Charging system

Abstract

This suppresses the outflow of power to the upstream side of the electrical system. [Solution] The charging system comprises a charging unit connected to a power distribution line and capable of being charged by AC power supplied from the power distribution line; a transmitting unit that acquires charging information including reactive power supplied from the charging unit to the power distribution line during charging and transmits the charging information; and a reactive power adjustment unit connected upstream of the charging unit in the power distribution line and receiving the charging information transmitted by the transmitting unit, which consumes at least a portion of the reactive power supplied from the charging unit during charging.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a charging system. [Background technology]

[0002] To achieve carbon neutrality, the introduction of distributed power resources in the electrical system (such as photovoltaic (PV) power generation, storage batteries, and electric vehicles) is progressing. Among these, the output of chargers that power electric vehicles (hereinafter also simply called "electric vehicles") is large, ranging from 3 to 6 kW for normal charging and 50 to 150 kW for fast charging. Therefore, if multiple electric vehicles charge at the same time, there is a risk of lowering the voltage of the power distribution system. As a method to suppress the voltage drop in the power distribution system, a technology is known in which the charger releases reactive power during charging (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a system that provides inexpensive compensation for voltage drop in distribution lines by having the load autonomously inject a considerable amount of reactive power into the distribution line. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5614771 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, when a battery or other storage device releases reactive power during charging, the released reactive power flows to the higher levels of the electrical system. Therefore, an increase in the amount of reactive power may cause voltage fluctuations in the higher-level system. Suppressing these voltage fluctuations would incur unnecessary costs, such as the need to reinforce the system equipment.

[0006] This invention was made to solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems and aims to suppress the outflow of reactive power to the upstream side of the electrical system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve at least some of the above-mentioned problems and can be realized in the following forms.

[0008] (1) According to one embodiment of the present invention, a charging system is provided. This charging system comprises: a charging unit connected to a power distribution line and capable of being charged by AC power supplied from the power distribution line; a transmitting unit that acquires charging information including reactive power supplied from the charging unit to the power distribution line during charging and transmits the charging information; and a reactive power adjustment unit connected to the power distribution line upstream of the charging unit in the power system and receiving the charging information transmitted by the transmitting unit, the reactive power adjustment unit that consumes at least a portion of the reactive power supplied from the charging unit during charging.

[0009] In this configuration, when the charging section is charged with AC power, at least a portion of the reactive power supplied to the circuit board is consumed by a reactive power adjustment section connected to the upstream system side of the distribution line, rather than the charging section. As a result, the reactive power flowing upstream of the point where the reactive power adjustment section is connected to the distribution line, particularly upstream of the distribution substation, is reduced. Consequently, voltage fluctuations on the upstream side are suppressed, eliminating the need to reinforce the system equipment and thus avoiding the need to upgrade the electrical system.

[0010] (2) In the charging system according to the above embodiment, the charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line, and the reactive power adjustment unit may supply at least a portion of the reactive power consumed by the charging unit during discharge to the charging unit. In this configuration, the reactive power supplied to the charging unit during discharge is provided from the reactive power adjustment unit, which is connected to the upstream system side of the distribution line rather than the charging unit. As a result, the reactive power supplied from upstream of the reactive power adjustment unit, particularly from the upstream system side of the distribution substation, is reduced, suppressing voltage fluctuations in the upstream system and eliminating the need to reinforce the system equipment.

[0011] (3) In the charging system according to the above embodiment, the reactive power adjustment unit is further provided with a detection unit that detects the direction of reactive power flow at the location where the reactive power adjustment unit is connected to the power distribution line, and the reactive power adjustment unit consumes at least a portion of the reactive power supplied by the charging unit when the direction of reactive power detected by the detection unit is reverse flow, and does not have to supply or consume power via the power distribution line when the direction of reactive power detected by the detection unit is normal flow. In this configuration, the amount of power consumed by the reactive power adjustment unit is determined according to the direction of AC power flow at the point where the reactive power adjustment unit is connected to the distribution line. If a reactive power source, such as a solar power generator that consumes reactive power supplied by the charging unit during charging, is connected to the distribution line, the reactive power is consumed by the reactive power source. In this configuration, the presence or absence of power consumption by the reactive power adjustment unit is switched according to the direction of reactive power flow. Therefore, even if a reactive power source is connected to the distribution line, voltage fluctuations in the higher-level system are suppressed.

[0012] (4) In the charging system according to the above embodiment, the charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line, and the reactive power adjustment unit supplies at least a portion of the reactive power consumed by the charging unit when the direction of the reactive power detected by the detection unit is a normal flow, and does not have to supply or consume power via the power distribution line when the direction of the reactive power detected by the detection unit is a reverse flow. In this configuration, the power consumption by the reactive power adjustment unit is determined according to the direction of AC power flow at the point where the reactive power adjustment unit is connected to the power distribution line. If a reactive power source, such as a storage battery that supplies reactive power consumed by the charging unit during discharge, is connected to the power distribution line, the reactive power is supplied by the reactive power source. In this configuration, the presence or absence of power consumption by the reactive power adjustment unit is switched according to the direction of reactive power flow. Therefore, even if a reactive power source is connected to the power distribution line, voltage fluctuations in the upstream system are suppressed.

[0013] (5) In the charging system according to the above embodiment, the detection unit further detects the magnitude of reactive power whose direction is to be detected, and the reactive power adjustment unit may, when the direction of the reactive power detected during charging of the charging unit is reverse power flow and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is less than or equal to the reactive power supplied from the charging unit, consume the same amount of power as the detected reactive power; when the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power supplied from the charging unit, consume the same amount of power as the reactive power supplied from the charging unit; when the direction of the reactive power detected during discharge of the charging unit is forward power flow and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is less than or equal to the reactive power consumed by the charging unit, supply the same amount of power as the detected reactive power; and when the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power consumed by the charging unit, supply the same amount of power as the reactive power consumed by the charging unit. In this configuration, the reactive power adjustment unit detects not only the direction of reactive power flow at the point where it is connected to the distribution line, but also the magnitude of the flowing reactive power. The reactive power supplied or consumed by reactive power sources such as solar power generators and storage batteries connected to the distribution line varies depending on the operating status and specifications of the reactive power source. Therefore, the reactive power adjustment unit supplies or consumes the difference in reactive power according to the different supply power or consumption power depending on the reactive power source, thereby further suppressing voltage fluctuations in the upstream system.

[0014] (6) In the charging system according to the above aspect, the charging system comprises a plurality of said reactive power adjustment units, and further comprises an aggregation unit that determines power consumed by each of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units during charging of said charging unit, wherein the aggregation unit comprises: a communication unit that receives said charging information and receives adjustment unit information relating to charging and discharging of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units; a distribution substation that supplies power to the plurality of reactive power adjustment units; the distribution lines to which the plurality of reactive power adjustment units are connected; a storage unit that stores connection position information on each of said distribution lines; and a determination unit that determines the power consumed by each of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units using said connection position information stored in said storage unit and said adjustment unit information received by said communication unit. According to this configuration, there are a plurality of reactive power adjustment units capable of consuming reactive power supplied from the charging unit during charging. The aggregation unit determines the reactive power adjustment units that consume reactive power and the reactive power consumed by each reactive power adjustment unit by using the adjustment unit information of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units and the connection position information of the distribution substation and the like. In the present configuration, the reactive power adjustment units and the power consumption are determined such that reverse-flowing reactive power is further suppressed.

