IP Library Granted Patent US 10,263,430
Granted Patent B2
US 10,263,430 · App. 15/161,127 · Granted Apr 16, 2019

Multi-phase inverter power control systems in an energy generation system

Inventor: Sandeep Narla (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
H02J3/385H02J3/00H02J3/32H02J3/383H02J7/007H02J7/0068H02J7/35H02M7/00H02J2003/388H02M7/44H02M7/537H02M2001/007H02M2001/008H02M2001/0067Y02E10/58Y02E70/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,263,430
App. No.
15/161,127
Granted
Apr 16, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An energy generation system includes a plurality of energy generation devices for generating DC power, a plurality of energy storage devices for storing the generated DC power and discharging stored DC power, a plurality of single-phase inverters coupled to respective energy generation devices and energy storage devices. Each single-phase inverter of the plurality of single-phase inverters is configured to convert generated DC power or stored DC power to AC power so that the converted AC power of each single-phase inverter is offset by a phase from one another.

Claims (30)

1. An energy generation system, comprising:

a plurality of energy generation devices for generating DC power;

a plurality of energy storage devices for storing the generated DC power and discharging stored DC power; and

a plurality of single-phase inverters coupled to respective energy generation devices and energy storage devices, wherein each single-phase inverter of the plurality of single-phase inverters is coupled to a three-phase AC grid and a back-up load different from back-up loads to which other single-phase inverters are coupled, and configured to convert generated DC power or stored DC power to single-phase AC power to the three-phase AC grid or the back-up load, the converted AC power of each single-phase inverter is offset by a phase from one another.

2. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of single-phase inverters is designated as a master and the other single-phase inverters are designated as slaves.

3. The energy generation system of claim 2 , wherein the master single-phase inverter is configured to manage the operation of the slave single-phase inverters.

4. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of single-phase inverters are communicatively coupled to one another by communication lines.

5. The energy generation system of claim 4 , wherein the communication lines are wireless communication lines.

6. The energy generation system of claim 4 , wherein the communication lines are power lines though which power is transferred.

7. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein a frequency and voltage amplitude of each converted AC power from the plurality of single-phase inverters are equal to one another.

8. The energy generation system of claim 7 , wherein the phase is a third of a period of a waveform of the AC power.

9. The energy generation system of claim 1 , wherein each single-phase inverter is configured to output the converted AC power to a respective AC grid or a respective back-up load.

10. The energy generation system of claim 9 , wherein the respective AC grid operates at the same frequency, voltage amplitude, and phase as the corresponding single-phase inverter.

11. An energy generation system, comprising:

a first subsystem comprising a first inverter power control system (PCS) configured to output alternating AC power in a first phase that is converted from at least one DC power source to a three-phase AC grid or a first back-up load;

a second subsystem comprising a second inverter PCS configured to output AC power in a second phase that is converted from the at least one DC power source to the three-phase AC grid or a second back-up load; and

a third subsystem comprising a third inverter PCS configured to output AC power in a third phase that is converted from the at least one DC power source to the three-phase AC grid or a third back-up load, wherein the first, second, and third phases are equally offset in phase from one another and the first, second, and third back-up loads are different from one another.

12. The energy generation system of claim 11 , wherein the first inverter PCS is designated as a master and the second and third inverter PCSs are designated as slaves.

13. The energy generation system of claim 12 , wherein the first inverter PCS manages operations of the second and third inverters to establish the offset from one another.

14. The energy generation system of claim 11 , wherein the first, second, and third inverter PCSs are communicatively coupled to one another by communication lines.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving direct current (DC) power at a first single-phase inverter power control system (PCS), second single-phase inverter PCS, and third single-inverter PCS;

generating one or more commands at the first single-phase inverter PCS;

sending the one or more commands from the first single-phase inverter PCS to the second and third single-phase inverter PCSs;

receiving, at the second and third single-phase inverter PCSs, the one or more commands from the first single-phase inverter PCS, the one or more commands instructing the second single-phase inverter PCS to output power to a three-phase AC grid or a second back-up load in a second phase, and instructing the third single-phase inverter PCS to output power to the three-phase AC grid or a third back-up load in a third phase, wherein the first single-phase inverter PCS outputs power to the three-phase AC grid or a first back-up load in a first phase, wherein the first, second, and third back-up loads are different from one another.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more commands instructs the first, second, and third single-phase inverter PCSs to output power in a first, second, and third phase that are equally offset from one another.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more commands instructs the first, second, and third single-phase inverter PCSs to output power in a first, second, and third phase offset by 120°.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first single-phase inverter PCS is designated as a master and the second and third single-phase inverter PCSs are designated as slaves.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more commands are sent through communication lines coupled between the first single-phase inverter PCS and the second and third single-phase inverter PCSs.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the communication lines are arranged in a parallel or serial configuration.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2021
From: SOLARCITY CORPORATION
To: TESLA, INC.
Reel/Frame 056172/0062 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2016
From: NARLA, SANDEEP
To: SOLARCITY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038662/0779 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62205452 · Aug 14, 2015
Related Publication 20170047742A1 · Feb 16, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 12,665,435