SOLAR POWER GENERATION DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD OF SOLAR POWER GENERATION DEVICE

• US 20160241078A1
• Filed: 10/22/2014
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: MIYOSHI, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 10,063,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/38 Energy storage means, e.g. batteries, structurally associated with PV modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A solar power generation device is provided which includes a first DC-DC converter to which an output of a solar battery is input, a storage battery to which an output of the first DC-DC converter is input, a second DC-DC converter that converts a voltage of the storage battery, and a control unit. The control unit changes a duty ratio of the first DC-DC converter so as not to charge the storage battery and changes a duty ratio of the second DC-DC converter so as to set an operating point of the solar battery to a maximum power point, when a value indicating a state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. A solar power generation device comprising:

a first DC-DC converter to which an output of a solar battery is input;

a storage battery to which an output of the first DC-DC converter is input;

a second DC-DC converter converting a voltage of the storage battery; and

a control unit configured to change a duty ratio of the first DC-DC converter so as not to charge the storage battery and configured to change a duty ratio of the second DC-DC converter so as to set an operating point of the solar battery to a maximum power point, when a value indicating a state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

2. The solar power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs control of outputting an output voltage of the first DC-DC converter so as not to charge the storage battery, when the value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

3. The solar power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines whether the value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined value by comparing the voltage of the storage battery with a threshold voltage.

4. The solar power generation device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines that the value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, when the voltage of the storage battery is equal to or greater than a threshold voltage.

7. The solar power generation device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit determines whether the value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined value by comparing the voltage of the storage battery with a threshold voltage.

8. The solar power generation device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit determines that the value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, when the voltage of the storage battery is equal to or greater than a threshold voltage.

5. A control method of a solar power generation device of performing control of shifting an operating point of a solar battery to a maximum power point, comprising:

monitoring a state of charge of a storage battery that stores power generated by the solar battery;

changing a duty ratio of a first DC-DC converter, to which an output of the solar battery is input, so as not to charge the storage battery and changing a duty ratio of a second DC-DC converter, which converts a voltage of the storage battery, so as to set an operating point of the solar battery to a maximum power point, when a value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and

changing the duty ratio of the first DC-DC converter so as to set the operating point of the solar battery to the maximum power point, when the value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is less than the predetermined value.

6. The control method of a solar power generation device according to claim 5, wherein the duty ratio of the first DC-DC converter is changed so as to set the operating point of the solar battery to the maximum power point, when the value indicating the state of charge of the storage battery is less than the predetermined value after the duty ratio of the first DC-DC converter is changed so as not to charge the storage battery and the duty ratio of the second DC-DC converter is changed so as to set the operating point of the solar battery to the maximum power point.