Solarbridge Technologies, Inc.

Sunpower Corporation

University of Illinois

Bitrode Corporation

Jonathan W Kimball

Philip T Krein

Patrick L Chapman

Brian T Kuhn

Robert S Balog, Jr

Alexander Gray

Nicholas D Benavides

Trishan Esram

Kevin Kepley

Theresa L Flowers

An apparatus and method for controlling the delivery of power from a DC source to an AC grid includes an inverter configured to deliver power from the unipolar input source to the AC grid and an inverter controller. The inverter includes an input converter, an active filter, and an output converter. The inverter controller includes an input converter controller, an active filter controller and an output converter controller. The input converter controller is configured to control a current delivered by the input converter to a galvanically isolated unipolar bus of the inverter. The output converter is configured to control the output converter to deliver power to the AC grid. Additionally, the active filter controller is configured to control the active filter to supply substantially all the power that is deliver by the output controller to the AC grid at a grid frequency.

Apparatus and method for controlling DC-AC power conversion

An inverter for converting an input direct current (DC) waveform from a DC source to an output alternating current (AC) waveform for delivery to an AC grid includes an input converter, an output converter, and an active filter, each of which is electrically coupled to a bus. The bus may be a DC bus or an AC bus. The input converter is configured to convert the input DC waveform to a DC or AC bus waveform. The output converter is configured to convert the bus waveform to the output AC waveform at a grid frequency. The active filter is configured to reduce a double-frequency ripple power of the bus waveform by supplying power to and absorbing power from the power bus.

Apparatus for converting direct current to alternating current using multiple converters

Apparatus for converting direct current to alternating current using a frequency converter

A bi-directional DC/DC converter includes at least one module having a module input for providing a bi-directional module input current, and a module output with an output inductor for providing a bi-directional module output current. A transformer has a primary winding wound around a transformer core and connected to the module input, and a secondary winding wound around the core and connected to the module output. A primary set of switches is connected in an H-bridge configuration between the module input and the primary winding. And, a secondary set of switches is connected in an H-bridge configuration between the module output and the secondary winding. A current sensing component senses the module output current. A hysteretic control drives the primary set of switches to control flux. The hysteretic control drives the secondary set of switches to control the module output current as a function of the sensed module output current.

Bi-directional DC/DC converter and battery testing apparatus with converter

An apparatus and method for supplying energy to a load includes an energy recharge unit, an energy storage unit, an energy converter connected to the energy recharge unit, the energy converter being capable of transferring energy at a power level from the energy recharge unit to an output node, the power level being determined by a power transfer controller, and a bi-directional energy converter connected to the energy storage unit and to the output node. The bi-directional energy converter is capable of converting energy of varying voltages from the energy storage unit to energy of varying current levels to supplement the transferred energy with energy from the energy storage unit so as to maintain a constant voltage on the output node. The bi-directional energy converter is capable of converting the transferred energy to provide charging energy to the energy storage unit when the transferred energy exceeds a demand level of the load while maintaining the constant voltage at the output node.

Modular system for unattended energy generation and storage

Apparatus for converting direct current to alternating current using an active filter to reduce double-frequency ripple power of bus waveform

In an electrical power supply having a plurality of switching power converter circuits and configured to supply a voltage to an electrical load, a method of controlling a duty cycle of at least one switch of one of the plurality of switching power converter circuits includes determining a storage voltage produced by the one of the plurality of energy storage devices. The method further includes determining an average storage voltage corresponding to an average of storage voltages produced by each of the plurality of energy storage devices. The method further includes determining at least one control signal as a function of the storage voltage, the average storage voltage, and a reference voltage. The method further includes controlling the duty cycle of the at least one switch of the one of the plurality of switching power converter circuits based upon the at least one control signal.

Apparatus and method for controlling a power supply

A method for controlling a variable of a switching electrical circuit detects values for each of a first waveform and of a second waveform in the switching circuit at a beginning of and at a predetermined instant during a switching interval of a switching operation of the electrical circuit, both of the first and second waveforms are perturbed by the switching operation, and evaluates the variable based on the corresponding values of both the first waveform and the second waveform detected at the beginning and at the predetermined instant during the switching interval. The method further adjusts an operating point of the circuit based on a change in the variable between the two evaluations so as to maximize the variable.

Ripple correlation control based on limited sampling

Apparatus, system, and method for controlling multiple power supplies

A startup circuit for starting a power converter for converting an input voltage to an output voltage includes a switch connected in series with a resistive element. The startup circuit is connected in parallel with a trigger switch in the power converter for enabling the power converter to generate the output voltage. When closed or activated, the switch in the startup circuit charges an energy storing device in the power converter. The energy storing device activates the trigger switch as the charge is released.

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Rolla, MO, United States of America

Jonathan W Kimball