Charging management method and charging management system

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of the charging process. [Solution] In a system comprising multiple chargers that charge an object to be charged using power supplied from a power grid, the system monitors the power demand value and controls the on / off switching of the current supplied to each charger based on the monitoring result of the demand value and the upper limit, so that the demand value does not exceed a predetermined upper limit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging management method and a charging management system.

Background Art

[0002] For example, when charging a plurality of charging targets (such as electric construction machines and electric vehicles) at a construction site, chargers and power supplies corresponding to the charging targets are prepared, and workers perform charging individually. When charging is performed with a plurality of chargers at the same time in this way, the impact on demand is large, and there is a risk of exceeding the contracted power amount. Accordingly, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that enables power adjustment of a plurality of chargers so as not to exceed the contracted power.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As described above, when charging is performed with a plurality of chargers at the same time, there is a risk of exceeding the contracted power, and furthermore, since the amount of power used differs for each charger (for each charging target), workers have had to constantly check the charging status. In addition, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when the contracted power is about to be exceeded, the charging power is reduced, so there is a risk that each individual charging process may take time. Also in this case, workers had to perform charging switching operations.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to improve the work efficiency of charging operations.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The main invention for achieving the above objective is a charging management method in a system comprising multiple chargers that charge an object to be charged using power supplied from a power grid, characterized in that the system monitors the demand value of the power and controls the on / off switching of the current supplied to each charger based on the monitoring result of the demand value and the upper limit, so that the demand value does not exceed a predetermined upper limit.

[0007] Other features of the present invention will be revealed in the specification and drawings described below. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the efficiency of charging operations can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram about general charging management. [Figure 2] This is a conceptual diagram of the charging management system 1 of this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing an example configuration of the charging management system 1 of this embodiment. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of a functional block diagram of the control device 50. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of a charging management method using the charging management system 1 of this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating the control of charging. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The following information will become clear from the description in the specification and drawings described later.

[0011] (Aspect 1) A charging management method, in a system comprising a plurality of chargers that charge an object to be charged with power supplied from a power system, comprising: monitoring a demand value of the power; and controlling on / off of current flowing to each of the chargers based on a monitoring result of the demand value and a predetermined upper limit value so that the demand value does not exceed the upper limit value.

[0012] According to the charging management method of Aspect 1, the work efficiency of charging can be improved.

[0013] (Aspect 2) The charging management method according to Aspect 1, wherein when the contracted power is less than 500 kW, the upper limit value is desirably set automatically.

[0014] According to the charging management method of Aspect 2, when the contracted power is less than 500 kW, the maximum demand value in the past year is automatically set as the upper limit value, so there is no need to set the upper limit value.

[0015] (Aspect 3) The charging management method according to Aspect 1, wherein the order of turning on and off the current is desirably determined according to the charging priority of the plurality of chargers.

[0016] According to the charging management method of Aspect 3, charging can be performed in order from the one with higher priority.

[0017] (Aspect 4) The charging management method according to Aspect 1, wherein the on / off of the current is desirably switched automatically according to the charging priority of the plurality of chargers.

[0018] According to the charging management method of Aspect 4, it is possible to save the labor of workers handling the switching of charging.

[0019] (Aspect 5) The charging management method according to Aspect 3 or Aspect 4, wherein the charging priority may be determined based on the usage frequency of the object to be charged.

[0020] According to the charging management method of embodiment 5, charging of frequently used items can be prioritized.

[0021] (Aspect 6) A charging management method according to embodiment 3 or embodiment 4, wherein the charging priority may be determined based on the power consumption of the object to be charged.

[0022] According to the charging management method of embodiment 6, it is possible to prioritize charging of objects that consume a lot of power (for example, those with long charging times).

[0023] (Aspect 7) A charging management system comprising: a plurality of chargers that charge an object to be charged using power supplied from a power grid; a monitoring device that monitors the demand value of the power; a plurality of switches that turn the current supplied to each charger on and off; and a control device that controls the on / off state of each switch based on the monitoring results of the monitoring device and the upper limit so that the demand value does not exceed a predetermined upper limit.

[0024] According to the charging management system described in Embodiment 7, the efficiency of charging operations can be improved.

[0025] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same or equivalent components, members, etc., shown in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, in these embodiments, "connection" refers to a state of electrical connection unless otherwise specified.

