System and method for combining the outputs of multiple, disparate types of power sources

• US 8,686,592 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Electronics Inc. (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Fontana, Edward C., Smith, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/831,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20110006600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 307/25, 307/64, 307/72
• US Class Current: 307/64
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/001 Hot plugging or unplugging of load or power modules to or from power distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/10 Parallel operation of dc sources

Abstract

A system for, and method of, combining the outputs of multiple, disparate types of power sources and an isolated converter module employed in the same. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a plurality of isolated converter modules having power inputs couplable to corresponding disparate types of power sources and a DC-output converter configured to convert power received from at least one of the power sources to DC power and (2) a DC bus coupled to power outputs of the plurality of isolated converter modules and configured to receive and aggregate the DC power. With such system, a universal converter module can be employed to identify and convert power from a variety of conventional and renewable power sources.

Claims

1. A system for combining the outputs of multiple, disparate types of power sources, comprising:

a plurality of isolated converter modules, each isolated converter module comprising;

a power input configured to receive power from at least one of an AC power source and a DC power source;

a source recognition circuit configured to receive at least one characteristic of the power and indicate a type of power source supplying the power based on the at least one characteristic;

a DC-output converter configured to convert power received from at least one of said power sources to DC power; and

a power output configured to output said DC power; and

a DC bus coupled to said power outputs of said plurality of isolated converter modules and configured to receive and aggregate said DC power.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of isolated converter modules further comprises a parameter selection circuit that selects operating parameters according to which said power is to be converted based on the type of power source indicated by said source recognition circuit, wherein a corresponding one of said plurality of isolated converter modules converts said power to DC in accordance with said operating parameters.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein at least one of said plurality of isolated converter modules is further configured to determine a priority that said type of power source is to have and select at least one of said operating parameters based on said priority.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of isolated converter modules are identical.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a system oversight controller coupled to said plurality of isolated converter modules and configured to monitor and supervise said plurality of isolated converter modules.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein said system oversight controller is further configured to detect when one of said plurality of isolated converter modules is malfunctioning and automatically substitute a standby converter module therefor.

7. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein said system oversight controller is coupled to said plurality of isolated converter modules through an oversight bus.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a rack having shelves configured to support said plurality of isolated converter modules.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of isolated converter modules has a diode coupled between said DC-output converter and said power output.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said DC-output converter comprises:

a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding;

a boost stage coupled to said primary winding; and

a DC-DC resonant stage coupled to said secondary winding.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an inverter coupled to said DC bus.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of isolated converter modules are configured to galvanically isolate the multiple, disparate types of power sources from one another.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each power input is configured to process at least one of solar, wind, geothermal, grid, generator, and battery power, and each source recognition circuit is configured to indicate said power source is at least one of a solar, wind, geothermal, grid, and battery type power source.

14. A method of combining the outputs of multiple, disparate types of power sources, comprising:

accepting and processing power from at least one of an AC power source and a DC power source at each power input of a power module;

recognizing a type of each of said multiple power sources based on a characteristic of the power;

selecting respective operating parameters based on said types of said multiple power sources;

converting power to DC form according to said selected operating parameters; and

combining said power in said DC form to a common DC bus.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising determining priorities that each of said power sources should have, and said selecting respective operating parameters includes selecting at least some of said operating parameters based on said priorities.

16. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said converting comprises employing transformer-isolated DC-output converters.

17. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising at least one of:

providing said converted power in DC form directly to a DC load,

providing said converted power in DC form through a DC-DC converter to said DC load, and

providing said converted power in DC form through an inverter to an AC load.

18. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein said combining comprises employing forward-biased diodes.

19. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising automatically:

detecting a malfunctioning converter; and

substituting a standby converter therefor.

20. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising compatibly receiving at least one of the following types of power at each power input:

solar, wind, geothermal, grid, generator, and battery, and wherein recognizing said type of power source includes recognizing said power source is at least one of a solar, wind, geothermal, grid, and battery type power source.