Routing Power In A Power System

Abstract

A power system comprising one or more power generators and a combiner. The system may be electrically connected to or include one or more loads. The combiner may have input terminals that are coupled to outputs of the power generators. The combiner may also have output terminals that are coupled to input(s) of the one or more loads. The power generators may be configured to transfer harvested power to the combiner, and the combiner may be configured to transfer the harvested power to the one or more loads.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of input terminals configured to receive harvested power from a plurality of power devices;   a plurality of output terminals configured to provide output power based on the harvested power received by the plurality of input terminals;   a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of input terminals; and   a controller configured to control the plurality of switches to set, based on one or both of voltages or currents of at least some of the plurality of input terminals, a coupling configuration of the plurality of input terminals, wherein the coupling configuration comprises at least some of the plurality of input terminals being connected in series and at least some of the plurality of input terminals being connected in parallel.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each power device of the plurality of power devices comprises a direct-current to direct-current (DC/DC) converter and is configured to harvest power of a corresponding power generator, of a plurality of power generators, using power point tracking. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the power point tracking comprises maximum power point tracking. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of power generators comprises at least one of the following: a photovoltaic generator, a fuel cell, a wind turbine, a hydro-turbine, or a supercapacitor. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to set a power point tracking operating point for at least one of the plurality of power devices. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to output power, based on the harvested power received from the plurality of power devices, to a load via the plurality of output terminals. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of output terminals are configured to provide the output power having a voltage that is based on the load. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the load comprises at least one of an inverter or a storage device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set the coupling configuration based on one or both of voltages or currents of at least some of the plurality of input terminals. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of switches are configured to selectively electrically couple the plurality of input terminals in parallel, in series or in a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 set the plurality input terminals to a first coupling configuration;   set the plurality of input terminals to a second coupling configuration; and   determine, based on a comparison of an electrical parameter while the plurality of input terminals are in the first coupling configuration and an electrical parameter while the plurality of input terminals are in the second coupling configuration, the coupling configuration of the plurality of input terminals.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a safety mechanism configured to be triggered based on at least one of the following conditions: an over-voltage condition, an over-current condition, or an over-temperature condition. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to cause one or more of the power devices to perform one or more of the following: disabling, enabling, or adjusting the harvested power. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a signaling device configured to signal at least one power device of the plurality of power devices, to adjust power input to the apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 measuring, by a controller, a first electrical parameter at a first input terminal and a second electrical parameter at a second input terminal, wherein:
 the first input terminal is coupled to at least a first power generator, wherein the first power generator comprises a first power device comprising a first direct-current to direct-current (DC/DC) converter, the first power device being configured to harvest power of the first power generator using maximum power point tracking, and 
 the second input terminal is coupled to at least a second power generator, wherein the second power generator comprises a second power device comprising a second DC/DC converter, the second power device being configured to harvest power of the second power generator using maximum power point tracking; 
   comparing the first electrical parameter with the second electrical parameter; and   based on an outcome of the comparing, selectively either connecting the first input terminal in series with the second input terminal or connecting the first input terminal in parallel with the second input terminal.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising setting an operating point for the first power generator and an operating point for the second power generator. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing output power to a load, wherein the output power is based on power received by at least one of the first input terminal or the second input terminal, and wherein a voltage of the plurality of the output power ls is based on the load. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising sending, to the at least one first power generator, an instruction to modify a parameter of the at least one first power generator. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the instruction comprises an instruction to adjust a voltage output by the at least one first power generator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising causing the at least one first power generator to perform at least one of the following: disabling, enabling, or adjusting the harvested power.