[0015] (7) In the charging system according to the above aspect, said charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to said distribution line, and during discharging of said charging unit, said determination unit may determine power supplied by each of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units using said connection position information stored in said storage unit and said adjustment unit information received by said communication unit. According to this configuration, the aggregation unit determines the reactive power adjustment units that supply reactive power and the power supplied by each reactive power adjustment unit by using the adjustment unit information of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units and the position information of the distribution substation and the like. In the present configuration, the reactive power adjustment units and the supplied power are determined such that reactive power flowing into the upper side of the distribution substation is further suppressed.

[0016] (8) In the charging system according to the above aspect, the determining unit may use the position information to determine that reactive power is preferentially consumed or supplied from the reactive power adjusting unit connected to a position closer to the distribution substation among the plurality of reactive power adjusting units. According to this configuration, among the plurality of reactive power adjusting units, a reactive power adjusting unit connected to a position close to the distribution substation is determined as the adjusting unit that consumes or supplies reactive power. For this reason, both active power and reactive power flow between a charging unit located relatively far from the distribution substation and the reactive power adjusting unit, so voltage fluctuation caused by charging and discharging of the charging unit can be suppressed. Further, between the reactive power adjusting unit and the distribution substation, the reactive power adjusting unit adjusts reactive power, so the proportion of active power increases. However, a distribution line near a distribution substation has a larger diameter, that is, lower electrical resistance. Therefore, in the present configuration, a voltage change in the distribution line between a position where the reactive power adjusting unit is connected to the distribution line and the distribution substation can be reduced.

[0017] Note that the present invention can be implemented in various aspects, for example, in the form of a charging device, a power supply device, a charging system, a power supply system, a power supply method, a system including these devices or implementing the method, a computer program for executing these devices or methods, a server device for distributing the computer program, a non-transitory storage medium storing the computer program, and the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a schematic block diagram of a charging system as one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic block diagram of a charging system of a comparative example. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart of a control method for a charger according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a flowchart of a control method for an adjusting device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a schematic block diagram of a charging system according to a first modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic block diagram of a charging system for a second modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic block diagram of a charging system for a third modification of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a schematic block diagram of the charging system before power factor adjustment in a fourth modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic block diagram of the charging system after power factor adjustment in a fourth modified example of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic block diagram of the charging system in the second embodiment when the PV is not generating power. [Figure 11] This is a schematic block diagram of the charging system in the state where the PV of the second embodiment is generating power. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart of the control method for the adjustment device in the second embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a schematic block diagram of the charging system in the first modified example of the second embodiment, in a state where the battery is not being charged or discharged. [Figure 14] This is a schematic block diagram of the charging system in the state where the storage battery is being charged, according to the first modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a schematic block diagram of the charging system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a flowchart for selecting a control device and calculating reactive power consumption. [Figure 17] This is a flowchart of the reactive power consumption in the third embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a schematic block diagram of a charging system for a second modified example of the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a charging system 100 as one embodiment of the present invention. In the charging system 100 of this embodiment, when the charger (charging unit) 10 connected to the power distribution line 40 performs charging, a reactive power adjustment device (hereinafter also simply called the "adjustment device") 20 connected to the power distribution line 40 on an upstream side of the electrical system above the charger 10 consumes the reactive power of the charger 10. By consuming the reactive power, the outflow of reactive power to the upstream system side above the power distribution substation 50 is suppressed.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the charging system 100 of this embodiment includes a distribution line 40 connected to a power grid through which AC power flows, a distribution substation 50 located on the distribution line 40, a transmission line 41 connected to a higher-level system than the distribution substation 50 through which power flows, a charger 10 connected to the distribution line 40 and capable of charging and discharging, a regulating device 20 connected to the higher-level system than the charger 10 on the distribution line 40, an electric vehicle 60 powered by electricity, a transmitting means (transmitting unit) 30 that acquires and transmits charging information from the charger 10 that charges and discharges the electric vehicle 60, and a receiving means 21 that receives the charging information transmitted by the transmitting means 30.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the transmission line 41 upstream of the distribution substation 50 consists of a transmission line with a voltage of 66kV. The distribution substation 50 is a transformer that transforms the voltage from 66kV to 6.6kV.

[0022] The charger 10 is a device for charging the secondary battery mounted on the electric vehicle 60. The charger 10 in this embodiment is a so-called rapid charger that is supplied with AC power of, for example, 50kW or 150kW. The charger 10 has an inverter that converts the AC power supplied from the power distribution line 40 into DC power. The charger 10 charges the secondary battery mounted on the electric vehicle 60 with the converted DC power. In this embodiment, the charger 10 is configured to supply reactive power Q corresponding to the active power P consumed to the power distribution line 40 in order to suppress voltage fluctuations in the power distribution line 40 during charging. When charging is controlled with a constant power factor of θ (for example, θ = 0.9), the absolute value of the reactive power Q is calculated by the following formula (1). In this embodiment, the power factor θ is a leading power factor with respect to the electrical system. By using a leading power factor, the voltage drop in the power distribution line 40 due to the flow of active power P is suppressed.

[0023]

number

[0024] The transmitting means 30 shown in Figure 1 acquires charging information, including the charging start and end signals of the charger 10, and the active power P and reactive power Q during charging. The acquired charging information is transmitted to the receiving means 21 via wireless communication or the like.

[0025] The adjustment device 20 acquires the charging information of the charger 10 received by the receiving means 21. The adjustment device 20 is composed of a charger or storage battery that can adjust reactive power and consume power, similar to the charging unit. However, in this embodiment, unlike the charging unit, it is configured to supply / consume only reactive power. Based on the acquired charging information, the adjustment device 20 consumes the reactive power Q generated when the charger 10 is charging. Therefore, the reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10 to the distribution line 40 is not supplied to the higher-level system side along arrow DR1 (the thin dashed line shown in Figure 1) from the distribution substation 50, but is supplied to the adjustment device 20. As a result, in the distribution line 40, the reactive power Q supplied from the charger 10 is supplied along with the active power P supplied to the charger 10 between the connection point of the charger 10 and the connection point of the adjustment device 20, thus suppressing voltage fluctuations in the distribution line 40. The adjustment device 20 is connected to the distribution line 40 near the distribution substation 50. Because the connection point of the adjustment device 20 to the distribution line 40 is near the distribution substation 50, the distance between the connection point of the adjustment device 20, through which active power P flows, and the distribution substation 50 is reduced. In other words, the distance over which active power P flows alone without reactive power Q is reduced. Furthermore, because the distribution line 40 near the distribution substation 50 has a larger diameter, i.e., lower electrical resistance, the voltage drop in the distribution line 40 between the connection point of the adjustment device 20 and the distribution substation 50 is reduced even when only active power is flowing. Note that the adjustment device 20 and the receiving means 21 in this embodiment correspond to the reactive power adjustment unit. In the block diagrams of the charging system shown in Figures 1 and 2 and thereafter, the magnitude of the power is represented by the thickness of the lines.

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the comparative example charging system 100x. The comparative example charging system 100x differs from the charging system 100 of the first embodiment in that it does not have an adjustment device 20, a transmitting means 30, and a receiving means 21. In the comparative example, because the adjustment device 20 is absent, when the charger 10 is charged, the reactive power Q supplied from the charger 10 to the distribution line 40 flows upstream to the distribution substation 50 along arrow DR1. As a result, in the comparative example charging system 100x, there is a risk of voltage fluctuations in the upstream system of the distribution line 40.

