SOLAR POWER GENERATION STABILIZATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20100008119A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Delmerico, Robert William, O'Brien, Kathleen Ann
• Granted Patent: US 8,373,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/132
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/48 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A power generation system including a photovoltaic (PV) module to generate DC power is provided. The system includes a combination of a DC to DC converter and a DC to AC converter coupled to the DC to DC converter for supplying power from the PV module to a power grid. The system further includes a bidirectional converter and an energy storage device coupled to the bidirectional converter. The system also includes a control system to generate commands for controlling a state of charge of the energy storage device. The control system comprises a deadband limiter to detect a deviation of the frequency signal outside of a respective signal range, a power shaper to provide a transient power generation adjustment signal in response to the signal being outside of the respective signal range and a limit controller for preventing the adjustment signal from causing the energy storage device to operate outside of at least one operating constraint.

Claims

1. A power generation system comprising:

a DC to DC converter;

a DC to AC converter coupled to the DC to DC converter, wherein the combination of the DC to DC converter and the DC to AC converter is configured for supplying power from a photovoltaic (PV) module to a power grid;

a bidirectional converter coupled to the DC to AC converter;

an energy storage device coupled to the bidirectional converter;

a control system configured for generating commands for controlling a state of charge of the energy storage device, the control system comprising;

a deadband limiter configured for detecting when a frequency signal is outside of a respective signal range;

a power shaper configured for providing a transient power generation adjustment signal in response to the signal being outside of the respective signal range; and

a limit controller configured to prevent the adjustment signal from causing the energy storage device to operate outside of at least one operating constraint.

2. The power generation system of claim 1 wherein the control system is further configured for generating commands for providing energy from the PV module to the energy storage device upon the occurrence of excess power being supplied by the PV module.

3. The power generation system of claim 1 wherein the bidirectional converter is coupled between the energy storage device and a DC link between the DC to DC and DC to AC converters.

4. The power generation system of claim 2, wherein the bidirectional converter comprises a DC to DC converter.

5. The power generation system of claim 1 wherein the bidirectional converter is coupled between the energy storage device and an output side of the DC to AC converter.

6. The power generation system of claim 4, wherein the bidirectional converter comprises a DC to AC inverter.

7. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage comprises a supercapacitor, an electrochemical battery, or combinations thereof.

8. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one operating constraint includes an operating current range or an operating voltage range of the energy storage device.

9. The power generation system of claim 1 further comprising an input frequency washout configured for calculating a frequency deviation, wherein the deadband limiter is configured to use the frequency deviation to set the respective signal range.

10. The power generation system of claim 8 further comprising an output frequency washout configured to drive the adjustment signal to zero.

11. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the adjustment signal comprises a power command or a current command.

12. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the power shaper is configured for providing the adjustment signal in a manner designed to limit oscillatory coupling.

13. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the power shaper comprises at least one gain element or parameter configured for having a variable value in response to at least one of a utility condition and a utility command.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the transient power generation adjustment signal is constrained for not causing the energy storage device to operate at a current outside of an operating current range.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the transient power generation adjustment signal comprises a charging signal or a discharging signal for the energy storage device.

14. A method of delivering solar power from a power generation system comprising a photovoltaic (PV) module and an energy storage device, the method comprising:

determining when a frequency signal of the power generation system comprising the PV module is outside a respective signal range;

providing a transient power generation adjustment signal in response to the frequency signal being outside of the respective signal range; and

providing transient power from the energy storage device based on the transient power generation adjustment signal.