Architecture for power plant comprising clusters of power-generation devices

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9136704
APP PUB NO 20140321057A1
SERIAL NO

14326246

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Abstract

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Various techniques are employed alone or in combination, to reduce the levelized cost of energy imposed by a power plant system. Solar energy concentrators in the form of inflated reflectors, focus light onto photovoltaic receivers. Multiple concentrators are grouped into a series-connected cluster that shares control circuitry and support structure. Individual concentrators are maintained at their maximum power point via balance controllers that control the flow of current that shunts this series connection. DC current from clusters is transmitted moderate distances to a centralized inverter. The inductance of transmission lines is maximized using an air-spaced twisted pair, enhancing the performance of boost-type three phase inverters. Cluster outputs are separate from individual inverters in massively interleaved arrays co-located at a central location. Step-up transformers convert inverter voltages to grid voltages, and small transformers provide isolation and voltage step-up only on receiver-to-receiver imbalance currents, typically <20% of the total current.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
MAXOUT RENEWABLES INC6111 SOUTHFRONT ROAD SUITE F LIVERMORE CA 94551

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Cummings, Eric Bryant Livermore, US 19 380

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