JP2023139689A - Uninterruptible power supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an uninterruptible power supply system which can be made into a battery configuration matched with needs of a user.SOLUTION: In a UPS 10 of the present embodiment, batteries 35 and charge modules 32 for charging the batteries are structurally integral to constitute battery units 30. The battery units 30 are plural, and are structurally independent of or attachable/detachable to/from a control unit 21 (which controls a changeover switch 37 into a conducted state to allow electric conduction between the batteries 35 and an inverter unit 23 when commercial power of an AC power supply 50 is interrupted) and the inverter unit 23. Thus, the number of battery units 30 is allowed to be freely set to the control unit 21, the inverter unit 23, etc. Consequently, since the number of battery units 30 is allowed to be set to be adapted to power capacity which can be backed up required by a user, the UPS can be made into battery configurations matched with needs of the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an uninterruptible power supply system that converts DC power into AC power and supplies the AC power to the load when commercial power to be supplied to the load from the outside is interrupted.

As a technique related to an uninterruptible power supply system, for example, there is "a controller with a battery diagnosis function for an uninterruptible power supply and its diagnostic method" disclosed in Patent Document 1 below. This uninterruptible power supply device includes a plurality of batteries that supply DC power, and is configured to be able to identify the battery and diagnose the type of abnormality when an abnormality occurs in one of these batteries. This makes it possible to electrically disconnect a battery in which an abnormality has been identified even during a commercial power outage, that is, during backup operation using a battery, and to perform maintenance work such as replacing or inspecting the battery.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-184590

Incidentally, in an uninterruptible power supply system including a plurality of batteries, such as the uninterruptible power supply device of Patent Document 1, the number of backup batteries is determined in advance based on specifications such as backup power capacity. Therefore, for example, when installing a system, if the power capacity required by the user and the power capacity that can be backed up do not match, it is necessary to select a system configuration with a larger number of batteries than necessary to ensure that the number of batteries is not insufficient. Therefore, there is a problem that an excessive battery configuration may cause high costs. Additionally, since it is not easy to increase or decrease the number of batteries after the system is introduced, if the backup power capacity no longer meets the user's needs, the system must be replaced with a new one, further increasing equipment costs. The problem of inviting others may also arise.

Furthermore, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a configuration is adopted in which a single charger charges multiple batteries, generally the multiple batteries are of different types due to ease of charging control. They are often made with the same capacity and rated capacity. In the uninterruptible power supply device of Document 1, all of the plurality of batteries are lead batteries (lead storage batteries). Therefore, for example, if it becomes necessary to mix different types of batteries (for example, lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion secondary batteries) among multiple batteries due to changes in user needs or the battery market, we can respond to such needs. The problem is that it is difficult.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an uninterruptible power supply system that can have a battery configuration that matches the needs of users.

In order to achieve the above object, the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1 converts DC power into AC power when the commercial power to be supplied to the load from the outside is interrupted. An uninterruptible power supply system that supplies to a load, the battery unit outputting the DC power, the charging unit converting the commercial power into DC power and charging the battery unit, and the DC power output from the battery unit. an inverter section that can convert electric power into the alternating current power; a switch section that enables electrical continuity between the battery section and the inverter section; and a switch section that controls the switch section to be in a conductive state in the event of a power outage of the commercial power. a control section, at least the battery section and the charging section are structurally integrated, and constitute a battery unit that is structurally independent or detachable from the inverter section and the control section; A technical feature is that the number of battery units is plural. Note that between the battery section and the inverter section, which the switch section enables electrical continuity with, there is, for example, a device that converts the output voltage of the battery section into a voltage value suitable for the input voltage of the inverter section (step-up or step-down). In some cases, there is a voltage converter that outputs the voltage to the inverter section.

