AC interconnection apparatus supplying AC power from a commercial power system and from a solar cell

• US 6,605,881 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Hiroshi, Takehara, Nobuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): STERRETT, JEFFREY L
• Application Number:
  US09/984,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20020067628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 307/64, 307/72, 307/74, 307/75, 307/80, 307/85, 307/86, 323/906, 363/95
• US Class Current: 307/86
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

An AC interconnection apparatus has an input terminal for a commercial power system, a connection terminal to a solar cell, an output terminal connected to a load, an inverter for converting the output voltage of the solar cell into an AC voltage, and a current detector arranged on the load side of an AC connection point for connecting the AC output from the inverter and the commercial power. When a power value calculated on the basis of a current detection value by the current detector and the voltage of the commercial power system is less than the output power of the inverter, the output of the inverter is suppressed, thereby suppressing reverse power flow to the commercial power system. When the current value detected by the current detector exceeds a predetermined value, power supply to the load is stopped using a breaker.

Claims

1. An AC interconnection apparatus for supplying to a load both AC power from a commercial power system and an output from a solar cell, comprising:

an inverter for converting the output from the solar cell into AC power;

a current detector arranged between the load and an AC connection point for connecting the AC input from the commercial power system and the AC output from said inverter to detect a current flowing to the load; and

control means for obtaining load power applied to the load on the basis of a voltage value at the AC connection point and the current value detected by said current detector and controlling the output of said inverter on the basis of the load power and the output power of said inverter,

wherein, when the power supplied to the load becomes less than the output of said inverter, said control means suppresses the output of said inverter so as to prevent reverse power flow to the commercial power system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output from the solar cell and the commercial power system are insulated from each other.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a shape of a terminal for receiving the AC power from the commercial power system is different from that of a terminal for receiving the output from the solar cell.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit breaker arranged between the AC connection point and the load,

wherein said control means stops the supply of power to the load using a circuit breaker when the current value detected by said current detector is not less than a predetermined value.

5. An AC interconnection apparatus for supplying to a load both AC power from a commercial power system and an output from a solar cell, comprising:

an inverter for converting the output from the solar cell into AC power;

a current detector arranged on an AC input side of an AC connection point for connecting the AC input from the commercial power system and the AC output from said inverter to detect a current supplied from the commercial power system; and

control means for controlling the output of said inverter on the basis of a current value from the commercial power system, which is calculated on the basis of the detection value from said current detector.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the output from the solar cell and the commercial power system are insulated from each other.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means suppresses the output of said inverter when the current value from the commercial power system becomes less than a predetermined value.

8. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a circuit breaker arranged between the AC connection point and the load,

wherein said control means stops the supply of power to the load using a circuit breaker when the load power is not less than a predetermined value.

9. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a shape of a terminal for receiving the AC power from the commercial power system is different from that of a terminal for receiving the output from the solar cell.

10. An AC interconnection apparatus for supplying to a load both AC power from a commercial power system and an output from a solar cell, comprising:

an inverter for converting the output from the solar cell into AC power;

a first current detector arranged on an AC input side of an AC connection point for connecting the AC input from the commercial power system and the AC output from said inverter;

a second current detector arranged between the AC connection point and the load; and

control means for controlling the output of said inverter in accordance with a detection value from said first current detector and controlling the supply of power to the load in accordance with a detection value from said second current detector.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a shape of a terminal for receiving the AC power from the commercial power system is different from that of a terminal for receiving the output from the solar cell.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control means obtains a power value from the commercial power system on the basis of the detection value from said first current detector and suppresses the output of said inverter when the power value from becomes less than a predetermined value.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a circuit breaker arranged between the AC connection point and the load,

wherein said control means stops the supply of power to the load using a circuit breaker when the current value detected by said second current detector has not less than a predetermined value.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the output from the solar cell and the commercial power system are insulated from each other.

15. A control method for an AC interconnection apparatus for supplying to a load both AC power from a commercial power system and an output from a solar cell, comprising:

a current detection step of detecting a current flowing to the load between the load and an AC connection point for connecting the AC input from the commercial power system and an AC output from an inverter for converting the output from the solar cell into AC power; and

a control step of obtaining load power applied to the load on the basis of a voltage value at the AC connection point and the current value detected in the current detection step and controlling the output of the inverter on the basis of the load power and the output power of the inverter,

wherein, when the power supplied to the load becomes less than the output of the inverter, said control step suppresses the output of the inverter so as to prevent reverse power flow to the commercial power system.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein in the control step, when the current value detected in the current detection step has not less than a predetermined value, power supply to the load is stopped.

17. A control method for an AC interconnection apparatus for supplying to a load both AC power from a commercial power system and an output from a solar cell, comprising:

a first current detection step of detecting a current on an AC input side of an AC connection point for connecting the AC input from the commercial power system and an AC output from an inverter for converting the output from the solar cell into AC power;

a second current detection step of detecting a current between the AC connection point and the load; and

a control step of controlling the output of the inverter in accordance with a detection value in the first current detection step and controlling power supply to the load in accordance with a detection value in the second current detection step.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein in the control step, a power value from the commercial power system is obtained on the basis of the detection value in the first current detection step, and the output of the inverter is suppressed when the power value from becomes less than a predetermined value.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein in the control step, when the current value detected in the second current detection step has not less than a predetermined value, power supply to the load is stopped.

20. A control method for an AC interconnection apparatus for supplying to a load both AC power from a commercial power system and an output from a solar cell, comprising:

a current detection step of detecting a current supplied from the commercial power system on an AC input side of an AC connection point for connecting the AC input from the commercial power system and an AC output from an inverter for converting the output from the solar cell into AC power; and

a control step of controlling the output of the inverter on the basis of a power value from the commercial power system, which is calculated on the basis of the detection value in the current detection step.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the control step, when the load power has not less than a predetermined value, power supply to the load is stopped.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the control step, the output of the inverter is suppressed when the power value from the commercial power system becomes less than a predetermined value.