[0026] ==Implementation Method=== <<Regarding charging management at construction sites>> Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of general charging management. Figure 1 shows the charging of multiple charging targets 30 used at a construction site (here, electric construction machinery 30A, 30B, electric vehicles 30C, 30D, and portable charging equipment 30E). Note that the amount of electricity used for charging differs for each of the electric construction machinery 30A, 30B, electric vehicles 30C, 30D, and portable charging equipment 30E.

[0027] Generally, when charging multiple objects 30 as shown in the diagram, a power supply (in this case, a power distribution panel 10) is prepared for each charger 20 for each object 30, and each object 30 is charged individually. In this embodiment, multiple power distribution panels 10 and chargers 20 are provided (five in this case). Hereafter, when distinguishing between these multiple devices, they may be referred to as power distribution panels 10A to 10E and chargers 20A to 20E. When not distinguishing between them, they may simply be referred to as power distribution panels 10 and chargers 20 (the same applies to the objects 30). Details of power distribution panels 10 and chargers 20 will be described later.

[0028] By the way, as shown in the diagram, charging multiple devices 30 at once has a significant impact on demand and may exceed the contracted power. Therefore, for example, it was necessary for workers to go to each location to check the charging status and switch between charging operations. Also, for example, workers were required to handle charging at night.

[0029] Therefore, in this embodiment, the efficiency of the charging process is improved, eliminating the need for workers to switch between charging methods.

[0030] <<Regarding the configuration of the charging management system>> Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram of the charging management system 1 of this embodiment. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the charging management system 1 of this embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block diagram of the control device 50.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the charging management system 1 of this embodiment includes a power receiving and transforming equipment 3, a power distribution panel 10, a charger 20, a demand monitoring device 40, a control device 50, and a computer 100.

[0032] The power receiving and transforming equipment 3 receives high-voltage electricity (power) supplied from the commercial power grid 2 (for example, a power plant or substation) and converts it to a voltage that can be used at the facility (in this case, the construction site).

[0033] The demand monitoring device 40 is installed between the power system 2 (more specifically, the substation equipment 3) and the load, and monitors (measures) the demand value of the power consumption by the load.

[0034] Here, "load" refers to the overall load of the equipment at the construction site. In this embodiment, this includes not only the multiple chargers 20 (chargers 20A to 20E) but also the load of other equipment not shown (equipment supplied with power from the power receiving and transforming equipment 3). These loads may be connected in parallel, or some may be connected in series.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the demand value is a value used in the contract with the power company (a value related to the basic charge), and specifically, it is the average power consumption over a 30-minute period (the average value of power consumption due to the operational load).

[0036] The power distribution panel 10 is a device for transmitting (supplying) power from the power receiving and transforming equipment 3 to the chargers 20, and houses, for example, transformers, current transformers, and circuit breakers. In the charging management system 1 of this embodiment, power distribution panels 10A to 10E are provided as power distribution panels 10. Power distribution panels 10A to 10E are installed in the respective circuits between the power receiving and transforming equipment 3 and the multiple chargers 20 (20A to 20E) (connected in parallel to the power receiving and transforming equipment 3).

[0037] Furthermore, the power supply panel 10 in this embodiment also functions as a switch to turn the current supplied to the corresponding charger 20 on and off. In other words, in this embodiment, the power supply panel 10 corresponds to a "switch". However, it is not limited to this, and for example, a switch may be provided in the circuit between the power supply panel 10 and the charger 20, or a switch may be provided inside the charger 20 to control the on / off of the current in the charger 20 as shown in Figure 2.

[0038] The on / off switching of current to the charger 20 is controlled by a control signal S from the control device 50 (described later). The control signal S is a pulsed signal that includes high levels (H levels) and low levels (L levels). For example, when the control signal S is at the H level, current flows (the switch is turned on), and when it is at the L level, the current is cut off (the switch is turned off). In Figure 3, the control signal S output from the control device 50 is shown with the same symbol, but a corresponding signal (control signal S) is output for each charger 20 (power supply panel 10).