In the invention of the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1, at least the battery section and the charging section that charges the battery section are structurally integrated and form a battery unit. There are multiple battery units, and there is an inverter section that can convert DC power output from the battery section into AC power, and a switch section that enables electrical continuity between the battery section and the inverter section, in case of a commercial power outage. It is structurally independent or detachable from the control section that controls the conduction state. As a result, a battery unit in which the battery part and the charging part are structurally integrated can be structurally independent from other parts (the inverter part and the control part), or can be structurally detachable. Therefore, it becomes possible to freely set the number of battery units for the other parts. In addition, since the battery section and the charging section that charges it are structurally integrated and have a one-to-one relationship, each battery section that makes up multiple battery units should be of the same type. There's no need. Therefore, it is also possible to mix battery units configured with battery parts of different battery types among the plurality of battery units.

Further, the uninterruptible power supply system described in claim 2 of the claims is the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1, and when the commercial power is out of power, the control unit: When the battery section of the battery unit electrically connected to the inverter section via the switch section becomes less than a predetermined charging capacity, the battery section and the inverter section are electrically disconnected. and controlling the switch unit so that among the plurality of battery units, the battery unit whose charging capacity is equal to or greater than the predetermined charging capacity and the inverter unit are electrically connected to each other. Characteristics.

In the invention of the uninterruptible power supply system of claim 2, when there is a power outage in the commercial power supply, the control section controls the battery section of the battery unit electrically connected to the inverter section via the switch section to a predetermined state. When the charging capacity is less than the predetermined charging capacity, the switch unit is controlled to electrically cut off the battery unit and the inverter unit, and the battery unit and the inverter unit, which have a predetermined charging capacity or more among the plurality of battery units, are The switch section is controlled to be electrically conductive. As a result, as long as there is a battery unit whose battery portion has a predetermined charging capacity or more among the plurality of battery units, AC power can be supplied to the load.

Furthermore, the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 3 is the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the uninterruptible power supply system controls charging of the battery section. In a state in which there is a plurality of battery units each having a charging control section and having a battery section having a charging capacity less than a predetermined charging capacity (hereinafter referred to as "required battery section" in the present claim), the charging control section The technical feature is that the plurality of battery units requiring charging are charged at the same time within the range of surplus power obtained by subtracting the maximum power consumption of the load from the maximum allowable power that the commercial power can supply. do.

In the invention of the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 3, the uninterruptible power supply system includes a charging control section that controls charging of the battery section. When there are multiple battery units each having a battery section that requires charging, the charging control section charges multiple battery units within the range of surplus power obtained by subtracting the maximum power consumption of the load from the maximum allowable power that commercial power can supply. Charge the battery parts that require charging at the same time. As a result, even when the load is operating at maximum power, it is possible to charge multiple battery sections that require charging within a range that does not exceed the maximum allowable power that commercial power can supply. Compared to the case where the battery parts are charged one by one in sequence, the battery parts that require charging can be charged in a shorter time.

Further, the uninterruptible power supply system recited in claim 4 is the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the uninterruptible power supply system controls charging of the battery unit. The battery unit includes a charging control section, and the battery unit outputs state information representing an electrical or physical state of the battery section included in the battery unit or information unique to the battery section to the charging control section. In a state where there are a plurality of battery units each having a configuration and having a battery section having a charging capacity less than a predetermined charging capacity (hereinafter referred to as a "required battery section" in the present claim), the charging control section The technical feature is that the charging required battery parts of the plurality of battery units are sequentially charged according to a ranking determined based on the state information or the unique information output from the battery units. Note that the state information representing the electrical state of the battery section is, for example, information such as the output voltage and output current of the battery section. In addition, the status information representing the physical state of the battery unit may be information on the internal temperature or surface temperature of the battery unit, or information on the cumulative discharge time from the time the battery unit started discharging to the present. Or, if the battery section has an electrolytic solution, it may be information about the amount of the electrolyte. Further, the information unique to the battery section is, for example, identification information that can uniquely identify the battery section or its battery unit.

