Patent · US Active

Photovoltaic inverter system and method of starting same at high open-circuit voltage

US8395919B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by

6References

20Claims

0Family size

Assignee

General Electric Company · US

Inventors

Stefan Schroeder · Garching bei München, DE
Jie Shen · New Berlin, US
Said Farouk Said El-Barbari · Garching bei München, DE
Robert Roesner · Oberschleißheim, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 29, 2010
Grant date	Mar 12, 2013
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Mar 24, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY02E10/56
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A power inverter system includes a DC to AC inverter configured to convert DC voltage from a DC power source to AC voltage. A DC link couples the DC power source and the inverter. An inverter pre-charger operates to pre-charge the inverter to achieve a desired DC link voltage prior to connecting the power inverter system to an AC power grid. A phased lock loop synchronizes the pre-charged inverter to the AC power grid prior to connecting the power inverter system to the AC power grid. The pre-charged inverter regulates the DC link voltage to about the minimum voltage level that allows control of AC grid currents via the inverter subsequent to connecting the power inverter system to the AC grid. The inverter operates in a maximum power point tracking control mode only subsequent to a first voltage transient caused by connecting the DC power source to energize the power inverter system.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.