1. A multiple channel DC-to-AC power inverter, comprising:
a) at least two DC power input ports;
b) an AC power output port arranged to supply AC power to the electric grid;
c) for each DC power input port, a DC-DC boost converter arranged to convert the voltage of a solar module to a higher DC voltage suitable for inversion;
d) a DC power combiner connected to the DC-DC boost converters for combining the DC output from all DC-DC boost converters and allowing the DC-DC boost converters to connect in parallel so that all DC currents are added together;
e) a DC-AC inverter connected to said DC power combiner and arranged to invert the DC power to AC power;
f) an internal AC powerline that allows the generated AC power to be sent to the grid through an external AC powerline;
g) a load interface circuit connected to the DC-AC inverter and to the internal AC powerline, said load interface circuit being arranged to filter high-frequency components out of the DC-AC inverter’s AC output;
h) a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) connected to the DC power combiner and a DC power supply connected to the UPS, arranged to work together and supply DC power to internal electronic circuits of the power inverter either by the DC power supply with input power from one or more solar modules or by the UPS;
i) a digital microcontroller connected to the DC-DC boost converters, DC-AC inverter, load interface circuit, and UPS, said microcontroller arranged to perform one or more of measuring input voltage and current, calculating DC input power for each channel, monitoring the DC boost voltage, controlling the DC-DC boost converters, performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for each solar module, performing DC-AC inversion, AC power synchronization, and AC output current control, monitoring AC current and voltage for generated power amount and status, performing powerline communications, performing logic controls such as AC powerline switching and isolation, running the power inverter in a normal mode, a low power mode, or a lunar power mode based on calculated DC input power, and selecting the DC power supply or UPS based on the three specified power modes;
j) a powerline modem connected to the digital microcontroller and the internal AC powerline through an interface circuitry for transmitting and receiving performance data between the digital microcontroller and the power grid;
k) a line sensing circuit connected to the internal AC powerline and the microcontroller for detecting the phase and zero-crossing point of the incoming AC power from the power grid; and
l) a solid state switch connected to said internal AC powerline and external AC powerline, and arranged to disconnect said internal AC powerline from the AC grid during a non-generation time.
2. The inverter of claim 1, in which the output of said multiple channel DC-to-AC power inverter is single-phase AC or three-phase AC.
3. The inverter of claim 1, in which said digital microcontroller includes Model-Free Adaptive (MFA) controllers which control the DC-DC boost converter, and MFA optimizers which provide maximum power point tracking (MPPT) to allow the multiple channel DC- to-AC power inverter to achieve optimal power production.
4. A single channel DC-to-AC power inverter, comprising:
a) a DC power input port;
b) an AC power output port arranged to supply AC power to the electric grid;
c) a DC-DC boost converter arranged to convert the voltage of a solar module to a higher DC voltage suitable for inversion;
d) a DC-AC inverter connected to the DC-DC boost converter and arranged to invert the DC power to AC power;
e) an internal AC powerline that allows the generated AC power to be sent to the grid through an external AC powerline;
f) a load interface circuit connected to the DC-AC inverter and to the internal AC powerline, said load interface circuit being arranged to filter high-frequency components out of the said DC-AC inverter’s AC output;
g) a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) connected to the DC-DC boost converter and a DC power supply connected to the UPS, arranged to work together and supply DC power to internal electronic circuits of the power inverter either by the DC power supply with input power from the solar module or by the UPS;
h) a digital microcontroller connected to the DC-DC boost converters, DC-AC inverter, load interface circuit, and UPS, said microcontroller arranged to perform one or more of measuring input voltage and current, calculating DC input power for each channel, monitoring the DC boost voltage, controlling the DC-DC boost converters, performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for each solar module, performing DC-AC inversion, AC power synchronization, and AC output current control, monitoring AC current and voltage for generated power amount and status, performing powerline communications, performing logic controls such as AC powerline switching and isolation, running the power inverter in a normal mode or a low power mode based on calculated DC input power, and selecting the DC power supply or UPS based on the normal power mode or low power mode;
i) a powerline modem connected to the digital microcontroller and the internal AC powerline through an interface circuitry for transmitting and receiving performance data between the digital microcontroller and the power grid;
j) a line sensing circuit connected to the internal AC powerline and the microcontroller for detecting the phase and zero-crossing point of the incoming AC power from the power grid; and
k) a solid state switch connected to said internal AC powerline and external AC powerline, and arranged to disconnect said internal AC powerline from the AC grid during a non-generation time.