In the invention of the uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 4, the uninterruptible power supply system has a charging control section that controls charging of the battery section. Further, the battery unit has a configuration that outputs state information representing the electrical or physical state of a battery section included in the battery unit and information unique to the battery section to the charging control section. Then, in a state where there are multiple battery units each having a battery section that requires charging, the charging control section selects the battery units according to the order determined based on the status information output from the multiple battery units or the information specific to the battery section. Charging battery parts of the battery unit that require charging are sequentially charged. This provides status information that represents the electrical status of the battery (information on the output voltage and output current of the battery) and status information that represents the physical status of the battery (information on the temperature and electrolyte amount of the battery). Or, based on information unique to the battery part (identification information that can identify the battery part or battery unit), for example, it becomes possible to charge the battery unit according to the progress of aging and a predetermined priority order. . For example, a battery unit with a high degree of deterioration will often be fully charged in a shorter time than a battery unit with a low degree of deterioration, so a battery unit with a high degree of deterioration will be charged within a predetermined allowable range. By preferentially charging, a battery unit having a charged battery section can be prepared in a short period of time.

In the uninterruptible power supply system of the present invention, the battery unit in which the battery part and the charging part are structurally integrated may be structurally independent from other parts (the inverter part and the control part), or the battery unit may be structurally independent from other parts (inverter part and control part). Since it is removable, it is possible to freely set the number of battery units for the other parts. In addition, since the battery section and the charging section that charges it are structurally integrated and have a one-to-one relationship, each battery section that makes up multiple battery units should be of the same type. There's no need. Therefore, it is also possible to mix battery units configured with battery parts of different battery types among the plurality of battery units. Therefore, it is possible to set the number of battery units to match the backup power capacity required by the user, so it is possible to create a battery configuration that matches the user's needs.

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an embodiment of an uninterruptible power supply (hereinafter referred to as "UPS") to which the uninterruptible power supply system of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the UPS according to the present embodiment. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of main control processing performed by the control unit (control unit of this UPS) shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of charging control processing performed by the control unit of this UPS. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the charging order determination process shown in FIG. 4. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to which the uninterruptible power supply system of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. First, a configuration example of a UPS 10 of a constant commercial power supply system will be described based on FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the UPS 10 is a device connected between an AC power supply 50 (for example, a single-phase AC power supply or a three-phase AC power supply), which is a supply source of commercial AC power (commercial power), and a load 70. When there is a power outage in the commercial power to be supplied to the load 70, DC power is converted into AC power and supplied. Note that the load 70 is assumed to be various things that use alternating current power as an energy source, such as electrical machinery and information communication equipment.

The UPS 10 mainly includes a changeover switch 17, a control unit 21, a DC/DC unit 22, an inverter unit 23, and a plurality of battery units 30. is housed within. As will be described later, the housing 11 includes a housing space 11a in which a battery unit 30 can be detachably housed from the outside, an input terminal 12 to which an AC power source 50 is electrically connected, and a load 70. Output terminals 13 and the like are provided. An internal line 15 is connected to these terminals 12 and 13, and a changeover switch 17 and a sensor 19 are connected midway through the internal line 15. Note that, as will be described later, when the DC voltage output from the battery unit 30 has a voltage value suitable as the input voltage of the inverter unit 23, the DC/DC unit 22 becomes unnecessary.

The changeover switch 17 is, for example, a relay circuit provided in the middle of the internal line 15, and is configured to be able to perform switching control in response to a control command sent from a control unit 21, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the changeover switch 17 connects the output terminal 13 to the input terminal 12 when receiving commercial power (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "normal times"), and connects the output terminal 13 to the inverter unit 23 during a power outage. , are configured to be electrically connected to each other. The changeover switch 17 is, for example, a mechanical relay that mechanically switches connection targets, a solid state relay (SSR) that switches on/off using a semiconductor switching element, or the like.

The sensor 19 is a voltage sensor that can detect the voltage applied to the input terminal 12 and a current sensor that can detect the current flowing through the input terminal 12, and can output the detected voltage information and current information to the control unit 21. It is connected to the control unit 21 as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the sensor 19 outputs information on whether or not AC power is being supplied from the AC power source 50 connected to the input terminal 12 to the control unit 21, and transmits the information when the AC power source 50 experiences a power outage. It has a function of notifying the control unit 21 and, when AC power is being supplied from the AC power source 50, notifying the control unit 21 of current information. In this embodiment, the sensor 19 has two functions, a voltage sensor and a current sensor, but these functions may be configured to be performed separately by two sensors.

