Power outage countermeasures

Abstract

To enable low-cost emergency power supply countermeasures.SOLUTION: During non outage conditions, a portable storage battery 2 is connected to a distribution board 8 installed in the building to charge the portable storage battery 2, and a specific load 9 in the building is connected to the distribution board 8 via a power supply line 411 to receive power from the grid. During a power outage, the output terminal of the charged portable storage battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 to supply power, and the power supply line 411 from the distribution board 8 is disconnected from the specific load 9 so that the power supply line 411 does not short circuit to the specific load 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention of the present application relates to a technique for taking countermeasures against power outages that may be caused by large-scale disasters.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, cases where the regional lifelines have been severely damaged by natural disasters such as large earthquakes and floods have occurred frequently, and it has become an urgent issue to take thorough countermeasures. In particular, the number of cases where large-scale power outages occur due to damage to power plants and damage to the power transmission and distribution networks has been increasing, and the importance of countermeasures against them has been called for. When a power outage due to a disaster occurs, although there are few cases that require a long time to restore, it often takes several days. During that time, an inconvenient life without electricity is inevitable. In many cases, people take refuge in evacuation shelters equipped with emergency power supply equipment, but they often hesitate from the perspective of privacy and end up staying at home without electricity.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In consideration of the above problems, measures are being taken to install emergency power supply equipment in general houses in consideration of power outages during disasters. However, there are problems that the installation must be carried out when building a new house and that it costs several million yen. For general residential use, emergency power supply systems typically consist of solar panels and storage batteries. During normal times (when there is no power outage), the batteries are charged using grid power (electricity supplied by the power company) and solar power, and during disasters (when there is a power outage), the power from the storage batteries is used. In addition, some homes install so-called V2H (Vehicle to Home) systems, which allow electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles to be used as storage batteries. In any case, these conventional emergency power supply measures are costly, require long construction periods, and are installed during new home construction, so they have not become widespread. Similar challenges also exist in non-residential buildings such as offices and government buildings. The present invention was made with the challenges of emergency power supply measures during disasters in mind, and aims to enable low-cost emergency power supply measures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, this specification discloses an invention for a power outage countermeasure. The power outage countermeasure according to the disclosed invention is: A method for dealing with power outages in a building where a specific load is connected to a distribution board via a power supply line and power is supplied to the specific load from the distribution board during non-power outages, A switch is provided on the power supply line from the distribution board to a specific load, and the output terminal of the portable battery can be connected to the switch with a cable. The switch is capable of switching between a state in which a specific load is connected to the distribution board via the power supply line and a state in which it is connected to the output terminal of a portable battery. During non-power outages, The cable connects the distribution board and the input terminal of the portable battery. connection By doing so, the power from the distribution board Portable battery The steps include the steps in which the energy is stored and During a power outage, With the output terminal of the portable battery connected to the switch by a cable, the switch will... Connect the output terminal of the portable battery to a specific load. In this state, the portable battery is used for a specific load. In addition to supplying power, the power supply line from the distribution board is not short-circuited to a specific load. Switch The aforementioned power supply line is disconnected from a specific load. It has steps. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] As explained below, according to the disclosed invention, the power outage countermeasure method allows power to be supplied to a specific load during a power outage using a portable battery that has been charged during normal times (when there is no power outage). Therefore, electricity can be used for the specific load until the charge in the portable battery runs out. This makes it possible to use the minimum amount of electricity necessary during disasters, etc. Furthermore, installation can be completed inexpensively and quickly, and the hardware costs can be significantly reduced. As a result, power outage countermeasures during disasters can be implemented at a low cost. Furthermore, the portable battery can be detached and used outdoors for leisure activities, offering a double benefit. The portability of the battery also has another advantage: it can be taken to another location indoors during a power outage and used as needed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a sample power outage preparedness kit. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the wiring configuration when the portable battery is removed. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the power outage countermeasure set used in the power outage countermeasure method of the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration in which power is stored in a portable battery using both grid power from the target branch switch and solar power panels. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Next, embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a power outage countermeasure set of reference example. The power outage countermeasure kit shown in Figure 1 is a kit that adds a function to secure power using a storage battery in the event of a power outage. "Add-on" means that it can be installed and added after the building is completed, rather than during the construction of the building. As shown in Figure 1, this power outage countermeasure kit consists of a switch box 1, a portable storage battery 2, a solar power generation panel 3, main wiring 41, 42, etc. The switch box 1 is equipped with a main terminal 100 and a load terminal 101.

