Patents Assigned to SUNEDISON, INC.
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Patent number: 9589079Abstract: A method for designing a photovoltaic (PV) system is implemented by a design automation computer system. The method includes receiving a set of site data, receiving a system type selection, receiving a plurality of system component selections, receiving a plurality of PV layout preferences, determining a PV module layout by iteratively applying a first layout algorithm to the set of site data and the plurality of PV layout preferences, the PV module layout defining a placement of a plurality of PV modules of a PV system, determining a structural layout, an electrical design, and an electrical layout based on the PV module layout, determining a bill of materials based on the PV module layout, the structural layout, and the electrical layout, and designing the PV system using the structural layout, the electrical design, the electrical layout, the PV module layout, and the bill of materials.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2014Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Joseph Morse, Nagendra Srinivas Cherukupalli, Ravi Ranganathan, Krishnan Ramagopal
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Publication number: 20170016142Abstract: Production of silicon ingots in a crystal puller that involve reduction of the erosion rate at the crucible contact point are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2015Publication date: January 19, 2017Applicant: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Jihong Chen, Tirumani N. Swaminathan
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Publication number: 20170016141Abstract: Production of silicon ingots in a crystal puller that involve reduction in the formation of silicon deposits on the puller exhaust system are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2015Publication date: January 19, 2017Applicant: SUNEDISON, INC.Inventors: Tirumani N. Swaminathan, Jihong Chen
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Patent number: 9527752Abstract: Methods for producing aluminum trifluoride by acid digestion of fluoride salts of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal and aluminum, optionally, in the presence of a source of silicon; methods for producing silane that include acid digestion of by-products of silane production to produce aluminum trifluoride.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Puneet Gupta, Satish Bhusarapu
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Publication number: 20160348983Abstract: Heat exchange apparatus and, particularly, heat exchangers having a baffled cooling jacket are disclosed. Methods for using the exchangers including methods that involve cooling an effluent gas produced from a fluidized bed reactor for producing polycrystalline silicon are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Applicant: SUNEDISON, INC.Inventors: Peter Spicka, Puneet Gupta
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Publication number: 20160333474Abstract: Clamping assemblies for sealing an annular chamber and reaction chamber of a reactor system are disclosed. The clamping assemblies may include actuators that are symmetrically arranged in two or more independently controllable groups of actuators.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2015Publication date: November 17, 2016Applicant: SUNEDISON, INC.Inventors: Vivek Tomar, Lee William Ferry, Puneet Gupta, Satish Bhusarapu, Richard G. Schrenker
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Patent number: 9487406Abstract: Methods and systems for producing silane that use electrolysis to regenerate reactive components therein are disclosed. The methods and systems may be substantially closed-loop with respect to halogen, an alkali or alkaline earth metal and/or hydrogen.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Puneet Gupta, Henry F. Erk, Alexis Grabbe
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Patent number: 9490743Abstract: This disclosure generally relates to integrated grounding for solar modules and electrical wire management, and more specifically, to grounding clips and tabs that are integrated into solar module racking systems.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2014Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Charles Jonathan Reynolds, Morgan Davis Smith, Brian Gabriel Willkom, Christopher Thomas Needham
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Patent number: 9476141Abstract: A system for growing a crystal ingot from a melt is provided. The system includes a first crucible, a barrier, and a shield. The first crucible has a first base and a first sidewall forming a first cavity for containing the melt. The barrier is disposed within the first cavity of the first crucible to inhibit movement of the melt from outward of the barrier to inward of the barrier. The barrier extends from the first base to above the melt. The barrier has an inner arm and an outer arm extending upward to form a channel therebetween. The shield extends downward between the inner arm and the outer arm to inhibit passage of contaminants.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventor: Tirumani Swaminathan
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Publication number: 20160281260Abstract: An improved system based on the Czochralski process for continuous growth of a single crystal ingot comprises a low aspect ratio, large diameter, and substantially flat crucible, including an optional weir surrounding the crystal. The low aspect ratio crucible substantially eliminates convection currents and reduces oxygen content in a finished single crystal silicon ingot. A separate level controlled silicon pre-melting chamber provides a continuous source of molten silicon to the growth crucible advantageously eliminating the need for vertical travel and a crucible raising system during the crystal pulling process. A plurality of heaters beneath the crucible establish corresponding thermal zones across the melt. Thermal output of the heaters is individually controlled for providing an optimal thermal distribution across the melt and at the crystal/melt interface for improved crystal growth. Multiple crystal pulling chambers are provided for continuous processing and high throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Applicant: SunEdison, Inc.Inventor: David L. Bender
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Patent number: 9452403Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the fluidization quality of a fluidized bed reactor is disclosed. The method includes measuring pressure within the fluidized bed reactor to obtain a pressure signal. The pressure signal is then transformed using wavelet decomposition into higher-frequency details and lower-frequency approximations. The dominance of the various features is then calculated based on the energy of each feature in relation to the normalized wavelet energies. The fluidization quality of the fluidized bed reactor is then determined from a comparison over time of the calculated energies.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2012Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Jia Wei Chew, Satish Bhusarapu, Keith E. Weatherford