The control unit 21 is a microcomputer unit including, for example, an MPU, memory (RAM, EEPROM), input/output interface, A/D converter, driver circuit, clock module, etc. (all not shown). In this embodiment, the control unit 21 is connected to the sensor 19, the DC/DC unit 22, the inverter unit 23, and the plurality of battery units 30. Driving power for the control unit 21 is supplied from each battery unit 30. Note that the clock module is backed up in power by, for example, a small secondary battery on the board on which it is mounted in case of power loss.

The control unit 21 performs predetermined control on the DC/DC unit 22 and the inverter unit 23, and switches the changeover switch 17 via a driver circuit based on voltage information input from the sensor 19 via the A/D converter. or Further, in this embodiment, as described later, the batteries 35 electrically connected to the DC/DC unit 22 are switched based on the status information and ID of each battery 35 sent from each battery unit 30. I will too. Note that these control processes, status information, etc. will be described later.

The DC/DC unit 22 is a step-up type voltage converter (voltage converter) that steps up the DC voltage output from the battery 35 of each battery unit 30 to a predetermined voltage suitable for the input voltage of the inverter unit 23. Therefore, each battery unit 30 is connected to the input side of the DC/DC unit 22, and one of the batteries 35 can be connected thereto as described later. Further, an inverter unit 23 is connected to the output side of the DC/DC unit 22.

The DC/DC unit 22 includes, for example, a coil for accumulating electrical energy for boosting voltage, and a semiconductor switching element (such as a power MOSFET or IGBT, etc.) and a control circuit (both not shown) that controls on/off control of such semiconductor switching elements, and as described later, the control unit 21 controls starting and stopping of the voltage conversion function, etc. Ru.

Note that the DC/DC unit 22 is a step-down type voltage converter (voltage converter) that steps down the DC voltage output from the battery 35 of each battery unit 30 to a predetermined voltage suitable for the input voltage of the inverter unit 23. There is also. Moreover, when the DC voltage output from the battery 35 of the battery unit 30 is such a predetermined voltage, there is no need to step up or step down the voltage, and thus the DC/DC unit 22 becomes unnecessary.

The inverter unit 23 is a power converter having an AC conversion function that converts the DC voltage boosted by the DC/DC unit 22 into an AC voltage (DC power to AC power). Therefore, the output side of the DC/DC unit 22 is connected to the input side of the inverter unit 23, and the output side of the inverter unit 23 is connected to a switch whose one side (the side when receiving power) is connected to the internal line 15. The other side (power outage side) of the switch 17 is connected.

The inverter unit 23 includes, for example, semiconductor switching elements (power (MOSFET, IGBT, etc.) and a control circuit (all not shown) that controls on/off of these semiconductor switching elements, and as described later, the control unit 21 controls the start and stop of the AC conversion function, etc. be done.

The battery unit 30 mainly includes a charging module 32, a battery 35, a changeover switch 37, and a sensor 39, which are housed in a housing 31. In this embodiment, there are a plurality of battery units 30, and these are not electrically connected in parallel or series, but as described later, one battery unit 30 among the plurality of battery units 30 is The changeover switch 37 is controlled so as to be connected to the DC/DC unit 22.

Note that FIG. 1 shows three battery units 30 accommodated in the accommodation space 11a inside the UPS 10 and one battery unit 30' removed outside the UPS 10. , all of which are, in principle, constructed in the same way. Note that the battery unit 30' that is removed outside the UPS 10 indicates that the battery unit 30 is detachable from the outside of the housing space 11a of the housing 11.

