Inverter apparatus connected to a plurality of direct current power sources and dispersed-power-source system having inverter apparatus linked to commercial power system to operate

• US 20050105224A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nishi, Shunsuke
• Application Number:
  US10/981,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20050105224A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/18
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/40 Synchronising a generator for connection to a network or to another generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/285 Single converters with a plurality of output stages connected in parallel parallel operation of a plurality of converters in dc distribution networks H02J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/4807 having a high frequency intermediate AC stage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/53871 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/20 using renewable energy

Abstract

An inverter apparatus includes a plurality of converters each receiving a direct current power from respective plurality of solar cell arrays having different output voltage ranges, and an inverter transforming the direct current power from the plurality of converters into an alternating current power and allowing the alternating current power to reversely flow into a commercial power system. The plurality of converters have different voltage input ranges corresponding to the output voltage ranges of the plurality of solar cell arrays, and each control, based on a pulse frequency modulation control signal received from a corresponding converter control unit, an output voltage of corresponding one of the plurality of solar cell arrays, so that an output power from corresponding one of the plurality of solar cell arrays becomes maximum.

Claims

1. An inverter apparatus provided between a plurality of direct current power sources and a load for transforming a direct current power received from each of said plurality of direct current power sources into an alternating current power and supplying said load with said alternating current power, comprising:

a plurality of converters each controlling an output voltage of a corresponding direct current power source so that the direct current power outputted from said corresponding direct current power source becomes maximum; and

an inverter transforming a combined direct current power obtained by combining direct current outputs from said plurality of converters into said alternating current power and outputting said alternating current power to said load, wherein

said plurality of converters include

at least one first converter respectively corresponding to at least one first direct current power source included in said plurality of direct current power sources and each having a first voltage input range, and

at least one second converter respectively corresponding to at least one second direct current power source included in said plurality of direct current power sources, being different from said at least one first direct current power source corresponding to said at least one first converter and each having a second voltage input range being different from said first voltage input range.

2. The inverter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a voltage level of said alternating current power is a commercial alternating current voltage, and

said inverter is further connected to a commercial power system for outputting said alternating current power to said load and/or said commercial power system.

3. The inverter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said at least one first converter each controls, when the direct current power received from the corresponding first direct current power source exceeds a first prescribed maximum input power value, the output voltage of the corresponding first direct current power source so that the direct current power becomes lower than said first prescribed maximum input power value, and

said at least one second converter each controls, when the direct current power received from the corresponding second direct current power source exceeds a second prescribed maximum input power value being different from said first prescribed maximum input power value, the output voltage of the corresponding second direct current power source so that the direct current power becomes lower than said second prescribed maximum input power value.

4. The inverter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

each of the direct current power sources respectively corresponding to said at least one first and second converters is a solar battery, and

said at least one first converter is provided as many as said at least one second converter is provided.

5. The inverter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

each of said at least one first and second converters is formed as a unit and capable of being attached and removed to and from the inverter apparatus by said unit.

6. A dispersed-power-source system, comprising:

a plurality of direct current power sources;

a load; and

a system-linked inverter apparatus provided between said plurality of direct current power sources and said load as well as a commercial power system for transforming a direct current power received from each of said plurality of direct current power sources into an alternating current power and supplying said load and/or said commercial power system with said alternating current power, wherein

said system-linked inverter apparatus includes

a plurality of converters each controlling an output voltage of a corresponding direct current power source so that the direct current power outputted from said corresponding direct current power source becomes maximum, and

an inverter transforming a combined direct current power obtained by combining direct current outputs from said plurality of converters into said alternating current power and outputting said alternating current power to said load and/or said commercial power system, wherein

said plurality of converters include

at least one first converter respectively corresponding to at least one first direct current power source included in said plurality of direct current power sources and each having a first voltage input range, and at least one second converter respectively corresponding to at least one second direct current power source included in said plurality of direct current power sources, being different from said at least one first direct current power source corresponding to said at least one first converter and each having a second voltage input range being different from said first voltage input range.

7. The dispersed-power-source system according to claim 6, wherein

said system-linked inverter apparatus further includes

a sensor detecting a malfunction in said commercial power system, and

a control circuit stopping, when said sensor detects a malfunction in said commercial power system, an operation of the system-linked inverter apparatus.

8. The dispersed-power-source system according to claim 6, wherein

said plurality of direct current power sources include different types of power generation apparatuses.