Solar battery system for low temperature operation

• US 10,181,814 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lithium Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lithium Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Chan, Wilson, Kuo, Chu Chi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US15/266,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20170194811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 320101, 320107, 320122, 320125, 320138, 320153, 320160
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/40 Thermal components H02S10/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A power delivery device is disclosed, comprising at least one solar panel, a battery pack comprising at least one battery, and a heater, wherein the device is configured to measure the temperature of the battery pack and power the heater to heat the battery pack if it is too cold for optimal charging.

Claims

1. A solar energy system, comprising:

a battery pack comprising at least one battery;

a heater located in such a way as to provide heat to the battery pack;

a temperature sensor located in such a way as to measure the temperature of the battery pack;

at least one solar panel;

an output circuit for delivering electric power;

a controller comprising a processor and memory, said controller configured to perform the following functions;

receive temperature data from the temperature sensor;

receive voltage data from the at least one battery and determine whether or not the at least one battery is fully charged;

determine whether the at least one solar panel is producing power;

if the at least one solar panel is producing power, the at least one battery is not fully charged, and the thermometer is indicating a temperature within a range that is favorable for battery charging, charging the battery pack using the power produced by the solar panel;

if the solar panel is producing power and the thermometer is indicating a temperature that is too low for battery charging, turning on the heater and heating the battery until the thermometer indicates a temperature within a range that is favorable for battery charging.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the battery pack comprises at least two batteries connected in series, wherein the battery pack also comprises at least two bypass circuits, the number of bypass circuits equal to the number of batteries and each bypass circuit wired to bypass one battery, each bypass circuit comprising a switch, wherein the controller is further configured to:

during charging, determine the voltage of each battery;

during charging, for each battery, if its voltage exceeds the average voltage of all the batteries by a predetermined amount, turning on the switch to activate the bypass circuit for that battery.

3. The system of claim 1, where the battery pack comprises at least two batteries, wherein the at least two batteries are identical.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication module, said communication module capable of communicating with a mobile device, said communication module connected to the controller.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface, said user interface connected to the controller.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the following functions:

determine whether or not the at least one solar panel is receiving power;

if the solar panel is receiving power, using the power received by the at least one solar panel to power the output circuit;

if the at least one solar panel is receiving more power than necessary to power the output circuit, using any excess power to charge the battery pack;

if the at least one solar panel is not receiving power, using the battery pack to power the output circuit.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one micro-inverter connected to the output circuit in such a way as to generate alternating current.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an enclosure that contains the battery, controller, heater, and temperature sensor, wherein the enclosure is at least one of the following;

waterproof, dustproof.

9. A method of delivering solar energy, comprising:

using a solar panel to generate solar energy;

determining whether or not a battery pack requires charging;

determining the temperature of the battery pack;

if the battery pack requires charging and the temperature of the battery pack is too low for optimal charging, using the solar energy to power a heater to heat the battery pack;

if the battery pack requires charging and the temperature of the battery pack is adequate for optimal charging, using the solar energy to charge the battery pack;

if the battery pack is charging and the amount of solar power provided by the solar panel is greater than the amount of energy needed to charge the battery pack, providing an amount of power equal to the difference between the power provided by the solar panel and the power needed to charge the battery pack to an output circuit;

if the battery pack is fully charged and the solar panel is receiving power, providing the power provided by the solar panel to an output circuit;

if the battery pack is fully or partially charged and the solar panel is not receiving power, using the battery pack to power an output circuit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if the battery is charging and the current generated by the solar panel is above a predetermined current level, stopping the charging process;

if the battery is charging and the voltage generated by the solar panel is above a predetermined voltage level, stopping the charging process.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the battery pack comprises at least two batteries connected in series, further comprising:

determining the charge level of each one of the at least two batteries;

for each battery, if the voltage of the battery exceeds the average voltage of the at least two batteries by a predetermined amount, turning on a bypass circuit to bypass that battery.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using at least one micro-inverter to generate alternating current at the output circuit.

13. A system for generating alternating current, comprising:

at least one solar panel connected to a bus;

a battery pack comprising at least one battery connected to the bus;

at least one micro-inverter connected to the bus;

a heater attached to the battery pack;

a temperature sensor attached to the battery pack;

a charging circuit connected to the battery pack;

a controller connected to the at least one micro-inverter, the heater, the temperature sensor, and the charging circuit, wherein the controller is configured to perform the following actions;

determining the temperature of the battery pack;

if the temperature of the battery pack is below a predetermined temperature during charging, turning off the charging circuit, turning on the heater to heat the battery pack, and turning on the charging circuit after the predetermined temperature is reached;

determining the voltage at the bus;

if the voltage at the bus is below a predetermined setpoint voltage and the solar panel is receiving power, turning off the at least one micro-inverter and charging the battery;

if the voltage at the bus is at or above a predetermined maximum voltage and the solar panel is generating more power than the maximum power of the micro-inverter, said predetermined maximum voltage higher than the predetermined setpoint voltage, turning off the battery charging circuit and turning on the at least one micro-inverter to maximum power;

if the voltage at the bus is at or above the predetermined setpoint voltage and the battery is not fully charged, turning on the at least one micro-inverter and keeping the charging circuit turned on, using the solar panel to charge the battery;

if the voltage at the bus is at or above the predetermined setpoint voltage and the battery is fully charged, turning on the at least one micro-inverter and turning off the charging circuit.