METHOD FOR REGULATING AN ELECTRICAL POWER CIRCUIT AND AN ELECTRICAL POWER REGULATING APPARATUS

• US 20180090938A1
• Filed: 09/26/2016
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Original Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
• Inventors: Chung, Shu Hung Henry, Tse, Hiu Kwan
• Granted Patent: US 10,236,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/1814 wherein al least one reactive element is actively controlled by a bridge converter, e.g. unified power flow controllers [UPFC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/181 Circuits; Control arrangements or methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/10 Flexible AC transmission systems [FACTS]

Abstract

An electrical power regulating apparatus includes a controller arranged to detect an electrical source characteristic of an electrical power source; and a power converter arranged to adjust an electrical load characteristic of an electrical loading stage in connection with the electrical power source based on the at least one electrical source characteristic being detected by the controller, such that the electrical power source is arranged to deliver a maximum amount of electrical power to the electrical loading stage. A method for regulating an electrical power circuit is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for regulating an electrical power circuit, comprising the steps of:

detecting an electrical source characteristic of an electrical power source; and

adjusting an electrical load characteristic of an electrical loading stage in connection with the electrical power source based on the at least one electrical source characteristic being detected, such that the electrical power source is arranged to deliver a maximum amount of electrical power to the electrical loading stage.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical power source is arranged to deliver a maximum amount of power to the electrical loading stage when the electrical load characteristic matches with the electrical source characteristic.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting an electrical load characteristic of an electrical loading stage includes the step of counteracting an effect caused by a source reactance of the electrical power source and/or a reactance of the electrical power circuit in response to a variation in the amount of the electrical power delivered to the electrical loading stage by the electrical power source.

4. A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the electrical loading stage comprises a bidirectional power converter and an electrical load.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the bidirectional power converter is connected between the electrical load and the electrical power source.

6. A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the step of counteracting the effect caused by the source reactance of the electrical power source and/or the reactance of the electrical power circuit includes delivering a portion of electrical power from the electrical power source to an intermediate voltage source of the bidirectional power converter and/or to delivering a supplementary electrical power from the intermediate voltage source to the electrical load.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the intermediate voltage source includes a rechargeable battery.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein the step of adjusting an electrical load characteristic of an electrical loading stage further includes controlling a switching network of the bidirectional power converter so as to adjust the electrical power delivered to the intermediate voltage source and/or the supplementary electrical power delivered from the intermediate voltage source.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical source characteristic and the electrical load characteristic includes at least one of a resistive, an inductive and a capacitive properties of the electrical power source and the electrical loading stage respectively.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the step of detecting an electrical source characteristic of the electrical power source comprises the step of using a perturb-and-observe method to determine the resistive, the inductive and the capacitive properties of the electrical power source.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the step of using a perturb-and-observe method to determine the resistive, the inductive and the capacitive properties of the electrical power source comprises the step of representing the electrical power circuit as a representation of:

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the step of detecting an electrical source characteristic of the electrical power source includes obtaining a voltage value and a current value at an output terminal of the electrical power source so as to determine the resistive, the inductive and the capacitive properties of the electrical power source.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical power source includes an electrical energy harvesting device.

14. An electrical power regulating apparatus comprising:

a controller arranged detect an electrical source characteristic of an electrical power source; and

a power converter arranged to adjust an electrical load characteristic of an electrical loading stage in connection with the electrical power source based on the at least one electrical source characteristic being detected by the controller, such that the electrical power source is arranged to deliver a maximum amount of electrical power to the electrical loading stage.

15. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the electrical power source is arranged to deliver a maximum amount of power to the electrical loading stage when the electrical load characteristic matches with the electrical source characteristic.

16. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the electrical loading stage comprises the power converter and an electrical load, wherein the power converter includes a bidirectional power converter.

17. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein the bidirectional power converter is connected between the electrical load and the electrical power source.

18. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 16, wherein the controller is further arranged to control the bidirectional power converter, so as to counteract an effect caused by a source reactance of the electrical power source and/or a reactance of the electrical power circuit in response to a variation in the amount of the electrical power delivered to the electrical loading stage by the electrical power source.

19. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein the bidirectional power converter comprises an intermediate voltage source arranged to receive a portion of electrical power from the electrical power source and/or to deliver a supplementary electrical power to the electrical load, so as to counteract the effect caused by the source reactance of the electrical power source and/or the reactance of the electrical power circuit.

20. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein the intermediate voltage source includes a rechargeable battery.

21. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein the controller is further arranged to control a switching network of the bidirectional power converter so as to counteract the effect caused by the source reactance of the electrical power source and/or the reactance of the electrical power circuit.

22. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the electrical source characteristic and the electrical load characteristic includes at least one of a resistive, an inductive and a capacitive properties of the electrical power source and the electrical loading stage respectively.

23. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein the controller is further arranged to determine the resistive, the inductive and the capacitive properties of the electrical power source using a perturb-and-observe method.

24. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 22, wherein the controller is further arranged to obtain a voltage value and a current value at an output terminal of the electrical power source so as to determine the resistive, the inductive and the capacitive properties of the electrical power source.

25. An electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the electrical power source includes an electrical energy harvesting device.

26. An electrical circuit comprising an electrical power regulating apparatus in accordance with claim 14 and an electrical power source arranged to operate in a maximum power transfer condition.