Power converter and method for setting the operation and the start-up of a power converter

• US 9,859,813 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Idt, Andreas, Raabe, Dennis, Heider, Frank, Hofmann, Stefanie, Kretschmer, Bernd Jochen, Gassios, Dennis, Habermann, Nadja, Meisgeier, Joerg, Feuchter, Bernhard, Mildenstein, Tobias, Herrmann, Daniela, Selbach, Jan, Kokkinos, Pawlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US14/418,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20150270785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 700 1- 89
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/00 Details of apparatus for conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/42 Conversion of dc power input into ac power output without possibility of reversal
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/32 comprising DC/AC inverter means associated with the PV module itself, e.g. AC modules
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A power converter, for example, an inverter of a photovoltaic system, is designed to read out an exchangeable memory medium and to carry out an operation setting and/or a start-up of the power converter in accordance with the settings data, the settings data being read from the exchangeable external memory medium. A method for setting the operation and/or the start-up of a power converter, for example, for setting the operation and/or the start-up of an inverter, is performed in accordance with settings data read from an external memory medium.

Claims

1. An inverter of a photovoltaic system, comprising:

an interface via which the inverter is configured to read data out from an exchangeable external memory medium; and

processing circuitry configured to carry out an operation setting of the inverter in accordance with settings data of the data read from the exchangeable external memory medium,

wherein the operation setting includes setting a power supply behavior of a power grid interface of the inverter, and

wherein the inverter is configured to at least one of;

suppress a power supply when a difference between a first amplitude of an alternating voltage and a second amplitude of an alternating voltage exceeds a predefined first value, the second amplitude being read by the inverter from the exchangeable external memory medium, or

suppress a power supply when a difference between a first frequency of an alternating voltage and a second frequency of an alternating voltage exceeds a predefined second value, the second frequency being read by the inverter from the exchangeable external memory medium.

2. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the operation setting includes at least one of:

a test method of a system component that is connected to the inverter, a method for informing a user about a system state of the inverter, a mode of operation of the inverter when a malfunction occurs, a mode of operation of a network interface of the inverter, or a method for controlling the inverter.

3. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the operation setting includes a parameterization of a communication address for a network interface of the inverter.

4. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish a method for varying an input current at a first system component interface of the inverter in accordance with the settings data.

5. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to carry out a function test of system components in accordance with the settings data, the system components being in connection with the inverter.

6. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is designed to:

detect, after reading the settings data, components that are connected to a network interface of the inverter; and

create a communication address, which is available in a network.

7. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the inverter is configured to start at least one of an operation and a service operating mode during a reading of, and in accordance with, settings data read from the exchangeable external memory medium.

8. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the external memory medium is a memory card.

9. The inverter of claim 1, wherein the inverter carries out, as a function of the read out data, or a start-up of the inverter.

10. A method for an inverter of a photovoltaic system comprising:

obtaining, by processing circuitry of the inverter, data read from an exchangeable external memory medium over an interface of the inverter to the external memory medium, the data including settings data;

setting, by the processing circuitry, an operation of the inverter in accordance with the obtained settings data, wherein the setting the operation includes setting a power supply behavior of a power grid interface of the inverter; and

performing at least one of;

measuring a first amplitude of an alternating voltage in a power grid supplied with current, wherein the read data includes a second amplitude of an alternating voltage and a first predefined value;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a difference between the first and second amplitudes; and

suppressing, by the processing circuitry, a power supply in response to the determined difference exceeding the first predefined value;

or

measuring a first frequency of an alternating current in a power grid supplied with current, wherein the read data includes a second frequency of an alternating current and a second predefined value;

determining, by the processing circuitry, a difference between the first and second frequencies; and

suppressing, by the processing circuitry, a power supply in response to the determined difference exceeding the second predefined value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the operation setting includes at least one of:

a test method of a system component that is connected to the inverter, a method for informing a user about a system state of the inverter, a mode of operation of the inverter when a malfunction occurs, a mode of operation of a network interface of the inverter, or a method for controlling the inverter.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the operation setting includes a parameterization of a communication address for a network interface of the inverter.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the setting of the operation includes carrying out, by the processing circuitry, a function test of system components in accordance with the settings data, the system components being connected to the inverter.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the setting of the operation includes establishing, by the processing circuitry, a method for varying an input current at a first system component interface of the inverter in accordance with the settings data.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising starting, by the processing circuitry, at least one of an operation and a service operating mode during the reading of, and in accordance with, the settings data.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

measuring the first amplitude of the alternating voltage and the first frequency of the alternating current in the power grid supplied with current;

determining, by the processing circuitry, the difference between the first and second amplitudes;

determining, by the processing circuitry, the difference between the first and second frequencies; and

suppressing, by the processing circuitry, the power supply in response to the determined difference between the first and second amplitudes exceeding the first predefined value and the determined difference between the first and second frequencies exceeding the second predefined value.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the external memory medium is a memory card.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising carrying out, by the inverter as a function of the read out data, a start-up of the inverter.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the inverter performs power inversion.