Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Urmimala Chatterjee

Johan Driesen

Alex Masolin

Circuits and methods for increasing the voltage gain range of a DC-DC power converter include: two multiplier stages, each comprising two capacitors, each capacitor respectively connected to a diode, which are adapted to charge the capacitors with a voltage; at least two switching devices arranged to interchangeably operate between the at least two multiplier stages, or arranged to selectively connect the at least two multiplier stages in series in a first mode of operation and to at least partly bypass one of the at least two multiplier stages in a second mode of operation, thereby increasing the voltage gain range of the DC-DC power converter.

Methods and devices for increasing the voltage gain range of a DC-DC power converter

The present invention relates to an intra-module DC-DC power converter and a Photovoltaic (PV) module comprising same. The switching frequency of said intra-module DC-DC power converters may be 500 kHz. The PV module may have a controller and a plurality of switches for allowing each individual string of said PV module to be connected to one corresponding DC-DC converter, or for allowing two or more strings of said module to be connected in series and to apply the voltage of the combined string to a single DC-DC converter. The input voltage range of the DC-DC converters may be 10V to 30V, and the output voltage range may be 120V. The DC-DC converters may be connected in series or in parallel. Multiple such PV panels may be connected in a DC-grid.

Growing community of inventors

Heverlee, Belgium

Urmimala Chatterjee