DIGITAL LOAD MANAGEMENT FOR VARIABLE OUTPUT ENERGY SYSTEMS

• US 20170133854A1
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: Tao, Meng
• Granted Patent: US 10,399,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

Principles of the present disclosure present a new concept for solar photovoltaic systems wherein the load to the photovoltaic system is digitally managed. This allows for much higher system efficiency along with a much lower system cost as compared to traditional solar photovoltaic systems in specific applications. By eliminating storage and power electronics typically present in traditional solar photovoltaic systems, exemplary systems achieve a cost reduction of over 50%, while the system efficiency is improved to over 95%.

Claims

1. A load-managing solar photovoltaic system, the system comprising:

a photovoltaic array;

a load comprising a plurality of sub-loads, each sub-load couplable to and uncouplable from the photovoltaic array; and

a controller configured to couple and uncouple each sub-load from the photovoltaic array responsive to the power output of the photovoltaic array.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to uncouple one of the plurality of sub-loads from the photovoltaic array when the power output of the photovoltaic array becomes insufficient to drive the load.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each sub-load may be independently coupled to and uncoupled from the photovoltaic array by the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each sub-load has a fixed resistance.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one sub-load has a variable resistance.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a photodetector that monitors the power output of the photovoltaic array;

a plurality of relays, wherein, responsive to operation of a relay in the plurality of relays, an associated sub-load in the plurality of sub-loads is coupled to or uncoupled from the photovoltaic array; and

a processor configured to compare the power output of the photovoltaic array with a power demand of the load and adjust the number of sub-loads coupled to the photovoltaic array.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller further comprises:

a voltage sensor that monitors a voltage output of the photovoltaic array; and

a current sensor that monitors a current output of the photovoltaic array.

8. A method for managing a solar photovoltaic system, the method comprising:

measuring, by a photodetector, a power output of a photovoltaic array;

coupling, responsive to a signal from a controller and by a first relay, a first sub-load to the photovoltaic array;

determining, by the controller, the power output of the photovoltaic array exceeds the capacity of the first sub-load;

coupling, responsive to a signal from the controller and by a second relay, a second sub-load to the photovoltaic array;

determining, by the controller, the power output of the photovoltaic array is less than the combined capacity of the first sub-load and the second sub-load; and

uncoupling, responsive to a signal from the controller and by the second relay, the second sub-load from the photovoltaic array.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first sub-load and the second sub-load have a fixed resistance value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first sub-load and the second sub-load comprise an electrolytic tank.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first sub-load and the second sub-load have an identical resistance value.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein one of first sub-load or the second sub-load has a variable resistance value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the first sub-load or the second sub-load comprises a battery or an electric vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first sub-load and the second sub-load may be independently coupled to and uncoupled from the photovoltaic array responsive to a signal from the controller.