AGING STATUS DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS FOR POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM, AND METHOD THEIR OF

• US 20100161259A1
• Filed: 08/22/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Powertron Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Powertron Engineering Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Deuk Soo, Kim, Rae Young
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/63
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/64 Testing of capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus capable of diagnosing the aging state of a power conversion system at ordinary times and its diagnosing method to ensure the reliability of a power conversion system. The apparatus includes a current sensing means for detecting the output current of a inverter switching module or an electrolytic capacitor, and measurement and diagnosis means for extracting elements related to the aging status of the power conversion system by receiving the output current waveform of the inverter switching module and magnitude of each harmonic or an impedance voltage signal of the electrolytic capacitor. Furthermore, it is preferable that the apparatus further includes a measurement current generation means for generating measurement current to be supplied to the electrolytic capacitor. By analyzing an average value or the magnitude of harmonics by FFT analysis of the output current waveform of the inverter switching module and measuring an ESR value or a loss angle tan δ of a DC bus of the power conversion system, the present invention is able to monitor and diagnose the abnormal state attributable to the aging or degradation of the power conversion system in advance.

Claims

1. An aging status diagnostic apparatus for a power conversion system, comprising:

an output current sensing means installed on an output stage line of an inverter switching module of the power conversion system, and configured to detect output current of the inverter switching module; and

a measurement and diagnosis means configured to receive the output current of the inverter switching module from the output current sensing means, calculate one or more of an average value of the output current over one period, and magnitude or an effective value of each harmonic of the output current, and determine whether aging of the inverter switching module has occurred.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means comprises:

an analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion unit for converting an output current signal, received from the output current sensing means, into a digital signal, and outputting the digital signal to a control and calculation means; and

the control and calculation means for calculating one or more of an average value of the output current signal over one period from the A/D conversion unit, and the magnitude and effective value of the harmonic based on Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the output current, and determining whether the aging of the inverter switching module of the power conversion system has occurred.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means further comprises a filtering and amplification means for filtering out noise components or noise signals in an unnecessary frequency band included in the output current, or buffering, amplifying or shifting a signal level of the output current.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means determines that the aging of the inverter switching module of the power conversion system has occurred if the average value of the output current over one period increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or an even order harmonic or a specific order harmonic based on FFT of the output current increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the specific order harmonic comprises a plurality of lower order harmonics.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the specific order harmonic comprises a plurality of subharmonics or interharmonics.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means further comprises:

an output display means for outputting results of the calculation of the control and calculation means;

or

a communication port for receiving an output signal related to results of the calculation of the control and calculation means and sending the output signal to an external Monitoring device.

24. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means determines that the aging of the inverter switching module of the power conversion system has occurred if the average value of the output current over one period increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or an even order harmonic or a specific order harmonic based on FFT of the output current increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

25. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means determines that the aging of the inverter switching module of the power conversion system has occurred if the average value of the output current over one period increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or an even order harmonic or a specific order harmonic based on FFT of the output current increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

26. The apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein the specific order harmonic comprises a plurality of lower order harmonics.

27. The apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein the specific order harmonic comprises a plurality of lower order harmonics.

28. The apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein the specific order harmonic comprises a plurality of subharmonics or interharmonics.

29. The apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein the specific order harmonic comprises a plurality of subharmonics or interharmonics.

30. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means further comprises:

an output display means for outputting results of the calculation of the control and calculation means;

or

a communication port for receiving an output signal related to results of the calculation of the control and calculation means and sending the output signal to an external monitoring device.

31. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means further comprises:

an output display means for outputting results of the calculation of the control and calculation means;

or

a communication port for receiving an output signal related to results of the calculation of the control and calculation means and sending the output signal to an external monitoring device.

8. An aging status diagnostic apparatus for a power conversion system, comprising:

a measurement current generation means connected to + and terminals of a DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system, and configured to generates a measurement current signal to be supplied to a DC bus electrolytic capacitor;

a signal isolation unit configured such that the measurement current signal generated by the measurement current generation means is blocked from DC stage voltage and flows through the electrolytic capacitor;

a measurement and diagnosis means configured to calculate one or more of an ESR value and a loss angle of the electrolytic capacitor by using the measurement current signal generated by the measurement current generation means, and an impedance voltage signal induced to the electrolytic capacitor by the measurement current signal, and determine whether the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system has occurred.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a ripple current sensing means for detecting ripple current of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor;

wherein the measurement and diagnosis means receives the ripple current from the ripple current sensing means, calculates the magnitude of each harmonic based on FFT of the ripple current, and determines whether the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system based on the calculated magnitude of the harmonics.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means comprises:

a DC coupling means for filtering out only an AC component signal from impedance voltage obtained from the + and terminals of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor;

an A/D conversion unit for converting an impedance voltage signal of the AC component, the measurement current signal and the ripple current into digital signals, and outputting the digital signals to a control and calculation means; and

the control and calculation means for calculating an Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR) value or loss angle of the electrolytic capacitor by using the impedance voltage signal, the measurement current signal and the ripple current from the A/D conversion unit, or a magnitude of each harmonic based on FFT of the ripple current, and determining whether the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor has occurred.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the control and calculation means determines that aging of a DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system has occurred if the ESR value or the loss angle increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or magnitude of each harmonic based on FFT of the ripple current increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means comprises:

a DC coupling means for filtering out only an AC component signal from impedance voltage obtained from + and terminals of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor;

an A/D conversion unit for converting an impedance voltage signal of the AC component and the measurement current signal into digital signals and outputting the digital signals to a control and calculation means; and

the control and calculation means for calculating an ESR value or loss angle of the electrolytic capacitor by using the impedance voltage signal and the measurement current signal output from the A/D conversion unit, and determining whether aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor has occurred using results of the calculation.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein the control and calculation means determines that the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system has occurred if the ESR value increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or the loss angle increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means further comprises:

an output display means for outputting the calculation results of the control and calculation means;

or

a communication port for receiving an output signal related to the calculation results of the control and calculation means and sending the output signal to an external monitoring device.

32. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the measurement and diagnosis means further comprises:

an output display means for outputting the calculation results of the control and calculation means;

or

a communication port for receiving an output signal related to the calculation results of the control and calculation means and sending the output signal to an external monitoring device.

15. A method of diagnosing an aging state of a power conversion system in an aging status diagnostic apparatus for the power conversion system, comprising the steps of:

(a) in the aging status diagnostic apparatus, detecting output current of an inverter switching module of the power conversion system; and

(b) calculating one or more of an average value of the output current of the inverter switching module over one period, or magnitude or an effective value of each harmonic of the output current, and determining whether aging of the inverter switching module of the power conversion system has occurred based on results of the calculation.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein the step (b) comprises the steps of:

(b-1) converting the detected output current into a digital signal; and

(b-2) calculating one or more of an average value of the output current, converted into the digital signal, over one period, or magnitude or an effective value of each harmonic based on FFT of the output current, and determining whether the aging of the inverter switching module of the power conversion system has occurred.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the step (b-2) comprises determining that the aging of the inverter switching module of the power conversion system has occurred one or more that if the average value of the output current over one period increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or an even order harmonic or a specific order harmonic (a plurality of lower order harmonics, subharmonics or inharmonics) based on FFT of the output current increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

18. A method of diagnosing an aging state of a power conversion system in an aging status diagnostic apparatus for the power conversion system, comprising the steps of:

(a) in the aging status diagnostic apparatus for the power conversion system, causing a measurement current signal having a predetermined frequency to flow through a DC bus electrolytic capacitor connected to a DC bus of the power conversion system;

(b) extracting an impedance voltage waveform corresponding to the measurement current signal at + and −

terminals of the electrolytic capacitor; and

(c) in the aging status diagnostic apparatus the power conversion system, calculating one or more of an ESR value and a loss angle tan δ

of the electrolytic capacitor, and determining whether the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor has occurred.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising, before or after the step (c), the steps of:

in the aging status diagnostic apparatus for the power conversion system, detecting ripple current of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor; and

calculating magnitude of each harmonic based on FFT of the detected ripple current, and determining whether the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor has occurred based on the magnitude of the harmonic.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-1) in the aging status diagnostic apparatus for the power conversion system, filtering out only frequency components necessary for measurement calculation from components of the measurement current signal and impedance voltage signal through filter means or execution of a filtering program;

(c-2) converting an impedance voltage signal, a measurement current signal including a ripple current into digital signals; and

(c-3) calculating one or more of an ESR value and a loss angle of the electrolytic capacitor by using the impedance voltage signal, the measurement current signal or the ripple current converted into the digital signals and magnitude of each harmonic based on FFT of the ripple current, and determining whether the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system has occurred based on results of the calculation.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20, wherein the step (c-3) comprises determining that the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system has occurred if the ESR value or the loss angle increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or magnitude of each harmonic based on FFT of the ripple current increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

22. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c-1) in the aging status diagnostic apparatus for the power conversion system, filtering out only frequency components necessary for measurement calculation from components of the measurement current signal and impedance voltage signal through filter means or execution of a filtering program;

(c-2) converting an impedance voltage signal and a measurement current signal into digital signals; and

(c-3) calculating an ESR value of the electrolytic capacitor by using the impedance voltage signal and the measurement current signal converted into the digital signals, and determining whether the aging of the DC bus electrolytic capacitor of the power conversion system has occurred based on the calculated ESR value.

23. The method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising, before or after the steps (a) to (c), the steps of:

in the aging status diagnostic apparatus for the power conversion system,

generating a measurement current signal having a frequency identical to that at the time of calculating the internal ESR value of the electrolytic capacitor or a frequency suitable for measuring internal equivalent circuit characteristics of, a battery to be measured, and causing the measurement current signal to flow through the measuring battery; and

measuring internal resistance of the battery while causing the measurement current signal determined at the above step to flow through the battery.