Power supply system and method including power generator and storage device

• US 8,552,583 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Original Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
• Inventors: Park, Jung-Wook, Kang, Byung-Kwan, Lee, Hyun-Koo, Kim, Seung-Tak
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhang, Jue
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE III, HENRY E
• Application Number:
  US13/232,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20120069614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 363 64- 65, 363/67, 363/95, 363/97
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1586 switched with a phase shift, i.e. interleaved

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power supply system and method including a power generator and a storage device. Specifically, the power supply method using a power supply system which includes a power generator, a storage device, a unidirectional converter, and a bidirectional interleaved converter, and in which the other side of the unidirectional converter is connected to the other side of the bidirectional interleaved converter and power is output from the other side of the unidirectional converter, the power supply method comprises measuring one or more of an amount of power generation of the power generator and an amount of power storage of the storage device; forming a power transfer path by analyzing one or more of the amount of power generation and the amount of power storage; and controlling activation of devices on the formed power transfer path.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising:

a power generator configured to generate electrical energy;

a storage device configured to store the electrical energy;

an inverter configured to convert a DC power into an AC power and transferring the AC power to a system;

a unidirectional converter configured to transfer power input through one side of the unidirectional converter to the other side of the unidirectional converter with its voltage changed, the unidirectional converter being connected to the inverter through the other side of the unidirectional converter;

a bidirectional interleaved converter configured to transfer the power input through one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter to the other side of the bidirectional interleaved converter through an interleaving method with its voltage changed or to transfer the power input through the other side of the bidirectional interleaved converter to the one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter through the interleaving method with its voltage changed, the bidirectional interleaved converter being connected to the other side of the unidirectional converter through the other side of the bidirectional interleaved converter; and

a path forming device configured to form a power transfer path between the power generator, the one side of the unidirectional converter, the one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter, and the storage device,

wherein the path forming device comprises;

a first switch unit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, and interconnecting the first terminal of the first switch unit to the second terminal of the first switch unit or the third terminal of the first switch unit,

wherein the first terminal of the first switch unit is connected to the power generator, and the second terminal of the first switch unit is connected to the unidirectional converter, and a second switch unit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, and interconnecting the second terminal of the second switch unit to the first terminal of the second switch unit or the third terminal of the second switch unit,

wherein the first terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the storage device, the second terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the bidirectional interleaved converter, and the third terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the third terminal of the first switch unit.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the path forming device forms a first path for connecting the power generator to the one side of the unidirectional converter and connecting the storage device to the one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter, or a second path for connecting the power generator to the one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter.

3. The power supply system of claim 2, further comprising one or more of a first sensor measuring an amount of power generation of the power generator;

a second sensor measuring an amount of power storage of the storage device; and

a third sensor measuring an amount of load of the system.

4. The power supply system of claim 3, wherein the path forming device receives one or more measured values of the amount of power generation, the amount of power storage, and the amount of load, and forms the first or second path.

5. The power supply system of claim 4, wherein the path forming device forms the first path if the amount of power storage is equal to or smaller than a minimum amount of power storage.

6. The power supply system of claim 4, wherein the path forming device forms the second path if the amount of power storage exceeds a sufficient amount of power storage.

7. The power supply system of claim 4, wherein the path forming device forms the second path if the amount of power generation exceeds the amount of load.

8. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the path forming device forms the second path if the amount of power generation is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and forms the first path if the amount of power generation is smaller than the predetermined value.

9. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the path forming device connects the first terminal of the first switch unit to the second terminal of the first switch unit and connects the first terminal of the second switch unit to the second terminal of the second switch unit, or connects the first terminal of the first switch unit to the third terminal of the first switch unit and connects the second terminal of the second switch unit to the third terminal of the second switch unit.

10. A power supply system comprising:

a power generator configured to generate electrical energy;

a storage device configured to store the electrical energy;

an inverter configured to convert a DC power into an AC power and transferring the AC power to a system;

a unidirectional converter configured to transfer power input through one side the unidirectional converter to the other side of the unidirectional converter with its voltage changed, the unidirectional converter being connected to the inverter through the other side of the unidirectional converter;

a bidirectional interleaved converter configured to transfer the power input through one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter to the other side of the bidirectional interleaved converter through an interleaving method with its voltage changed or to transfer the power input through the other side thereof to the one side thereof through the interleaving method with its voltage changed, and to change the number of current paths for power conversion according to a control signal, the bidirectional interleaved converter being connected to the other side of the unidirectional converter through the other side of the bidirectional interleaved converter;

a path forming device configured to form a power transfer path between the power generator, the one side of the unidirectional converter, the one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter, and the storage device; and

a controller configured to control a power transfer direction of the bidirectional interleaved converter, the number of current paths for the power conversion, and forming of a path of the path forming device,.

wherein the controller adjusts the number of current paths for the power conversion of the bidirectional interleaved converter according to the amount of power generation of the power generator or the amount of power storage of the storage device, and

wherein the path forming device comprises;

a first switch unit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, and interconnecting the first terminal of the first switch unit to the second terminal of the first switch unit or the third terminal of the first switch unit,

wherein the first terminal of the first switch unit is connected to the power generator, and the second terminal of the first switch unit is connected to the unidirectional converter, and a second switch unit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, and interconnecting the second terminal of the second switch unit to the first terminal of the second switch unit or the third terminal of the second switch unit,

wherein the first terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the storage device, the second terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the bidirectional interleaved converter, and the third terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the third terminal of the first switch unit.

