Distributed power generation system, and maintenance system and maintenance method utilizing the same

• US 6,850,820 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation (ENEOS Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tajima, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHECHTMAN, SEAN P
• Application Number:
  US10/134,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20020192516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 700/20, 700/22, 700/286, 700/287, 700292-298, 702 57- 62, 702/64, 702/65, 702/81, 702/82, 702/84, 429/22, 705 57- 62, 705/64, 705/65, 705/81, 705/82, 705/84
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04992 characterised by the implementation of mathematical or computational algorithms, e.g. feedback control loops, fuzzy logic, neural networks or artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

Distributed power generation systems are connected via the Internet to a managing apparatus in a managing company. The managing apparatus successively acquires and monitors the operation status of each distributed power generation system. The managing apparatus directly changes the control parameters or the sequence program of each distributed power generation system to perform necessary maintenance.

Claims

1. A distributed power generation system, comprising:

(a) a power generation system having a generator and a control unit which controls a performance of the generator;

(b) a managing party, connected to the power generation system via a network, which manages an operation status of the power generation system;

(c) a communication unit, connected to the network, which transmits an instruction from the managing party to the control unit; and

(d) a user setting unit which transmits an instruction set by a user, which is based on a capacity of the power generation system, to the control unit;

the control unit of the power generation system including;

(i) a change instructing unit which changes set point values or a sequence program of the control unit in order to keep the generation capacity in accordance with an instruction to change a set point value of a control parameter regarding an output of electric power or hot water and an instruction to change a set point value for a process inside the distributed power generation system;

wherein the instruction via the user setting unit changes only the set point value of the control parameter, and the set point value for the process inside the system is changed according only to the instruction via the communication unit.

2. A distributed power generation system according to claim 1, wherein said change instructing unit puts higher priority on a remote instruction than on the instruction from the user when the remote instruction is issued.

3. A distributed power generation system according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit further including a table which stores the set point value; and

the control unit functions to change the set point value in response to the operation status of the power generation system referring to the table in order to maintain the performance of the power generation system.

4. A distributed power generation system according to claim 2, wherein:

the control unit further including a table which stores the set point value; and

the control unit functions to change the set point value in response to the operation status of the power generation system referring to the table in order to maintain the performance of the power generation system.

5. A distributed power generation system according to claim 1, wherein the generator comprises a fuel cell.

6. A distributed power generation system according to claim 2, wherein the generator comprises a fuel cell.

7. A distributed power generation system according to claim 3, wherein the generator comprises a fuel cell.

8. A distributed power generation system according to claim 4, wherein the generator comprises a fuel cell.

9. A maintenance system, comprising:

a distributed power generation system according to claim 1;

a managing party, connected to said distributed power generation system via a network, which remotely controls generation capacity of said distributed power generation system; and

a maintenance party which maintains the distributed power generation system,

wherein the managing party collects operation information regarding operation status of the distributed power generation system, generates necessary maintenance information based on the operation information, and changes the set point value of the control unit or the sequence program of the distributed power generation system via the network or requests the maintenance party to perform necessary maintenance in accordance with the maintenance information.

10. A maintenance system according to claim 9, wherein the managing party specifies the maintenance information necessary to cope with change of the distributed power generation system caused with elapse of time, and changes the set point value of the control unit or the sequence program of the distributed power generation system via the network or requests the maintenance party to perform necessary maintenance in accordance with the maintenance information.

11. A maintenance system according to claim 9, wherein the managing party changes the set point value of the control unit or the sequence program of the distributed power generation system in accordance with the maintenance information to realize desirable operation status in the distributed power generation system when controlling the distributed power generation system via the network.

12. A maintenance system according to claim 10, wherein the managing party changes the set point value of the control unit or the sequence program of the distributed power generation system in accordance with the maintenance information to realize desirable operation status in the distributed power generation system when controlling the distributed power generation system via the network.

13. A maintenance system according to claim 9, wherein the managing party sets, in requesting the maintenance party to perform the maintenance, a first notification level in which the maintenance party is notified a fact that the maintenance is needed and a second notification level in which the maintenance party is notified information of a part which needs the maintenance.

14. A maintenance system according to claim 10, wherein the managing party sets, in requesting the maintenance party to perform the maintenance, a first notification level in which the maintenance party is notified a fact that the maintenance is needed and a second notification level in which the maintenance party is notified information of a part which needs the maintenance.

15. A maintenance system according to claim 11, wherein the managing party sets, in requesting the maintenance party to perform the maintenance, a first notification level in which the maintenance party is notified a fact that the maintenance is needed and a second notification level in which the maintenance party is notified information of a part which needs the maintenance.

16. A maintenance system according to claim 12, wherein the managing party sets, in requesting the maintenance party to perform the maintenance, a first notification level in which the maintenance party is notified a fact that the maintenance is needed and a second notification level in which the maintenance party is notified information of a part which needs the maintenance.

17. A maintenance system according to claim 9, wherein the managing party notifies recommendable operation to the user when the necessary maintenance is easy to perform.