The charging module 32 is a charging device that converts commercial power (AC power) received from the AC power supply 50 into DC power suitable for the battery 35 housed in the battery unit 30 and charges the battery 35 . In other words, the charging module 32 and the battery 35 constitute a predetermined pair, and in this embodiment, the charging module 32 is only connected to the battery 35 in the housing 31 in which it is housed. It is configured so that it can be charged. In other words, the battery 35 is configured to be able to be charged exclusively for the battery 35 using a charging method suitable for the type of battery cell. In this embodiment, AC power is supplied to the charging module 32 via a branch line 16 connected to the internal line 15 .

The charging module 32 is configured to start or stop charging in response to a control command sent from the control unit 21, as will be described later. Therefore, even if the charging module 32 and the battery 35 are electrically connected via the changeover switch 37, the battery 35 will not be charged unless a charging start command is received from the control unit 21. The charging module 32 sends information (charging information) informing the charging state of the battery 35 (charging, charging completed, or charging stopped) in response to a request from the control unit 21, or sends the information to the control unit 21 at a predetermined period. or

Moreover, the charging module 32 automatically stops charging when charging of the battery 35 is completed. Therefore, the charging stop command sent from the control unit 21 is used when charging is forcibly terminated during charging. The charging information is sent together with the ID of the battery unit 30 and its battery 35 in which the charging module 32 is housed. Note that in this embodiment, a case will be described in which an ID is assigned to the battery 35, but an ID may be assigned to the battery unit 30. In that case, "ID of battery 35" and the like in this specification will be read as "ID of battery unit 30" and the like.

The battery 35 is an assembled battery type secondary battery having a plurality of battery cells, and is configured, for example, to be electrically connected in series to output a predetermined DC voltage (for example, 48 V) at a predetermined rated capacity. has been done. The rated capacity varies depending on the individual capacity of the battery cells or the number of parallel connections, and is set to, for example, 40 Ah. The battery cell is composed of one predetermined type, such as a lead-acid battery, a lithium ion secondary battery, or an all-solid-state battery. Therefore, the above-mentioned charging module 32 is configured to be able to charge the battery 35 to be charged using a charging method suitable for the type of battery cell.

The changeover switch 37 is, for example, a relay circuit interposed between the charging module 32 and the battery 35, and is configured to be able to perform switching control in response to a control command sent from the control unit 21. In this embodiment, the changeover switch 37 is configured to electrically connect the battery 35 to either the charging module 32 or the DC/DC unit 22. The changeover switch 37 is controlled by a main control process described below so that one of the plurality of battery units 30 is connected to the DC/DC unit 22 via the changeover switch 37. The changeover switch 37 is, for example, a mechanical relay, a semiconductor relay, or the like.

In this embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which a changeover switch 37 for switching the connection destination of the battery 35 to either the charging module 32 or the DC/DC unit 22 is provided inside the battery unit 30. However, such a switch is provided outside the battery unit 30. may be provided. For example, a silicon diode facing the forward direction from the charging module 32 to the battery 35 is interposed between them, and the battery voltage can be outputted to the outside from the connection between the cathode of the diode and the anode of the battery 35. However, the battery output of each battery unit 30 may be configured to be inputted to the DC/DC unit 22 by being switched by a multi-contact changeover switch. The switching of such switches can also be controlled by control commands sent from the control unit 21.

The sensor 39 is, for example, one that can detect electrical state information (electrical state information) such as the current output voltage and output current of the battery 35, and one that can detect the internal temperature (cell temperature) of the battery 35 at that point. Temperature information such as surface temperature, information on cumulative discharge time from when the battery 35 starts discharging up to that point, information on the number of times the battery 35 has been charged up to that point, and information on lead-acid batteries, etc. If the battery 35 has an electrolyte, physical state information such as the amount of electrolyte at that time can be detected. The configuration differs depending on the type. Therefore, in FIG. 1, these plurality of sensors are conceptually represented as one sensor 39, but specifically, it is composed of two or more sensors.