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Patent number: 9394180Abstract: Production of polycrystalline silicon in a substantially closed-loop process is disclosed. The processes generally include decomposition of trichlorosilane produced from metallurgical grade silicon.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2013Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Satish Bhusarapu, Yue Huang, Puneet Gupta
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Patent number: 9391380Abstract: An electrical connector/cable harness includes an electrically insulative housing and first and second passageways extending from a first end of the connector/cable harness to a second end thereof, first and second electrically conductive wires disposed in the passageways, respectively, wherein the passageways and the wires therein reverse their dispositions in the connector/cable harness such that at the second end of the connector/cable harness the two wires are disposed oppositely to their disposition at the first end of the connector/cable harness.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2013Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Ruel Davenport Little, Zachary Adam King
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Patent number: 9297765Abstract: A gas decomposition reactor for the decomposition of a gas into a mixture of solid and gaseous by-products is disclosed. The gas decomposition reactor includes a reactor vessel, a Raman spectrometer, and a processor. The reactor vessel has an inlet for receiving inlet gas and an exhaust outlet for releasing exhaust gas. The Raman spectrometer is connected with the exhaust outlet for determining a chemical conversion within the reactor chamber and generating a corresponding signal. The processor is connected with the Raman spectrometer to receive the signal from the Raman spectrometer. The processor is capable of comparing the signal with a set of values and calculating differences between the signal and the set of values. The processor is connected with the inlet to regulate a flow of the inlet gas.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Alexis Grabbe, Pramatha Payra
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Publication number: 20160068399Abstract: Methods for separating halosilanes that involve use of a distillation column having a partition that divides the column into portions for producing three product fractions are disclosed. Methods and systems for producing silane by disproportionation of halosilanes that use such columns and methods for producing polycrystalline silicon are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2015Publication date: March 10, 2016Applicant: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Sathy Ponnuswamy, Nageswara Reddy Kota, Satish Bhusarapu, Puneet Gupta
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Patent number: 9272442Abstract: A method of aligning an ingot of semiconductor or solar-grade material with a mounting block includes supporting the ingot using adjustable supports, aligning a predetermined centerline of the ingot with a reference line using a laser, and attaching the mounting block to the ingot such that the predetermined centerline remains aligned with the reference line.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2012Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Dusan Krulj, John Michael Pogany
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Patent number: 9188367Abstract: The present invention relates to a solar power generation apparatus, which comprises: torque tubes which are arranged to form a plurality of columns; a plurality of solar panels which are installed along each torque tube; posts which rotatably support each torque tube; lever arms which are coupled with each torque tube; a linkage which is disposed on the lower side of the torque tubes and is connected to each lever arm; an actuator which reciprocates the linkage in the longitudinal direction of the linkage, thereby rotating the torque tubes around an axis based on the longitudinal direction of the torque tubes; and a bed frame which is installed between some of the plurality of posts, wherein the actuator is supported thereon.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2009Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventor: Yun-Kyu Jang
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Patent number: 9174848Abstract: Processes and systems for purifying silane-containing streams and, in particular, for purifying silane-containing streams that also contain ethylene are disclosed. The processes and systems may be arranged such that one or more ethylene reactors are downstream of light-end distillation operations.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Baisheng Zou, Zhihui Gu
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Patent number: 9170031Abstract: An energy transfer module coupled to a thermal solar module includes a body having a first end member, a second end member, and four side members configured to enclose a first spatial region within a vicinity of the first end member and a second spatial region within a vicinity of the second end member. The first spatial region is in communication with the second spatial region. The module further includes one or more inlet openings provided at the first end member for inputting fluid flow from the thermal solar module. The module also includes an air filter disposed within the first spatial region to remove one or more impurities from the fluid flow. Additionally, the module includes a fan disposed between the first spatial region and the second spatial region to draw the fluid flow through the air filter. The fan is coupled to a drive motor. The module further includes a heat exchanger disposed in the first spatial region and an outlet provided on the second end member.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Brian West, Charles Wade Albritton
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Patent number: 9156705Abstract: Processes for producing polycrystalline silicon by thermal decomposition of dichlorosilane are disclosed. The processes generally involve thermal decomposition of dichlorosilane in a fluidized bed reactor operated at reaction conditions that result in a high rate of productivity relative to conventional production processes.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2010Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: SunEdison, Inc.Inventors: Satish Bhusarapu, Puneet Gupta, Yue Huang