Inverter power system
View Patent ↗A photovoltaic system may include a DC to AC inverter, a voltage sensor configured to measure an input voltage from a photovoltaic array, and a controller configured to calculate a voltage differential.
1. A DC to AC inverter module comprising:
a DC to AC inverter configured to convert DC power to AC power;
a voltage sensor configured to measure an input voltage from a photovoltaic array, and to communicate the measured input voltage; and
a controller in data communication with the voltage sensor, and in data communication with the DC to AC inverter,
wherein the controller is configured to compare a first input voltage received from the voltage sensor during a powering on sequence with a second input voltage received from the voltage sensor during the powering on sequence to calculate a voltage differential, and wherein the controller is further configured to use the calculated voltage differential to predict an end voltage of the powering on sequence.
2. The DC to AC inverter module of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output an OFF signal to the DC to AC inverter if the predicted end voltage of the powering on sequence is higher than a threshold voltage, wherein upon receiving the OFF signal from the controller, the DC to AC inverter halts the powering on sequence.
3. The DC to AC inverter module of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to output an ON signal to the DC to AC inverter, wherein upon receiving the ON signal from the controller, the DC to AC inverter initiates the powering on sequence.
4. The DC to AC inverter module of claim 1 , wherein the DC to AC inverter is connected to a power grid, and wherein the DC to AC inverter is configured to process power received from a power grid.
5. The DC to AC inverter module of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate a SWITCH signal to the DC to AC inverter, wherein upon receiving the SWITCH signal from the controller, the DC to AC inverter switches from processing power received from a photovoltaic array to processing power received from a power grid.
6. A photovoltaic system comprising:
a photovoltaic array comprising a plurality of photovoltaic modules;
a DC to AC inverter in communication with the photovoltaic array, wherein the DC to AC inverter is configured to convert DC power generated by the photovoltaic array to AC power;
a voltage sensor configured to measure an input voltage from the photovoltaic array; and
a controller in data communication with the voltage sensor and in data communication with the DC to AC inverter,
wherein the controller is configured to compare a first input voltage received from the voltage sensor during a powering on sequence with a second input voltage received from the voltage sensor during the powering on sequence to calculate a voltage differential, and wherein the controller is further configured to use the calculated voltage differential to predict an end voltage of the powering on sequence.
7. The photovoltaic system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to output an OFF signal to the DC to AC inverter if the predicted end voltage of the powering on sequence is higher than a threshold voltage, wherein upon receiving the OFF signal from the controller, the DC to AC inverter halts the powering on sequence.
8. The photovoltaic system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to output an ON signal to the DC to AC inverter, wherein upon receiving the ON signal from the controller, the DC to AC inverter initiates the powering on sequence.
9. The photovoltaic system of claim 6 , wherein the DC to AC inverter is connected to a power grid, and wherein the DC to AC inverter is configured to process power received from a power grid.
10. The photovoltaic system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate a SWITCH signal to the DC to AC inverter, wherein upon receiving the SWITCH signal from the controller, the DC to AC inverter switches from processing power received from a photovoltaic array to processing power received from a power grid.
11. The photovoltaic system of claim 6 , further comprising a remote computing platform, wherein the remote computing platform comprises the controller.
12. A method of powering on a photovoltaic inverter, the method comprising:
initiating a powering on sequence for a DC to AC inverter, wherein the DC to AC inverter is connected to a photovoltaic array;
comparing a first input voltage received from a voltage sensor connected to the photovoltaic array during the powering on sequence with a second voltage received from the voltage sensor connected to the photovoltaic array during the powering on sequence, to calculate a voltage differential; and
using the calculated voltage differential to predict an end voltage of the powering on sequence.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising halting the powering on sequence if the predicted end voltage of the powering on sequence is higher than a threshold voltage.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising powering on the DC to AC inverter if a maximum available power output is higher than or equal to a minimum operating power setting of the DC to AC inverter.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising initiating sapid the powering on sequence for the DC to AC inverter.
16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising processing power received from a power grid via the DC to AC inverter.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising switching the DC to AC inverter from processing power received from the photovoltaic array to processing power received from the power grid.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising switching the DC to AC inverter from processing power received from the power grid to processing power received from the photovoltaic array.