Thin-film photovoltaic power element with integrated low-profile high-efficiency DC-DC converter
View Patent ↗A photovoltaic device includes at least one photovoltaic cell and a DC/DC converter electrically coupled to the at least one photovoltaic cell. The at least one photovoltaic cell and the DC/DC converter are integrated into a photovoltaic package.
1. A photovoltaic device, comprising:
at least one photovoltaic cell; and
a DC/DC converter electrically coupled to the at least one photovoltaic cell,
wherein the at least one photovoltaic cell and the DC/DC converter are integrated into a photovoltaic package, and wherein the photovoltaic package comprises a low-profile laminate or non-laminate package.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the low-profile package is less than 11 mm thick.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the low-profile package is less than 5 mm thick.
4. A photovoltaic device, comprising:
at least one photovoltaic cell;
a DC/DC converter electrically coupled to the at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the at least one photovoltaic cell and the DC/DC converter are integrated into a photovoltaic package, and wherein the at least one photovoltaic cell is a thin-film photovoltaic cell.
5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a transformerless buck converter and a transformerless boost converter or a transformerless buck-boost converter.
6. The device of claim 5 , further comprising a pass-through comprising a low resistance path from the at least one photovoltaic cell to an output of the DC/DC converter.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the pass-through comprises a first pass-through integrated into the transformerless buck converter and a second pass-through integrated into the transformerless boost converter.
8. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a ceramic capacitor electrically coupled to the DC/DC converter and to a string of the thin-film photovoltaic cells which include the at least one photovoltaic cell.
9. The device of claim 7 , further comprising a pass-through controller electrically coupled to the transformerless buck converter and the transformerless boost converter, wherein the pass-through controller comprises a maximum power point tracker electrically coupled to the at least one photovoltaic cell.
10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises at least four transistors.
11. The device of claim 6 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises at least two transistors and at least two diodes.
12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises an inductor integrated onto a printed circuit board or at least one layer of the package.
13. The device of claim 4 , wherein the photovoltaic package comprises a low-profile laminate or non-laminate package.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the low-profile package is less than 11 mm thick.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the low-profile package is less than 5 mm thick.
16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises a transformerless buck converter and a transformerless boost converter or a transformerless buck-boost converter.
17. The device of claim 16 , further comprising a pass-through comprising a low resistance path from the at least one photovoltaic cell to an output of the DC/DC converter.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the pass-through comprises a first pass-through integrated into the transformerless buck converter and a second pass-through integrated into the transformerless boost converter.
19. The device of claim 17 , further comprising a ceramic capacitor electrically coupled to the DC/DC converter and to a string of the thin-film photovoltaic cells which include the at least one photovoltaic cell.
20. The device of claim 18 , further comprising a pass-through controller coupled to the transformerless buck converter and the transformerless boost converter, wherein the pass-through controller comprises a maximum power point tracker electrically coupled to the at least one photovoltaic cell.
21. The device of claim 18 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises at least four transistors.
22. The device of claim 17 , wherein the DC/DC converter comprises at least two transistors and at least two diodes.
23. The device of claim 21 , wherein the DC/DC converter further comprises an inductor integrated onto a printed circuit board or at least one layer of the package.
24. The device of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic package comprises the laminate package.
25. The device of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic package comprises the non-laminate package.