Power control systems and methods

1. A power supply configured to operatively connect at least one load to at least one DC power source, the power supply comprising:

an AC bus adapted to be operatively connected to the load;

a DC bus;

a DC/AC converter operatively connected between the DC bus and the AC bus; and

a load balancer adapted to be operatively connected to the at least one DC power source and operatively connected to the DC bus; wherein

the power supply supplies power to the load from the first DC power source through the load balancer, the DC bus, the DC/AC converter, and the AC bus.

2. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , in which the load balancer substantially equalizes the charge on first and second split rail capacitors.

3. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , in which the load balancer comprises a resonant capacitor and a resonant inductor connected in series.

4. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , in which load balancer comprises a balance circuit that is alternately connected between first and second split rail capacitors.

5. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a DC/DC converter operatively connected to the load balancer, where the DC/DC converter is adapted to be operatively connected to the at least one DC power source.

6. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the load balancer is included in a DC/DC converter, in which the balance circuit is alternately connected between first and second split rail capacitors at a frequency and duty cycle that substantially matches a frequency and duty cycle of the DC/DC converter.

7. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , in which the load balancer comprises a balance circuit that is alternately connected between first and second split rail capacitors such that the load balancer operates with nearly zero voltage switching.

8. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , in which the DC bus is adapted to be connected to a plurality of DC power sources.

9. A power supply as recited in claim 1 , in which the AC bus is adapted to be connected to at least one AC power source.

10. A power supply configured to operatively connect at least one load to a plurality of DC power sources, the power supply comprising:

an AC bus adapted to be operatively connected to the load;

a DC bus;

a DC/AC converter operatively connected between the DC bus and the AC bus; and

a first DC/DC converter operatively connected between a first DC power source and the DC bus;

a second DC/DC converter operatively connected to a second DC power source;

a load balancer operatively connected between the second DC/DC converter and the DC bus; wherein

the power supply supplies power to the load

from the first DC power source through the first DC/DC converter, the DC bus, the DC/AC converter, and the AC bus, and

from the second DC power source through the second DC/DC converter, the load balancer, the DC bus, the DC/AC converter, and the AC bus.

11. A power supply as recited in claim 10 , in which the load balancer substantially equalizes the charge on first and second split rail capacitors.

12. A power supply as recited in claim 10 , in which the load balancer comprises a resonant capacitor and a resonant inductor connected in series.

13. A power supply as recited in claim 10 , in which load balancer comprises a balance circuit that is alternately connected between first and second split rail capacitors.

14. A power supply as recited in claim 10 , in which the load balancer comprises a balance circuit that is alternately connected between first and second split rail capacitors such that the load balancer operates with nearly zero voltage switching.

15. A power supply as recited in claim 10 , in which the AC bus is adapted to be connected to at least one of a plurality of AC power sources.

16. A method of operatively connecting at least one load to at least one DC power source, the method comprising the steps of:

operatively connecting an AC bus to the load;

operatively connecting a DC/AC converter between a DC bus and the AC bus;

operatively connecting a load balancer between at least one DC power source and the DC bus;

supplying power to the load from the first DC power source through the load balancer, the DC bus, the DC/AC converter, and the AC bus.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising the step of arranging the load balancer to substantially equalize the charge on first and second split rail capacitors.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 , in which the step of operatively connecting the load balancer comprises the step of connecting a resonant capacitor and a resonant inductor in series.

19. A method as recited in claim 16 , in which the step of operatively connecting the load balancer comprises the step of alternately connecting a balance circuit between first and second split rail capacitors.

20. A method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising the step of operatively connecting a DC/DC converter between the load balancer and to at least one DC power source.

21. A method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising the step of including at least a portion of the load balancer in a DC/DC converter such that the balance circuit is alternately connected between first and second split rail capacitors at a frequency and duty cycle that substantially matches a frequency and duty cycle of the DC/DC converter.

22. A method as recited in claim 16 , in which the step of operatively connecting load balancer comprises the step of alternately connecting a balance circuit between first and second split rail capacitors such that the load balancer operates with nearly zero voltage switching.

23. A method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising the step of operatively connecting the AC bus to at least one AC power source.