[0027] Figures 3 and 4 are flowcharts of the control method for the charging system 100 in the first embodiment. Figure 3 shows the control flow of the charger 10. Figure 4 shows the control flow of the adjustment device 20. In the control flow of the charger 10 shown in Figure 3, first, the transmitting means 30 determines whether charging of the charger 10 has started (step S1). If it is determined that charging has not started (step S1: NO), it waits for charging to start. If it is determined that charging has started (step S1: YES), the transmitting means 30 acquires the charging start signal and the active power P and reactive power Q of the charger 10 during charging as charging information for the charger 10 (step S2). The transmitting means 30 transmits the acquired charging information to the receiving means 21 (step S3). The transmitting means 30 determines whether charging of the charger 10 that is currently charging has finished (step S4). If it is determined that charging has not finished (step S4: NO), the process from step S2 onwards is repeated. If it is determined that charging is complete (step S4: YES), the transmitting means 30 acquires a signal that charging is complete and transmits it to the receiving means 21 (step S5), and the control flow of the charger 10 ends.

[0028] In the control flow of the adjustment device 20 shown in Figure 4, the receiving means 21 determines whether or not it has received charging information from the transmitting means 30 (step S11). If it is determined that charging information has not been received (step S11: NO), it waits for the charging information to be received. If it is determined that charging information has been transmitted (step S11: YES), the adjustment device 20 starts consuming reactive power Q based on the charging information obtained via the receiving means 21 (step S12). In this embodiment, the adjustment device 20 consumes the same amount of power as the reactive power Q.

[0029] The receiving means 21 determines whether it has received a signal from the transmitting means 30 indicating that the charger 10 is finished charging (step S13). If it is determined that the charge completion signal has not been received (step S13: NO), the adjustment device 20 continues to consume the reactive power Q (step S12). In the process shown in Figure 13, if it is determined that the charge completion signal has been received (step S13: YES), the adjustment device 20 stops consuming the reactive power Q (step S14), and the control flow of the adjustment device 20 ends.

[0030] As described above, in the charging system 100 of this embodiment, the adjustment device 20, which is connected to the upstream system side of the charger 10 in the power distribution line 40, acquires charging information of the charger 10 that charges and discharges the electric vehicle 60. Based on the acquired charging information, the adjustment device 20 consumes the reactive power Q generated when the charger 10 is charging. As a result, the reactive power flowing to the upstream system side of the point where the adjustment device 20 is connected to the power distribution line 40 is reduced. As a result, voltage fluctuations on the upstream system side are suppressed, and since there is no need to reinforce the system equipment, the reinforcement of the electrical system can be avoided.

[0031] <First modified example of the first embodiment> Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram of a charging system 100a of the first modified example of the first embodiment. The first modified charging system 100a differs significantly from the charging system 100 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 in that the onboard charger (charging unit) 10a mounted on the electric vehicle 60a has a function to adjust the reactive power Q. Therefore, the different configurations and controls from the first embodiment will be described, and the same configurations and controls will be omitted.

[0032] As shown in Figure 5, the charging system 100a comprises a charger 11, which is a replacement for the charger 10 of the first embodiment, a transmitting means 30a, and an electric vehicle 60a. The charger 11 does not have a function to adjust reactive power Q and does not perform rapid charging. The charger 11 is a so-called ordinary charger. The electric vehicle 60a comprises an on-board charger (charging unit) 10a and a storage battery 61 which consists of a secondary battery for storing power. The on-board charger 10a shown in this embodiment is configured to have a function to adjust reactive power Q, similar to the charger 10 of the first embodiment. Therefore, AC active power P is supplied to the on-board charger 10a from the power distribution line 40 via the charger 11, following the flow of arrow DR2. The AC active power P is converted to DC power P by the on-board charger 10a and supplied to the storage battery 61. The onboard charger 10a receives active AC power P and, as indicated by arrow DR3, supplies reactive AC power Q to the distribution line 40 via the charger 11. Note that the charger described in this embodiment is a standard charger and is connected to a 100-200V distribution line. In Figure 5, the pole-mounted transformer (for converting from 6.6kV to 100-200V) installed between the 6.6kV distribution line 40 and the charger is omitted.

[0033] The transmitting means 30 detects the reactive power Q supplied to the charger 11 and transmits charging information including the detected reactive power Q to the receiving means 21. The adjustment device 20 acquires the charging information received by the receiving means 21 and consumes the reactive power Q supplied by the onboard charger 10a. As a result, the inflow of reactive power Q along arrow DR1 into the higher-level system is suppressed. Thus, the onboard charger 10a mounted on the electric vehicle 60a may also be equipped with a function to adjust the reactive power Q.

[0034] <Second variation of the first embodiment> Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of the charging system 100b of the second modification of the first embodiment. In the charging system 100b of the second modification of the first embodiment, the transmitting means 30b is configured as an electric vehicle 60b, which is different from the charging system 100a of the first modification. Therefore, in the second modification, the transmitting means 30b which is different from that of the first modification will be described, and the description of the same configuration as the first modification will be omitted.

[0035] As shown in Figure 6, the second modified electric vehicle 60b includes an onboard charger 10a, a storage battery 61, and a transmitting means 30b for acquiring charging information of the onboard charger 10a. The transmitting means 30b transmits charging information, including information on the reactive power Q supplied by the onboard charger 10a, to the receiving means 21 via wireless communication. The adjustment device 20 consumes the reactive power Q from the power distribution line 40 based on the charging information received by the receiving means 21. Thus, the transmitting means 30b for transmitting charging information to the receiving means 21 may be included in the configuration of the electric vehicle 60b.

[0036] <Third Modification of the First Embodiment> Figure 7 is a schematic block diagram of a third modified charging system 100c of the first embodiment. The third modified charging system 100c of the first embodiment differs significantly from the charging system 100 of the first embodiment in that the adjustment device 20c supplies reactive power Q when the charger 10 discharges active power P. Therefore, in the third modified embodiment, the control and other aspects that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and the description of the control and other aspects that are the same as in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0037] As shown in Figure 7, in the third modified charging system 100c, the electric vehicle 60 discharges DC power P, and the charger 10 discharges AC active power P and consumes AC reactive power Q. The magnitude of the consumed reactive power Q is calculated using the active power P as shown in equation (1) above, given the power factor θ. When the charger 10 is discharging, the power factor θ is set to a lagging power factor with respect to the electrical system. By setting a lagging power factor, the voltage rise in the distribution line 40 due to the reverse flow of active power P is suppressed.

[0038] The transmitting means 30c transmits discharge information, including the start of discharge from the charger 10, the active power P, and the reactive power Q, to the receiving means 21c. The adjusting device 20c supplies the reactive power Q to the power distribution line 40 based on the reactive power Q included in the discharge information.

[0039] As described above, the charger 10 of the third modification of the first embodiment discharges AC active power P and consumes AC reactive power Q. The adjustment device 20c supplies reactive power Q to the distribution line 40 based on the reactive power Q included in the discharge information. As a result, the reactive power supplied from the upstream system side above the adjustment device 20c is reduced, voltage fluctuations in the upstream system are suppressed, and reinforcement of system equipment becomes unnecessary.

[0040] <Fourth variation of the first embodiment> Figures 8 and 9 are schematic block diagrams of the charging system 100d of the fourth modified example of the first embodiment. The charging system 100d of the fourth modified example differs significantly from the charging system 100 of the first embodiment in that the adjustment device 20d has the function of adjusting the power factor θ. Therefore, in the fourth modified example, the configurations and controls that differ from those of the first embodiment will be described, and the descriptions of the same configurations and controls will be omitted.

