This application is a § 371 U.S. national stage of PCT/FI00/00962 filed Nov. 3, 2000, which was published in English under PCT Article 21(2) on May 10, 2001, which in turn claims the benefit of Finnish application 19992396 filed Nov. 5, 1999.
The present invention relates generally to accumulator powered uninterrupted power supply systems. Particularly the present invention relates to the optimal controlling of charging and discharging of the accumulators used in such a system.
In many electrical appliances an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system is used for securing the operation of the electrical appliance regardless of the disturbances in the power distribution network. The “uninterrupted power supply system” can also be abridged and referred to as the “standby electric supply”.
When the accumulator unit is continuously connected to the charging voltage, this is called permanent charging. The voltage level of the permanent charging has to be selected accurately according to the recommendations of the accumulator manufacturer to ensure as long life as possible for the accumulator unit. It has been found out, however, that closed so called VRLA-accumulators (Valve Regulated Lead-Acid), which are used nowadays generally in accumulator units, tolerate poorly permanent charging compared with the traditional open i.e. flooded lead accumulators. This is thought to be caused by chemical phenomena inside the accumulators, caused by continuous overcharging.
The charge of the accumulator is discharged slowly by itself also when the accumulator is not connected anywhere. If the IBCM-module 201 detects that the charge of the accumulator 107 has under normal operation dropped below a certain threshold value, it connects the accumulator unit 107 either to the feed line or through a separate rectifier (not shown in
The problem in the system according to
An object of the present invention is to present a standby electric supply, which facilitates a long life time for an accumulator unit and which is economical to manufacture and which has good usability. In addition an object of the present invention is that the standby electric supply adapts to the variations in the properties of the components according to the production tolerances and to the changes in environment. Further an object of the invention is to present a method for controlling a standby electric supply so that the other objects mentioned above are attained.
The objects of the present invention are attained by presenting and making certain criteria for the starting and ending of the charging of the accumulator, of which the primary start charging criterium is based on the open cell voltage change monitored in blocks and the primary end charging criterium is based on the value of the charge current time derivate and on the value of voltage difference time derivate.
The standby electric supply according to the present invention comprises:
According to the first embodiment of the invention it is characterized in that the measurement and control means have been arranged:
According to the second embodiment of the invention the invention is characterized in that the measurement and control means have been arranged:
The invention relates also to a method characterized in that according to the first embodiment of the invention it consists of phases, in which
According to the second embodiment of the invention the invention is characterized in that it consists of phases, in which
A VRLA-accumulator, which is also called a string, as it is known comprises group cells i.e. monoblocks, which further consist of cells. There can be several VRLA accumulators so that they usually are connected parallel to each other, in that case it is called the accumulator unit. In the system according to the present invention the open cell voltage is monitored most beneficially in each block separately. In addition, the charging current and temperature of the accumulator are monitored. A minimum value has been defined for the open cell voltage of the monoblock, which corresponds to the open cell voltage in case the capacity of the monoblock has decreased, when the accumulator has discharged, to a certain minimum level. The minimum value takes into count the initial level of the open cell voltage when the earlier charging has ended, it also takes into count the temperature change compared with the moment the earlier charging has ended and the maximum amount the capacity of the monoblock is allowed to decrease before the following charging period must be started at the latest. The charging is started when the open cell voltage of a certain monoblock reaches its minimum value or at the latest when a certain maximum time after the earlier charging has elapsed.
The charging current and the voltage difference between different monoblocks of the accumulator is measured in order to determine the time to end charging. The time derivates of these quantities follow certain pattern characteristics, when the accumulator cells reach their full charge. It is advantageous to select a situation, in which the time derivates of the charging current and the voltage difference have essentially zero values as the end criterium or in which a certain maximum time has elapsed after the time derivate of the potential difference of the monoblocks reached its positive maximum value.
The criteria according to the present invention, the fulfillment of which control the starting and ending of charging, are at least partially tied to such reference values, which are measured from the accumulator itself instead of e.g. the starting of charging always only after a certain constant (regular) time after the earlier charging. A good adaptivity is achieved by this i.e. the method and system according to the invention adapt especially well to the individual characteristics of each accumulator to be charged.
In the following the present invention is described in more detail by referring to beneficial embodiments presented as examples and referring to the enclosed figures, in which
In connection with the above description of the state of the art
The measurement arrangement shown in
The switching and stabilizing unit 402 has been dimensioned so that it can produce a certain charging voltage UC and a certain charging current IC. The maximum possible values of these quantities must be selected so that they are as high as possible, but however smaller than the detrimental level to the accumulators. When the maximum value of the charging current is determined it must be taken into consideration that no excessive requirements are laid on the components of the equipment due to too high charging current value. The higher the maximum possible value of the charging current, the sooner the accumulators can be fully charged, but the more expensive components must be used for accomplishing the switching and stabilizing block 402. The optimal maximum value for the charging current can be selected by defining a utility function for charging time and by solving a two-dimensional optimizing problem, the dimensions of which are the manufacturing costs and the utility function mentioned above that expresses the charging time.
It has been assumed in
The vertical axis shows the voltage of the accumulator and the horizontal axis shows the time in some arbitrary units. The maximum charging voltage UC and a certain minimum voltage UMIN have been marked on the voltage axis. In the standby state the operation of the embodiment follows a cycle, in which the linear fall of the voltage from UC to UMIN caused by the internal self discharge of the accumulator, and the following fast voltage rise back to UC caused by switching on the charging, are repeated. In the discharging state between the moments 501 and 502 the accumulator is connected through the switching and stabilizing block to the load, in which case the voltage of the accumulator falls during discharge of the accumulator. Returning to the standby state means that the cyclically alternating charging and self discharging cycles continue. Most essential for the present invention in
From the theory describing the chemical functioning of lead accumulators is known the so called Nernst's equation, according to which there exists a nearly linear relationship between the open cell voltage uocv of the cell and the specific gravity SG, which can be represented at 25° C. (298° K) temperature using the equation
uocv=0.84+SG. (1)
If the change of the open cell voltage is represented by Δuocv and the change of the specific gravity by ΔSG, so it is possible, according to the equation (1), to write
Δuocv=ΔSG (2)
On the other hand it is known that there is essentially a linear relation by a proportional coefficient k between the capacity C of the cell and the specific gravity SG, therefore it can be written
ΔC=kΔSG (3)
and on the basis of equations (2) and (3)
Δuocv=ΔC/k. (4)
The cells in the same monoblock can be regarded as functioning in the same way, in which case the total open cell voltage change ΔuBi,ocv of a certain i:th block is derived simply by multiplying the result concerning one cell by the number n of cells i.e.
ΔuBi,ocv=(n/k)ΔC. (5)
The change in the open cell voltage of the accumulator in relation to the percentage change of its capacity is constant relating to the particular accumulator, the value of which can be estimated theoretically. The manufacturers of the accumulator deliver usually the exact value, which is based on measurements. If this constant is marked with L, its definition can be written as
L=Δuocv/[100·(ΔC/C)], (6)
from which it can be derived a percentile change of the capacity corresponding to the change Δuocv of the open cell voltage.
ΔuocvL·[100·(ΔC/C)], (7)
In addition, the temperature characteristics of the open cell voltage of the lead accumulator cell is known. The temperature characteristics follows the equation
Δuocv/ΔT=0.23 mV/K (8)
and can be directly generalized to the temperature behavior of the open cell voltage of a whole monoblock by multiplying the constant value according to the equation (7) by the number n of the cells in the monoblock.
It is assumed that the open cell voltage of a certain i:th monoblock is known at a time t1. If a minimum value uBi,ocv,min is to be defined to which the open cell voltage is allowed to fall so that the capacity of the monoblock is not reduced more than a certain percentile part (ΔC/C)·100, a formula can be written for this minimum value on the basis of the equations (1)–(8) presented above
in which
The formula (9) according to the beneficial embodiment of the present invention is used for defining the minimum voltage UMIN presented in
The state 601 is the initial state, in which the open cell voltage of each monoblock is measured in a state in which the accumulator is essentially fully charged. Thus the above mentioned time t1 is in question, so the measurement results are marked with UBi,ocv(t1), in which the index i gets as many values as the accumulator in question has blocks. The cell voltage of the lead accumulator stabilizes to its actual open cell voltage only after certain time (approximately 1–2 days) after the previous charging has ended, so it is most beneficial to select the moment t1 so that it has passed at least 24 hours after the previous charging has ended. The most suitable period, which separates the moment t1 from the ending of the charging can be sought by experimenting.
