Power supply circuits
This invention is generally concerned with power supply circuits, and more particularly, with circuits to supply power to a mains supply, such as domestic grid mains, from a photovoltaic device. A photovoltaic power conditioning circuit for providing power from a photovoltaic device to an alternating current mains power supply line, the circuit comprising: a DC input to receive DC power from said photovoltaic device; an AC output configured for direct connection to said AC mains power supply line; a DC-to-AC converter coupled to said DC input and to said AC output to convert DC power from said photovoltaic device to AC power for output onto said power supply line; and an electronic controller directly coupled to said power supply line to measure a voltage of said power supply line and a current in said supply line and to control said DC-to-AC converter responsive to said measuring.
1. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit for providing power to an AC mains power supply line from a photovoltaic device, the integrated circuit comprising:
a DC power input to receive DC power from said photovoltaic device;
a first DC-to-DC power conversion stage coupled to said DC power input to convert a first DC voltage from said photovoltaic device to a second, higher DC voltage, said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage comprising a first plurality of power MOSFET devices;
a second DC-to-AC power conversion stage having an input coupled to an output of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage to convert said second, higher DC voltage to an AC voltage for said AC mains power supply line, said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage comprising a second plurality of power semiconductor devices;
an AC voltage output coupled to an output of said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage;
a first driver circuit coupled to drive said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage; and
a second driver circuit coupled to drive said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage;
wherein said integrated circuit has a common substrate on which are fabricated said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage including said first plurality of power MOSFET devices, said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage including said second plurality of power semiconductor devices, said first driver circuit and said second driver circuit;
wherein said integrated circuit is a silicon-on-insulator integrated circuit having a buried oxide layer, and wherein said first driver circuit and a portion of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage are unconnected and electrically isolated from said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage and from said second driver circuit, wherein said electrical isolation comprises a dielectric filled trench on said integrated circuit extending down to contact said buried oxide layer.
2. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second plurality of power semiconductor devices comprises a plurality of power bipolar semiconductor devices, and wherein said integrated circuit is fabricated using a process optimized for fabrication of a combination of said power MOSFET devices and said power bipolar semiconductor devices.
3. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 2 wherein said plurality of power bipolar semiconductor devices comprises a plurality of IGBTs.
4. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 2 wherein said power MOSFET devices and said power bipolar semiconductor devices comprise lateral power bipolar semiconductor devices.
5. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage comprises a transformer drive connection to provide an AC power output to a transformer, and a transformer input connection to receive an AC power input from said transformer, wherein said first plurality of power MOSFET devices are coupled between said DC power input and said transformer drive connection, and further comprising at least one rectifier coupled between said transformer input connection and said DC output of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage, and wherein said portion of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage electrically isolated from said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage comprises said first plurality of power MOSFET devices.
6. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one rectifier is not electrically isolated from said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage.
7. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first driver circuit comprises a voltage level shift circuit for driving at least one of said plurality of power MOSFET devices and wherein said second driver circuit, electrically isolated from said first driver circuit, is configured to drive at least one of said second plurality of power semiconductor devices without an intermediate said voltage level shift circuit.
8. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 7 wherein one or both of said first and second driver circuits comprises a string of CMOS inverters.
9. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit for providing power to an AC mains power supply line from a photovoltaic device, the integrated circuit comprising:
a DC power input to receive power from said photovoltaic device;
a first DC-to-DC power conversion stage coupled to said DC power input to convert a first DC voltage from said photovoltaic device to a second, higher DC voltage, said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage comprising a first plurality of lateral power MOSFET devices;
a second DC-to-AC power conversion stage having an input coupled to an output of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage to convert said second, higher DC voltage to an AC voltage for said AC mains power supply line, said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage comprising a second plurality of lateral power bipolar semiconductor devices;
an AC voltage output coupled to an output of said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage;
a first control input to receive a first control signal from a controller;
a first driver circuit coupled to said first control input and to said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage, said first driver circuit controlling switching of said plurality of lateral power MOSFET devices in response to said first control signal from said controller;
a second control input to receive a second control signal from said controller; and
a second driver circuit coupled to drive said second control input and to said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage, said second driver circuit controlling switching of said plurality of lateral power bipolar semiconductor devices in response to said second control signal from said controller;
wherein said integrated circuit is a silicon-on-insulator integrated circuit having a buried oxide layer, and wherein said first driver circuit and a portion of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage are unconnected and electrically isolated from said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage and from said second driver circuit, wherein said electrical isolation comprises a dielectric filled trench on said integrated circuit extending down to contact said buried oxide layer.
10. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plurality of lateral power bipolar semiconductor devices comprises a plurality of IGBTs.
11. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9 wherein said first driver circuit comprises CMOS devices and a voltage level shift circuit for driving at least one of said plurality of lateral power MOSFET devices and wherein said second driver circuit, electrically isolated from said first driver circuit, comprises CMOS devices and is configured to drive at least one of said second plurality of lateral power bipolar semiconductor devices without an intermediate said voltage level shift circuit.
12. A photovoltaic power conditioning integrated circuit as claimed in claim 9 wherein said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage comprises a transformer drive connection to provide an AC power output to a transformer, and a transformer input connection to receive an AC power input from said transformer, wherein said first plurality of lateral power MOSFET devices are coupled between said DC power input and said transformer drive connection, and further comprising at least one rectifier coupled between said transformer input connection and said DC output of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage, and wherein said portion of said first DC-to-DC power conversion stage electrically isolated from said second DC-to-AC power conversion stage comprises said first plurality of lateral power MOSFET devices.