Renewable energy power distribution system

• US 9,419,442 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kr Design House, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kr Design House, Inc.
• Inventors: Rahman, Khaliqur
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Application Number:
  US13/966,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20140049117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 307/82
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A power distribution system. The power distribution system may comprise a plurality of renewable energy sources and plurality of converters to increase fault tolerance in the event of a component failure and to minimize output power degradation. Each converter may be comprised of a plurality of input ports, wherein each input port receives controlled amount of energy from the plurality of renewable energy sources. Each input port may also be disconnected in the event of component or device failure. Each of the converters is preferably configured to have additional power capacity to offset any reduced output capacity by a faulty converter, and preferably, the performance of each converter is monitored by the system to maintain its performance. The power distribution system may be monitored by a third party to maintain the energy output levels and to facilitate the power distribution system'"'"'s restoration to normal functioning.

Claims

1. A power distribution system comprising:

a plurality of renewable energy sources; and

a plurality of converters;

wherein each of said plurality of converters comprises a plurality of input ports and at least one power conversion module;

wherein each of said plurality of input ports is configured to connect to at least one of said plurality of renewable energy sources;

wherein each of said plurality of input ports is configured to draw a controlled amount of an input power from at least one of said plurality of renewable energy sources;

wherein each of said plurality of renewable energy sources provides an input power to said plurality of input ports that are connected to said plurality of energy sources;

wherein said at least one power conversion module is configured to convert said input power from said plurality of renewable sources to a converted electrical energy;

wherein said plurality of converters are configured to disconnect from said plurality of renewable energy sources at said plurality of input ports; and

wherein said plurality of converters are configured to monitor one or more parameters of one or more of said plurality of converters and said one or more parameters of one or more of said plurality of renewable energy sources.

2. The power distribution system of claim 1, wherein said one or more parameters are selected from the group of parameters consisting of:

a temperature;

a power;

a current; and

a voltage.

3. The power distribution system of claim 2, further comprising a communication bus;

wherein said communication bus is removeably connected to said plurality of converters; and

wherein said communication bus provides a plurality of data to an independent device to monitor and control said one or more parameters.

4. A power distribution system comprising:

a plurality of renewable energy sources; and

a plurality of converters;

wherein each of said plurality of converters comprises a plurality of input ports;

wherein each of said plurality of input ports is configured to connect to at least one of said plurality of renewable energy sources, such that each of said plurality of converters is interconnected to all of said plurality of renewable energy sources;

wherein each of said plurality of input ports is configured to draw a controlled amount of an input power from at least one of said plurality of renewable energy sources;

wherein each of said plurality of renewable energy sources provides said input power to each of said plurality of input ports of said plurality of converters;

wherein said input power of said plurality of renewable energy sources is shared among said plurality of converters;

wherein each of said plurality of converters comprises a power conversion module;

wherein said power conversion module is configured to convert said input power into an output voltage;

wherein said output voltage of each of said plurality of converters is combined to achieve a total output power level;

wherein each of said plurality of converters has an excess power capacity, such that said plurality of converters are configured to handle a shifted input power previously destined for another one of said plurality of converters;

wherein each of said plurality of converters has a fault tolerance, such that, when one or more of said plurality of converters fail, said power distribution system shifts said input power from said one or more failed converters to one or more remaining converters of said plurality of converters in order to maintain said total output power level; and

wherein said plurality of converters are configured to monitor one or more parameters of one or more of said plurality of converters and said one or more parameters of one or more of said plurality of renewable energy sources.

5. The power distribution system of claim 4, wherein said one or more parameters are selected from the group of parameters consisting of:

a temperature;

a power;

a current; and

a voltage.

6. The power distribution system of claim 5, further comprising a communication bus;

wherein said communication bus is removeably connected to said plurality of converters; and

wherein said communication bus provides a plurality of data to an independent device to monitor and control said one or more parameters.

7. The power distribution system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of renewable energy sources is selected from the group of renewable energy sources consisting of:

a wind generator;

a solar panel array;

solar panel strings; and

a combination thereof.

8. A power distribution system comprising:

a plurality of renewable energy sources;

a plurality of converters; and

a communication bus;

wherein each of said plurality of converters is comprised of a plurality of input ports;

wherein each of said plurality of input ports is configured to connect to at least one of said plurality of renewable energy sources, such that each of said plurality of converters is interconnected to all of said plurality of renewable energy sources;

wherein each of said plurality of input ports is configured to draw a controlled amount of an input power from at least one of said plurality of renewable energy sources;

wherein each of said plurality of renewable energy sources provides said input power to each of said plurality of input ports of said plurality of converters;

wherein said input power of said plurality of renewable energy sources is shared among said plurality of converters;

wherein each of said plurality of converters comprises a power conversion module;

wherein said power conversion module is configured to convert said input power into an output voltage;

wherein said output voltage of each of said plurality of converters is combined to achieve a total output power level;

wherein each of said plurality of converters has an excess power capacity, such that said plurality of converters are configured to handle a shifted input power previously destined for another one of said plurality of converters;

wherein said plurality of converters has a fault tolerance, such that, when one or more of said plurality of converters fail, said power distribution system shifts said input power from said one or more failed converters to one or more remaining converters of said plurality of converters in order to maintain said total output power level;

wherein said plurality of converters are configured to disconnect from one or more failed renewable energy sources at said plurality of input ports, when one or more of said plurality of renewable energy sources fail;

wherein one or more failed converters are configured to disconnect from said plurality of renewable energy sources at said plurality of input ports, when one or more of said plurality of converters fail;

wherein said plurality of converters are configured to monitor one or more parameters of one or more of said plurality of converters and said one or more parameters of one or more of said plurality of renewable energy sources;

wherein said communication bus is removably connected to said plurality of converters;

wherein said communication bus provides a plurality of data to an independent device to monitor and control said one or more parameters;

wherein said one or more parameters are selected from the group of parameters consisting of;

a temperature;

a power;

a current; and

a voltage; and

wherein said plurality of renewable energy sources is selected from the group of renewable energy sources consisting of;

a wind generator;

a solar panel array;

solar panel strings; and

a combination thereof.