Distributed power harvesting systems using DC power sources
A method for maintaining reliability of a distributed power system including a power converter having input terminals and output terminals. Input power is received at the input terminals. The input power is converted to an output power at the output terminals. A temperature is measured in or in the environment of the power converter. The power conversion of the input power to the output power may be controlled to maximize the input power by setting at the input terminals the input voltage or the input current according to predetermined criteria. One of the predetermined criteria is configured to reduce the input power based on the temperature signal responsive to the temperature. The adjustment of input power reduces the input voltage and/or input current thereby lowering the temperature of the power converter.
1. An apparatus including:
a plurality of sensor interfaces configured to receive a plurality of respective sensor signals indicative of a temperature of a power converter and indicative of electrical power input to the power converter; and
controller circuitry configured to adjust the electrical power input to the power converter based on the temperature.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to adjust the electrical power input to the power converter by reducing the electrical power input to the power converter based on the temperature.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to adjust the electrical power input to the power converter by temperature derating the electrical power input to the power converter.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to adjust the electrical power input to the power converter by reducing at least one of voltage and current of the electrical power input to the power converter.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to adjust the electrical power input to the power converter based on the electrical power being generated from one or more solar cells.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to adjust the electrical power input to the power converter by maximizing the electrical power input to the power converter based on the temperature.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller circuitry is configured to adjust the electrical power input to the power converter by maximizing the electrical power input to the power converter using a maximum power point tracking algorithm and reducing the maximized electrical power based on the temperature.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the power converter, wherein the control circuitry further controls power conversion by the power converter.
9. A method including:
receiving, from a plurality of sensors, a plurality of respective sensor signals indicative of a temperature of a power converter and indicative of electrical power input to the power converter; and
adjusting the electrical power input to the power converter based on the temperature.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the electrical power input to the power converter by reducing the electrical power input to the power converter based on the temperature.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the electrical power input to the power converter by temperature derating the electrical power input to the power converter.
12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the electrical power input to the power converter by reducing at least one of voltage and current of the electrical power input to the power converter.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the electrical power input to the power converter based on the electrical power being generated from one or more solar cells.
14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the electrical power input to the power converter by maximizing the electrical power input to the power converter based on the temperature.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the electrical power input to the power converter by maximizing the electrical power input to the power converter using a maximum power point tracking algorithm and reducing the maximized electrical power according to a temperature derating based on the temperature.
16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling power conversion by the power converter.
17. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
reducing temperature stress of electronic components within the power converter by temperature derating the electrical power input to the power converter.