Transformerless utility-grid-interactive inverter
US7710752B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 23, 2006 |
| Grant date | May 4, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 13, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S323/906
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electrical DC-to-AC power conversion apparatus is disclosed that is primarily intended for use with solar photovoltaic sources in electric utility grid-interactive applications. The invention improves the conversion efficiency and lowers the cost of DC-to-AC inverters. The enabling technology is a novel inverter circuit topology, where the bulk of the throughput power, from DC source to AC utility, is processed only once. The inverter does not require an isolation transformer and can be connected directly to a 480/277 Vac utility grid. The invention also allows the power converter to start into photovoltaic array having higher open circuit voltages. The invention also uses active ripple current cancellation to substantially reduce the cost, size and weight of the main filter inductors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.