5. The inverter of claim 4, in which the output of said single channel DC-to-AC power inverter is single-phase AC or three-phase AC.
6. A method of providing DC power to internal electronic circuits of a solar power inverter, comprising:
a) entering and exiting a normal power mode and a low power mode based on measured DC input power;
b) in the normal power mode, supplying DC power through a DC power supply with input power from one or more solar modules;
c) in the low power mode, supplying DC power through a UPS; and
d) charging the rechargeable batteries of the UPS during the normal power mode.
7. The method of claim 6, in which the output of the inverter is single-phase AC or three-phase AC.
8. The method of claim 6, in which the inverter sends AC power to the electric grid or supplies power to an AC load.
9. The method of claim 6, in which the inverter comprises:
a) at least two DC power input ports;
b) an AC power output port arranged to supply AC power to the electric grid;
c) for each DC power input port, a DC-DC boost converter arranged to convert the voltage of a solar module to a higher DC voltage suitable for inversion;
d) a DC power combiner connected to the DC-DC boost converters for combining the DC output from all DC-DC boost converters and allowing the DC-DC boost converters to connect in parallel so that all DC currents are added together;
e) a DC-AC inverter connected to said DC power combiner and arranged to invert the DC power to AC power;
f) an internal AC powerline that allows the generated AC power to be sent to the grid through an external AC powerline;
g) a load interface circuit connected to the DC-AC inverter and to the internal AC powerline, said load interface circuit being arranged to filter high-frequency components out of the DC-AC inverter’s AC output;
h) a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) connected to the DC power combiner and a DC power supply connected to the UPS, arranged to work together and supply DC power to internal electronic circuits of the power inverter either by the DC power supply with input power from one or more solar modules or by the UPS;
i) a digital microcontroller connected to the DC-DC boost converters, DC-AC inverter, load interface circuit, and UPS, said microcontroller arranged to perform one or more of measuring input voltage and current, calculating DC input power for each channel, monitoring the DC boost voltage, controlling the DC-DC boost converters, performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for each solar module, performing DC-AC inversion, AC power synchronization, and AC output current control, monitoring AC current and voltage for generated power amount and status, performing powerline communications, performing logic controls such as AC powerline switching and isolation, running the power inverter in a normal mode, a low power mode, or a lunar power mode based on calculated DC input power, and selecting the DC power supply or UPS based on the three specified power modes;
j) a powerline modem connected to the digital microcontroller and the internal AC powerline through an interface circuitry for transmitting and receiving performance data between the digital microcontroller and the power grid;
k) a line sensing circuit connected to the internal AC powerline and the microcontroller for detecting the phase and zero-crossing point of the incoming AC power from the power grid; and
l) a solid state switch connected to said internal AC powerline and external AC powerline, and arranged to disconnect said internal AC powerline from the AC grid during a non-generation time.
10. An m-channel solar power inverter, comprising:
a) at least two DC input channels, each of which comprises a DC-DC boost converter, measurement circuits, supporting circuits, and cables and connectors to connect to a solar module;
b) an AC power output port arranged to supply AC power to the electric grid or an AC load through an external AC powerline;
c) a DC power combiner connected to said DC-DC boost converters for combining the DC output from all DC-DC boost converters;
d) a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) connected to the DC power combiner and a DC power supply connected to the UPS, arranged to work together and supply DC power to internal electronic circuits of the power inverter either by the DC power supply with input power from one or more solar modules or by the UPS; and
e) a digital microcontroller connected to the DC-DC boost converters and the UPS, said digital microcontroller being arranged to measure input voltage and current to calculate DC input power for each input channel, and being constructed to run the inverter in a normal mode, or a low power mode, or a lunar power mode based on calculated DC input power.
11. The inverter of claim 10, in which the output of the inverter is single-phase AC or three-phase AC.
12. The inverter of claim 10, in which the UPS is designed to include rechargeable batteries to be charged by the DC power from the solar modules.
13. The inverter of claim 10, in which said digital microcontroller is programmed to execute a rotating power pulling routine at the beginning of each predefined power pulling time window.
