Power Supply Management Device with Dynamic Ramp Rate Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power supply systems with multiple sources, such as fuel cells and storage batteries, struggle to dynamically adjust power distribution and respond to sudden load changes, leading to potential fuel cell deterioration due to mismatched power requirements and mechanical response limitations.

Innovation Solution

A power supply system with a power supply management device that sets different ramp rates for each power source, allowing for dynamic control of output voltage changes based on the power source's characteristics, enabling proportional division and adjustment of power distribution between fuel cells and storage batteries during steady and sudden load changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the fuel cell output is limited to prevent deterioration during sudden load fluctuations, then the fuel cell reliability is improved, but the power supply system cannot meet the actual load requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel cell reliabilityVSAvoidpower supply capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic ramp rate control that adjusts the maximum rate of power increase for each power source based on real-time system state. The control device sets different ramp rates for fuel cells and storage batteries, allowing the fuel cell to increase power gradually within safe limits while the storage battery provides rapid power supplementation, thus maintaining both reliability and power supply capability during load fluctuations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control device changes the operational parameters (ramp rates) of different power sources based on system conditions. By setting and adjusting the ramp rate parameters for fuel cells and storage batteries independently, the system optimizes the power distribution dynamic characteristics, enabling the fuel cell to operate within safe parameters while meeting overall load requirements through coordinated parameter management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If the power supply system uses fixed proportional division of power between multiple sources, then the control simplicity is improved, but the system cannot adapt to sudden load changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol simplicityVSAvoidload change adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static fixed proportional division to dynamic ramp rate-based power distribution. The control device continuously monitors load conditions and adjusts the power contribution of each source according to their respective ramp rates, enabling automatic adaptation to sudden load changes while maintaining a relatively simple control structure based on predetermined rate limits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The control device pre-configures ramp rate parameters for each power source based on their operational characteristics and capabilities. This preliminary setup allows the system to automatically respond to load changes without complex real-time calculations, maintaining control simplicity while achieving adaptive power distribution through pre-established rate constraints

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Power

If the storage battery compensates for the difference between load power and fuel cell power, then the load power requirement is met, but the fuel cell operates under burden and may deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload power fulfillmentVSAvoidfuel cell durability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic power distribution where the storage battery actively compensates for load fluctuations while the fuel cell operates within controlled ramp rate limits. The control device calculates the power difference between load requirements and fuel cell output, instructing the storage battery to provide the shortfall, thus meeting load demands while protecting the fuel cell from excessive burden and deterioration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The storage battery acts as an intermediary power source that absorbs the dynamic fluctuations between load requirements and fuel cell capability. By positioning the storage battery as the compensating element rather than forcing the fuel cell to rapidly respond, the system protects the fuel cell from harmful operational stress while ensuring continuous load fulfillment through coordinated power management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4089872A1Power supply system, power supply management device, and power supply
Publication Date: 2022.11.16 HITACHI LTD
  • EP4089872A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4089872A1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4089872A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A power supply system that can control a power according to a dynamic characteristic of a power source is provided. In a power supply system that supplies a power to a load from multiple power supplies connected in parallel, each of the power supplies includes a power supply and a power supply circuit, and the power supply circuit includes a drooping characteristic calculation unit that calculates a voltage command value to cause an output voltage output by the power supply to droop at a predetermined drooping rate with respect to the output power, and a ramp rate control unit that corrects the voltage command value to reduce an amount of change of the output voltage when the amount of change of the output power per unit time exceeds a predetermined ramp rate, and a ramp rate different according to the type of the power source is set for each of the power supplies.