In addition, in state 601 the lowest measurement result is selected. It is assumed that the lowest open cell voltage was measured from the j:th block, in which case the lowest value selected in the 601 can be marked with uBj,ocv(t1). After that only the j:th block in question is monitored.
In the state 602 the formula (9) is used to calculate a minimum value to which the open cell voltage is allowed to fall so that the capacity does not become smaller than a certain predefined percentile part. The specifically selected smallest value uBj,ocv(t1) is substituted in formula (9) for calculating the minimum value so the calculated minimum value can be marked with uBj,ocv,min. The state 602 is a part of a cycle, which monitors how the open cell voltage of its j:th block decreases, the j:th block being the block the open ell voltage of which was found to be the lowest in state 601. The states 603 and 604 form the other parts of the cycle. The cycle is repeated till the open cell voltage of the j:th block reaches the minimum value calculated in state 602 or till a certain maximum time tcmax has elapsed from previous charging. If either of these criteria is fulfilled it leads to the state 605 in which the charging of the accumulator is started.
The simple embodiment presented above is based on monitoring the decreasing of the open cell voltage only in one block. Also other kinds of embodiments of the present invention can be presented.
In the embodiment shown in
The state 702 is again a part of a cycle, in which this time is observed how the open cell voltage of each block decreases. The states 703 and 704 form the other parts of the cycle. The cycle is repeated till the open cell voltage of one block reaches the individual minimum value, which has been calculated for each block separately or till a certain maximum time tcmax has elapsed from the previous charging. If either of these criteria is fulfilled it leads to state 705 in which the charging of the accumulator will be started.
In addition to the embodiments described above, embodiments according to the present invention can be presented, in which for calculating minimum values and for monitoring the individual open cell voltages of the different blocks some interblock calculations are applied. For example, all the voltages to be observed can be taken as mean and median values of interblock voltages. In this case, however, a part of the benefits of the method according to the present invention is lost, because information of individual blocks is lost.
In the following it is studied when charging the accumulator is beneficial to stop i.e. how the arrangement according to the present invention functions near the maximum voltage UC of the charging shown in
Δumax=maxi1,i2[uBi1−uBi2] (10)
In
According to a beneficial embodiment of the present invention the charging is ended as shown in the flow diagram of
It is possible to make changes and additions to the method presented in
In a system consisting of several accumulators, the accumulators can also be connected using individual switching means to the IBCM module, in which case each accumulator can be charged separately if required. In this case the structure of the IBCM module becomes very complicated. The embodiment in
In the above only those systems have been handled, in which the measurement and follow-up of voltage and current values which describe the state of the accumulator system is done locally essentially in the same unit, which unit also, if required, connects the accumulator to the charging supply and disconnects it from the supply. The invention can also be applied so that the state of the accumulator system can be monitored and the switching commands can be given in addition to or instead of the local unit via a remote control system. In this case it is not necessary to have other equipment in connection with the accumulator system but the measurement elements, switches and telemetric equipment by which the measurement results are transmitted and the switching commands are received e.g. via Internet or telephone network.
The features of the invention described above can be applied in many different ways together or separately. It is e.g. possible to use the method described above according to the invention only for starting the charging of the accumulator and to stop the charging after a certain constant charging time or when the maximum charging voltage has been reached. On the other hand charging the accumulator can be started according to another criterium and use the above described method according to the invention only for stopping the charging of the accumulator. The most beneficial result can be attained, however, so that the invention is applied both to the starting of the charging and for stopping the charging.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
19992396 | Nov 1999 | FI | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/FI00/00962 | 11/3/2000 | WO | 00 | 4/24/2002 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO01/33690 | 5/10/2001 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4473756 | Brigden et al. | Sep 1984 | A |
4629965 | Fallon et al. | Dec 1986 | A |
4742289 | Wahlström | May 1988 | A |
4742290 | Sutphin et al. | May 1988 | A |
5175485 | Joo | Dec 1992 | A |
5206578 | Nor | Apr 1993 | A |
5581170 | Mammano et al. | Dec 1996 | A |
5625272 | Takahashi | Apr 1997 | A |
5675233 | Kaneko et al. | Oct 1997 | A |
5932932 | Agatsuma et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
5998967 | Umeki et al. | Dec 1999 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2722336 | Jul 1994 | FR |
2261735 | May 1993 | GB |