14. A multiple channel off-grid AC Master DC-to-AC power inverter, comprising:
a) at least two DC power input ports;
b) an AC power output port arranged to supply AC power to an AC load;
c) for each DC power input port, a DC-DC boost converter arranged to convert the voltage of a solar module to a higher DC voltage suitable for inversion;
d) a DC power combiner connected to the DC-DC boost converters for combining the DC output from all DC-DC boost converters and allowing the DC-DC boost converters to connect in parallel so that all DC currents are added together;
e) a DC-AC inverter connected to said DC power combiner and arranged to invert the DC power to AC power;
f) an internal AC powerline that allows the generated AC power to be sent to the AC load through an external AC powerline;
g) a load interface circuit connected to the DC-AC inverter and to the internal AC powerline, said load interface circuit being arranged to filter high-frequency components out of the DC-AC inverter’s AC output;
h) a load detector connected to said internal AC powerline and external AC powerline, and arranged to detect the impedance of the connected AC load;
i) a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) connected to the DC power combiner and a DC power supply connected to the UPS, arranged to work together and supply DC power to internal electronic circuits of the power inverter either by the DC power supply with input power from one or more solar modules or by the UPS;
j) a digital microcontroller connected to said DC-DC boost converter, DC-AC inverter, load interface circuit, load detector, and UPS, said microcontroller arranged to perform one or more of monitoring the DC boost voltage and calculating DC input power for each channel, controlling the DC-DC boost converter, performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT), performing DC-AC inversion, monitoring AC current and voltage for generated power amount and status, performing powerline communications, checking the impedance of the AC load to determine if it is within predetermined specifications, initially energizing the internal and external AC powerline, continually delivering AC power to the internal and external AC powerline to allow the other power inverters also connected on the same external powerline to synchronize the AC power being produced, continually checking and determining whether the AC load is too large or too small for the power generation system to handle, turning the power off and triggering an error signal if the load is too large or too small, and running the power inverter in normal or low power mode based on calculated DC input power, running the power inverter in a normal mode, a low power mode, or a lunar power mode based on calculated DC input power, and selecting the DC power supply or UPS based on the three specified power modes;
k) a powerline modem connected to the digital microcontroller and the internal AC powerline through an interface circuitry for transmitting and receiving performance data between the digital microcontroller and the power grid; and
l) a line sensing circuit connected to the internal AC powerline and the microcontroller for detecting the phase and zero-crossing point of the incoming AC power from the power grid.
15. The inverter of claim 14, in which the output of the inverter is single-phase AC or three-phase AC.
16. A method of pulling power from input channels of a multi-channel solar power inverter in rotation, comprising:
a) checking energy availability for each input channel;
b) defining a power pulling time window based on AC signal frequency; and
c) pulling power only from the channels that have sufficient stored energy during the power pulling time window.
17. The method of claim 16, in which the power pulling time window is defined based on the half cycle or the full cycle of an AC sinewave of the electric gird power.
18. The method of claim 16, in which the power pulling time window is substantially 10 or 20 milliseconds for generating 50 Hz AC power and 8.33 or 16.66 milliseconds for generating 60 Hz AC power.
