Distributed charge controller
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A distributed charge control system comprising:
- one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules producing a current, each PV module comprising one or more strings of PV cells connected in series;
a charge controller comprising a processor, memory and control electronics;
a battery bank comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in series;
wherein the charge controller selectively connects each string of the one or more strings of PV cells to selectively charge one or more of the battery cells based on predefined logic;
wherein the charge controller determines from sensor inputs, non-productive strings of the one or more strings of PV cells which are damaged or non-productive, and isolates the non-productive strings from the system; and
wherein the charge controller monitors and controls the use of each battery cell based on a scheduled health and maintenance profile stored in the memory, maintaining and updating the health and maintenance profile related to each individual battery cell.
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Abstract
A distributed charge controller that matches a charging and power profile of each individual battery cell within a bank of batteries with one or more strings of photovoltaic (PV) cells in order to maintain battery health and performance. The charge controller further optimizes the performance of a solar module by allowing active unshaded strings of cells to operate independently of other strings within the module that may be shaded. Strings of PV cells are selectively matched to one or more battery cells as required.
13 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A distributed charge control system comprising:
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one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules producing a current, each PV module comprising one or more strings of PV cells connected in series; a charge controller comprising a processor, memory and control electronics; a battery bank comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in series; wherein the charge controller selectively connects each string of the one or more strings of PV cells to selectively charge one or more of the battery cells based on predefined logic; wherein the charge controller determines from sensor inputs, non-productive strings of the one or more strings of PV cells which are damaged or non-productive, and isolates the non-productive strings from the system; and wherein the charge controller monitors and controls the use of each battery cell based on a scheduled health and maintenance profile stored in the memory, maintaining and updating the health and maintenance profile related to each individual battery cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A distributed charge control system comprising:
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one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules producing a current, each PV module comprising one or more strings of PV cells connected in series; a charge controller comprising a processor, memory and control electronics; a battery bank comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in series; wherein the charge controller selectively connects each string of the one or more strings of PV cells to selectively charge one or more of the battery cells based on predefined logic; and wherein the charge controller determines from sensor inputs, non-productive strings of the one or more strings of PV cells which are damaged or non-productive, and isolates the non-productive strings from the system; and wherein the charge controller adjusts a unique battery cell specific charging profile and discharge profile for each individual battery cell according to the health and maintenance profile for that unique battery cell.
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16. A distributed charge control system comprising:
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one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules producing a current, each PV module comprising one or more strings of PV cells connected in series; a charge controller comprising a processor, memory and control electronics; a battery bank comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in series; wherein the charge controller selectively connects each string of the one or more strings of PV cells to selectively charge one or more of the battery cells based on predefined logic; and wherein the charge controller determines from sensor inputs, non-productive strings of the one or more strings of PV cells which are damaged or non-productive, and isolates the non-productive strings from the system; and wherein the charge controller calculates a target power based on a charging profile of the battery cell, and adjusts the charging and discharging of the battery cell based on the target power.
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17. A distributed charge control system comprising:
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one or more photovoltaic (PV) modules producing a current, each PV module comprising one or more strings of PV cells connected in series; a charge controller comprising a processor, memory and control electronics; a battery bank comprising a plurality of battery cells connected in series; wherein the charge controller selectively connects each string of the one or more strings of PV cells to selectively charge one or more of the battery cells based on predefined logic; and wherein the charge controller determines from sensor inputs, non-productive strings of the one or more strings of PV cells which are damaged or non-productive, and isolates the non-productive strings from the system; and wherein the charge controller calculates a target group power based on a charging profile of a specific group of battery cells, and adjusts the charging and discharging of the specific group of battery cells based on the target group power. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification