INVERTER HAVING EXTENDED LIFETIME DC-LINK CAPACITORS

• Main Authors: ORR, RAYMOND KENNETH, COJOCARU, CHRISTIAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 22.07.2015
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC,OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWERSUPPLY SYSTEMS; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES ORLIGHT-SENSITIVE DEVICES, OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTINGELECTRIC POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUTPOWER; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; GENERATION; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS; PRINTED CIRCUITS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY

An inverter having extended lifetime DC-link capacitors for use with a DC power source such as a photovoltaic panel is described. The inverter uses a plurality of switchable capacitors to control the voltage across the capacitors. The expected lifetime of the capacitors can be extended by disconnecting unnecessary capacitors from a voltage. The capacitors may be periodically connected to a voltage in order to maintain an oxide dielectric layer of the capacitor.