Power supply system

• US 9,876,350 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Suyama, Atsushi, Tanida, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Pinping
• Application Number:
  US13/824,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20130181518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,309 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a power supply system which effectively utilizes a power storage unit and also limits degradation of the power storage unit.

[Solution] A power supply system (1) is provided with: a power storage unit (2) for charging supplied electric power and supplying the charged electric power by means of discharge; and a power storage unit controller (3) for controlling the discharging of the power storage unit (2). The power storage unit controller (3) sets a discharge period during which the power storage unit (2) can be discharged. Furthermore, during the discharge period, the power storage unit controller (3) determines the electric energy to be supplied by means of the discharging of the power storage unit (2) during the remaining discharge period on the basis of the remaining discharge period and the electric energy that can be discharged by the power storage unit (2).

Claims

1. A power supply system, comprising:

a power storage unit that is charged with electric power, and discharges charged electric power to supply electric power to a load; and

a controller that

determines discharging time including a plurality of successive time periods, the discharging of the electric power from the power storage unit being managed for each time period to complete the discharge of the electric power from the power storage unit within the discharging time,

in a first discharge control shift from a first time period to a second time period, the first time period and the second time period being immediately adjacent time periods in the successive time periods, acquires remaining electric energy [Wh] dischargeable from the power storage unit, determines first electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during the second time period, based on remaining discharging time from starting of the second time period to a predetermined time and the remaining electric energy [Wh] dischargeable from the power storage unit, by dividing the remaining electric energy [Wh] dischargeable from the power storage unit by a number of time periods (N) in the remaining discharging time,

controls the power storage unit to discharge the determined first electric energy [Wh] from the power storage unit during the second time period,

in a second discharge control shift from the second time period to a third time period, the second time period and the third time period being immediately adjacent time periods in the successive time periods, acquires updated remaining electric energy [Wh] dischargeable from the power storage unit after discharging the determined first electric energy, determines second electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during the third time period, based on remaining discharging time from starting of the third time period to the predetermined time and the updated remaining electric energy [Wh] dischargeable from the power storage unit, by dividing the updated remaining electric energy [Wh] dischargeable from the power storage unit by (N−

1) in the remaining discharging time, and

controls the power storage unit to discharge the determined second electric energy [Wh] from the power storage unit during the third time period.

2. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines the electric energy [Wh] to be discharged during the subsequent time period such that the remaining electric energy [Wh] in the power storage unit before the subsequent time period starts is completely discharged within the remaining discharging time.

3. The power supply system according to claim 1, further comprising a power generation unit that generates and supplies electric power to the load, wherein

when the load requires electric energy [Wh] less than a total of the electric energy [Wh] to be generated by the power generation unit and the electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during the subsequent time period, causing a part of the electric power generated by the power generation unit during the subsequent time period to become surplus power, the surplus power is supplied to a destination other than the load.

4. The power supply system according to claim 3, wherein the power generation unit is a solar photovoltaic system.

5. The power supply system according to claim 1, further comprising a power generation unit that generates and supplies electric power to the load, wherein

when the load requires electric energy [Wh] more than a total of the electric energy [Wh] to be generated by the power generation unit and the electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during the subsequent time period, the controller

controls the power storage unit to discharge more than the determined electric energy [Wh], and

determines that electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during a time period after the subsequent time period becomes less than the electric energy determined to be discharged during the subsequent time period.

6. The power supply system according to claim 1, further comprising a power generation unit that generates and supplies electric power to the load, wherein

when the load requires electric energy [Wh] more than the electric energy [Wh] to be generated by the power generation unit during the subsequent time period, but requires electric energy [Wh] less than a total of the electric energy [Wh] to be generated by the power generation unit and the electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during the subsequent time period, the controller

reduces the electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during the subsequent time period, and

determines that electric energy [Wh] to be discharged from the power storage unit during a time period after the subsequent time period becomes greater than the electric energy [Wh] determined to be discharged during the subsequent time period.

7. A power supply system, comprising:

a power storage unit that is charged with system electric power, and discharges charged electric power to supply electric power to a load; and

a controller that

determines a charging time including a plurality of successive time periods, the charging of the power storage unit being managed for each time period to complete the charge of the power storage unit within the charging time,

in a first charge control shift from a first time period to a second time period, the first time period and the second time period being immediately adjacent time periods in the successive time periods, acquires electric energy [Wh] that is able to be charged into the power storage unit, determines electric energy [Wh] to charge the power storage unit during the second time period, based on remaining charging time from starting of the second time period to a predetermined time and the acquired electric energy [Wh] that is able to be charged into the power storage unit, by dividing the acquired electric energy [Wh] that is able to be charged by a number of time periods (N) in the remaining charging time,

controls the power storage unit to charge based on the determined first electric energy [Wh] during the second time period,

in a second charge control shift from the second time period to a third time period, the second time period and the third time period being immediately adjacent time periods in the successive time periods, acquires updated electric energy [Wh] that is able to be charged into the power storage unit after charging the determined first electric energy, determines second electric energy [Wh] to charge the power storage unit during the third time period, based on remaining charging time from starting of the third time period to the predetermined time and the acquired updated electric energy [Wh] that is able to be charged into the power storage unit, by dividing the acquired updated electric energy [Wh] that is able to be charged by (N−

1) in the remaining charging time, and

controls the power storage unit to charge based on the determined second electric energy [Wh] during the third time period.