Patents Assigned to SMA Solar Technology AG.
  • Patent number: 11451165
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a control processing method for an inverter device having an H5 topological structure. The control processing method includes: when a power grid supplies power normally, using a unipolar H5 PWM modulation mode to enable the inverter device to work in a grid-connected power generation mode; when the power grid supplies power abnormally or the power grid is in outage for a short time, using a unipolar H5 PWM constant-voltage modulation mode to enable the inverter device to work in an off-grid power generation mode; and when the power grid is in outage for a long time, using an H5-1 PWM constant-voltage modulation mode to enable the inverter device to work in an emergency SPS power generation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Ning Li
  • Patent number: 11409316
    Abstract: A method for operating an energy generation system containing a photovoltaic generator and an inverter, wherein electric power is transferred between the inverter and an AC voltage grid, and wherein the transferred electric power comprises an active power (P) and a reactive power (Q) is disclosed. The method includes operating the photovoltaic generator, in a first operating mode, at a maximum active power point (MPP) by way of the inverter, and setting the active power (P) of the photovoltaic generator via the inverter in a second operating mode depending on a grid frequency instantaneous value (f) and on a grid frequency rate of change (df/dt), and in the second operating mode, setting the reactive power (Q) depending on a grid voltage instantaneous value (U) and on a grid voltage rate of change (dU/dt).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Andreas Knobloch
  • Patent number: 11404999
    Abstract: A method for detecting a contact fault in a photovoltaic system is disclosed. The photovoltaic system includes an inverter and a photovoltaic generator connected to the inverter via DC current lines. The inverter includes a transmitter for coupling a first AC voltage signal having communication frequencies in a first frequency range between 125 kHz and 150 kHz into the DC current lines. A receiver is configured to couple out the first AC voltage signal and is arranged at the photovoltaic generator. A decoupling circuit is configured to decouple the impedance of the photovoltaic generator is arranged between the inverter and the photovoltaic generator, such that the photovoltaic generator is AC decoupled from a transmission path between the inverter and the decoupling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Markus Hopf
  • Patent number: 11395407
    Abstract: A disclosed intermediate circuit arrangement includes first and second partial circuit boards of identical design having a series circuit of at least two capacitor banks. The partial circuit boards each have a terminal strip having a positive intermediate circuit connection, a negative intermediate circuit connection, and a central connection. The circuit arrangement also includes a connecting circuit board for electrically connecting the respective connections of the terminal strips of the two partial circuit boards to one another. The connecting circuit board is a multi-layer circuit board with two outer metal layers and at least two inner metal layers arranged between the outer metal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Zoltan Klausz, Ralf Harbusch
  • Patent number: 11395427
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a control panel and an outdoor device with the control panel, which can discharge accumulated water in the control panel to prevent water accumulation. A control panel for preventing water accumulation includes a display sheet which is transparent or translucent and used for covering and protecting a circuit board and/or component, an interface label having functional areas allowing a user to observe or operate the circuit board and/or component, and an adhesive layer connected between areas of the display sheet and the interface label except for the functional areas so as to adhere the display sheet and the interface label together. Cavities are formed between the functional areas of the interface label and corresponding locations of the display sheet so as to form a display window and/or key windows. The water guiding grooves are provided in the adhesive layer for communicating the cavities with the outside so as to discharge the accumulated water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: He Jun
  • Patent number: 11360157
    Abstract: A fail-safe operating method for a decentralized power generation plant DG includes determining a leakage capacitance of a generator of the DG before connecting the DG. The method also includes comparing the determined leakage capacitance with a predetermined first limit value, and connecting the DG to a grid only if the determined leakage capacitance is smaller than the predetermined first limit value. A decentralized power generation plant is configured to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Michael Viotto, Martin Putz, Christian Tschendel
  • Patent number: 11342104
    Abstract: A inductor arrangement has a toroidal core with a central opening, a winding which is arranged around the core and has two winding ends, and an electrically insulating insert which is inserted into the central opening in a clamping manner. Here, the winding ends are inserted into the insert in a clamping manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Mariusz Gwadera, Jakub Hachlowski, Mariusz Walczak, Zajac Tomasz
  • Patent number: 11303132
    Abstract: A converter includes an input configured to be connected to a DC source, at least one transducer module coupled to the input, and comprising a first, a second and a third bridge arm, wherein each of the bridge arms respectively has a phase output, and a common DC link circuit coupled to the input and the bridge arms. The first and second bridge arms are configured to provide a first power in the form of alternating current at their respective phase outputs. An energy store is configured to be connected to the phase output of the third bridge arm, and the third bridge arm is configured to exchange a second power between the DC source and the energy store and between the energy store and the DC link circuit/ A control unit is configured to control the bridge arms in such a manner that the sum of the first power and the second power corresponds to a constant set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Andreas Falk
  • Patent number: 11289994
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement includes a power semiconductor switch, a freewheeling diode, and a storage choke having a core and a winding coupled between a first choke terminal and a second choke terminal. The storage choke is configured to conduct a current flowing across the power semiconductor switch. The arrangement also includes a driver circuit configured to drive the power semiconductor switch via the control terminal thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Jens Friebe, Oliver Prior, Thomas Wappler
  • Patent number: 11276786
    Abstract: A solar module includes a safety circuit, and a series circuit of bypass diodes, which is arranged between solar module connections, wherein the bypass diodes have bypass connections at both ends and all connecting points of the series circuit of bypass diodes. The solar module also includes a series circuit of solar partial modules having partial module terminals at both ends and all connecting points of the series circuit of solar partial modules, wherein each bypass diode is associated with precisely one solar partial module, and a plurality of semiconductor switches configured to disconnect the solar module connections from voltage at an associated partial module terminal when a disconnection signal is received by the safety circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Markus Hopf, Burkard Mueller, Oliver Prior