[0041] Figure 8 shows the state before the power factor θ is adjusted by the adjustment device 20d. Figure 9 shows the state after the power factor θ is adjusted by the adjustment device 20d. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the fourth modified charging system 100d includes a high-voltage consumer 70 equipped with an adjustment device 20d. The high-voltage consumer 70 is, for example, a factory that receives a large amount of electricity from a distribution line 40. The high-voltage consumer 70 includes an adjustment device 20d that has a power factor θ adjustment function, a receiving means 21d, and a load 71 such as a machine tool that consumes electricity to drive.

[0042] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, when the charger 10 is being charged, active power P is supplied to the charger 10, and reactive power Q is supplied from the charger 10 to the distribution line 40. Also, as shown in Figure 8, before power factor adjustment, the active power P consumed by the load 71 is supplied to the high-voltage consumer 70. FA0 A power supply is provided, and reactive power Q is supplied from the high-voltage consumer 70. FA0 This is supplied to the distribution line 40. As a result, upstream of the distribution substation 50, there is reactive power Q from the charger 10 and reactive power Q from the high-voltage consumer 70. FA0 The sum of the above flows in. In contrast, the adjustment device 20d of the fourth modified example adjusts the power factor of the high-voltage consumer 70, thereby supplying reactive power Q from the high-voltage consumer 70 to the distribution line 40. FA0 Change it.

[0043] As shown in Figure 9, after power factor adjustment, the reactive power supplied from the high-voltage consumer 70 to the distribution line 40 by the power factor adjustment of the adjustment device 20d is Q FA0 From Q FA1 This has decreased. As a result, the reactive power Q of the charger 10 supplied to the area above the distribution substation 50 and the reactive power Q of the high-voltage consumer 70 have decreased. FA1 The sum of these decreases. As a result, voltage fluctuations in the power distribution system above the distribution substation 50 are suppressed.

[0044] <Second Embodiment> Figures 10 and 11 are schematic block diagrams of the charging system 100e of the second embodiment. The charging system 100e of the second embodiment differs significantly from the charging system 100 of the first embodiment in that the adjustment device 20e determines whether or not to consume reactive power Q according to the direction in which the reactive power detected by the sensor (detection unit) 75 is supplied. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the configuration and control, etc., which differ from those of the first embodiment will be described, and the description of the configuration and control, etc., which are the same as those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0045] As shown in Figure 10, the charging system 100e of the second embodiment further includes a sensor (first detection unit) 75 that detects the direction and magnitude of reactive power. By adding the sensor 75, even when the distribution line 40 to which the charging system 100e is connected contains a reactive power source such as a solar power generation device (hereinafter also simply referred to as "PV") 80, as shown in Figure 10, the amount of reactive power flowing to the higher-level system can be reduced. The PV 80 is connected in the distribution line 40 downstream of the adjustment device 20e. The sensor 75 detects the direction and magnitude of the reactive power flowing at the location in the distribution line 40 where the adjustment device 20e is connected. Therefore, the sensor 75 can determine whether the reactive power is supplied from the distribution substation 50 or whether reactive power is being supplied to the distribution substation 50. The detected value from the sensor 75 is transmitted to the adjustment device 20e. Figure 10 shows a state where the charger 10 is performing rapid charging and the PV80 is not generating power. On the other hand, Figure 11 shows a state where the charger 10 is performing rapid charging and the PV80 is generating power. Hereafter, at the point where the adjustment device 20e is connected to the distribution line 40, the direction of power flowing from the distribution substation 50 to the charger 10 side (downstream side) will be referred to as forward power flow, and the direction of power flowing from the charger 10 to the distribution substation 50 side (upstream side) will be referred to as reverse power flow.

[0046] The adjustment device 20e according to the second embodiment acquires charging information of the charger 10, and determines whether to consume reactive power Q according to the direction in which the reactive power detected by the sensor 75 flows. In a state where the PV 80 shown in FIG. 10 is not generating power, the adjustment device 20e consumes the reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10 during charging in the same manner as in the first embodiment. As a result, the inflow of reversely-flowing reactive power Q is suppressed.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 11, currently widely popularized PV 80 is controlled at a constant power factor to suppress voltage fluctuation during reverse power flow. Therefore, in a state where the PV 80 is generating power, active power P is supplied from the PV 80 to the distribution line 40 PV , and the PV 80 consumes reactive power Q PV . When the reactive power Q consumed by the PV 80 PV is larger than the reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10, forward-flowing reactive power ΔQ (=Q PV -Q) is detected by the sensor 75 as shown in FIG. 11. That is, the sensor 75 detects the flow direction of the reactive power ΔQ and the magnitude of the reactive power ΔQ. When forward-flowing reactive power ΔQ is detected, the adjustment device 20e according to the second embodiment stands by without consuming reactive power from the distribution line 40. On the other hand, when the reactive power Q consumed by the PV 80 PV is smaller than the reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10, reversely-flowing reactive power ΔQ (=Q-Q PV ) is detected by the sensor 75. In this case, the adjustment device 20e consumes the reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75. This suppresses the inflow of reactive power ΔQ to the distribution substation 50. In the state shown in FIG. 11, whether the adjustment device 20e consumes reactive power ΔQ changes according to the magnitude of the reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75. Therefore, FIG. 11 shows, as an example, a state where the adjustment device 20e does not consume reactive power ΔQ.

[0048] Figure 12 is a flowchart of the control method for the adjustment device 20e in the second embodiment. In the control flow of the adjustment device 20e shown in Figure 12, the receiving means 21 determines whether or not it has received charging information from the transmitting means 30 (step S21). If it is determined that charging information has not been received (step S21: NO), it waits for the reception of charging information. If it is determined that charging information has been received (step S21: YES), the adjustment device 20e determines whether or not the direction of flow of the reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75 is reverse flow (step S22). If it is determined that the direction of flow of the reactive power ΔQ is not reverse flow (step S22: NO), the process from step S21 onwards is repeated.

[0049] If it is determined in step S22 that the direction of the reactive power ΔQ flow is reverse current (step S22: YES), the adjustment device 20e determines the magnitude of the reactive power ΔQ to be consumed (step S23). If the reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75 is greater than or equal to the reactive power Q of the charger 10, the adjustment device 20e determines the amount of reactive power ΔQ to be consumed to be the same as the amount of reactive power Q of the charger 10. If the reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75 is less than the reactive power Q of the charger 10, the adjustment device 20e determines the amount of reactive power ΔQ to be consumed to be the same as the amount of reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75. Subsequently, the receiving means 21 determines whether or not it has received the charging completion information for the charging charger 10 that is currently charging, which is transmitted from the transmitting means 30 (step S24). If it is determined that the charging completion information has not been received (step S24: NO), it waits for the charging completion information to be received. If it is determined that charging completion information has been received (step S24: YES), the adjustment device 20e terminates the consumption of reactive power (step S25), and the control flow of the adjustment device 20e ends.