[0009] As shown in Figure 1, this power outage countermeasure kit is installed on one branch switch 81 in an existing distribution board 8 installed in the building. The power outage countermeasure kit is installed by interposing it between the branch switch 81 and a specific load 9 that is powered by the branch switch 81. Therefore, during installation, the power supply line to the specific load 9 is disconnected from the branch switch 81, one end of the first main wiring 41 is connected to the branch switch 81, and the other end of the first main wiring 41 is connected to the main wiring terminal 100 on the switch box 1. In addition, one end of the second main wiring 42 is connected to the load terminal 101 on the switch box 1, and the other end is connected to the specific load 9.

[0010] In the following explanation, the branch switch 81 to which the power outage countermeasure kit is installed will be referred to as the target branch switch. The specific load 9 supplied by the target branch switch 81 is a load that is powered by the portable battery 2 during a power outage. The building is powered to each room by the distribution board 8, but the specific load 9 is selected from rooms with a high priority for power supply during a power outage (for example, the living room). In other words, the connection to the target branch switch 81 that supplies power to the room with a high priority for power supply during a power outage is disconnected, and the power outage countermeasure kit is installed.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, this power outage countermeasure set basically has a configuration in which a portable battery 2 is interposed in series between the target branch switch 81 and the specific load 9. That is, the input terminal 21 of the portable battery 2 is connected to the target branch switch 81 by the first main wiring 41, and the output terminal 22 of the portable battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 by the second main wiring 42. Therefore, the portable battery 2 and the specific load 9 are in series, and the portable battery 2 is on the upstream side. As the portable battery 2, one having input terminals at AC100V and output terminals at AC100V and having a pass-through function is used. It has the same configuration as a so-called uninterruptible power supply device. For example, DELTA2 etc. sold by EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd. can be used as the portable battery 2.

[0012] In the switch box 1, two switches 11, 12 are arranged. One is a switch (hereinafter referred to as a switch for disconnection) 11 for ensuring power supply to the specific load 9 when the portable battery 2 is removed. The other is a switch (hereinafter referred to as a panel switch) 12 for selecting whether to use the power from the solar power generation panel 3 for charging the portable battery 2.

[0013] The switch 11 for disconnection will be described in more detail with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the connection state when the portable battery 2 is removed. As shown in Fig. 1, the switch box 1 is provided with a power storage input connection terminal 103 to which the input line (hereinafter referred to as the battery input line) 23 of the portable battery 2 is connected, and a power storage output connection terminal 104 to which the output line (hereinafter referred to as the battery output line) 24 of the portable battery 2 is connected. The battery input line 23 and the battery output line 24 are cables bundled with a dedicated socket 25 at the ends.

[0014] Then, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the line from the first main wiring 41 branches in the switch box 1 into a power supply line 411 that is short-circuited to the power storage input connection terminal 103 and a first bypass line 412. The power supply line 411 is connected to the power storage input connection terminal 103 via the panel switch 102. Also, as described above, the switch box 1 is provided with a load terminal 101 to which the second main wiring 42 is connected, and the first bypass line 412 is connected to the load terminal 101 via the disconnection switch 11.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, in the state where the portable battery 2 is attached to the switch box 1, the disconnection switch 11 opens the first bypass line 412 from the load terminal 101. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, in the state where the portable battery 2 is removed, the disconnection switch 11 short-circuits the first bypass line 412 to the load terminal 101. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, regarding the disconnection switch 11, the state where the first bypass line 412 is short-circuited to the load terminal 101 is set to on, and the open state is set to off.

[0016] The disconnection switch 11 may be a manual one such as a push button switch, but it is preferable to use a switch (automatic switch) that operates automatically when the portable battery 2 is removed. As this configuration, for example, a spring member may be provided for the disconnection switch 11, and when the portable battery 2 is removed, the short-circuit plate is shifted by the action of the spring to short-circuit the first bypass line 412 to the load terminal 101 (turn it on). When attaching the portable battery 2, the disconnection switch 11 is pushed in against the elasticity of the spring member to disconnect the first bypass line 412 from the load terminal 101 (turn it off).

[0017] Next, the panel switch 12 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the switch box 1 is provided with a panel terminal 102. In this example, the solar power generation panel 3 is equipped with an inverter 31, which is located on the power supply line from the solar power generation panel 3. The output of the inverter 31 is connected to the panel terminal 102, and it converts the DC voltage from the solar power generation panel 3 to AC 100V and supplies power to the panel terminal 102.

