the central controller is configured to regulate an input voltage of the inverter.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first power optimizer is a four-switch buck-boost converter, and wherein:
the first capacitor is between the first output terminal of the first power module and the first solar panel;
the first solar panel is between the first capacitor and the second output terminal of the first power module;
a first input terminal of the four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to a common node of the first solar panel and the first capacitor;
a first output terminal of the four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to the first output terminal of the first power module; and
a second input terminal and a second output terminal of the four-switch buck-boost converter are connected to the second output terminal of the first power module, wherein a voltage potential at the first output terminal of the first power module is greater than a voltage potential at the second output terminal of the first power module.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first power optimizer is a four-switch buck-boost converter, and wherein:
the first solar panel is between the first output terminal of the first power module and the first capacitor;
the first capacitor is between the first solar panel and the second output terminal of the first power module;
a first input terminal of the four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to a common node of the first solar panel and the first capacitor;
a first output terminal of the four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to the second output terminal of the first power module; and
a second input terminal and a second output terminal of the four-switch buck-boost converter are connected to the first output terminal of the first power module, wherein a voltage potential at the first output terminal of the first power module is greater than a voltage potential at the second output terminal of the first power module.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
each power module of the plurality of power modules comprises a respective solar panel, a respective capacitor, and a respective power optimizer, and wherein the respective solar panel and the respective capacitor are connected in series.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first solar panel is not in parallel with any capacitor in the plurality of power modules.

6. A system comprising:
an inverter coupled to a plurality of solar panels;
a plurality of power modules connected in series to build a higher voltage fed into the inverter, wherein each power module of the plurality of power modules comprises a respective solar panel of the plurality of solar panels, a respective capacitor, and a respective power optimizer, and wherein the respective solar panel and the respective capacitor are connected in series, wherein the respective solar panel is the only solar panel of the each power module, and wherein the respective capacitor is connected between the respective solar panel and an adjacent solar panel in an adjacent power module;
a plurality of local controllers, each of the plurality of local controllers being coupled to a corresponding power module; and
a central controller coupled to the inverter.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
the central controller is configured to regulate an input voltage of the inverter.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein:
a first local controller of the plurality of local controllers is coupled to a first power module of the plurality of power modules, and wherein the first local controller is configured to enable a first power optimizer of the first power module to switch among a buck mode, a boost mode and a pass-through mode based upon a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) current of a first solar panel coupled to the first power optimizer.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first power module comprises the first solar panel, a first capacitor and a first four-switch buck-boost converter, and wherein the first four-switch buck-boost converter is the first power optimizer of the first power module.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the first capacitor is between a first output terminal of the first power module and the first solar panel;
the first solar panel is between the first capacitor and a second output terminal of the first power module;
a first input terminal of the first four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to a common node of the first solar panel and the first capacitor;
a first output terminal of the first four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to the first output terminal of the first power module; and
a second input terminal and a second output terminal of the first four-switch buck-boost converter are connected to the second output terminal of the first power module, wherein a voltage potential at the first output terminal of the first power module is greater than a voltage potential at the second output terminal of the first power module.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the first solar panel is between a first output terminal of the first power module and the first capacitor;
the first capacitor is between the first solar panel and a second output terminal of the first power module;
a first input terminal of the first four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to a common node of the first solar panel and the first capacitor;
a first output terminal of the first four-switch buck-boost converter is connected to the second output terminal of the first power module; and
a second input terminal and a second output terminal of the first four-switch buck-boost converter are connected to the first output terminal of the first power module, wherein a voltage potential at the first output terminal of the first power module is greater than a voltage potential at the second output terminal of the first power module.

12. A system comprising:
an inverter coupled to a plurality of solar panels;
a plurality of power modules connected in series to build a higher voltage fed into the inverter, wherein each power module of the plurality of power modules comprises a respective solar panel, a respective capacitor, and a respective power optimizer, wherein the respective solar panel and the respective capacitor are connected in series, wherein the respective solar panel is the only solar panel of the each power module, and wherein the respective capacitor is connected between the respective solar panel and an adjacent solar panel in an adjacent power module;
a plurality of local controllers coupled to their respective power modules, wher

Assignees

• Huawei Digital Power Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H02J2101/25

  involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources · 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

• H02J3/38

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title

• H02J3/381

  Dispersed generators · CPC title

• H02J3/388

  Arrangements for the handling of islanding, e.g. for disconnection or for avoiding the disconnection of power · CPC title