General Electric Company

Ge Energy Power Conversion Technology Gmbh

Anthony William Galbraith

Robert Gregory Wagoner

David Grey Smith

Ahmed Elasser

Mark Edward Cardinal

Mohammed Agamy

Maja Harfman Todorovic

Andreas Kirchner

Allen Michael Ritter

Juan Antonio Sabate

Enno Ubben

Nicholas Wright Miller

Minesh Ashok Shah

Srinivas Bollapragada

Said Farouk Said El-Barbari

Owen Jannis Schelenz

Kara Clark

Bex George Thomas

Paul Oliver Caffrey

Timothy Botsford Cribbs

Maxim Valeryevich Garifullin

James David Rackmales

Kuruvilla Pallathusseril Kuruvilla

Mohamed Agamy

David Smith

A method for operating a renewable energy power system driven by at least one renewable energy power source and having at least one current conversion device includes determining a temperature of power semiconductor device(s) of the current conversion device(s). The method also includes determining whether an amount of power of the renewable energy power source(s) is above a predetermined threshold. Further, the method includes increasing or maintaining the temperature of the power semiconductor device(s) during periods of time when the amount of the renewable energy power source(s) is below the predetermined threshold.

System and method for operating a power converter to improve IGBT reliability

There are provided methods and systems for interfacing converters and solar power arrays. For example, there is provided a method for interfacing a solar power generation apparatus with an electricity grid. The method can include connecting a first level and a second level of the solar power generation apparatus to a two-level converter. Furthermore, the method can include interfacing the two-level converter with the electricity grid via a four-wire connection.

Solar power converter with four-wire grid-side connection

A system and method of using one or more DC-DC/DC-AC converters and/or alternative devices allows strings of multiple module technologies to coexist within the same PV power plant. A computing (optimization) framework estimates the percentage allocation of PV power plant capacity to selected PV module technologies. The framework and its supporting components considers irradiation, temperature, spectral profiles, cost and other practical constraints to achieve the lowest levelized cost of electricity, maximum output and minimum system cost. The system and method can function using any device enabling distributed maximum power point tracking at the module, string or combiner level.

System and method for design and optimization of grid connected photovoltaic power plant with multiple photovoltaic module technologies

A system for determining the output capacity of a power generating system including a sensor that monitors at least one condition of the power generating system and outputs the monitored condition data, and a power capability determination device that dynamically determines a full capacity of the power generating system based upon the outputted environmental data from the electronic controller.

Systems and methods for adaptive possible power determinaton in power generating systems

A power conversion system for providing power to an electrical grid is described. The system includes a power converter coupled to a direct current (DC) power source. The system also includes a contactor coupled to the power converter and the electrical grid and configured to selectively electrically couple the power converter to the electrical grid. The system also includes a system controller communicatively coupled to the power converter and the contactor and configured to close the contactor to electrically couple the power converter to the electrical grid and to activate the power converter when a DC voltage provided has remained higher than a voltage level for a length of time. The system controller is also configured to deactivate the power converter, while the contactor is maintained in the closed position, when an alternating current (AC) power output has remained lower than a power level for a length of time.

Methods and systems for selectively coupling a power conversion system to an electrical grid

Methods for determining a ground fault or insulation degradation condition within energy conversion systems are described. A method for determining a ground fault within an energy conversion system may include, in part, a comparison of baseline waveform of differential current to a waveform of differential current during operation for a plurality of DC current carrying conductors in an energy conversion system. A method for determining insulation degradation within an energy conversion system may include, in part, a comparison of baseline frequency spectra of differential current to a frequency spectra of differential current transient at start-up for a plurality of DC current carrying conductors in an energy conversion system. In one embodiment, the energy conversion system may be a photovoltaic system.

Methods for locating ground faults and insulation degradation condition in energy conversion systems

A power conversion system for providing power to an electrical grid is described. The power conversion system includes a power converter coupled to a photovoltaic (PV) array and configured to control a PV array voltage. The power conversion system also includes a system controller communicatively coupled to the power converter and configured to select from a first reduced power operating point and a second reduced power operating point when a power available from the PV array is greater than a rated output power of the power conversion system.

Methods and systems for operating a power converter

A distributed photovoltaic (PV) power plant includes a plurality of distributed dc-dc converters. The dc-dc converters are configured to switch in coordination with one another such that at least one dc-dc converter transfers power to a common dc-bus based upon the total system power available from one or more corresponding strings of PV modules. Due to the coordinated switching of the dc-dc converters, each dc-dc converter transferring power to the common dc-bus continues to operate within its optimal efficiency range as well as to optimize the maximum power point tracking in order to increase the energy yield of the PV power plant.

Switching coordination of distributed dc-dc converters for highly efficient photovoltaic power plants

Power inverters are controlled in response to reactive power support commands received from a power grid such that at least one power inverter provides reactive power to the power grid. The reactive power provided is based on each power inverter's reactive power capacity only while the total power capacity of each power inverter providing the reactive power is not exhausted in generating real power.

System and method for distribution of inverter VAR support

A power inverter system includes a plurality of power semiconductor switching devices. Each switching device includes a corresponding gate turn off resistance configured to increase during starting up periods of the inverter system such that the open circuit voltage of a corresponding power source providing power to the power inverter system does not exceed the switching device blocking voltage ratings during the corresponding switching turn-off periods. The starting up period is the time required to bring the corresponding power source voltage from its open circuit voltage level to a predetermined voltage which constitutes a safe operating condition for the plurality of power semiconductor switching devices.

Power inverter system and method of starting same at high DC voltage

Embodiments of the invention can provide systems, methods, and apparatus for converting direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power. According to one embodiment, a system for converting DC power to AC power can be provided. The system can include a DC power source that provides a first DC power signal to a converter. Coupled to the converter can be a controller for transforming the first DC power signal into a plurality of AC power signals. The controller can also phase shift at least one of the plurality of AC power signals and combine the phase shifted AC power signal with at least one of the other of the plurality of AC power signals to provide a second DC power signal. The controller can also convert the second DC power signal to an AC power signal.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for converting direct current (DC) power to alternating current (AC) power

A system for supplying AC power from a DC power source, such as a photovoltaic array is disclosed. The system includes a converter and an inverter coupled by a DC link. Control methods and systems are provided to maintain the DC source voltage and the DC link voltage below the open-circuit voltage of the DC power source. During steady state conditions, the DC source voltage and the DC link voltage are maintained below the open-circuit voltage of the DC power source by controlling the output of the inverter. The DC link voltage is temporarily adjusted to allow for higher DC link transients when the DC power source is first coupled or re-coupled to the system. During conditions when the inverter is decoupled from the system, the converter is controlled to maintain the DC link voltage below the open-circuit voltage of the DC power source.

Method and system to allow for high DC source voltage with lower DC link voltage in a two stage power converter

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for controlling power in renewable solar energy sources. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for controlling a renewable energy solar farm, where the farm may include one or more renewable energy sources. The method may include measuring aggregate energy output of the renewable energy solar farm and measuring individual source energy output of the one or more renewable energy sources. The method may also include controlling energy production from the one or more renewable energy sources via a controller based at least in part on the measured aggregate energy output and the measured individual source energy output, where the controller facilitates communications with the one or more renewable energy sources.

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Wirtz, VA, United States of America

Anthony William Galbraith