Generator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10348097-B2
Application number	US-201815936374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A generator system, including first and second generators, a connection circuit connecting output lines of the first and second generators to each other and connecting neutral lines of the first and second generators to the ground, a switch command unit outputting commands to switch a connection mode of the first and second generators between parallel and series connection modes, a circuit switch switching a connection mode of the connection circuit in response to the commands, a data acquiring unit acquiring a waveform data of the first generator when the second generator is operated after the first generator is operated, and a control unit controlling the second generator to synchronize frequency and phase of waveforms of the first and second generators in the parallel connection mode and controlling the second generator to synchronize frequency and shift phase by 180 degree in the series connection mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A generator system, comprising:
a first generator and a second generator each having an inverter circuit configured to output alternating current;
a connection circuit configured to connect an output line for supplying electric power from the first generator and an output line for supplying electric power from the second generator to each other, and configured to connect a neutral line of the first generator and a neutral line of the second generator to the ground;
a switch command unit configured to output a parallel connection command to switch a connection mode of the first generator and the second generator to a parallel connection mode, and configured to output a series connection command to switch the connection mode to a series connection mode;
a circuit switch configured to switch a connection mode of the connection circuit to a first connection mode in which the first generator and the second generator are connected in the parallel connection mode when the parallel connection command is output by the switch command unit, and configured to switch the connection mode of the connection circuit to a second connection mode in which the first generator and the second generator are connected in the series connection mode when the series connection command is output by the switch command unit;
a data acquiring unit configured to acquire a waveform data of alternating current voltage from the inverter circuit of the first generator when the second generator is operated after the first generator is operated; and
a control unit configured to control operation of the inverter circuit of the second generator to synchronize a frequency and a phase of a waveform data of alternating current voltage from the inverter circuit of the second generator and the waveform data acquired by the data acquiring unit when the parallel connection command is output by the switch command unit, and configured to control operation of the inverter circuit of the second generator to synchronize the frequency and shift the phase of the waveform data of alternating current voltage from the inverter circuit of the second generator and the waveform data acquired by the data acquiring unit by 180 degrees when the series connection command is output by the switch command unit.

2. The generator system according to claim 1 , wherein
the connection circuit has
a ground fault detector configured to detect a ground fault current, and
an interrupter configured to interrupt an electric path from the first generator and the second generator to an electric load when the ground fault current is detected by the ground fault detector.

3. The generator system according to claim 2 , wherein
the neutral line of the first generator and the neutral line of the second generator are connected to each other and connected to the ground.

4. The generator system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an operation switch box configured to be connected to the output line and the neutral line of the first generator and connected to the output line and the neutral line of the second generator, wherein
the operation switch box further has the connection circuit, a parallel output terminal configured to be connected to the electric load in the parallel connection mode, and a series output terminal configured to be connected to the electric load in the series connection mode.

5. The generator system according to claim 4 , wherein
the operation switch box has
a ground fault detector configured to detect a ground fault current, and
an interrupter configured to interrupt an electric path from the first generator and the second generator to an electric load when the ground fault current is detected by the ground fault detector.

6. The generator system according to claim 4 , wherein
the control unit is a second generator control unit provided on the second generator,
the first generator is provided with a first generator control unit configured to control operation of the inverter circuit of the first generator, and
each of the first generator and the second generator is connected in the operation switch box to a communication line intercommunicably connecting the first generator control unit and the second generator control unit.

7. The generator system according to claim 6 , wherein
the operation switch box further has a switch unit configured to switch linked with switching operation of the circuit switch,
the second generator is connected to a signal line connected to the switch unit, and
the second generator control unit further configured to control operation of the inverter circuit based on a signal input through the signal line.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shibata Kenji
• Matsuhisa Tetsuya
• Matsuyama Wataru
• Maedako Minoru

Classifications

• H02H3/16

  responsive to fault current to earth, frame or mass (with balanced or differential arrangement H02H3/26 {; monitoring earth connection H02H5/105}) · CPC title

• H02K19/34

  Generators with two or more outputs · CPC title

• H02P9/006

  Means for protecting the generator by using control (control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients H02P9/10) · CPC title

• H02J3/40 Primary

  Synchronisation of generators for connection to a network or to another generator · CPC title

• H02K7/1815

  structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines (general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04) · CPC title