Grid synchronisation
First Claim
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1. A renewable energy micropower generation system comprising a plurality of renewable energy inverters;
- wherein each renewable energy inverter has a grid synchroniser to synchronise an AC output of the respective said renewable energy inverter to an AC grid mains, each said renewable energy inverter having a power input, a cable, and an AC output for connection to said AC grid mains by said cable to provide a power supply input into said AC grid mains,wherein the cables of respective said inverters have different line impedances;
the renewable energy micropower generation system further comprising;
a common grid sensor for said plurality of renewable energy inverters, wherein said grid sensor located at a grid sensor location where AC current from each said AC output of said inverters is injected into said AC grid mains; and
wherein the grid synchroniser of each said renewable energy inverter comprises;
an inverter controller to control said AC output of said inverter to said cable, said controller including a digital data communications network receiver to receive grid data from said grid sensor location remote from said inverter via a digital data communications network, wherein said grid sensor location is remote from said renewable energy inverter such that due to a said line impedance of said cable a voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location is phase shifted relative to a line voltage on said cable at said AC output, said grid sensor sensing a grid characteristic of said AC grid mains, wherein said sensed grid characteristic comprises a phase of said voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location and said received grid data indicates said phase;
wherein said grid data comprises data relating to a grid characteristic of said AC grid mains sensed by said grid sensor; and
wherein each said inverter controller controls AC current output from said AC output responsive to said grid data relating to said grid characteristic to align phase of said AC current to said indicated phase such that the phases of said AC currents from said AC outputs of said plurality of inverters are aligned to said indicated phase irrespective of said different line impedances.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a grid synchronizer for connecting an AC output of a power converter to the AC grid mains. In one aspect the invention provides a grid synchronizer comprising an inverter controller to control an AC output of the inverter, the controller including a receiver to receive grid data from a grid sensor location remote from said inverter. In another aspect we describe techniques for rapid removal of charge from a control terminal of a power switching device such as a MOSFET, IGBT or Thyristor using a particular driver circuit.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A renewable energy micropower generation system comprising a plurality of renewable energy inverters;
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wherein each renewable energy inverter has a grid synchroniser to synchronise an AC output of the respective said renewable energy inverter to an AC grid mains, each said renewable energy inverter having a power input, a cable, and an AC output for connection to said AC grid mains by said cable to provide a power supply input into said AC grid mains, wherein the cables of respective said inverters have different line impedances;
the renewable energy micropower generation system further comprising;a common grid sensor for said plurality of renewable energy inverters, wherein said grid sensor located at a grid sensor location where AC current from each said AC output of said inverters is injected into said AC grid mains; and wherein the grid synchroniser of each said renewable energy inverter comprises; an inverter controller to control said AC output of said inverter to said cable, said controller including a digital data communications network receiver to receive grid data from said grid sensor location remote from said inverter via a digital data communications network, wherein said grid sensor location is remote from said renewable energy inverter such that due to a said line impedance of said cable a voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location is phase shifted relative to a line voltage on said cable at said AC output, said grid sensor sensing a grid characteristic of said AC grid mains, wherein said sensed grid characteristic comprises a phase of said voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location and said received grid data indicates said phase; wherein said grid data comprises data relating to a grid characteristic of said AC grid mains sensed by said grid sensor; and wherein each said inverter controller controls AC current output from said AC output responsive to said grid data relating to said grid characteristic to align phase of said AC current to said indicated phase such that the phases of said AC currents from said AC outputs of said plurality of inverters are aligned to said indicated phase irrespective of said different line impedances. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 18)
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7. A method of synchronising an AC output of a plurality of renewable energy inverters to an AC grid mains, each said renewable energy inverter having a power input and an AC output connected to said AC grid mains by a cable to provide a power supply input into said AC grid mains, wherein the cables of respective said inverters have different line impedances, the method comprising:
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locating a common grid sensor at a location remote from each said renewable energy inverter such that due to a said line impedance of a said cable a voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location is phase shifted relative to a line voltage on said cable at said AC output; sensing a characteristic of said AC grid mains using said common grid sensor, wherein said sensed grid characteristic comprises a phase of voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location and wherein said sensing is performed at said remote grid location by said common grid sensor coupled to said AC grid mains at a point where AC current from each said AC output of said inverters is injected into said AC grid mains; transmitting grid data relating to said sensed grid characteristic via a digital data communications network to a digital data communications network receiver of each said inverter, wherein said transmitted grid data indicates said phase; and controlling said AC current of each said AC output of said inverters responsive to said grid data relating to said sensed grid characteristic to align phase of each said AC current to said indicated phase, such that the phases of said AC currents from said AC outputs of said inverters are aligned to said indicated phase irrespective of said different line impedances. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A system, including a grid synchroniser, for renewable energy micropower generation, the system comprising:
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a plurality of renewable energy inverters, each said renewable energy inverter having a power input, a cable, and an AC output for connection to an AC grid mains by said cable to provide a power supply input into said AC grid mains, wherein the cables of respective said renewable energy inverters have different line impedances; and a common grid sensor, at a location remote from a said renewable energy inverter of the plurality such that due to a said line impedance of a said cable a voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location is phase shifted relative to a line voltage on said cable at said AC output, to sense a grid characteristic of said AC grid mains and to transmit data relating to said sensed grid characteristic to said renewable energy inverters, wherein said sensed grid characteristic comprises a phase of said voltage of said AC grid mains at said remote grid sensor location and said transmitted grid data indicates said phase, wherein each said renewable energy inverter includes a digital data communications network receiver to receive said transmitted data via a digital data communications network, each said inverter being configured to control AC current output from said AC output of said inverter responsive to said transmitted data relating to said sensed grid characteristic to align phase of each said AC current to said indicated phase, such that the phases of said AC currents from said AC outputs of said plurality of inverters are aligned to said indicated phase irrespective of said different line impedances, and said common grid sensor is configured at said remote grid sensor location to couple to said AC grid mains at a point where said controlled AC currents output from said AC outputs from said inverters are injected into said AC grid mains. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification