Fault diagnosis method, grid interconnection apparatus, and controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941695-B2
Application number	US-201214234335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2012
Priority date	Jul 22, 2011
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A fault diagnosis method of diagnosing a fault related to a PV PCS 150 , configured to perform an interconnected operation in which a PV 100 is interconnected to a grid 10 : supplies power from independent operation output of the PV PCS 150 to a storage PCS 250 by an independent operation that does not interconnect the PV 100 to the grid 10 after the grid interconnection apparatus stops the interconnected operation by detecting abnormality; measures an output power state of the PV 100 and/or the PV PCS 150 when power is supplied to the storage PCS 250 ; and determines that the fault occurs and performs an error process for notification to a user when the measured output power state does not satisfy a predetermined condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fault diagnosis method of diagnosing a fault related to a grid interconnection apparatus that is configured to perform an interconnected operation, in which output power of a distributed power source is input to the grid interconnection apparatus while the distributed power source is interconnected to a grid, the method comprising:
detecting an abnormality in the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus during the interconnected operation; and,
in response to detecting the abnormality,
starting an independent operation in which the distributed power source is disconnected from the grid, and,
during the independent operation,
supplying output power from the grid interconnection apparatus to a predetermined load,
measuring an output power state of the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus while the output power from the grid interconnection apparatus is supplied to the predetermined load, and,
when the measured output power state does not satisfy a predetermined condition, determining that a fault has occurred in the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus, and performing an error process to notify a user of the determined fault.

2. The fault diagnosis method according to claim 1 , further comprising, when the measured output power state satisfies the predetermined condition, attempting to restart the interconnected operation.

3. The fault diagnosis method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined load includes a storage battery with a variable charge amount, such that supplying output power from the grid interconnection apparatus to the predetermined load charges the storage battery.

4. The fault diagnosis method according to claim 3 , wherein the output power state of the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus are measured while charging the storage battery.

5. The fault diagnosis method according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined load includes:
the storage battery; and
another grid interconnection apparatus configured to connect the storage battery to the grid,
wherein the another grid interconnection apparatus is connected to an output of the grid interconnection apparatus via a power line, and
wherein supplying output power from the grid interconnection apparatus to the predetermined load comprises supplying alternating-current power from the output of the grid interconnection apparatus to the another grid interconnection apparatus via the power line.

6. A grid interconnection apparatus, configured to perform an interconnected operation, in which output power of a distributed power source is input to the grid interconnection apparatus while the distributed power source is interconnected to a grid to supply power to a load, the grid interconnection apparatus comprising at least one processor that:
detects an abnormality in the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus during the interconnected operation; and,
in response to detecting the abnormality,
starts an independent operation in which the distributed power source is disconnected from the grid, and,
during the independent operation,
controls an output of the grid interconnection apparatus to supply output power from the grid interconnection apparatus to a predetermined load,
measures an output power state of the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus while the output power from the grid interconnection apparatus is supplied to the predetermined load, and,
when the measured output power state does not satisfy a predetermined condition, determines that a fault has occurred in the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus, and performs an error process to notify a user of the determined fault.

7. A controller that controls a grid interconnection apparatus that is configured to perform an interconnected operation in which output power of a distributed power source is input to the grid interconnection apparatus while the distributed power source is interconnected to a grid to supply power to a load, the controller comprising at least one processor that:
detects an abnormality in the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus during the interconnected operation; and,
in response to detecting the abnormality,
starts an independent operation in which the distributed power source is disconnected from the grid, and,
during the independent operation,
controls an output of the grid interconnection apparatus to supply output power from the grid interconnection apparatus to a predetermined load,
measures an output power state of the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus while the output power from the grid interconnection apparatus is supplied to the predetermined load, and,
when the measured output power state does not satisfy a predetermined condition, determines that a fault has occurred in the distributed power source and/or the grid interconnection apparatus, and performs an error process to notify a user of the determined fault.

Assignees

• Kusunose Tomonari
• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Kusunose Tomonari

Classifications

• H02J7/35

  with light sensitive cells · CPC title

• G01R31/28

  Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer ({EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002;} testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers {or computer components} G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 {; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00}) · CPC title

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title

• Y10T307/832

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H02J3/00 Primary

  Circuit arrangements for AC mains or AC distribution networks · CPC title