BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1) Field of the System

This invention is directed to a modular solar power array providing for swappable portable power units, solar generators, and existing circuit integrations.

2) Description of the Related Art

With the renewed effort to provide renewable energy, there has been much research into solar cells. Much progress has been made in increasing the efficiency of solar cells and decreasing the cost of production. With these improvements, there is an increasing use of solar cells for converting solar energy to electrical energy. However, there is much improvement needed to apply this power to multiple settings.

Solar power is a clean form of energy that is natural, renewable, and free. Using a transportable solar system allows you to deliver power to remote locations without sacrificing electrical items such as emergency equipment, fridges, lights, mobile devices and more. Additionally, eliminating the need for a generator removes the need for fuel, noise and significantly reduces costs. There have been attempts to provide for portable and transportable power supplies, but none at these attempts include the ability to have a base charge for sustained charging of a load, a set of portable power units that, when combined, provide aggregated power with removable portable power units from the set for deployed power supplies. These attempts include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,522,943, 5,969,501 and 8,203,237 as well as United States Patent Application Publications 20050093514, 20080029153, 20090127933, 20110176256, 20120187761, 20120202094 and 20120205975.

It has been reported that when a natural disaster occurs, electricity is typically the first important service to be lost, which can have a devastating impact for days, weeks, or even months. Without electricity, many of our most basic needs go unfulfilled (e.g., power for homes, hospitals, food storage, heating) and emergency response teams cannot offer proper assistance. Traditional generators are used but suffer from the need to use fuel which is not readily available as fuel vehicles cannot transport fuel to the areas in timely fashion. Additionally, communication systems cease operations making relief and assistance even more challenging.

It is therefore an object of the present system to provide for a modular system for providing power using a base power storage, portable power units, solar power input, capacitors, and AC and/or DC output.

It is another object of the present system to provide power using a mobile platform to deploy power to remote locations or when power is unavailable such as with natural disasters.

It is another object of the present invention to provide portable renewable energy prior to regaining transitional power and to assist in providing clean drinking water, medical facilities, and communications.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The above objectives are accomplished by providing a system that is a scalable modular solar power array comprising: a solar panel; a solar power controller in communications with the solar panel configured to convert a first voltage to a second voltage; a DC to AC converter in communications with the solar power controller; a power input switch connected to the DC to AC converter and an external power source configured to switch between AC power from DC to AC converter and external power; a bus connected to the power input switch; a portable power unit connected to the bus, connected to a data network and connected to a power out bus; and, a load connected to the power out bus.

The modular solar power array system can include a mobile platform; a solar array carried by the mobile platform, connected to a distribution hub adapted to provide power to a base power source; an input controller having input computer readable instructions adapted to deliver power to a set of storage units from the base power source, the set of storage power units carried by the mobile platform; an output controller connected to the set of storage units having output computer readable instructions adapted to receive charge requirements from a load connected to the output controller, retrieving from a device lookup table included in the output controller a load type having charge specifications, and delivering power to the load according to the charge specifications; and, an external power source connected to the distribution bus for proving power to the base power source from the external power source.

The input computer readable instructions can be adapted to deliver power to a storage unit in the set of storage units according to the current charge of the storage unit. The solar power array can include a set of solar panels hingeably attached to each other having a retracted position and a deployed position. The solar power array can include a lowered position and a raised position. A port panel can be attached to the mobile platform. The set of storage units can include a portable power unit. The set of storage units can include a set of base power units, a set of delivery units and a set of portable power units. The output controller can be adapted to deliver power to an electrical junction box.

The system can be a modular solar power array comprising: a solar array connected to an input controller to provide power to a base power source; a set of storage units connected to the input controller adapted to receive power from the base power source to charge the set of storage units; a set of capacitors connected to the input controller adapted to receive power from the base power source to charge the set of capacitors; an output controller connected to the set of storage units and the set of capacitors for providing power to a load in electrical communications with the output controller; and, a portable power unit included in the set of storage units that are removably connected to the input controller and the output controller.

Output computer readable instructions can be included in the output controller adapted to receive charge requirements from a load connected to the output controller, retrieving from a device lookup table included in in the output controller a load type having charge specifications, and delivering power to the load according to the charge specifications. The system can include an external power connection adapted to connect an external power source to the set of storage units and the set of capacitors. The base power source can be a set of base power units. Input computer readable instructions can include in the input controller adapted to delivery power to a storage unit in the set of storage units according to the storage unit charge to provide for charge balancing across the set of storage units. A primary power unit can have primary power unit computer readable instructions adapted to determine the power level of a secondary storage unit in the set of storage units and direct power to the secondary storage unit when the secondary storage unit power level is below a predetermined level.

The system can include a mobile platform; a solar array carried by the mobile platform; and a set of capacitors in electrical communications with the solar array for receiving power from the solar array to charge the set of capacitors; and a port panel in electrical communications with the set of capacitors adapted to connect to a load to deliver power from the set of capacitors to the load. A base power source can be in electrical communications with the solar array and the set of capacitors and adapted to receive power from the solar array and delivery power to the set of capacitors. A set of storage units can be in electrical communications with the solar array for receiving power from the solar array to charge the set of capacitors and to deliver power to a load. The mobile platform can be a trailer having a solar panel support for supporting the solar power array wherein the solar power array includes a set of solar panels hingeably attached to each other having a retracted position, a deployed position, a lowered position and a raised position. An output controller can be connected to the set of capacitors having output computer readable instructions adapted to receive charge requirements from a load connected to the output controller, retrieving from a device lookup table included in the output controller a load type having charge specifications, and delivering power to the load according to the charge specifications.