19. The method of claim 16, in which each of the solar power inverters comprises:
a) at least two DC input channels, each of which comprises a DC-DC boost converter, measurement circuits, supporting circuits, and cables and connectors to connect to a solar module;
b) an AC power output port arranged to supply AC power to the electric grid or an AC load through an external AC powerline;
c) a DC power combiner connected to said DC-DC boost converters for combining the DC output from all DC-DC boost converters;
d) a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) connected to the DC power combiner and a DC power supply connected to the UPS, arranged to work together and supply DC power to internal electronic circuits of the power inverter either by the DC power supply with input power from one or more solar modules or by the UPS; and
e) a digital microcontroller connected to the DC-DC boost converters and the UPS, said digital microcontroller being arranged to measure input voltage and current to calculate DC input power for each input channel, and being constructed to run the inverter in a normal mode, or a low power mode, or a lunar power mode based on calculated DC input power.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for separating popped corn from un-popped kernels, the apparatus comprising:
a popped corn container that holds popped corn and a kernel separator located on a side of the popped corn container, the kernel separator comprising:
a kernel separator screen comprising a plurality of holes, wherein a hole in the plurality of holes is larger than an un-popped kernel and smaller than a fully popped corn; and
a reentry impedance means for impeding an un-popped kernel from entering the popped corn container through the kernel separator, the reentry impedance means comprising lateral cross members that bound each hole in the plurality of holes in the kernel separator screen, wherein the lateral cross members have a triangular cross section, a base of the triangular cross section on a kernel face of the kernel separator, the kernel face facing exterior to the popped corn container, and a vertex of the triangular cross section on a popped corn face of the kernel separator, the popped corn face facing interior to the popped corn container; and
a kernel container positioned outside the popped corn container and adjacent to the kernel separator such that the kernel container stores the un-popped kernel after the un-popped kernel has passed through the kernel separator.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sides of the popped corn container slope toward the kernel separator.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the popped corn container comprises a bowl and the kernel separator is located at the bottom of the bowl.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each hole in the plurality of holes comprises an opening on the popped corn face that is larger than an opening on the kernel face.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the opening on the popped corn face is smaller than a fully popped corn and the opening on the kernel face is larger than an un-popped kernel.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lateral cross members are oriented substantially perpendicularly to one another.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reentry impedance means comprises a kernel retention means for maintaining the kernels in the kernel container.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the kernel retention means comprises a kernel restraining structure positioned between the kernel separator screen and a bottom of the kernel container such that kernels at the bottom of the kernel container are impeded from re-entry into the popped corn container when agitated, the kernel restraining structure positioned such that a space between the kernel separator screen and the kernel restraining structure is wider than a kernel.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the kernel restraining structure is positioned to slope away from the kernel separator screen.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the kernel restraining structure comprises an umbrella shape, such that a top point of the kernel restraining structure faces the kernel separator screen and the kernel restraining structure slopes away from the top point in all directions.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sides of the kernel container slope towards a bottom of the kernel container, the bottom of the kernel container comprising an area that matches or is less than an area of the kernel restraining structure.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the kernel restraining structure has an area that matches or exceeds an area of the kernel separator screen.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the kernel container comprises a bowl, the popped corn container nesting inside the kernel container.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the popped corn container further comprises a gripable area for removing the popped corn container from inside of the kernel container.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a graspable handle attached to the kernel container.
16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the kernel container interlocks with the popped corn container.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover container.
18. An apparatus for separating popped corn from un-popped kernels, the apparatus comprising:
a popped corn container that holds popped corn and a kernel separator located on a side of the popped corn container, the kernel separator comprising a kernel separator screen comprising a plurality of holes, wherein a hole in the plurality of holes is larger than an un-popped kernel and smaller than a fully popped corn, wherein the hole is bounded by lateral cross members having a triangular cross section, a base of the triangular cross section on a kernel face of the kernel separator, the kernel face facing exterior to the popped corn container, and a vertex of the triangular cross section on a popped corn face of the kernel separator, the popped corn face facing interior to the popped corn container;
a kernel container positioned outside the popped corn container and adjacent to the kernel separator such that the kernel container stores the un-popped kernel after the un-popped kernel has passed through the kernel separator;
a kernel restraining structure positioned between the kernel separator screen and a bottom of the kernel container, the kernel restraining structure comprising an umbrella shape, such that a top point of the kernel restraining structure faces the kernel separator screen and the kernel restraining structure slopes away from the top point in all directions; and
a cover container that rests above the popped corn container.
19. An apparatus for separating popped corn from un-popped kernels, the apparatus comprising:
a popped corn container that holds popped corn and a kernel separator located on a side of the popped corn container, the kernel separator comprising:
a kernel separator screen comprising a plurality of holes, wherein a hole in the plurality of holes is larger than an un-popped kernel and smaller than a fully popped corn, wherein the hole is bounded by lateral cross members having a triangular cross section, a base of the triangular cross section on a kernel face of the kernel separator, the kernel face facing exterior to the popped corn container, and a vertex of the triangular cross section on a popped corn face of the kernel separator, the popped corn face facing interior to the popped corn container; and
a kernel restraining structure positioned between the kernel separator screen and a bottom of the kernel container such that kernels at the bottom of the kernel container are impeded from re-entry into the popped corn container when agitated;
a kernel container positioned outside the popped corn container and adjacent to the kernel separator such that the kernel container stores the un-popped kernel after the un-popped kernel has passed through the kernel separator and
a cover container comprising a popcorn cooking surface.