Line switching system

• US 10,158,226 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Toya, Shoichi, Ito, Motoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kessie, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhuri, Swarna N
• Application Number:
  US14/127,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/007 Arrangements for selectively connecting the load or loads to one or several among a plurality of power lines or power sources for providing uninterruptable power supply H02J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A line switching system is a line switching system which switches line of a power supply system including: a plurality of PV panels which generate power using renewable energy; at least one PCS which conditions supplied power to output the conditioned power to a power system; and a first switch which connects any one of the PV panels and the PCS, wherein the line switching system includes a display device which displays an image corresponding to the power supply system and receives an operation on the image from the user, and a control unit which is configured to switch between conduction and non-conduction between a plurality of PV panels and the PCS by controlling the first switch according to the operation received by the display device.

Claims

1. A line switching system which is connected to a power supply system which includes:

power generation systems which generate power using renewable energy;

power conditioner apparatuses which condition power supplied from the power generation systems; and

a first switch which switches between conduction and non-conduction between at least one of the power generation systems and at least one of the power conditioner apparatuses, the line switching system comprising;

a display device which displays an image indicating the power supply system and displays first icons indicating the power generation systems and second icons indicating the power conditioner apparatuses in the image; and

a control unit that is;

(i) capable of controlling the first switch, disposed between the at least one of the power generation systems indicated by at least one of the first icons selected via an operation and one of the power conditioner apparatuses indicated by one of the second icons selected via the operation, so as to place the at least one of the power generation systems in conduction with the one of the power conditioner apparatuses;

(ii) configured to compare a rated capacity of the selected power generation system, when one of the power generation systems is selected or a total value of rated capacities of selected power generation systems when two or more of the power generation systems are selected, with a rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus;

(iii) configured to display an error message on the display device when, as a result of the rated capacity of the selected power generation system being compared with the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus, the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems is determined, by the control unit, to be greater than the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus; and

(iv) configured to control the first switch so as to not switch to conduction between at least one of the power generation systems and at least one of the power conditioner apparatuses when the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems is determined to be greater than the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus,

wherein the control unit is further configured to;

determine a rated capacity of a non-selected power generation system of the power generation systems; and

when a value of the rated capacity of the non-selected system is determined to exceed a predetermined value, display the first icon in a display aspect that precludes the user from selecting the first icon.

2. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein the display device includes a touch panel, and

the touch panel displays at least the first icons and the second icons, and receives the operation on the first icons and the second icons.

3. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to select, by switching the first switch, one of the power generation systems to be connected to the selected power conditioner apparatus to have a rated capacity smaller than a rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus.

4. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply system further includes a second switch which switches between conduction and non-conduction between a power system and the power conditioner apparatuses,

the display device receives the operation, and

the control unit is further configured to switch between conduction and non-conduction between the power system and the power conditioner apparatuses by controlling the second switch according to the operation received by the display device.

5. The line switching system according to claim 4,

wherein when the first switch and the second switch are to be placed in conduction, the control unit is configured to place the second switch in conduction and then place the first switch in conduction.

6. The line switching system according to claim 4,

wherein generated power of the power generation systems connected via the first switch is supplied to the power conditioner apparatuses, and power outputted from the power conditioner apparatuses is supplied to the power system connected via the second switch.

7. The line switching system according to claim 4,

wherein the second switch switches between conduction and non-conduction between each of a plurality of the power system and the power conditioner apparatuses, and

the control unit is configured to switch between conduction and non-conduction between one power system of the plurality of the power system selected by the operation and the power conditioner apparatuses by controlling the second switch according to the operation received by the display device.

8. The line switching system according to claim 7,

wherein the power conditioner apparatuses each correspond to a different one of the power generation systems, and

the power supply system includes:

a plurality of the second switch corresponding to the power conditioner apparatuses, each of which selectively causes a state of conduction between a corresponding one of the power conditioner apparatuses and one of the plurality of the power system; and

a plurality of third switches which are located between (i) a plurality of second power conditioner apparatuses other than a first power conditioner apparatus among the power conditioner apparatuses and (ii) each of the power generation systems corresponding to each of the second power conditioner apparatuses, each of the third switches switching between conduction and non-conduction between one of the second power conditioner apparatuses and a different one of the power generation systems,

wherein the display device displays an image which indicates the power supply system including the power generation systems, the power conditioner apparatuses, and the plurality of the power system, and receives the operation on the image from the user, and

the control unit is configured to switch between conduction and non-conduction between the power generation systems, the power conditioner apparatuses, and the plurality of the power system by controlling the first switch, the plurality of the second switch, and the plurality of third switches according to the operation received by the display device.

