System and method for interconnected elements of a power system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12255449-B2
Application number	US-202318519623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2023
Priority date	May 30, 2017
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

A system and a method for a power system that includes a first string portion and a second string portion connected in series. The first string portion may have a first group of power sources connected in series. The second string portion may include a plurality of serially connected devices and a second group of power sources connected to the devices. Each device may be connected to a respective power source of the second group of power sources. By controlling switches that are includes the devices, one or more of the second group of power sources may be disconnected from the first group of power sources in a first mode of operation and/or connected to the first group of power sources in a second mode of operation.

First claim

What is 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 devices that are serially connected, and
a second group of power sources,

wherein each device of the plurality of devices is coupled to:
a respective power source of the second group of power sources, and
a respective adjacent device of the plurality of devices, and

wherein each device of the plurality of devices comprises:
a switch;
a communication circuit configured to receive one or more signals; and
a controller configured to operate the device in one of a first mode or in a second mode, based on the one or more signals received via 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 a first 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 a second state.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first state is an OFF state, and the second state is an ON state.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each device of the plurality of devices further comprises a bypass diode configured to, in the first mode, bypass the device.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each device of the plurality of devices further comprises a second switch, and wherein, for each device of the plurality of devices, the controller is further configured to:
in the first mode, bypass the device by controlling the second switch.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein, for each device of the plurality of devices, the controller is further configured to:
in the second mode, allow voltage provided by the respective power source of the second group of power sources to flow to the first group of power sources by controlling the second switch.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each device of the plurality of devices further comprises a sensor configured to sense an electrical parameter associated with the device, and
wherein, for each device of the plurality of devices, the controller is further configured to control, based on the electrical parameter, the switch.

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

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

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein each device of the plurality of devices further comprises a second switch, and
wherein, for each device of the plurality of devices, 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.

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

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

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein, for each device of the plurality of devices, the controller is further configured to:
in a third mode, control the switch to alternate between the first state and the second state at a duty cycle and a frequency to provide an average direct current (DC) voltage.

13. A method comprising:
in a first mode, disconnecting a power source, connected to a device of a plurality of devices, from a first group of power sources by controlling a switch of the device to be in a first state; and
in a second mode, connecting the power source to the first group of power sources by controlling the switch to be in a second state,
wherein:
the first group of power sources are directly connected to each other in series,
the plurality of devices are serially connected,
the first group of power sources are connected in series to the plurality of devices, and
each device of the plurality of devices is connected to a respective power source.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the device further comprises a second switch, the method further comprising:
in the first mode, bypassing the device by controlling the second switch to be in the first state; and
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 second state.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
sensing, using a sensor, an electrical parameter associated with the device, and
controlling the switch based on the electrical parameter.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
controlling the 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.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more signals comprise at least one of an enable signal or a disable signal.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more signals are received from a system power device, and wherein the system power device is configured to signal the plurality of devices to:
operate in the first mode based on an input current to the system power device being below a threshold; or
operate in the second mode based on the input current to the system power device being above the threshold.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the device further comprises a second switch, and wherein the method further comprises:
in a third mode, reducing a voltage across the power source by controlling the second switch.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
in a third mode, controlling the switch to alternate between the first state and the second state at a duty cycle and a frequency to provide an average direct current (DC) voltage.

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

• H02M7/42

  Conversion of DC power input into AC power output without possibility of reversal · CPC title

• H02M5/02

  without intermediate conversion into DC · CPC title