[0050] As described above, the sensor 75 of the second embodiment detects the direction of reactive power flow at the location where the adjustment device 20e is connected in the power distribution line 40. When the detected direction of reactive power flow is reverse power flow, the adjustment device 20e consumes the detected reactive power ΔQ. In the second embodiment, the consumption of reactive power by the adjustment device 20e is determined according to the direction of reactive power flow at the location where the adjustment device 20e is connected to the power distribution line 40. If a reactive power source such as a PV80 that consumes reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10 during charging is connected to the power distribution line 40, the reactive power is consumed by the reactive power source. In this embodiment, the presence or absence of power consumption by the adjustment device 20e is switched according to the direction of reactive power flow ΔQ. Therefore, even if a reactive power source such as a PV80 is connected to the power distribution line 40, the amount of reactive power flowing to the higher-level system can be reduced compared to when this control is not performed. As a result, it is possible to contribute to reducing transmission losses and extending the lifespan of power transmission equipment. If the distribution line 40 has a reactive power source such as PV80, and the control is performed as in the first embodiment, the charger 10 will supply reactive power Q when charging active power, and the same amount of reactive power Q will be consumed by the adjustment device 20e. However, if PV80 is also generating power as shown in Figure 11, the reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10 will actually be consumed by PV80. As a result, the reactive power supplied from the upstream of the distribution substation 50 will be QQ. PV -Q=-Q PV As a result, the amount becomes the same as when the charger 10 is not charging. By performing the control of the second embodiment, the adjustment device 20e no longer consumes reactive power Q. As a result, the reactive power supplied from the upstream of the distribution substation 50 is QQ PV This allows for a reduction compared to the first embodiment. As a result, it can contribute to reducing transmission losses and extending the lifespan of transmission equipment by reducing the load on the equipment.

[0051] <First modified example of the second embodiment> Figures 13 and 14 are schematic block diagrams of the charging system 100f of the first modified example of the second embodiment. In the charging system 100f of the first modified example of the second embodiment, the control of the adjustment device 20f when the charger 10 is discharging differs significantly from that of the charging system 100e of the second embodiment. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, a storage battery 81 is provided as an inactive power source other than the charging system 100f. Therefore, in the first modified example of the second embodiment, the configuration and control etc. that differ from the second embodiment will be described, and the description of the configuration and control etc. that are the same as the second embodiment will be omitted.

[0052] Figure 13 shows a state in which the charger 10 is discharging and the storage battery 81 is neither charging nor discharging. In the state shown in Figure 13, the sensor 75 detects the flow of reactive power Q in the forward current. The adjustment device 20f acquires the discharge information transmitted from the transmitting means 30c to the receiving means 21c and the direction of the flow of reactive power Q detected by the sensor 75. In this case, the adjustment device 20f supplies the same amount of reactive power Q to the distribution line 40 as the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10.

[0053] Figure 14 shows the state in which the charger 10 is discharging and the storage battery 81 is charging. In this first modified example, the storage battery 81 is described as a device controlled with a constant power factor. That is, when the storage battery 81 is charging, it supplies reactive power proportional to the power being charged. This is intended to suppress voltage fluctuations in the power distribution line 40 due to the charging of the storage battery 81. As shown in Figure 14, the storage battery 81 supplies reactive power P BT It charges the reactive power Q BT The direction and magnitude of the reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75 are determined by the reactive power Q supplied by the battery 81. BT It changes depending on the reactive power Q supplied by the battery 81. BT If the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10 is greater than or equal to the reactive power Q, the sensor 75 determines that the direction of the reactive power flow is reverse and the magnitude is ΔQ (=Q BT The reactive power of -Q) is detected. In this case, the regulator 20f remains on standby without supplying the reactive power to the distribution line 40. Meanwhile, the reactive power Q supplied by the storage battery 81 is detected.BT If the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10 is smaller than the reactive power Q, the sensor 75 determines that the direction of the reactive power flow is forward and the magnitude is ΔQ (=QQ). BT The reactive power of the sensor 75 is detected. In this case, the adjustment device 20f supplies the reactive power ΔQ. Note that in the state shown in Figure 14, the presence or absence of reactive power ΔQ supplied by the adjustment device 20f changes depending on the magnitude of the reactive power ΔQ detected by the sensor 75. Therefore, Figure 14 shows an example of a state in which the adjustment device 20f does not supply reactive power ΔQ.

[0054] As described above, the sensor 75 of the first modified example of the second embodiment detects the direction of reactive power ΔQ flow at the location where the adjustment device 20e is connected to the power distribution line 40 during discharge of the charger 10. If the detected direction of reactive power ΔQ is forward power flow, the adjustment device 20e supplies reactive power. On the other hand, if the detected direction of reactive power ΔQ is reverse power flow, the adjustment device 20e does not supply or consume reactive power. In the second embodiment, the supply of reactive power by the adjustment device 20e is determined according to the direction of reactive power ΔQ flowing at the location where the adjustment device 20e is connected to the power distribution line 40. If a reactive power source such as a storage battery 81 that supplies the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10 during discharge is connected to the power distribution line 40, the reactive power is supplied by the reactive power source. In the second embodiment, the presence or absence of power consumption by the adjustment device 20e is switched according to the direction of reactive power ΔQ flow. Therefore, even if a reactive power source such as a battery 81 is connected to the distribution line 40, the amount of reactive power flowing through the upstream system can be reduced compared to when this control is not performed. As a result, it can contribute to reducing transmission losses and extending the lifespan of transmission equipment.

[0055] Furthermore, the sensor 75 of the second embodiment also detects the magnitude of the reactive power ΔQ flowing at the point where the adjustment device 20e is connected to the power distribution line 40. The adjustment device 20e detects the reactive power Q generated by a reactive power source such as PV80. PVWhen power is consumed from the distribution line 40, the amount of reactive power consumed is changed based on the direction and magnitude of the detected reactive power ΔQ. Specifically, as in the second embodiment, when the charger 10 is charging, if the direction of the detected reactive power ΔQ is reverse current and the magnitude of the detected reactive power ΔQ is less than or equal to the reactive power Q supplied from the charger 10, the adjustment device 20e consumes the detected reactive power ΔQ. On the other hand, if the direction of the detected reactive power ΔQ is reverse current and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power Q supplied from the charger 10, the adjustment device 20e consumes the reactive power Q. On the other hand, as in the first modified example of the second embodiment, when the charger 10 is discharging, if the direction of the detected reactive power ΔQ is forward current and the magnitude of the detected reactive power ΔQ is less than or equal to the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10, the adjustment device 20e supplies the detected reactive power ΔQ. On the other hand, if the direction of the detected reactive power is forward flow and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10, the adjustment device 20e supplies the reactive power Q. In the second embodiment and the first modified example of the second embodiment, in addition to the direction of flow of the reactive power ΔQ at the location where the adjustment device 20e is connected to the distribution line 40, the magnitude of the flowing reactive power ΔQ is detected. Reactive power Q supplied or consumed by reactive power sources such as PV80 and storage batteries 81 connected to the distribution line 40. PV Q BT This varies depending on the operating status and specifications of the reactive power source. Therefore, the adjustment device 20e supplies or consumes the difference in reactive power ΔQ according to the different supply power or consumption power depending on the reactive power source. This reduces the amount of reactive power flowing through the upstream system compared to when this control is not performed. As a result, it can contribute to reducing transmission losses and extending the lifespan of transmission equipment.

[0056] <Second modified example of the second embodiment> In the second modification of the second embodiment, compared to the second embodiment, the direction and magnitude of the active power flow are detected by the sensor 75, and the control of the adjustment device 20e to consume active power according to the detected direction and magnitude of the active power is different. The sensor 75 of the second modification detects the direction and magnitude of the active power flowing at the location where the adjustment device 20e is connected to the power distribution line 40. When the direction of the active power flow with magnitude detected by the sensor 75 is the direction of forward power flow, the adjustment device 20e determines whether the detected active power is equal to or greater than the active power P supplied to the charger 10 during charging. If the adjustment device 20e determines that the detected active power is less than the active power P supplied to the charger 10, it supplies the active power detected by the sensor 75. On the other hand, if the adjustment device 20e determines that the detected active power is equal to or greater than the active power P supplied to the charger 10, it supplies the active power P supplied to the charger 10. If the direction of the active power detected by the sensor 75 is reverse power flow, the adjustment device 20e will not supply or consume active power, regardless of the magnitude of the active power detected by the sensor 75.