[0018] The panel switch 12 switches between short-circuiting the energy storage input connection terminal 103 to the power supply line 411 and short-circuiting it to the panel terminal 102. For the sake of explanation, the panel switch 12 will be considered "on" when the energy storage input connection terminal 103 is disconnected from the power supply line 411 and short-circuited to the panel terminal 102, and "off" when the energy storage input connection terminal 103 is disconnected from the panel terminal 102 and short-circuited to the power supply line 411. A manual rotary switch is used for the panel switch 12. However, a socket-shaped terminal into which the cable extending from the inverter 31 is plugged in may be used as the panel terminal, and an automatic switch that turns on automatically when the cable is connected may be used as the panel switch 12.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a second bypass line 43 is provided within the switch box 1 as a line branched from the line connected to the first main wiring 41. The second bypass line 43 bypasses the portable battery 2 and the disconnection switch 11 and is connected to the second main wiring 42, and an interlocking switch 13 is provided on the second bypass line 43. The interlocking switch 13 is a switch that works in conjunction with the panel switch 12, and is normally off (open), but turns on (short-circuited) in conjunction with the panel switch 12 when it is turned on.

[0020] The operation of this type of power outage preparedness kit is explained below. The following explanation also serves as a reference for the power outage preparedness method. The power outage countermeasure kit is installed retrofitting to the building after its construction, as described above. The portable battery 2 is attached to the switch box 1, and the disconnection switch is turned off. The portable battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 via the second main wiring 42. The panel switch 12 is also turned off, and the solar power generation panel 3 is not connected to the portable battery 2. In this wiring configuration, power is supplied to the specific load 9 while the portable battery 2 is being charged. Since the portable battery 2 has a pass-through function, when it is fully charged, the power from the target branch switch 81 passes through the portable battery 2 and is supplied to the specific load 9.

[0021] In this situation, if a power outage occurs due to a large-scale disaster, the power supply from the grid to the distribution board 8 is interrupted, and the power supply from the target branch switch 81 is lost. The portable battery 2 detects this and starts supplying power through its internal circuitry. That is, power from the portable battery 2 is supplied to the specific load 9, and power supply to the specific load 9 continues. When the power outage is resolved, the internal circuitry of the portable battery 2 detects the restoration of power and returns to a state where it short-circuits the stored energy to the specific load 9.

[0022] When the portable battery 2 is removed for use outdoors, the disconnection switch 11 is activated, causing a short circuit between the first main wiring 41 and the second main wiring 42. This ensures that power is continuously supplied to the specific load 9. Furthermore, when using the solar power generation panel 3 to charge the portable battery 2 during the daytime on a sunny day, the power supply line extending from the inverter 31 is connected to the panel terminal 102 of the switch box 1, and the panel switch 12 is turned on. This turns off the power supply from the target branch switch 81, and instead turns on the power supply from the solar power generation panel 3. At this time, the interlocking switch 13 operates and turns on, and the second bypass line 43 ensures that power is supplied to the specific load 9 from the target branch switch 81. Furthermore, if it is sunny during the daytime when there is a power outage, the panel switch 12 is turned on to simultaneously charge the portable battery 2. This delays the time it takes for the portable battery 2 to run out of power.

[0023] With this power outage countermeasure, the portable battery 2, which is charged during normal times (when there is no power outage), supplies power to the specific load 9 during a power outage. Therefore, electricity can be used for the specific load 9 until the charge of the portable battery 2 runs out. This makes it possible to use the minimum necessary amount of electricity during a disaster. Furthermore, since the installation is completed simply by attaching the switch box 1, to which the portable battery 2 and solar power generation panel 3 are connected, to the target branch switch 81 via the first main wiring 41, the installation is extremely inexpensive and can be completed in a short period of time. Moreover, because it is a set that combines the relatively simple structure of the switch box 1 with the inexpensive portable battery 2 and solar power generation panel 3, the hardware cost can be made significantly cheaper. As a result, power outage countermeasures during disasters can be implemented at a low cost.

[0024] Furthermore, the portable battery 2 can be detached and used outdoors for leisure activities, offering a double benefit. The portability of the battery also has another advantage: it can be taken to another location within a building and used as needed during a power outage. For example, if the toilet can only be flushed electrically and the power cable is plugged into an outlet, the portable battery 2 can be taken to the toilet, the power cable connected to the portable battery 2, and the toilet can be flushed. In other words, it offers a triple benefit.

[0025] Furthermore, the aforementioned power outage countermeasure kit is equipped with a solar power generation panel 3, which allows for the storage of power in the portable battery 2. This delays the time it takes for the portable battery 2 to run out of power during a power outage, making it particularly suitable for prolonged power outages. Furthermore, in the above power outage countermeasure set, if the disconnection switch 11 is configured to operate in conjunction with the panel switch 12, the second bypass line 43 and the interlocking switch 13 are unnecessary. However, if the disconnection switch 11 is portable... battery storage If the device is configured to operate in conjunction with the removal of device 2, it requires two linked operations, which has the disadvantage of making the structure more complex.

