Energy storage system and method for direct coupling energy storage and power source
First Claim
1. An energy storage system for direct DC coupling, the energy storage system comprising:
- a power source electrically connected to a first node;
a power converter coupled to the first node, the power converter controlling the output voltage of the power source, the power converter having a first port coupled to the first node and a second port coupled to a bus;
an energy storage unit direct DC coupled to the power source at the first node through a main switch, wherein the energy storage unit draws energy from the power source or the bus when charging and supplies energy to the bus when discharging;
the main switch for electrically connecting and electrically disconnecting the energy storage unit from the first node, the main switch being coupled between the first node and the energy storage unit;
a break path coupled to the first node and for diverting power away from the first node when the break path is electrically connected to the first node;
a control system for controlling the electrical connection and electrical disconnection of the energy storage unit from the first node, the control system being configured to;
control the power converter to adjust the magnitude of the output voltage at the first node to a magnitude of an energy storage unit voltage;
determining whether adjusting the magnitude of the output voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage causes power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits;
in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will not cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits;
closing the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node matches the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage;
in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits;
electrically connecting the break path to the first node for diverting power away from the first node;
adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; and
once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node is adjusted to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage, electrically connecting the energy storage unit to the first node and electrically disconnecting the break path from the first node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy storage system for direct DC coupling includes a power source electrically connected to a first node, a power converter coupled to the first node, an energy storage unit coupled to the first node through direct DC coupling, and a control system. The power converter controls the output voltage of the power source under the control of the control system. The energy storage unit draws energy from the power source or the bus when charging and supplies energy to the bus when discharging. A main switch is coupled between the first node and the energy storage unit. The control system is configure to control the power converter to adjust the output voltage to the energy storage unit voltage, control the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node, and control the main switch to electrically disconnect the energy storage unit from the first node.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An energy storage system for direct DC coupling, the energy storage system comprising:
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a power source electrically connected to a first node; a power converter coupled to the first node, the power converter controlling the output voltage of the power source, the power converter having a first port coupled to the first node and a second port coupled to a bus; an energy storage unit direct DC coupled to the power source at the first node through a main switch, wherein the energy storage unit draws energy from the power source or the bus when charging and supplies energy to the bus when discharging; the main switch for electrically connecting and electrically disconnecting the energy storage unit from the first node, the main switch being coupled between the first node and the energy storage unit; a break path coupled to the first node and for diverting power away from the first node when the break path is electrically connected to the first node; a control system for controlling the electrical connection and electrical disconnection of the energy storage unit from the first node, the control system being configured to; control the power converter to adjust the magnitude of the output voltage at the first node to a magnitude of an energy storage unit voltage; determining whether adjusting the magnitude of the output voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage causes power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will not cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; closing the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node matches the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; electrically connecting the break path to the first node for diverting power away from the first node; adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; and once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node is adjusted to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage, electrically connecting the energy storage unit to the first node and electrically disconnecting the break path from the first node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of electrically connecting an energy storage unit to a power source in an energy storage system comprising the energy storage unit direct DC coupled to the power source at a first node through a main switch, and a power converter electrically connected to the first node and capable of adjusting a magnitude of a voltage at the first node, the method comprising:
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attempting to adjust the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to a magnitude of an energy storage unit voltage by controlling the power converter; and closing the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node, wherein the attempting to adjust the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to a magnitude of an energy storage unit voltage and the closing the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node comprises; determining whether adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; and in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will not cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; closing the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node matches the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; electrically connecting a break path to the first node for diverting power away from the first node; adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; and once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node is adjusted to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage, electrically connecting the energy storage unit to the first node and electrically disconnecting the break path from the first node. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of electrically disconnecting an energy storage unit from a power source in an energy storage system comprising the energy storage unit direct DC coupled to the power source at a first node through a main switch and a power converter electrically connected to the first node and capable of adjusting a magnitude of a voltage at the first node, the method comprising:
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determining whether adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage causes power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will not cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; closing the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node matches the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; determining whether the energy storage unit is discharging or charging via the main switch; in response to determining the energy storage unit is discharging via the main switch; controlling the power converter to reduce a discharge power from the energy storage unit; opening the main switch to electrically disconnect the energy storage unit from the first node while the discharge power is reduced; and controlling the power converter to operate in maximum power point tracking (MPPT) mode after the energy storage unit is disconnected; in response to determining the energy storage unit is charging via the main switch; controlling the power converter to reduce a charge power of the energy storage unit; opening the main switch to electrically disconnect the energy storage unit from the first node while the charge power is reduced; and controlling the power converter to operate in maximum power point tracking (MPPT) mode after the energy storage unit is disconnected. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A power converter for coupling with a power source at a first node and for controlling electrical connection and disconnection of an energy storage unit that is direct DC coupled to the first node through a main switch, the power converter comprising:
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a power inverter for converting DC to AC, the power converter having a DC input port coupled to the first node and an AC output port coupled to a bus; a control system for controlling the electrical connection and electrical disconnection of the energy storage unit from the first node, the control system being configured to; control the power inverter to adjust the magnitude of the output voltage of the power source at the first node to a magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; control the electrical connection and the electrical disconnection of the energy storage unit with the first node; determine whether adjusting the magnitude of the output voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage causes power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will not cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; closing the main switch to electrically connect the energy storage unit to the first node once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node matches the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; in response to determining that adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage will cause power output of the power converter to exceed the power converter'"'"'s limits; electrically connecting a break path to the first node for diverting power away from the first node; adjusting the magnitude of the voltage at the first node to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage; and once the magnitude of the voltage at the first node is adjusted to match the magnitude of the energy storage unit voltage, electrically connecting the energy storage unit to the first node and electrically disconnecting the break path from the first node. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification