Electric power router with multiple power supply modes

• US 20160049794A1
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tianjin University
• Original Assignee: Tianjin University
• Inventors: LIU, Yingshu, LI, Zhichao, AN, Xiaorui
• Granted Patent: US 9,373,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of utilization of distributed power generations and smart power management and, relates to an electric power router with multiple power supply modes; it includes a control unit, a communication module, a bidirectional alternate/direct current converter, a switch array, a direct current power line, two alternate current power lines, a power line measuring module, and router ports; wherein, the router ports include a plurality of power source ports and load ports; the switch array includes a single throw switch for grid connection and a plurality of double throw switches, all of which are controlled by the control unit; the direct current power source ports of the router ports are connected to the direct current power line, the direct current power line is connected to the second alternate current power line through the bidirectional alternate/direct current converter; the alternate current power source ports and load ports are connected through two alternate current power lines and the switch array. The present invention enables highly effective and smart management to kinds of power sources and loads, according to the power supplying condition of the power sources as well as the power consumption characteristics and consumption demands of the loads.

Claims

1. An electric power router with multiple power supply modes includes a control unit, a communication module, a bidirectional alternate/direct current converter, a switch array, a direct current power line, two alternate current power lines, a power line measuring module, and router ports;

wherein,

the router ports include a plurality of power source ports and load ports, each of which has a unique port number, the power source ports include direct current ports and alternate current ports, the alternate current ports include a grid power dedicated port and general purpose ports for connections to alternate current power sources other than the grid;

the switch array includes a single throw switch for grid connection and a plurality of double throw switches, all of which are controlled by the control unit;

the direct current power source ports in the router ports are connected to the direct current power line, the direct current power line is connected to the second alternate current power line through the bidirectional alternate/direct current converter;

the alternate current power source ports and load ports are connected through two alternate current power lines and the switch array;

the specific connection method is as follows;

the grid power dedicated port is connected with the first alternate current power line, while the general purpose alternate current power source ports is connected with the first or second alternate current power line via the double throw switches of the switch array;

the load ports is connected with the first or second alternate current power line via the double throw switches of the switch array;

the second alternate current power line is connected with the first alternate current power line by the single throw switch for grid connection of the switch array;

by shifting of the double throw switches of the switch array, each of the load ports is connected with either of two alternate current power lines;

by shifting of the double throw switches of the switch array, each of the general purpose alternate current power source ports is connected with either of two alternate current power lines;

each router port includes a current measurement unit, a voltage measurement unit and a power information processing unit;

the current measurement unit is connected with the router port in series, while the voltage measurement unit is connected with the router port in parallel;

the outputs of the current measurement unit and voltage measurement unit are connected to the input of the power information processing unit, while the output of the power information processing unit is connected to the control unit;

the current measurement unit is used for measuring the current through the power source port or load port connected thereto, and the voltage measurement unit is used for measuring the voltage across the power source port or load port connected thereto;

the measurements from the current measurement unit and the voltage measurement unit are sent to the power information processing unit, the power information processing unit at the power source port calculates the power quality and power supply information of the power source connected thereto and the input power flow through the router port per unit time, and then sends above information in real time to the control unit;

the power information processing unit at the load port calculates the electrical characteristics and power consumption of the load connected thereto and the output power flow through the router port per unit time, and then sends above information in real time to the control unit;

the alternate current power source ports is of single phase or three phase in electricity for connections with single-phase or three-phase grid power and alternate current power sources other than the grid power;

the load ports is of single phase or three phase in electricity for connections with single-phase or three-phase loads;

the power line measuring module is used for measuring instant information such as voltage and current of the direct current power line, and voltage, current, frequency and phase of the second alternate current power line, and sending above information to the alternate/direct current converter and control unit in real time;

the control unit is connected respectively with the bidirectional AC/DC converter, switch array, router ports, power line measuring module and communication module;

the operation of the control unit includes;

     1) communicating with the power sources and loads connected to the electric power router, other electric power routers, and the management system of the microgrid or the distribution network through the communication module;

     2) based on the power supply information provided by each power source and the electrical characteristics and power consumption demand provided by the loads, or based on power supplying status of the power sources and the power consumption characteristics of the loads acquired by the measurement module of the router ports, matching the power supplying capability of the power sources with the electrical characteristics and power consumption demand of the loads;

     3) achieving connection between the second alternate current power line and first alternate current power line by controlling the operation of the single throw switch for grid connection of the switch array;

     4) achieving connection between the load ports and either of two alternate current power lines by controlling the operation of the double throw switches of the switch array;

     5) achieving connection between the general purpose alternate current power source ports and either of two alternate current power lines by controlling the operation of the double throw switches of the switch array;

     6) calculating the total amount of power supplied by the power sources and total amount of power consumption of the loads during the process of power supply from the power sources to the loads through the electric power router; and

     7) controlling the operation of the bidirectional alternate/direct current converter according to the voltage and current of the direct current power line and voltage, current, frequency and phase of the second alternate current power line measured by the power line measuring module.

2. The electric power router according to claim 1,

wherein, the power sources other than the grid power connected to the electric power router with multiple power supply modes have three operation modes:

the grid tied operation, islanded operation, and parallel operation;

     1) in case all the loads connected to the electric power router are powered by the direct current power line and second alternate current power line, and the power supply from the power sources other than the grid power is surplus, the second alternate current power line is connected with the first alternate current power line through the single throw switch for grid connection so that the electric power router is working in grid tied operation mode;

     2) when grid power is cut off, all the loads are connected to the direct current power line or to the second alternate current power line via the double throw switches of the switch array, all the loads connected to the electric power router are powered by the power sources other than the grid power or the energy storage element connected with the power router, which is the islanded operation;

     3) when the grid power is connected to the electric power router and the single throw switch for grid connection is switched off, the second alternate current power line is disconnected with the first alternate current power line, but both alternate current power lines supply power to the loads via the double throw switches of the switch array, in this case, the energy storage element and the power sources other than the grid power, along with the grid power itself, supply power to different loads simultaneously through the electric power router, which is the parallel operation mode;

during above processes, operations including connection, disconnection and shifting of any one of the switches of the switch array are controlled by the control unit.