[0026] Next, the power outage countermeasure set used in the power outage countermeasure method of the embodiment will be described. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the power outage countermeasure set used in the power outage countermeasure method of the embodiment. This power outage countermeasure set is also a set that is retrofitted to the target branch switch 81 in the distribution board 8 installed in the building, and includes a switch box 1, a portable battery 2, and a solar power generation panel 3. The power outage countermeasure set shown in Figure 3 differs from the one in Figure 1 in that the portable battery 2 is connected in parallel to the specific load 9.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3, in this power outage countermeasure set, a power supply line 411 and a branch wiring for energy storage 44 are provided by branching off from the line connected to the first main wiring 41. Similarly, the switch box 1 is provided with a panel terminal 102 and a panel switch 12. The panel switch 12 switches between shorting the energy storage input connection terminal 103 to the branch wiring for energy storage 44 or to the panel terminal 102. Similarly, when the solar power generation panel 3 is used, the panel switch 12 is turned on, and the panel terminal 102 is shorted to the energy storage input connection terminal 103.

[0028] The power supply line 411 extends from the branch point and is connected to the load terminal 101 via the power outage switch 14. The energy storage output connection terminal 104 is also connected to the load terminal 101 via the power outage switch 14. The power outage switch 14 is normally in an off state (short-circuiting the power supply line 411 and the load terminal 101) and, in the event of a power outage, disconnects the power supply line 411 from the load terminal 101 and short-circuits the energy storage output connection terminal 104 to the load terminal 101 (on state). The power outage switch 14 is a manual switch such as a rotary switch, but it may also be a switch that automatically turns on and off based on a signal from a sensor that detects power outages.

[0029] In this embodiment of the power outage countermeasures kit, the portable battery 2 supplies power to a specific load 9 during a power outage, and by using the solar power generation panel 3 in conjunction, the time until the battery runs out can be extended, making it suitable as a power outage countermeasure during disasters, etc. Moreover, the portable battery 2 can be used for leisure activities, etc., or taken to the necessary location for use during a power outage.

[0030] In this power outage countermeasure method using the power outage countermeasure set, under normal circumstances (when there is no power outage), the portable battery 2 is energized and stored via the energy storage branch wiring 44. When a power outage occurs, the voltage through the energy storage branch wiring 44 becomes zero, so the internal circuit of the portable battery 2 generates an output voltage at the output terminal. In this state, when the power outage switch 14 is turned on, the energy storage output connection terminal 104, which is connected to the output terminal of the portable battery 2, is connected to the load terminal 101, and the portable battery 2 supplies power to the specific load 9.

[0031] In this embodiment using the power outage countermeasure set, the portable battery 2 is connected in parallel to the specific load 9, so even when it is disconnected, power supply to the specific load 9 continues without any problems during normal operation. Therefore, a disconnection switch 11 is not provided. Instead, a power outage switch 14 is provided, and operation is required during a power outage. When using the power outage countermeasure set in Figure 1, the portable battery 2 is connected in series to the specific load 9, so power is automatically supplied by the portable battery 2 during a power outage, and no switch operation is particularly necessary. However, as mentioned above, if the power outage switch 14 in the power outage countermeasure set in Figure 3 is set to an automatic switch, power supply to the specific load 9 by the portable battery 2 can be automatically started when a power outage occurs.