9. The line switching system according to claim 7,

wherein the power conditioner apparatuses each correspond to a different one of the power generation systems, and the power supply system includes:

a plurality of the first switch, each of which switches between conduction and non-conduction between at least one of the power generation systems and a corresponding one of the power conditioner apparatuses; and

a plurality of the second switch corresponding to the power conditioner apparatuses, each of which selectively causes a state of conduction between a corresponding one of the power conditioner apparatuses and one of the plurality of the power system,

wherein the display device displays an image which indicates the power supply system including the power generation systems, the power conditioner apparatuses, and the plurality of the power system, and receives the operation on the image from the user, and

the control unit is configured to switch between conduction and non-conduction between the power generation systems, the power conditioner apparatuses, and the plurality of the power system by controlling the plurality of the first switch and the plurality of the second switch according to the operation received by the display device.

10. The line switching system according to claim 7,

wherein the power supply system further includes:

a fourth switch which switches between conduction and non-conduction between a distribution board provided with a building and each of the plurality of the power system,

wherein power is supplied from one power system of the plurality of the power system selected by the fourth switch to the distribution board,

the display device displays an image which indicates the power supply system further including the distribution board, and receives the operation on the image from the user, and

the control unit is configured to switch between conduction and non-conduction between the distribution board and each of the plurality of the power system by further controlling the fourth switch according to the operation received by the display device.

12. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the first switch to cause conduction between a power generation system corresponding to a selected one of the first icons and a power conditioner apparatus corresponding to a selected one of the second icons.

13. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the first switch so as to place the selected power generation system or the selected power generation systems in conduction with the selected power conditioner apparatus when the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems is less than the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus.

14. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to reject the operation when the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems is greater than the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus.

15. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to not place the selected power generation system or the selected power generation systems in conduction with the selected power conditioner apparatus when the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems is greater than the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus.

16. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein when the rated capacity of the selected power generation system is compared with the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus, the control unit is further configured to calculate a difference by subtracting the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems from the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus, and from among the power generation systems that are unselected, display the first icon indicating the power generation system whose rated capacity is less than or equal to the difference and the first icon indicating the power generation system whose rated capacity is greater than the difference in a different manner on the display device.

17. The line switching system according to claim 1,

wherein when the rated capacity of the selected power generation system is compared with the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus, the control unit is further configured to calculate a difference by subtracting the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems from the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus, and reject the operation made on the first icon indicating the power generation system whose rated capacity is greater than the difference.

11. A line switching method of being connected to a power supply system which includes:

power generation systems which generate power using renewable energy;

power conditioner apparatuses which condition power supplied from the power generation systems; and

a first switch which switches between conduction and non-conduction between at least one of the power generation systems and at least one of the power conditioner apparatuses, the line switching method comprising;

displaying an image indicating the power supply system, and displaying first icons indicating the power generation systems and second icons indicating the power conditioner apparatuses in the image on a display device;

receiving an operation on the first icons and the second icons;

controlling the first switch, disposed between the at least one of the power generation systems indicated by at least one of the first icons selected via the operation and one of the power conditioner apparatuses indicated by one of the second icons selected via the operation, so as to place the at least one of the power generation systems in conduction with the one of the power conditioner apparatuses;

comparing a rated capacity of the selected power generation system, when one of the power generation systems is selected or a total value of rated capacities of selected power generation systems when two or more of the power generation systems are selected, with a rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus;

displaying an error message on the display device when, as a result of the comparing, the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems is determined to be greater than the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus;

controlling the first switch so as to not switch to conduction between at least one of the power generation systems and at least one of the power conditioner apparatuses when the rated capacity of the selected power generation system or the total value of the rated capacities of the selected power generation systems is determined to be greater than the rated capacity of the selected power conditioner apparatus;

determining a rated capacity of a non-selected power generation system of the power generation systems; and

when a value of the rated capacity of the non-selected power generation system is determined in the determining of the rated capacity of the non-selected power generation system to exceed a predetermined value, displaying the first icon in a display aspect that precludes the user from selecting the first icon.