Prime-mover dynamo plants – Electric control – Engine control
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-28
2004-03-30
Ponomarenko, Nicholas (Department: 2834)
Prime-mover dynamo plants
Electric control
Engine control
C322S012000, C307S085000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06713890
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a power generation apparatus and its control method, and more particularly, to a power generation apparatus, having a solar cell and a power transducer such as an inverter, to supply alternating power to a commercial power system and a load, and a control method for the apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As the variety of power supply forms increases, a private power generation apparatuses such as a solar cell, a wind power generator, a fuel buttery and an engine power generator attract public attention. Especially, the low-pollution solar cell is popular as a convenient power generation apparatus.
In recent years, a system interconnection type solar photovoltaic system which converts power generated by the solar cell to alternating power by an inverter and supplies the power to a commercial power system (hereinbelow, referred to as a “system”) and an independent type solar photovoltaic system which supplies alternating power to a load are widely used. Especially, a solar cell module with inverter (hereinbelow referred to as an “AC module”) disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 10-14111 receives attention as a middle and small size solar photovoltaic apparatus or an emergency power source. The AC module is a solar cell module where a small inverter called a Module Integrated Converter (MIC) is attached to a rear surface or the like of solar cell module, and is capable of outputting alternating power by single module.
The AC module as described above is connected to a distribution panelboard by a crimp contact or the like at the end of its lead. If a fault occurs in the AC module, or if an abnormal condition occurs in the system, an interconnection relay in the AC module is opened, thereby the AC module is disconnected from the system.
Further, as shown in
FIG. 1
, a construction to supply power generated by a solar cell via an outlet to a load or the like has been proposed. In use of an AC module
105
as shown in
FIG. 1
, a user merely inserts a plug
106
provided at the end of lead of the AC module
105
into an outlet
107
, to supply power to a load
109
or the like.
In the solar photovoltaic system in
FIG. 1
, an inverter
101
of the AC module
105
has an interconnection relay
102
. If an abnormal condition occurs in a solar cell
103
, the inverter
101
or a system
104
, the interconnection relay
102
is opened, thereby the system
104
(and the load
109
) is disconnected from the AC module
105
.
However, the solar photovoltaic system as shown in
FIG. 1
has the following problems.
(1) The interconnection relay
102
in the inverter of the AC module
105
increases the size of the inverter.
(2) As the disconnection between the AC module and the system
104
upon occurrence of abnormal condition is made in the AC module
105
, the user cannot easily check the disconnection status.
(3) It is preferable that the user who checked a fault in the AC module
105
operates a branch switch
111
or the like in the distribution panelboard
108
to disconnect the system
104
from the AC module
105
, however, this is very troublesome work.
(4) It is preferable that upon occurrence of abnormal condition or fault, the user pulls the plug
106
of the AC module
105
out of the outlet
107
, however, the plug
106
might remain plugged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has an object to solve the above-described problems individually or at once, and to attain downsizing of the inverter in the AC module.
Further, another object of the present invention is to facilitate checking of disconnection between the AC module and the system upon occurrence of abnormal condition.
Further, another object of the present invention is to disconnect the system from the AC module upon occurrence of a fault in the AC module.
Further, another object of the present invention is to pull the plug of the AC module from an outlet upon occurrence of abnormal condition or fault.
To attain the above objects, the present invention provides a power generator comprising: a power converter which converts direct current power into alternating current power; a connector which connects an output of said power converter to a commercial power system or a load; and a signal outputting section which supplies a signal to release connection to said connector.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same name or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.
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patent: 6252310 (2001-06-01), Wilhelm
patent: 6259017 (2001-07-01), Takehara et al.
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patent: 9-17490 (1997-01-01), None
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“Solar Power Generation System Application Technology Development” 1996 Consigned Operation Result Report of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Mar. 1997.
“Solar Power Generation System Application Technology Development” 1997 Consigned Operation Result Report of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Mar. 1998.
Kondo Hiroshi
Takehara Nobuyoshi
LandOfFree
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