System and method for interconnected elements of a power system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11876369-B2
Application number	US-202117153945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2021
Priority date	May 30, 2017
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

A power system and a power method for a power system that includes a first power source operatively connected to an input of a first power device. The power system also includes a switch unit having a first input operatively connected to the output of the first power device. The power system further includes a second power source operatively connected to a second input of a second power device. A second output of the second power device connects to a second input of the switch unit, wherein a third output of the switch unit provides an output parameter responsive to at least one of the output of the first power device and the second output of the second power device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a first string portion comprising a first group of power sources that are directly connected to each other in series;
a second string portion connected in series to the first string portion, the second string portion comprising:
a plurality of power devices that are serially connected, and
a second group of power sources,

wherein each power device of the plurality of power devices comprises:
a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are coupled to a respective power source of the second group of power sources, and at least one of the third terminal or the fourth terminal is coupled to a respective adjacent power device of the plurality of power devices;
a switch coupled between the second terminal and the third terminal;
a communication circuit configured to receive one or more signals from a device external to each power device of the plurality of power devices; and
a controller configured to operate each power device of the plurality of power devices in a first mode and in a second mode based on the one or more signals from the communication circuit, wherein the controller is further configured to:
in the first mode, disconnect the respective power source of the second group of power sources from the first group of power sources by controlling the switch to be in an OFF state, and
in the second mode, connect the respective power source of the second group of power sources to the first group of power sources by controlling the switch to be in an ON state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each power device of the plurality of power devices further comprises a second switch coupled between the third terminal and the fourth terminal.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
in the first mode, bypass each power device of the plurality of power devices by controlling the second switch to be in an ON state to connect the third terminal to the fourth terminal.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
in the second mode, connect a voltage provided by the respective power source of the second group of power sources to the first group of power sources by controlling the second switch to be in an OFF state.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each power device of the plurality of power devices further comprises a sensor configured to sense an electrical parameter on at least one terminal of each power device of the plurality of power devices, and wherein the controller is further configured to control the switch based on the electrical parameter sensed by the sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control each power device of the plurality of power devices to operate in one of the first mode or the second mode based on reception or lack of the reception of the one or more signals from the communication circuit.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more signals comprise at least one of an enable signal or a disable signal.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein each power device of the plurality of power devices further comprises a second switch coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, wherein the controller is further configured to:
in a third mode, reduce a voltage across the respective power source of the second group of power sources by controlling the second switch to be in an ON state to connect the first terminal to the second terminal.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the device external to each power device of the plurality of power devices is a system power device comprising a direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) converter.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system power device is configured to signal the plurality of power devices to operate in the first mode based on an input current to the system power device being below a threshold, and to signal the plurality of power devices to operate in the second mode based on the input current to the system power device being above the threshold.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
in a third mode, control the switch to alternate between the ON state and the OFF state at a duty cycle and a frequency to provide an average direct current (DC) voltage between the third terminal and the fourth terminal.

12. A method comprising:
in a first mode, disconnecting a power source, connected to a power device of a plurality of power devices, from a first group of power sources by controlling a switch of the power device to be in an OFF state; and
in a second mode, connecting the power source to the first group of power sources by controlling the switch to be in an ON state,
wherein the first group of power sources are directly connected to each other in series,
wherein the plurality of power devices are serially connected,
wherein the first group of power sources is connected in series to the plurality of power devices,
wherein the power device comprises a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal,
wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are coupled to the power source,
wherein at least one of the third terminal or the fourth terminal is coupled to a respective adjacent power device of the plurality of power devices,
wherein the switch is coupled between the second terminal and the third terminal, and
wherein each power device of the plurality of power devices is connected to a respective power source.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the power device further comprises a second switch coupled between the third terminal and the fourth terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
in the first mode, bypassing the power device by controlling the second switch to be in an ON state to connect the third terminal to the fourth terminal.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
in the second mode, connecting a voltage provided by the power source to the first group of power sources by controlling the second switch to be in the OFF state.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
sensing, using a sensor, an electrical parameter on at least one terminal of the power device, and
controlling the switch based on the electrical parameter sensed by the sensor.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
controlling the power device to operate in one of the first mode or the second mode based on reception or lack of the reception of one or more signals received from a device external to the power device.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more signals comprise at least one of an enable signal or a disable signal.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the device external to the power device is a system power device comprising a direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) converter.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the system power device is configured to signal the plurality of power devices to operate in the first mode based on an input current to the system power device being below a threshold, and to signal the plurality of power devices to operate in the second mode based on the input current to the system power device being above the threshold.

21. The method of claim 12 , wherein the power device further comprises a second switch coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal, the method further compr

Assignees

• Solaredge Technologies Ltd

Inventors

• Galin Yoav
• Yoscovich Ilan
• Sella Guy
• Loewenstern Yakir
• Glovinsky Tzachi

Classifications

• H02J2101/25

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

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title

• H02J3/0014

  for preventing or reducing power oscillations in networks · CPC title

• H02J1/102 Primary

  being switching converters (H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02J3/06

  Controlling the transfer of power between connected networks; Controlling load sharing between connected networks · CPC title