[0057] <Third Embodiment> Figure 15 is a schematic block diagram of the charging system 100g of the third embodiment. The charging system 100g of the third embodiment differs significantly from the charging system 100 of the first embodiment in that it includes a plurality of adjustment devices 22 to 25 and an aggregation device (aggregation unit) 90 that determines which adjustment devices 22 and 23 consume reactive power from among the plurality of adjustment devices 22 to 25. Therefore, in the third embodiment, the configuration and control etc. that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and the description of the configuration and control etc. that are the same as the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0058] As shown in Figure 15, the charging system 100g of the third embodiment includes a plurality of adjustment devices 22-25 and an aggregation device 90 that controls the reactive power consumed by the adjustment devices 22-25. Figure 15 shows four of the adjustment devices 22-25 as part of the plurality of adjustment devices.

[0059] Each of the adjustment devices 22 to 25 includes a receiving unit 22R to 25R that receives a reactive power consumption instruction transmitted from the aggregation device 90, and a transmitting unit 22S to 25S that transmits current device information (adjustment unit information) to the aggregation device 90. The device information transmitted by the transmitting units 22S to 25S includes the reactive power that the adjustment devices 22 to 25 can consume and the time period during which the reactive power can be consumed. Each of the adjustment devices 22 to 25 consumes a determined amount of reactive power according to the consumption instruction transmitted from the aggregation device 90.

[0060] As shown in Figure 15, the aggregation device 90 includes a selection unit (determination unit) 91 that selects adjustment devices 22-25 that consume reactive power, a communication unit 92 that sends and receives various information with the adjustment devices 22-25 and the transmission means 30, and a storage device 93 that stores various information. The communication unit 92 receives device information transmitted from the adjustment devices 22-25 and transmits consumption instructions to the adjustment devices 22-25. The communication unit 92 also receives charging information of the charger 10 during charging from the transmission means 30.

[0061] The storage device 93 includes a list database (list DB) 94 that stores information about the power distribution substation 50 and the power distribution lines 40, a location database (location DB) 95 that stores location information of the power distribution substation 50, and a device database (device DB) 96 that stores device information transmitted from the adjustment devices 22 to 25.

[0062] List DB94 stores information about the distribution substation 50 that supplies power to the adjustment devices 22-25, the distribution lines 40 to which the adjustment devices 22-25 are connected, and the location information of the adjustment devices 22-25. Location DB95 stores the location information of the distribution substation 50. Although Figure 15 shows the distribution substation 50 and distribution lines 40 as an example, there are multiple distribution substations and distribution lines that are not shown. Information about these distribution substations and distribution lines is also stored in List DB94 and Location DB95. Device DB96 stores and updates the device information transmitted at predetermined intervals. In addition, List DB94 also has the same information about the charger 10 as it does about the adjustment devices 22-25. In other words, List DB94 has information about the distribution substation 50 that supplies power, the distribution lines 40 to which it is connected, and the connection location of the charger 10.

[0063] The selection unit 91 extracts adjustment devices that are supplied with power from the same power distribution substation 50 and connected to the same power distribution line 40, based on various information stored in each DB 94 to 96 of the storage device 93, charging information transmitted from the transmission means 30, and location information of the charger 10. In this case, adjustment devices 22 to 25 are extracted. Using the device information transmitted from adjustment devices 22 to 25, the selection unit 91 selects the adjustment devices 22 to 25 that consume reactive power. The selection unit 91 calculates the amount of reactive power consumed by the selected adjustment devices 22 to 25.

[0064] Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the selection of adjustment devices 22-25 and the calculation of reactive power consumption by the selection unit 91. The selection unit 91 uses the charging information of the charger 10 transmitted from the transmission means 30 to identify the reactive power Q consumed by the adjustment devices 22-25 and the adjustment devices connected to the same power distribution line 40 as the charger 10 (step S31). The selection unit 91 uses the device information stored in the device DB 96 to extract candidate adjustment devices 22-25 that can consume reactive power (step S32). The selection unit 91 refers to the time periods during which the adjustment devices 22-25 can consume reactive power and extracts candidate adjustment devices 22-25.

[0065] The selection unit 91 uses the location information of the distribution substation 50 and the location information of the adjustment devices 22-25 to assign priority to the adjustment devices 22-25 extracted as candidates, starting with those closest to the distribution substation 50 (step S33). If there are multiple adjustment devices 22-25 located at the same distance from the distribution substation 50, the selection unit 91 assigns higher priority to the adjustment devices 22-25 with larger dissipable reactive power. In other embodiments, priority may be determined based on factors other than the amount of dissipable reactive power, such as past reactive power consumption.

[0066] The selection unit 91 selects the adjustment devices 22 to 25 necessary to consume all of the reactive power Q of the charger 10 in order of priority (step S34). For example, if the reactive power Q is 200 and the reactive power that the high-priority adjustment devices 22 to 25 can consume is 100, 50, 120, 80, ... in that order, the three adjustment devices 100, 50, and 50 (100 + 50 + 50 = 200) are selected in order of priority.

[0067] The selection unit 91 calculates the reactive power consumed by each of the selected adjustment devices 22 to 25 (step S35). Calculation methods include, for example, apportioning the reactive power consumed by each of the selected adjustment devices 22 to 25, or allocating the maximum amount of reactive power that can be consumed in order of priority. In the apportionment method, each adjustment device 22 to 25 is adjusted so that its reactive power consumption is below the maximum amount it can consume. Once the reactive power consumed by each adjustment device 22 to 25 is calculated, the flow shown in Figure 16 is completed.

[0068] The communication unit 92 shown in Figure 15 transmits a consumption instruction to the two adjustment devices 22 and 23 selected by the selection unit 91, including the reactive power consumed by each adjustment device 22 and 23. Upon receiving the consumption instruction, each adjustment device 22 and 23 consumes reactive power according to the instruction.

[0069] Figure 17 is a flowchart of the reactive power consumption in the third embodiment. In the reactive power consumption flow shown in Figure 17, first, the aggregation device 90 receives charging information including the reactive power Q of the charger 10. The aggregation device 90 instructs each adjustment device 22 to 25 to transmit the current device information. Upon receiving the transmission instruction, each adjustment device 22 to 25 transmits device information to the aggregation device 90, including the available reactive power and the time period during which the reactive power can be consumed.

[0070] Upon receiving the device information, the selection unit 91 of the aggregation device 90 selects the regulators 22 and 23 that consume reactive power Q from among the multiple regulators 22 to 25, following the flow shown in Figure 16, and calculates the reactive power consumed by the selected regulators 22 and 23. The aggregation device 90 then sends a consumption instruction to the selected regulators 22 and 23 to consume the calculated reactive power.

[0071] When adjustment devices 22 and 23 that consume reactive power Q are selected, the aggregation device 90 receives charging information from the charger 10 at predetermined intervals, as shown in Figure 17. Based on the latest received charging information, the aggregation device 90 updates the consumption instructions to send to the adjustment devices 22 and 23. If the received charging information includes information that the charger 10 has finished charging, the aggregation device 90 sends a consumption instruction to the adjustment devices 22 and 23 that were consuming reactive power to terminate the consumption of reactive power, and the reactive power consumption flow ends.

