Regulating the Operating Point of a Power Inverter

Abstract

A method is provided for power limiting in a power inverter configured to produce an output voltage and having a voltage regulator with a voltage setpoint defined for no load on an external bus line. The method includes determining a power level related to a load on the external bus line, determining an adjusted voltage setpoint based on the power level, including: decreasing the voltage setpoint to the adjusted voltage setpoint having a first value when the power level is above a maximum threshold, increasing the voltage setpoint to the adjusted voltage setpoint having a second value when the power level is below a minimum threshold, and slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint to the voltage setpoint so that the adjusted voltage setpoint has a third value when the power level is within a range defined by the maximum threshold and the minimum threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for power limiting in a power inverter connected to an external bus line, the power inverter configured to produce an output voltage and having a voltage regulator with a voltage setpoint defined for no load on the external bus line, the method comprising:
 determining a power level related to a load on the external bus line;   determining an adjusted voltage setpoint based on the power level, including:
 slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint to the voltage setpoint when the power level is within a range defined by a maximum threshold and a minimum threshold; and 
   causing the voltage regulator to regulate the output voltage based on the adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusted voltage setpoint has a value no less than 20% of the voltage setpoint when the power level is above the maximum threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusted voltage setpoint has a value no greater than 120% of the voltage setpoint when the power level is below the minimum threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint includes slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint to the voltage setpoint so that the adjusted voltage setpoint has a value no less than 20% of the voltage setpoint and no greater than 120% of the voltage setpoint. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the power level and thereby the adjusted voltage setpoint are time-variable, and the slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint causes the adjusted voltage setpoint to approach the voltage setpoint over time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 slewing a second adjusted voltage setpoint to the adjusted voltage setpoint,   wherein the voltage regulator is caused to regulate the output voltage based on the second adjusted voltage setpoint, and thereby based on the adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reducing the adjusted voltage setpoint proportional to the load on the external bus line, and thereby to a reduced adjusted voltage setpoint,   wherein the voltage regulator is caused to regulate the output voltage based on the reduced adjusted voltage setpoint, and thereby based on the adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 slewing a second adjusted voltage setpoint to the adjusted voltage setpoint,   wherein the second adjusted voltage setpoint is reduced proportional to the load on the external bus line, and thereby to the reduced adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         9 . A power inverter connectable to an external bus line and configured to produce an output voltage, the power inverter comprising:
 a voltage regulator with a voltage setpoint defined for no load on the external bus line; and   processing circuitry configured to:
 determine a power level related to a load on the external bus line; 
 determine an adjusted voltage setpoint based on the power level, including the processing circuitry configured to:
 slew the adjusted voltage setpoint to the voltage setpoint when the power level is within a range defined by a maximum threshold and a minimum threshold; and 
 
 cause the voltage regulator to regulate the output voltage based on the adjusted voltage setpoint. 
   
     
     
         10 . The power inverter of  claim 9 , wherein the adjusted voltage setpoint has a value no less than 20% of the voltage setpoint when the power level is above the maximum threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The power inverter of  claim 9 , wherein the adjusted voltage setpoint has a value no greater than 120% of the voltage setpoint when the power level is below the minimum threshold. 
     
     
         12 . The power inverter of  claim 9 , wherein slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint includes slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint to the voltage setpoint so that the adjusted voltage setpoint has a value no less than 20% of the voltage setpoint and no greater than 120% of the voltage setpoint. 
     
     
         13 . The power inverter of  claim 9 , wherein the power level and thereby the adjusted voltage setpoint are time-variable, and the slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint causes the adjusted voltage setpoint to approach the voltage setpoint over time. 
     
     
         14 . The power inverter of  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 slew a second adjusted voltage setpoint to the adjusted voltage setpoint,   wherein the voltage regulator is caused to regulate the output voltage based on the second adjusted voltage setpoint, and thereby based on the adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         15 . The power inverter of  claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 reduce the adjusted voltage setpoint proportional to the load on the external bus line, and thereby to a reduced adjusted voltage setpoint,   wherein the voltage regulator is caused to regulate the output voltage based on the reduced adjusted voltage setpoint, and thereby based on the adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         16 . The power inverter of  claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 slew a second adjusted voltage setpoint to the adjusted voltage setpoint,   wherein the second adjusted voltage setpoint is reduced proportional to the load on the external bus line, and thereby to the reduced adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable storage medium for power limiting in a power inverter connectable to an external bus line, the power inverter configured to produce an output voltage and having a voltage regulator with a voltage setpoint defined for no load on the external bus line, the computer-readable storage medium being non-transitory and having computer-readable program code stored therein that in response to execution by processing circuitry, cause the power inverter to at least:
 determine a power level related to a load on the external bus line;   determine an adjusted voltage setpoint based on the power level, including the power inverter caused to:
 slew the adjusted voltage setpoint to the voltage setpoint when the power level is within a range defined by a maximum threshold and a minimum threshold; and 
   cause the voltage regulator to regulate the output voltage based on the adjusted voltage setpoint.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the adjusted voltage setpoint has a first value no less than 20% of the voltage setpoint when the power level is above a maximum threshold,
 wherein the adjusted voltage setpoint has a second value no greater than 120% of the voltage setpoint when the 1 power level is below a minimum threshold, or   wherein the adjusted voltage setpoint has a third value no less than 20% of the voltage setpoint and no greater than 120% of the voltage setpoint when the power level is within the range.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the power level and thereby the adjusted voltage setpoint are time-variable, and the slewing the adjusted voltage setpoint causes the adjusted voltage setpoint to approach the voltage setpoint over time. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  having further computer-readable program code stored therein that in response to execution by the processing circuitry, causes the power inverter to:
 slew a second adjusted voltage setpoint to the adjusted voltage setpoint, 
 wherein the voltage regulator is caused to regulate the output voltage based on the second adjusted voltage setpoint, and thereby based on the adjusted voltage setpoint.