Parallel connection of different types of AC power supplies of differing capacities

• US 5,473,528 A
• Filed: 12/28/1994
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyazawa, Yoshiaki, Hirata, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett, Jeffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US08/365,317
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 363/41, 363/71, 307/23.2, 307/2.66
• US Class Current: 363/71
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/42 with automatic parallel connection when synchronisation is achieved
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/493 the static converters being arranged for operation in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies

Abstract

A power inverting method and system for connecting a plurality of AC power supplies to a common bus line in parallel wherein the AC power supplies are independently controlled so that power supplies with different rating characteristics can be coupled to the common bus line without adverse effects such as the existence of cross currents flowing between the different power supplies. In each AC power supply there is provided a system parameter calculating unit for calculating optimum load current, system impedance and output voltage parameters of the power supply which are then output to a reference data producing unit which generates appropriate feedback voltage and phase signals for output to a voltage controller and a phase synchronization controller, respectively. The voltage controller and phase synchronization controller output feedback signals to a power inverter which varies the power supply output. Using such feedback control in each of the plurality of power supply units enables a constant current to be output to a load on the system and eliminates the possibility of cross currents between the various power supply units.

Claims

1. A power inverting method capable of parallel-connecting a plurality of power supply units to a common bus line, comprising the steps of:

entering a plurality of input commands for changing a parameter of an AC (alternating current) output voltage of a power inverter employed in one power supply unit;

detecting a variation in an AC output current of said one power supply unit when the AC output voltage of said power inverter is changed;

processing said variation in the AC output current to infer a desirable parameter required to share AC power which should be derived from said one power supply unit with respect to total output power capable of being supplied from said common bus line to a load; and

controlling said one power supply unit to output a desirable voltage in response to said desirable parameter, whereby said power sharing operation for said one power supply unit is achieved independently of other power sharing operations for other power supply units.

2. A power inverting method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of entering a plurality of input commands for changing said parameter of said AC voltage comprises entering said input commands under respectively different voltages for inferring said desirable parameter in said processing step.

3. A power inverting system comprising:

a plurality of power supply units each having a power inverter and parallel-connected to a common bus line;

means for detecting a variation contained in an AC output current of one power supply unit when a command for changing an amplitude of an AC output voltage of the power inverter of said one power supply unit is issued;

means for processing said variation in the AC output current to infer a desirable parameter required to share AC power which should be derived from said one power supply unit with respect to total power output capable of being supplied from said common bus line to a load; and

means for controlling said one power supply unit to output a desirable voltage in response to said desirable parameter, whereby said power sharing operation for said one power supply unit is achieved independently of other power sharing operations for other power supply units.

4. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a battery coupled to an input side of said power inverter and capable of supplying DC power to said power inverter when an AC power supply by a main power source is interrupted, whereby said power inverting system functions as an uninterrupted power supply system.

5. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said battery is a rechargeable battery.

6. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said battery is a solar cell.

7. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said battery is a fuel battery.

8. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said detecting means is arranged by a current transformer for detecting said AC output current of said one power supply unit.

9. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said processing means includes:

a system parameter calculating unit for calculating a parameter of said power inverting system by processing said variation contained in the AC output current to obtain system parameter inferred data; and

a reference data producing unit for producing reference data containing voltage data, as said desirable parameter, in response to said system parameter inferred data.

10. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said controlling means includes at least:

a voltage controller for controlling an amplitude of said AC output voltage of said power inverter in response to said voltage data of the reference data; and

a phase controller for controlling a phase of said AC output voltage derived from the power inverter in response to said voltage data of the reference data.

11. A power inverting system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said controlling means further includes:

an oscillator for oscillating a reference oscillating signal to be supplied to said phase controller functioning as a phase-locked loop circuit; and

a pulse width modulation control circuit for controlling said power inverter in a pulse-width modulation mode under control of said voltage controller and said phase controller.

12. A power inverting method capable of parallel-connecting a plurality of power supply units to a common bus line, comprising the steps of:

entering a plurality of input commands for changing an amplitude of an AC (alternating current) output voltage of a power inverter employed in one power supply unit;

detecting a variation in an AC output current of said one power supply unit when the amplitude of said AC output voltage of said power inverter is changed;

processing said variation in the AC output current to infer a desirable parameter required to share AC power which should be derived from said one power supply unit with respect to total output power capable of being supplied from said common bus line to a load; and

controlling said one power supply unit to output a desirable voltage in response to said desirable parameter, whereby said power sharing operation for said one power supply unit is achieved independently of other power sharing operations for other power supply units.

13. A power inverting method capable of parallel-connecting a plurality of power supply units to a common bus line, comprising the steps of:

entering a plurality of input commands for changing a phase angle of an AC (alternating current) output voltage of a power inverter employed in one power supply unit;

detecting a variation in an AC output current of said one power supply unit when the phase of said AC output voltage of said power inverter is changed;

processing said variation in the AC output current to infer a desirable parameter required to share AC power which should be derived from said one power supply unit with respect to total output power capable of being supplied from said common bus line to a load; and

controlling said one power supply unit to output a desirable voltage in response to said desirable parameter, whereby said power sharing operation for said one power supply unit is achieved independently of other power sharing operations for other power supply units.