  • Patent number: 11228277
    Abstract: A method for determining a system power, which is maximally possible at a point in time, of a photovoltaic system, comprising a plurality of photovoltaic generators, wherein the photovoltaic system is not operated at the maximally possible system power at the point in time, and wherein at least some of the photovoltaic generators of the plurality of photovoltaic generators are operated at different operating points at the point in time, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventor: Mathias Buenemann
  • Patent number: 11221356
    Abstract: A method for a single-fault-tolerant determination of an isolation resistance of a photovoltaic system including an inverter and a solar generator connected thereto is disclosed. The isolation resistance is determined as a function of a test voltage drop in a resistor network, wherein the resistor network is connected to a variable voltage source by way of a first terminal, to a first pole of the solar generator by way of a second terminal and to a ground terminal of the inverter via an isolation relay by way of a third terminal. A capacitor is disposed between the ground terminal and the first pole of the solar generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Martin Putz
  • Patent number: 11217377
    Abstract: A coil form with a low inter-winding capacitance is disclosed including a bobbin formed from an electrically insulating material and including a tube section shaped wall. A coil is mechanically supported by the bobbin and includes a first plurality of conductor windings on the outside of the wall and a second plurality of conductor windings on the inside of the wall. Furthermore, a transformer with such a coil form as any of its primary or secondary windings is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Marek Rylko, Marcin Kacki, Mariusz Walczak, Hendrik Oldenkamp
  • Patent number: 11217997
    Abstract: A method for regulating a decentralized energy generating system with a plurality of inverters (IN) is disclosed. The method includes receiving at the PPC a detected active power, reactive power and voltage amplitude at a grid connection point (PCC) of the energy generating system; and regulating, in a normal operating mode of the energy generating system, the reactive power and the active power to target values stipulated by a grid operator by virtue of the central control unit (PPC) dividing the stipulated target values into individual target stipulations for the plurality of inverters (IN) and communicating individual target stipulations to the inverters (IN). The method further includes selectively changing to a special operating mode of the energy generating system if particular criteria are present at the grid connection point (PCC) in a stipulated time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Daniel Premm, Cornelius Fuetterer, Oliver Glitza
  • Patent number: 11195960
    Abstract: A solar module includes a series circuit of solar cells, a switch arranged in parallel with a section of the series circuit, and an actuation circuit. The actuation circuit is operably coupled to the switch, and is configured to actuate the switch in a clocked manner with a duty cycle, wherein the duty cycle is based on a voltage dropped across the series circuit or across a portion of the series circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventor: Andreas Falk
  • Patent number: 11183967
    Abstract: An apparatus for electrically disconnecting a first part from a second part of a photovoltaic string, which parts can be connected to a first terminal and a second terminal of the apparatus, respectively. The apparatus includes a switch coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal; and an actuation apparatus configured to open the switch when a voltage applied to at least one of the first and second terminals relative to a potential applied to a reference terminal is outside of a prescribed value range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Karl Nesemann
  • Patent number: 11146210
    Abstract: A method of repowering a photovoltaic power plant from a first configuration is described, wherein in the first configuration, a pair of combiners is connected in series between two homeruns via a PV tie device. The combiners are configured to combine DC power produced by solar generators respectively connected thereto and provide the combined DC power at outputs thereof, and the PV tie device is configured to couple a midpoint potential of the series connected combiners to ground during operation of the power plant. The homeruns transmit the combined DC power to an old inverter for conversion into AC power for feeding into an AC grid connected to the old inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventor: Thorsten Hoefer
  • Patent number: 11146072
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an inverter with at least one inverter bridge and at least two galvanically isolating DC/DC converters, outputs of the DC/DC converters being connected in parallel with one another and being connected to inputs of the inverter bridge. At least two of the DC/DC converters are intercoupled on the input side via a diode, such that the diode is connected with its terminals to one of the inputs of the two direct voltage converters in each case. The disclosure also relates to a use for such an inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchhold, Jens Friebe, Michael Kotthaus, Torsten Soederberg, Thomas Wappler, Ephraim Moeser
  • Patent number: 11129272
    Abstract: A relay arrangement includes at least two series-connected relays, which are mechanically and electrically connected to a main printed circuit board via first terminals and second terminals, and at least one flat conductor for conducting current between the at least two series connected relays. The flat conductor is mechanically connected to the main printed circuit board and electrically and thermally connected to the first terminals of the relays, and the at least one flat conductor is configured to dissipate heat produced during operation of the relays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Frank Papenfuss, Lars Bethke, Thomas Kuehn, Christian Gehrke
  • Patent number: 11121619
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a bus voltage secondary ripple suppression method and a bus voltage secondary ripple suppression device. The method includes: determining a current working mode of an inverter Boost circuit; wherein the working mode includes a continuous current mode (CCM) and a discontinuous current mode (DCM); calculating an output compensation amount according to the current working mode of the inverter Boost circuit; superimposing the output compensation amount on a control output amount of the Boost circuit; and controlling the Boost circuit by a control output amount superimposed with an output compensation amount. According to the scheme of this embodiment, the third harmonic in the output current of the inverter is reduced, and the current output quality of the inverter is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: SMA Solar Technology AG
    Inventors: Chengwei Shu, Jiayu Yao, Shijun Li, Jin Cheng