Maxout Renewables, Inc.

Sandia Corporation

Sandia National Laboratories

Cool Earth Solar, Inc.

Other

Eric Bryant Cummings

Blake A Simmons

Gregory J Fiechtner

Yolanda Fintschenko

Anup Kumar Singh

William R Even, Jr

Vincent Hill

Kirsten Kaye Pace

Gregory McGraw

Rafael V Davalos

James S Brennan

James Sherwood Page

Joseph S Schoeniger

Paul Michael Dentinger

Robert Ward Crocker

Antonia Ginsberg-Klemmt

Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt

Robert Lamkin

Jacques Belanger

Kyle Theile

Kevin Christopher Moore

Allen Salmi

An electrical supply system has a carport appliance with a framework supporting a plurality of PV panels and a system controller having a PV inverter coupled to the PV panels of the carport appliance. The PV inverter is adapted to provide current to charge electrically powered vehicles, and has a regulated bus coupled to electrical apparatus providing surge capacity for the supply system. In one instance the system controller has an AC output to input of a distribution apparatus for a residence or a business.

Low-cost, solar-powered nanogrid

The present invention relates to resiliency in photovoltaically produced power generation and utilization. This invention comprises a system of elements that combine to minimize the cost and complexity of a backup-capable solar power system. An element of this system is a prior-art balancer-based photovoltaic panel power optimizer whose power electronics are time-shared to allow an array of battery modules to power or provide supplemental or surge power to an inverter. Further elements of the system provide for rapid and low-cost installation, reliability, and easy and safe maintenance.

Optimizing hybrid inverter system

A microgrid system controller includes a regulated bus, a variable-frequency drive (VFD) inverter, a generator coupled to a rotatable flywheel, a resistive load; and a plurality of actuatable switches. The microgrid system controller may also include a battery and charge controller or a battery storage device. The plurality of actuatable switches couple some of the various components.

Microgrid system controller for creating and maintaining a microgrid

This specification discloses a novel power converter comprising a large array of interleaved converter channels. As a system, these channels provide high reliability through redundancy. The embodiments described herein solve a reliability and cost issues in converting electrical energy to alternating current (AC) power, with particular application to string inverters for solar power applications.

Highly interleaved converter for reliable power processing

A flyback converter has a sub-nanofarad capacitor disposed between the primary winding and the secondary winding of a transformer included in the flyback converter. A controller in the flyback converter co-optimizes the switch period and width such that the flyback converter operates substantially at peak efficiency via the use of a novel set point and control-signal. A model of global optimal control is provided via a novel characterization and analysis method.

Isolated flyback converter

Various techniques are employed alone or in combination, to reduce the levelized cost of energy imposed by a power plant system. Solar energy concentrators in the form of inflated reflectors, focus light onto photovoltaic receivers. Multiple concentrators are grouped into a series-connected cluster that shares control circuitry and support structure. Individual concentrators are maintained at their maximum power point via balance controllers that control the flow of current that shunts this series connection. DC current from clusters is transmitted moderate distances to a centralized inverter. The inductance of transmission lines is maximized using an air-spaced twisted pair, enhancing the performance of boost-type three phase inverters. Cluster outputs are separate from individual inverters in massively interleaved arrays co-located at a central location. Step-up transformers convert inverter voltages to grid voltages, and small transformers provide isolation and voltage step-up only on receiver-to-receiver imbalance currents, typically &#x3c;20% of the total current.

Method for balancing circuit voltage

Central inverters

Solar energy may be harvested utilizing arrays of solar collectors, supported and articulated to follow movement of the sun. Particular systems include arrays of solar collectors mounted on an elevation-azimuth tracking structure. From the ground up, embodiments of this system may include a Ground Interface, a Base, an Upper Truss, and a Collector. The system is designed to transmit loads with minimal deflection from the surface of the collector to the ground, while tracking the position of the sun across the sky. The use of structural, actuator, and collector elements with a minimum amount of low-cost materials, and which are able to be mass produced, allows large scale deployment of the system at reduced cost.

Structure and articulation system for solar collectors

A string and load balancer system that provides the ability to boost the string voltage in low-light or reduced-power conditions so that the inverter may continue to operate. The boost operation can be achieved by addition of a single substantially D.C. switch. The DC switch may be rated for the maximum intended voltage boost, not the maximum bus voltage. A string and load balancer provided herein may allow photovoltaic arrays to be productive in mornings, evenings, and in clouded or otherwise sub-nominal conditions.

Architecture for power plant comprising clusters of power-generation devices

Microfluidic devices according to embodiments of the present invention include an inlet port, an outlet port, and a channel or chamber having a non-uniform array of insulating features on one or more surfaces. Electrodes are provided for generation of a spatially non-uniform electric field across the array. A voltage source, which may be an A.C. and/or a D.C. voltage source may be coupled to the electrodes for the generation of the electric field.

Dielectrophoresis device and method having nonuniform arrays for manipulating particles

Disclosed is a method for monitoring sources of public water supply for a variety of pathogens by using a combination of ultrafiltration techniques together dielectrophoretic separation techniques. Because water-borne pathogens, whether present due to 'natural' contamination or intentional introduction, would likely be present in drinking water at low concentrations when samples are collected for monitoring or outbreak investigations, an approach is needed to quickly and efficiently concentrate and separate particles such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites in large volumes of water (e.g., 100 L or more) while simultaneously reducing the sample volume to levels sufficient for detecting low concentrations of microbes (e.g., &#x3c;10 mL). The technique is also designed to screen the separated microbes based on specific conductivity and size.

Growing community of inventors

Livermore, CA, United States of America

Eric Bryant Cummings