Patent ID: 11955831
Assignee: PALADIN POWER, INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  G  Y | IPC G  H

Claim 10:
11. A power station having a photovoltaic input terminal that is connectable to a photovoltaic array, said power station selectively making electrical connections with said photovoltaic input terminal and a power distribution network terminal according to electric power availability from said power distribution network and electric power demands of an electric load, said power station comprising:
a battery that is in electrical communication with said photovoltaic terminal, said battery receiving energy from said photovoltaic input terminal at times when the energy demand of said electric is less than the energy generated by said photovoltaic array;
an inverter that is electrically connected to a first maximum power point (MPP) tracker and a second MPP tracker said first MPP tracker and said second MPP tracker being connected to said inverter in electrical parallel such that said inverter is responsive to electrical power from at least one of said first power point tracker and said second power point tracker, said inverter also being electrically connected to said battery such that said inverter is also responsive to electrical power from said battery, said inverter converting direct current to alternating current and also converting alternating current to direct current;
a controller that is in electrical communication with said battery and with said first MPP tracker and with said second MPP tracker, and with said inverter, said controller governing electrical current flow to said battery, the controller also being coupled to said inverter and governing electrical current flow from said battery to said inverter;
a transfer switch that is electrically connected to said inverter, said transfer switch having a first set of terminals that are eclectically connected to said electrical load terminals and a second set of terminals that are eclectically connected to said electric power distribution network, said transfer switch having a first position wherein said inverter is electrically connected to said electrical load through said first set of terminals, said transfer switch also having a second position wherein said inverter is electrically connected to said electrical power distribution network through said second set of terminals; and
a control circuit that monitors the level of electrical power stored in said battery, said control circuit causing said transfer switch to selectively complete an electrical connection between said inverter and said load and between said inverter and said distribution network in accordance with the level of electric power stored in said battery in combination with the electric power provided by said photovoltaic source in relation to the power demand of said load.