[0039] The charger 20 is a device that charges the objects to be charged 30 (in this case, electric construction machinery 30A, 30B, electric vehicles 30C, 30D, and portable charging equipment 30E) used at a construction site. In this embodiment, the charger 20 to be used is determined according to the power capacity of the objects to be charged 30. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the objects to be charged 30 (electric construction machinery 30A, 30B, electric vehicles 30C, 30D, and portable charging equipment 30E) are connected to chargers 20A to 20E, respectively.

[0040] However, this is not the only option, and the relationship between the charger 20 and the object to be charged 30 does not necessarily have to be defined. For example, by connecting the object to be charged 30 to the charger 20, the charger 20 may read the ID set on the object to be charged 30 and transmit it to the control device 50. Alternatively, the connection relationship between the charger 20 and the object to be charged 30 may be set from the computer 100. In this way, the control device 50 can keep track of the objects to be charged 30 connected to each charger 20. Also, in the diagram, the charger 20 and the object to be charged 30 are connected via a cable (wired), but this is not the only option, and contactless charging (wireless charging) may also be used.

[0041] As shown in Figure 5, the control device 50 includes a demand value acquisition unit 51, a storage unit 52, a charge control unit 53, and a communication unit 54.

[0042] The demand value acquisition unit 51 acquires the demand value from the demand monitoring device 40. The demand value may be input directly from the demand monitoring device 40 to the demand value acquisition unit 51, or it may be input via the communication unit 54, which will be described later.

[0043] The memory unit 52 stores various information such as programs and data. This information includes contracted power, power limit, and past power data (at least one year's worth). It also includes information about equipment (charger 20, etc.) and information about the object to be charged 30 (type, power consumption, frequency of use, charging priority, etc.).

[0044] The charging control unit 53 controls the on / off switching of current to each charger 20 based on the monitoring results (demand value) from the demand monitoring device 40 and the information stored in the memory unit 52 (set upper limit value, charging priority, etc.). More specifically, it outputs a signal (control signal S) from the communication unit 54 indicating whether to switch the current to each charger 20 on or off.

[0045] The communication unit 54 is the part that communicates with other devices. For example, as described above, the communication unit 54 outputs (transmits) a control signal S to the switch corresponding to each charger 20 (in this case, the power panel 10). The communication unit 54 also communicates with the computer 100. The communication by the communication unit 54 may be wireless or wired.

[0046] Computer 100 can remotely configure and check the control device 50 (such as checking the charging status) via a network such as a public telephone network or the Internet. Computer 100 may also be a device such as a smartphone or tablet.

[0047] <<Regarding charging management methods>> Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a charging management method using the charging management system 1 of this embodiment. Here, the operation of the control device 50 is mainly shown.

[0048] First, the contracted power information with the power company is obtained from computer 100, etc. (S01).

[0049] If the contracted power is 500kW or more (S02:YES), an upper limit is set (S03). For example, a worker enters the upper limit into the computer 100. This value is transmitted to the control device 50 and set as the upper limit.

[0050] On the other hand, if the contracted power is less than 500kW (S02:NO), the highest demand value (maximum demand value) over the past 12 months (past year) is automatically set as the upper limit. In this embodiment, the maximum demand value for the past year stored in the memory unit 52 is set as the upper limit (i.e., the upper limit is set automatically). Note that if it is the first time power is used, the instantaneous maximum demand value is automatically set.

[0051] Next, information regarding the charging of multiple objects 30 (for example, charging priority) is set (S04). Factors that determine the charging priority (corresponding to charging priority) include frequency of use, power consumption (power capacity), and charging time. For example, electric construction machines 30A and 30B have a high priority because they have a large power capacity and it is desirable to charge them at night so that work can begin first thing in the morning. Electric vehicles 30C and 30D can be charged even during the day, so they have a lower priority than electric construction machines 30A and 30B. In this way, the priority is set appropriately according to the use and power capacity of the objects 30 to be charged so as to improve work efficiency. In this embodiment, the priority is set as shown in (1) to (5) in Figures 2 and 3. For example, electric construction machine 30A has the highest priority, and portable charging equipment 30E has the lowest priority.

[0052] Then, the object to be charged 30 is connected to the corresponding charger 20 and charging begins (S05). At this time, the control device 50 performs charging in the order of the set charging priority (charging priority). Specifically, the control device 50 first sets the control signal S to the power panel 10A to the H level (turns the switch on). This causes the electric construction machine 30A to be charged from the charger 20A. Next, the control signal S to the power panel 10B is set to the H level (turns the switch on). This causes the electric construction machine 30B to be charged from the charger 20B. The charging is then performed similarly in the order of priority.

