Photovoltaic power generation apparatus and control method thereof

• US 6,169,678 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 01/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Hiroshi, Takehara, Nobuyoshi, Manabe, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US09/491,870
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 363/50, 363/51, 363/71, 363/78, 363/79, 323/906, 307/45, 307/46, 307/64, 307/66
• US Class Current: 363/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/26 involving maximum power point tracking control for photovoltaic sources maximum power point systems in particular G05F1/67
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/906 Solar cell systems

Abstract

A photovoltaic power generation apparatus having a plurality of power converters, respectively connected to a plurality of solar battery arrays, for converting direct-current power generated by the solar battery arrays to alternating-current power so as to provide the alternating-current power to a commercial power system. The photovoltaic power generation apparatus is so constructed that the plurality of power converters do not simultaneously suspend operation when an abnormal state is detected, in order to prevent generation of an electrical stress or reduction of the power generation amount caused by simultaneous operation suspension of the power converters or repeated operation suspension and operation resume. When the power generation amount of each solar battery array is different, a power converter connected to the solar battery array of the smallest power generation amount is set in the first-to-suspend condition.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic power generation apparatus comprising:

plural solar battery arrays, each of which is constructed by plural solar battery modules; and

plural power converters, each of which is connected to one of said plural solar battery arrays, for converting direct-current power generated by said plural solar battery arrays to alternating-current power so as to provide the alternating-current power to a commercial power system,

wherein each of said plural power converters comprises a detector for detecting an abnormal state of output of the alternating-current power of said each of the plural power converters to suspend power conversion operation of said each of the plural power converters, and

operation suspension timing of at least one of said plural power converters is earlier than the others.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, the operation suspension timing of one of said plural power converters is different from the others.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said plural solar battery arrays is constructed with plural strings connected in parallel, and each of the plural strings is constructed with the plural solar battery modules connected in series.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a value for detecting the abnormal state, set for said detector of at least one of said plural power converters, is different from values set for detectors of the other converters.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a period between the time of abnormal state detection and the time of operation suspension is set differently for at least one of said plural power converters.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of said plural power converters, which is connected to one of said plural solar battery arrays that generates less power than other plural solar battery arrays, is set so as to suspend operation earlier than the other converters.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detector measures a voltage of the output of the alternating-current power, and determines the abnormal state when the measured voltage reaches or exceeds a set value because of a rise of a voltage of the commercial power system.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the set value, set for a detector of at least one of said plural power converters, is different from set values for detectors of the other converters.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a period between the time of abnormal state detection and the time of operation suspension is set differently for at least one of said plural power converters.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein one of said plural power converters, which is connected to one of said plural solar battery arrays that generates less power than other plural solar battery arrays, is set so as to suspend operation earlier than the other converters.

11. A controlling method of a photovoltaic power generation apparatus having:

plural solar battery arrays, each of which is constructed by plural solar battery modules; and

plural power converters, each of which is connected to one of said plural solar battery arrays, for converting direct-current power generated by said plural solar battery arrays to alternating-current power so as to provide the alternating-current power to a commercial power system, said method comprising the steps of;

detecting an abnormal state of output of the alternating-current power of each of the plural power converters; and

suspending power conversion operation of each of the plural power converters when the abnormal state is detected,

wherein operation suspension timing of at least one of said plural power converters is earlier than the others.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said detecting step comprises the steps of:

measuring a voltage of the output of the alternating-current power; and

detecting the abnormal state based on the measured voltage,

wherein said detecting step detects the abnormal state when the measured voltage reaches or exceeds a set value because of a rise of a voltage of the commercial power system.