[0032] In the power outage countermeasure sets of the above configurations, the solar power generation panel 3 is preferably portable. This has several advantages, including the ease of retrofitting and the ease of installation on a balcony. There is also the advantage of readily available low-cost options. Furthermore, the solar power generation panel 3 can be used for outdoor purposes depending on its output voltage. For example, if the inverter 31 is used as is, it can be used with AC 100V, and if the inverter 31 is removed and it can be used with DC voltage, it can be used for appropriate purposes depending on the output voltage, such as charging smartphones. Also, if the portable battery 2 has a DC input terminal that matches the DC output voltage of the solar power generation panel 3, when the portable battery 2 is taken out for leisure activities, the solar power generation panel 3 can be taken out and used together, allowing the portable battery 2 to be used outdoors while being charged. As such a portable solar power generation panel 3, for example, the EcoFlow 110W solar panel sold by EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0033] Furthermore, in each of the above-described power outage countermeasure sets, the storage of power in the portable battery 3 is selected by the panel switch 12 whether it is powered by grid power from the target branch switch 81 or by the solar power generation panel 3, but it is also possible to store power using both simultaneously. An example of this configuration is shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration in which power is stored in the portable battery using both grid power from the target branch switch and the solar power generation panel. In the example shown in Figure 4, a dual-use configuration is adopted for the power outage countermeasure set shown in Figure 1. In this example, the portable battery 2 is equipped with a DC input terminal 26. The solar power generation panel 3 does not have an inverter, and the output of the solar power generation panel 3 is a DC output compatible with the DC input terminal 26.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4, in this configuration example, no panel switch is provided. Therefore, there is no interlocking switch that is linked to the panel switch, nor is there a second bypass line that is opened and closed by the interlocking switch. The switch box 1 is provided with a panel DC input terminal 105 to which the DC cable 32 of the solar power generation panel 3 is connected, and a panel DC output terminal 106 that is connected to the DC input terminal 26 of the portable battery 2. In Figure 4, when the solar power generation panel 3 is connected to the panel DC input terminal 105 with the DC cable 32, the solar power generation panel 3 is connected to the DC input terminal 62 of the portable battery 2, and during sunny days, the portable battery 3 is charged by both the power from the target branch switch 81 and the power from the solar power generation panel 3.

[0035] In this example, when a power outage occurs, as mentioned above, the internal circuit of the portable battery 2 generates an output voltage, which is then supplied to the specific load 9 via the second main wiring 42. In this case, if the DC cable 32 is left connected, the portable battery 2 will automatically be charged by the power from the solar power generation panel 3 during sunny periods in the daytime, automatically delaying the depletion of the portable battery 2's power. Note that in the example in Figure 4, simply connecting the DC cable 32 will not allow the solar power generation panel 3 to charge the portable battery 2; a separate panel switch may be provided for operation. Such a panel switch is provided in the switch box 1, but the portable battery 2 may also have such a switch built in. Furthermore, in each of the above-mentioned power outage countermeasure sets, the portable battery 2 may be equipped with a switch equivalent to the panel switch 12, and the switch box 1 may not have a panel switch 12. However, in this case, the power outage countermeasure set shown in Figure 1 requires the interlocking switch 13 to be configured to be linked to the switch on the portable battery 2, which has the disadvantage of making the configuration somewhat more complex.

[0036] Furthermore, the configuration in which the portable battery 3 is charged using both the power from the target branch switch 81 and the power from the solar power generation panel 3 can also be adopted in the power outage countermeasure set shown in Figure 3. In this case as well, the panel switch 12 can be omitted. Furthermore, the configuration in which the portable battery 2 is charged using both the power from the target branch switch 81 and the power from the solar power generation panel 3 can also be implemented in a configuration in which the output of the solar power generation panel 3 is converted to AC by the inverter 31. For example, a configuration can be adopted in which a circuit that superimposes two AC powers is provided inside the switch box 1.

[0037] Furthermore, the above-mentioned power outage response kits can be suitably used not only in ordinary homes but also in offices and government offices. For example, government offices that play a central role in responding to disasters need to ensure that a minimum amount of power (such as power for communication with relevant parties) is available even during a power outage. The power outage response kits can be used for this purpose. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 1 Switch box 101 Load terminal 102 Panel terminals 103 Energy storage input connection terminal 104 Energy storage output connection terminal 11. Switch for when the device is disconnected. 12 Panel switches 13 Interlocking switch 14. Switch for use during power outages 2 Portable battery 3. Solar power panels 31 Inverter 41. First main wiring 411 Power line 412 First Bypass Line 42 Second main wiring 43 Second Bypass Line 44 Branch wiring for energy storage 8 Distribution board 81 Target branch switch 9 Specific load

Claims

[Claim 1] A method for dealing with power outages in a building in which a specific load is connected to a distribution board by a power supply line and power is supplied from the distribution board to the specific load when there is no power outage, A switch is provided on the power supply line from the distribution board to a specific load, and the output terminal of the portable battery can be connected to the switch with a cable. The switch is capable of switching between a state in which a specific load is connected to the distribution board via the power supply line and a state in which it is connected to the output terminal of a portable battery. In the absence of a power outage, the portable battery is charged by power from the distribution board when a cable is connected to the input terminal of the portable battery, and A power outage countermeasure method characterized by the following steps: during a power outage, with the output terminal of a portable battery connected to a switch by a cable, the switch connects the output terminal of the charged portable battery to a specific load, thereby supplying power to the specific load, and the switch disconnects the power supply line from the distribution board from the specific load so that the power supply line from the distribution board does not short-circuit to the specific load.

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