Ground fault detection device, communication device, method for controlling same, load device, switch and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018233902-A1
Application number	US-201715751159-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 9, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2016
Publication date	Aug 16, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to the present invention, a solar cell string has a plurality of solar cell parts connected in series. In each of the solar cell parts, a solar cell module is connected to/separated from a cable run by an optimizer. A ground fault detection device instructs the optimizer to perform switching to the connection or the separation, and, after the instruction, determines the presence/absence of a ground fault in the solar cell string.

First claim

1 . A ground fault detection device that is applied to a direct current power supply system, the direct current power supply system comprising
a load device that converts or consumes direct current power input to an input terminal, an electrical path connected to the input terminal, and a direct current power supply string in which a plurality of direct current power supply parts are connected in series, each of the direct current power supply parts comprising a direct current power supply module that generates or charges and discharges power and switches that connect or disconnect the direct current power supply module to and from the electrical path, the ground fault detection device comprising: a switching instruction part that instructs the switches to switch between connection and disconnection; and a ground fault determination part that determines presence or absence of a ground fault of the direct current power supply string after the switching instruction part instructed the switches.

2 . The ground fault detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching instruction part instructs at least one of the switches to disconnect the direct current power supply module from the electrical path, and then the ground fault determination part determines the presence or absence of the ground fault.

3 . The ground fault detection device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a plurality of direct current power supply strings connected in parallel are connected to the input terminal via the electrical path, the ground fault detection device detects the ground fault in the plurality of direct current power supply strings, and the switching instruction part instructs all the switches comprised in the direct current power supply strings other than one of the direct current power supply strings to disconnect the direct current power supply module from the electrical path, and then the ground fault determination part determines the presence or absence of the ground fault.

4 . A load device in a direct current power supply system, the direct current power supply system comprising
the load device that converts or consumes direct current power input to an input terminal, an electrical path connected to the input terminal, and a direct current power supply string in which a plurality of direct current power supply parts are connected in series, each of the direct current power supply parts comprising a direct current power supply module that generates or charges and discharges power and switches that connect or disconnect the direct current power supply module to and from the electrical path, the load device comprising: the ground fault detection device according to claim 1 .

5 . A switch in a direct current power supply system, the direct current power supply system comprising
a load device that converts or consumes direct current power input to an input terminal, an electrical path connected to the input terminal, and a direct current power supply string in which a plurality of direct current power supply parts are connected in series, each of the direct current power supply parts comprising a direct current power supply module that generates or charges and discharges power, and the switch that connects or disconnects the direct current power supply module to or from the electrical path, the switch comprising: the ground fault detection device according to claim 1 .

6 . A communication device that is applied to a direct current power supply system, the direct current power supply system comprising
a load device that converts or consumes direct current power input to an input terminal, an electrical path connected to the input terminal, a direct current power supply string in which a plurality of direct current power supply parts are connected in series, each of the direct current power supply parts comprising a direct current power supply module that generates or charges and discharges power, and a switch that connects or disconnects the direct current power supply module to or from the electrical path, and a ground fault detection device that detects a ground fault of the direct current power supply string, the communication device comprising: a switching instruction part that instructs the switches to switch between connection and disconnection, wherein the switching instruction part notifies the ground fault detection device that the switching has been instructed.

7 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium comprising a control program causing a computer to function as the ground fault detection device according to claim 1 , the control program causing the computer to function as each of the parts.

8 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium comprising a control program causing a computer to function as the communication device according to claim 6 , the control program causing the computer to function as the switching instruction part.

9 . A method of controlling a ground fault detection device that is applied to a direct current power supply system, the direct current power supply system comprising
a load device that converts or consumes direct current power input to an input terminal, an electrical path connected to the input terminal, and a direct current power supply string in which a plurality of direct current power supply parts are connected in series, each of the direct current power supply parts comprising a direct current power supply module that generates or charges and discharges power and switches that connect or disconnect the direct current power supply module to or from the electrical path, the method comprising: a switching instruction step of instructing the switches to switch between connection and disconnection; and a ground fault determination step of determining presence or absence of a ground fault of the direct current power supply string after instructing the switches in the switching instruction step.

10 . A method of controlling a communication device that is applied to a direct current power supply system, the direct current power supply system comprising
a load device that converts or consumes direct current power input to an input terminal, an electrical path connected to the input terminal, a direct current power supply string in which a plurality of direct current power supply parts are connected in series, each of the direct current power supply parts comprising a direct current power supply module that generates or charges and discharges power and switches that connect or disconnect the direct current power supply module to or from the electrical path, and a ground fault detection device that detects a ground fault of the direct current power supply string, the method comprising: a switching instruction step of instructing the switches to switch between connection and disconnection, wherein the switching instruction step comprises notifying the ground fault detection device that the switching has been instructed.

11 . The ground fault detection device according to claim 2 ,
wherein a plurality of direct current power supply strings connected in parallel are connected to the input terminal via the electrical path, the ground fault detection device detects the ground fault in the plurality of direct current power supply strings, and the switching instruction part instructs all the switches comprised in the direct current power supply strings other than one of the direct current power supply strings to disconnect the direct current power supply module from the electrical path, and then the ground fault determination part determines the presence or absence of the ground fault.

1

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Sano Akihiko
• Morita Kosuke
• Funamoto Akihiro

Classifications

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title

• H02S50/10

  Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells (testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing {H10P74/00}) · CPC title

• H02H3/33

  using summation current transformers (H02H3/347 takes precedence) · CPC title

• 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

• H02S50/00

  Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification · CPC title