11. A power supply method using a power supply system which includes a power generator, a storage device, a unidirectional converter, and a bidirectional interleaved converter, and in which the other side of the unidirectional converter is connected to the other side of the bidirectional interleaved converter and power is output from the other side of the unidirectional converter, the power supply method comprising:

measuring one or more of an amount of power generation of the power generator and an amount of power storage of the storage device;

forming a power transfer path by analyzing one or more of the amount of power generation and the amount of power storage; and

controlling activation of devices on the formed power transfer path,

wherein the path forming step forms one path among three path, the three path comprising;

a first path for connecting the power generator to the one side of the unidirectional converter to transfer the power;

a second path for connecting the power generator to an input terminal of the unidirectional converter and connecting the one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter to the storage device to transfer the power; and

a third path for connecting the power generator to the one side of the bidirectional interleaved converter to transfer the power.

12. The power supply method of claim 11, wherein the controlling step changes the number of current paths for the power conversion of the bidirectional interleaved converter according to the amount of power generation or the amount of power storage in the case where the bidirectional interleaved converter is provided on the formed power transfer path.

13. A power supply system comprising:

a power generator configured to generate electrical energy;

a storage device configured to store the electrical energy;

an inverter configured to convert a DC power into an AC power and transferring the AC power to a system;

a first converter configured to transfer input power to the inverter with its voltage changed, the first converter being connected to the inverter;

a second converter configure to transfer input power to the inverter with its voltage changed, or to transfer power input through the inverter to the storage device with its voltage changed, the second converter being connected to the inverter and being arranged in parallel to the first converter;

a path forming device configured to form a power transfer path between the power generator, the first converter, the second converter, and the storage device; and

a controller configured to control a power transfer direction of the second converter, the number of current paths for power conversion, and formation of a path of the path forming device,

wherein the path forming device comprises;

a first switch unit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, and interconnecting the first terminal of the first switch unit to the second terminal of the first switch unit or the third terminal of the first switch unit, wherein the first terminal of the first switch unit is connected to the power generator, and the second terminal of the first switch unit is connected to the first converter, and a second switch unit having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, and interconnecting the second terminal of the second switch unit to the first terminal of the second switch unit or the third terminal of the second switch unit,

wherein the first terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the storage device, the second terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the second converter, and the third terminal of the second switch unit is connected to the third terminal of the first switch unit.

14. The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the first converter transfers power by using at least one of a unidirectional converter, a bidirectional converter, a unidirectional interleaved converter and a bidirectional interleaved converter.

15. The power supply system of claim 13, wherein the second converter transfers power in both directions by using at least one of a bidirectional converter and a bidirectional interleaved converter.

16. The power supply system of claim 13, further comprising at least one of a first sensor measuring an amount of power generation of the power generator;

a second sensor measuring an amount of power storage of the storage device; and

a third sensor measuring an amount of load of the system.

17. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the path forming device connects the power generator with the first converter and connects the storage device with the second converter if the amount of power storage exceeds a predetermined minimum amount of power storage and is equal to or smaller than a predetermined maximum amount of power storage, and the amount of power generation exceeds the amount of load.

18. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the path forming device connects the power generator with the first converter and connects the storage device with the second converter if the amount of power storage is equal to or larger than a predetermined minimum amount of power storage and is smaller than a predetermined maximum amount of power storage, and the amount of load exceeds the amount of power generation.

19. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the path forming device connects the power generator with at least one of the first converter and the second converter if the amount of power storage is equal to or smaller than a predetermined minimum amount of power storage, and the amount of load exceeds the amount of power generation.

20. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the path forming device connects the power generator with at least one of the first converter and the second converter if the amount of power storage is equal to or larger than a predetermined maximum amount of power storage, and the amount of power generation exceeds the amount of load.

21. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the path forming device connects the power generator with the first converter and connects the storage device with the second converter if the amount of power storage is equal to or smaller than a predetermined minimum amount of power storage, and the amount of power generation exceeds the amount of load.

22. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the path forming device connects the power generator with the first converter and connects the storage device with the second converter if the amount of power storage is equal to or larger than a predetermined maximum amount of power storage, and the amount of load exceeds the amount of power generation.

23. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the path forming device connects the storage device with at least one of the first converter and the second converter if the amount of power generation is insufficient to supply power to the system.

24. The power supply system of claim 16, wherein the controller changes the number of the current paths based on the amount of power generation or the amount of power storage.