Patent ID: 8295049

Claim:
An apparatus for converting solar power comprising a solar photovoltaic source and a power converter coupled to the solar photovoltaic source, the power converter comprising: an enclosure, the enclosure including at least one heat sink; a plurality of semiconductor devices mounted on an inner side of the enclosure; a plurality of magnetic components mounted within the enclosure; a plurality of capacitors mounted within the enclosure; a means for thermally and mechanically coupling said plurality of semiconductor devices to said at least one heatsink; a means for thermally coupling said plurality of magnetic components to said at least one heatsink; a means for providing thermal isolation between said plurality of capacitors and at least one of said plurality of semiconductor devices or said plurality of magnetic components, wherein said plurality of semiconductor devices are arranged on said at least one heatsink in a substantially linear horizontal array, wherein at least one of: a vertical height of said at least one heatsink on which said plurality of semiconductor devices are arranged is less than a horizontal length of said at least one heatsink on which said plurality of semiconductor devices are arranged, or a path of thermal resistance in a vertical direction of said at least one heatsink on which said plurality of semiconductor devices are arranged is less than a path of thermal resistance in a horizontal direction of said at least one heatsink on which said plurality of semiconductor devices are arranged, and wherein said enclosure provides environmental protection for said plurality of semiconductor devices, said plurality of magnetic components and said plurality of capacitors.