[0072] As described above, the selection unit 91 of the aggregation device 90 in the third embodiment selects the adjustment devices 22 to 25 that consume reactive power using the location information of the adjustment devices 22 to 25 etc. stored in the list DB 94, the location information of the distribution substation 50 stored in the location DB 95, the charging information transmitted from the transmission means 30, and the device information transmitted from the adjustment devices 22 to 25. The selection unit 91 calculates the amount of reactive power to be consumed by the selected adjustment devices 22 and 23. The selected adjustment devices 22 and 23 consume the calculated reactive power according to the consumption instructions transmitted from the aggregation device 90. In the third embodiment, there are multiple adjustment devices 22 to 25 that can consume the reactive power Q supplied from the charger 10 during charging. The aggregation device 90 uses device information of multiple adjustment devices 22-25 and location information of distribution substations 50, etc., to determine which adjustment devices 22-25 consume reactive power Q and the reactive power consumed by each adjustment device 22-25. In the third embodiment, the adjustment devices 22-25 and their power consumption are determined in which the reactive power flowing in the reverse direction is further suppressed.

[0073] Furthermore, the selection unit 91 of the third embodiment uses the location information of the distribution substation 50 and the location information of the adjustment devices 22-25 to assign priority to the adjustment devices 22-25 extracted as candidates, starting with the adjustment devices 22-25 located closest to the distribution substation 50. The selection unit 91 selects the adjustment devices 22-25 necessary to consume all of the reactive power Q of the charger 10 in order of priority. In the third embodiment, among the multiple adjustment devices 22-25, the adjustment devices 22 and 23 connected to the distribution substation 50 are determined to be the adjustment units that consume the reactive power Q. The diameter of the distribution line 40 near the distribution substation 50 is large, that is, the electrical resistance is small. Therefore, in the third embodiment, the voltage change in the distribution line 40 between the location where the adjustment devices 22-25 are connected to the distribution line 40 and the distribution substation 50 can be reduced.

[0074] <First modified example of the third embodiment> In the first modified example of the third embodiment, when the adjustment devices 22-25 of the third embodiment are consuming reactive power according to consumption instructions from the aggregation device 90, they transmit device information to the aggregation device 90 when the time period changes to one in which they cannot consume reactive power. The selection unit 91 of the aggregation device 90, upon receiving the device information, updates the device information and selects the adjustment devices 22-25 that will now consume reactive power. Subsequently, the selection unit 91 calculates the reactive power to be consumed by the selected adjustment devices 22-25. The aggregation device 90 transmits the calculated reactive power consumption instructions to the selected adjustment devices 22-25, and the consumption of reactive power is resumed by the adjustment devices 22-25. Thus, the adjustment devices 22-25 may transmit device information to the aggregation device 90 as needed, even without receiving a transmission instruction from the aggregation device 90.

[0075] <Second modified example of the third embodiment> Figure 18 is a schematic block diagram of the charging system 100h of the second modification of the third embodiment. In the charging system 100h of the second modification of the third embodiment, the control of supplying reactive power Q from the adjustment devices 22-25 to the charger 10 during discharge is different from that of the charging system 100g of the third embodiment. Therefore, in the second modification of the third embodiment, the control etc. that differs from that of the third embodiment will be described, and the description of the control etc. that is the same as that of the third embodiment will be omitted.

[0076] The aggregation device 90h shown in Figure 18 receives discharge information including the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10 during discharge. The selection unit 91h of the aggregation device 90h, similar to the selection unit 91 of the third embodiment, selects the adjustment devices 22 to 25 that supply the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10 and calculates the amount of reactive power to be supplied by the selected adjustment devices 22 and 23. The aggregation device 90h transmits a supply instruction to the selected adjustment devices 22 and 23, including the reactive power to be supplied. Upon receiving the supply instruction, the adjustment devices 22 and 23 supply the instructed reactive power to the distribution line 40 via the distribution line 40.

[0077] As described above, in the second modified example of the third embodiment, the selection unit 91h of the aggregation device 90h selects adjustment devices 22 to 25 that supply the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10 during discharge, and calculates the amount of reactive power to be supplied by the selected adjustment devices 22 and 23. Upon receiving the supply instruction transmitted from the aggregation device 90h, the adjustment devices 22 and 23 supply the instructed reactive power to the distribution line 40 via the distribution line 40. In the second modified example, the aggregation device 90h selects from the plurality of adjustment devices 22 to 25 that supply the reactive power Q consumed by the charger 10 during discharge, and calculates the amount of reactive power to be supplied by each selected device. The selected adjustment devices supply the calculated reactive power to the distribution line 40. As a result, a reactive power adjustment unit and power consumption are determined that further suppresses the reactive power flowing in the reverse direction.

[0078] <Modified examples of embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from its spirit. For example, the following modifications are possible. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, some of the configurations implemented by hardware may be replaced with software, and conversely, some of the configurations implemented by software may be replaced with hardware.

[0079] In the first to third embodiments described above, a charging system 100 to 100h was described as an example. However, the charging system can be modified to the extent that the adjusting device consumes at least a portion of the reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10 to the power distribution line 40 during charging. For example, in the charging system 100 of the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, the adjusting device 20 may consume not all of the reactive power Q supplied from the charger 10, but only a portion. However, it is preferable that the adjusting device 20 consumes all of the reactive power Q.

[0080] In the second embodiment described above, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, an example was shown in which a power-generating PV80 is connected to the power distribution line 40. However, the power distribution line 40 may also be connected to a storage battery 81. In this case as well, the adjustment device 20e only needs to determine the amount of reactive power to supply or consume based on the detected values ​​(direction, size) of the sensor 75, which change according to the power generation state of the PV80 and the charge / discharge state of the storage battery 81. In addition to the charging start signal, active power, and reactive power, the charging information in the first and second embodiments described above may also include information on the connection location of the charger 10, similar to the charging information in the third embodiment described above. Examples of information on the connection location of the charger 10 include information on the power distribution substation 50 to which the charger 10 is supplied, information on the power distribution line 40 to which the charger 10 is connected, and information on the position where the charger 10 is connected on the power distribution line 40.

[0081] In the third embodiment described above, an example of how the selection unit 91 selects adjustment devices 22 and 23 from a plurality of adjustment devices 22 to 25 to consume reactive power Q was explained, but the method of selecting adjustment devices 22 and 23 can be modified. For example, they may be selected in such a way that the number of adjustment devices required to consume all of the reactive power Q supplied by the charger 10 is minimized. In other words, they may be selected in order from those with the most consuming reactive power. Also, adjustment devices that are closer to the distribution substation 50 may be preferentially selected within the range that satisfies the condition of minimizing the number of adjustment devices required to consume reactive power Q. Furthermore, adjustment devices may be selected so that the total amount of reactive power consumed by each adjustment device in the past is the same.

[0082] The method for calculating the amount of reactive power consumed by the selected adjustment device calculated by the selection unit 91 in the third embodiment described above can also be modified. The maximum amount of reactive power that can be consumed by the adjustment devices may be allocated sequentially, starting with the adjustment devices closest to the distribution substation 50.

[0083] The embodiments of this specification have been described above based on the embodiments and modifications described above. The embodiments described above are for the purpose of facilitating understanding of this specification and do not limit it. This specification may be modified and improved without departing from its spirit and the scope of the claims, and equivalents thereof are included in this specification. Furthermore, any technical features that are not described as essential in this specification may be deleted as appropriate.