[0053] Furthermore, the control device 50 (specifically, the demand value acquisition unit 51) acquires the demand value from the demand monitoring device 40 (S06).

[0054] The control device 50 controls the on / off switching of the current to each charger 20 by control signal S so that the demand value does not exceed the upper limit (S07).

[0055] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the control of charging. The horizontal axis of the figure represents time, and the vertical axis represents power. The dashed line in the figure indicates the set upper limit.

[0056] For example, if multiple charging targets 30 are charged sequentially starting with the highest priority, the power (demand value) will also increase. In Figure 6, it appears that the power is about to exceed the upper limit around time t. In such a case, the control device 50 uses a control signal S to, for example, put the charging of the next highest priority object on hold, or stop charging the lower priority object that is currently being charged. Then, after the charging of the higher priority object is finished, the lower priority object is charged. In this way, charging is carried out sequentially starting with the highest priority object while ensuring that the demand value does not exceed the upper limit. As mentioned above, the demand value is the average power consumption over a 30-minute period, so it may momentarily exceed the upper limit.

[0057] Thus, in this embodiment, multiple objects to be charged 30 can be charged sequentially (charge can be switched) according to their charging priority, eliminating the need for workers to manually switch between charging methods. For example, charging can be done efficiently according to the charging priority, such as completing the charging of high-priority objects overnight and charging lower-priority objects during the day.

[0058] As described above, the charging management system 1 of this embodiment includes a plurality of chargers 20 (20A to 20E) that charge the object to be charged 30 with power supplied from the power system 2, a demand monitoring device 40 that monitors the power demand value, a plurality of power supply panels 10 (10A to 10E) that switch the current flowing to each charger 20 on and off, and a control device 50 that outputs a control signal S for switching the current on and off.

[0059] The control device 50 then uses a control signal S to switch the current flowing to each charger 20 on and off, based on the demand value and the upper limit, so that the demand value (monitoring result) monitored by the demand monitoring device 40 does not exceed the set upper limit.

[0060] This eliminates the need for workers to monitor charging status or switch between charging methods, thereby improving the efficiency of charging operations. Furthermore, even at night when workers are not present, for example, charging of multiple objects 30 can be performed appropriately, starting with those of highest priority.

[0061] ===Other=== The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its interpretation. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1. Charging Management System 2 Power system 3. Substation equipment 10,10A~10E power supply panel 20,20A~20E charger 30 Items to be charged 30A, 30B Electric Construction Machinery 30C, 30D Electric Vehicles 30E Portable Charging Equipment 40 Demand monitoring device (monitoring device) 50 Control device 51 Demand Value Acquisition Unit 52 Storage section 53 Charging control unit 54 Communications Department 100 Computers

Claims

1. In a system equipped with multiple chargers that charge objects using power supplied from the power grid, The system monitors the power demand value and controls the on / off switching of the current supplied to each charger based on the monitoring result of the demand value and the upper limit, so that the demand value does not exceed a predetermined upper limit. A charging management method characterized by the following features.

2. A charging management method according to claim 1, If the contracted power is less than 500 kW, the above upper limit will be set automatically. A charging management method characterized by the following features.

3. A charging management method according to claim 1, The order in which the current is switched on and off is determined according to the charging priority of the plurality of chargers. A charging management method characterized by the following features.

4. A charging management method according to claim 1, The current is automatically switched on and off according to the charging priority of the multiple chargers. A charging management method characterized by the following features.

5. A charging management method according to claim 3 or 4, The charging priority is determined based on the frequency of use of the object to be charged. A charging management method characterized by the following features.

6. A charging management method according to claim 3 or 4, The charging priority is determined based on the power consumption of the object to be charged. A charging management method characterized by the following features.

7. Multiple chargers that charge objects using power supplied from the power grid, A monitoring device for monitoring the demand value of the aforementioned power, Multiple switches to turn the current flowing to each charger on and off, A control device that controls the on / off state of each switch based on the monitoring results of the monitoring device and the upper limit so that the demand value does not exceed a predetermined upper limit, A charging management system equipped with the following features.

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