[0084] The present invention can also be realized in the following forms. [Application Example 1] It is a charging system, A charging unit connected to a power distribution line and capable of being charged by AC power supplied from the said power distribution line, A transmitting unit that acquires charging information including reactive power supplied from the charging unit to the power distribution line during charging, and transmits the charging information, A reactive power adjustment unit connected upstream of the charging unit in the distribution line and receiving the charging information transmitted by the transmitting unit, the reactive power adjustment unit consumes at least a portion of the reactive power supplied from the charging unit during charging, A charging system equipped with this feature. [Application Example 2] The charging system described in Application Example 1, The charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line. The reactive power adjustment unit supplies at least a portion of the reactive power consumed by the charging unit during discharge to the charging unit, in a charging system. [Application Example 3] A charging system as described in Application Example 1 or Application Example 2, further, The reactive power adjustment unit includes a detection unit that detects the direction in which reactive power flows at the location where it is connected to the power distribution line. The reactive power adjustment unit, when the charging unit is charging, When the direction of the reactive power detected by the detection unit is reverse flow, at least a portion of the reactive power supplied by the charging unit is consumed. A charging system that, when the direction of reactive power detected by the detection unit is a smooth flow, does not supply or consume power via the power distribution line. [Application Example 4] A charging system described in any one of the application examples 1 to 3, The charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line. The reactive power adjustment unit, when the charging unit is discharging, When the direction of the reactive power detected by the detection unit is a smooth flow, at least a portion of the reactive power consumed by the charging unit is supplied. A charging system that, when the direction of reactive power detected by the detection unit is reverse current, does not supply or consume power via the power distribution line. [Application Example 5] A charging system described in any one of the application examples 1 to 4, The detection unit further detects the magnitude of the reactive power for which direction is detected, The reactive power adjustment unit is, When the reactive power detected during charging of the charging unit is in the reverse direction, and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is less than or equal to the reactive power supplied from the charging unit, the unit consumes the same amount of power as the detected reactive power. When the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power supplied from the charging unit, the unit consumes the same amount of power as the reactive power supplied from the charging unit. A charging system that, when the reactive power detected during the discharge of the charging unit is in the direction of forward power flow and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is less than or equal to the reactive power consumed by the charging unit, supplies the same amount of power as the detected reactive power; and when the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power consumed by the charging unit, supplies the same amount of power as the reactive power consumed by the charging unit. [Application Example 6] A charging system described in any one of Application Examples 1 to 5, The system comprises multiple reactive power adjustment units, The aforementioned charging system further, The charging unit includes an aggregation unit that determines the power consumed by each of the multiple reactive power adjustment units during charging, The aggregation unit is, A communication unit that receives the aforementioned charging information and also receives adjustment unit information regarding the charging and discharging of a plurality of the aforementioned reactive power adjustment units, A storage unit that stores connection position information on each of the distribution lines to which the multiple reactive power adjustment units are connected, and a distribution substation that supplies power to the multiple reactive power adjustment units. A determination unit that determines the power consumed by each of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units using the connection position information stored in the storage unit and the adjustment unit information received by the communication unit, A charging system equipped with this feature. [Application Example 7] A charging system described in any one of the application examples 1 to 6, The charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line. The determination unit determines the power supplied by each of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units when the charging unit is discharged, using the position information stored in the storage unit and the adjustment unit information received by the communication unit. [Application Example 8] A charging system described in any one of the application examples 1 to 7, A charging system in which the determination unit uses the location information to determine, among a plurality of reactive power adjustment units, to preferentially consume or supply reactive power from the reactive power adjustment unit that is connected to the location closest to the power distribution substation. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0085] 10...Charger (charging part) 10a…In-vehicle charger (charging part) 11…Charger 20, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20f, 22~25... Reactive power adjustment device (reactive power adjustment unit) 21, 21c, 21d... Receiving means (reactive power adjustment unit) 22R~25R...Receiver 22S~25S…Transmitter 30, 30a, 30b, 30c... Transmission means (transmitting unit) 40... Power distribution lines 41... Power transmission lines 50… Substation for power distribution 60,60a,60b…Electric vehicle 61... Storage battery 70…High-voltage consumers 71... Load 75...Sensor (detection unit) 80...PV 81... Storage battery 90,90h... Aggregation device (aggregation unit) 91,91h...Selection section (Decision section) 92... Communications Department 93…Storage device 100, 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d, 100e, 100f, 100g, 100h… Charging system 94...List Database 95…Location Database 96...Device Database DR1, DR1a, DR2, DR3… (arrows) Q: Reactive power of charger P...Effective power of the charger

Claims

1. It is a charging system, A charging unit connected to a power distribution line and capable of being charged by AC power supplied from the said power distribution line, A transmitting unit that acquires charging information including reactive power supplied from the charging unit to the power distribution line during charging, and transmits the charging information, A reactive power adjustment unit connected upstream of the charging unit in the distribution line and receiving the charging information transmitted by the transmitting unit, the reactive power adjustment unit consumes at least a portion of the reactive power supplied from the charging unit during charging, A charging system equipped with this feature.

2. A charging system according to claim 1, The charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line. The reactive power adjustment unit supplies at least a portion of the reactive power consumed by the charging unit during discharge to the charging unit, in a charging system.

3. A charging system according to claim 1, further, The reactive power adjustment unit includes a detection unit that detects the direction in which reactive power flows at the location where it is connected to the power distribution line. The reactive power adjustment unit, when the charging unit is charging, When the direction of the reactive power detected by the detection unit is reverse flow, at least a portion of the reactive power supplied by the charging unit is consumed. A charging system that, when the direction of reactive power detected by the detection unit is a smooth flow, does not supply or consume power via the power distribution line.

4. A charging system according to claim 3, The charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line. The reactive power adjustment unit, when the charging unit is discharging, When the direction of the reactive power detected by the detection unit is a smooth flow, at least a portion of the reactive power consumed by the charging unit is supplied. A charging system that, when the direction of reactive power detected by the detection unit is reverse current, does not supply or consume power via the power distribution line.

5. A charging system according to claim 4, The detection unit further detects the magnitude of the reactive power for which direction is detected, The reactive power adjustment unit is, When the reactive power detected during charging of the charging unit is in the reverse direction, and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is less than or equal to the reactive power supplied from the charging unit, the unit consumes the same amount of power as the detected reactive power. When the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power supplied from the charging unit, the unit consumes the same amount of power as the reactive power supplied from the charging unit. A charging system that, when the reactive power detected during the discharge of the charging unit is in the direction of forward power flow and the magnitude of the detected reactive power is less than or equal to the reactive power consumed by the charging unit, supplies the same amount of power as the detected reactive power; and when the magnitude of the detected reactive power is greater than the reactive power consumed by the charging unit, supplies the same amount of power as the reactive power consumed by the charging unit.

6. A charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The system comprises multiple reactive power adjustment units, The aforementioned charging system further, The charging unit includes an aggregation unit that determines the power consumed by each of the multiple reactive power adjustment units during charging, The aggregation unit is, A communication unit that receives the aforementioned charging information and also receives adjustment unit information regarding the charging and discharging of a plurality of the aforementioned reactive power adjustment units, A storage unit that stores connection position information on each of the distribution lines to which the multiple reactive power adjustment units are connected, and a distribution substation that supplies power to the multiple reactive power adjustment units. A determination unit that determines the power consumed by each of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units using the connection position information stored in the storage unit and the adjustment unit information received by the communication unit, A charging system equipped with this feature.

7. A charging system according to claim 6, The charging unit is capable of discharging AC power to the power distribution line. A charging system in which, when the charging unit is discharged, the determination unit determines the power to be supplied by each of the plurality of reactive power adjustment units using the connection position information stored in the storage unit and the adjustment unit information received by the communication unit.

8. A charging system according to claim 7, A charging system in which the determination unit uses the location information to determine, among a plurality of reactive power adjustment units, to preferentially consume or supply reactive power from the reactive power adjustment unit that is connected to the location closest to the power distribution substation.

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