The sensor 39 is a concept that includes a microcomputer module, and its memory contains an ID (identification information, unique information) that can uniquely identify the battery 35 (or battery unit 30), the type of the battery 35, and the like. It stores specification information such as nominal voltage and rated capacity. Therefore, the sensor 39 is connected to the control unit 21 so that it can output ID, specification information, etc. to the control unit 21 in addition to the detected electrical state information and physical state information. Sending of this information may be performed in response to a request from the control unit 21 or may be sent spontaneously at a predetermined period.

In this embodiment, the housing 11 of the UPS 10 is exemplified as having a metal rectangular box shape. The UPS 10 may be configured in a predetermined system rack. In this case, for example, the main unit, control unit 21, inverter unit 23, and battery unit 30 that accommodate the input terminal 12, output terminal 13, internal line 15, etc. are each set to a predetermined width, height, and depth. It is housed in a thin box-like housing. The main unit, control unit 21, and inverter unit 23, which are light in weight, are mounted above the rack, and the battery unit 30, which is heavy, is mounted below the rack. Wiring between each unit is done on the back panel side.

In contrast to the UPS 10 of the continuous commercial power supply system shown in FIG. 1, which is configured in this way, the UPS 10' shown in FIG. , differs from the UPS 10 in FIG. 1 in that an inverter unit 23 is interposed between the changeover switch 17 and the output terminal 13 in the middle of the internal line 15. The constant inverter power supply system uses a configuration in which commercial power (AC power) is converted into DC power even during normal times, and then converted back to AC power by an inverter and output to the load. Since the inverter operates not only during a power outage but also when receiving power, the structure is more complicated than that of a continuous commercial power supply system, but it is characterized by being less likely to cause instantaneous interruptions during a power outage.

In this UPS 10', an AC/DC unit 24 is interposed in the middle of the internal line 15, and an inverter unit 23 is interposed between the changeover switch 17 in the middle of the internal line 15 and the output terminal 13. The inverter unit 23 operates at all times, both when receiving power and during a power outage. The output side of the AC/DC unit 24 is connected to one side of the changeover switch 17 (the side when receiving power), and the output side of the DC/DC unit 22 is connected to the other side of the changeover switch 17 (the side during power outage). Connecting. The AC/DC unit 24 is, for example, a rectifier circuit that converts an alternating current voltage input from the input terminal 12 into a direct current voltage.

The UPS 10 and UPS 10' configured in this manner operate as follows when the AC power supply 50 connected to the input terminal 12 experiences a power outage. When the sensor 19 detects that the AC power supply 50 has lost power and that information is input to the control unit 21, the control unit 21 connects to the internal line 15 side or the AC/DC unit 24 side in normal times. The controlled changeover switch 17 is controlled to be switched to the inverter unit 23 side or the DC/DC unit 22 side at the time of a power outage. As a result, the DC power supplied from one of the battery units 30 is converted to AC power by the inverter unit 23 and output to the output terminal 13, so the AC power to the load 70, which had been interrupted due to a power outage, is now available. Supply is restored.

Next, such control performed by the control unit 21 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. The UPS 10, 10' (hereinafter referred to as "UPS 10, etc.") of the present embodiment is configured to be automatically powered on when an AC power source 50 is connected to the input terminal 12 and receives commercial power. The control unit 21 performs a main control process that is started immediately after the UPS 10 or the like is powered on and continues to be executed until the power is cut off and the operation ends, and a main control process that is started and executed at a predetermined period or at a predetermined time while receiving commercial power. Charging control processing etc. are performed. First, the flow of the main control process will be explained based on FIG.

<Main control processing>
As shown in FIG. 3, in the main control process, a predetermined initialization process is first performed in step S101. In this process, for example, the work area and flags of the memory (RAM) of the control unit 21 are cleared, and a control command to switch the changeover switch 17 to the power receiving side is sent. As a result, all charging flags to be described later are set to OFF, and the output terminal 13 is connected to the internal line 15 via the changeover switch 17. Therefore, when the UPS 10 etc. receives commercial power from the AC power supply 50, the commercial power is transmitted to the input terminal 12, internal line 15, changeover switch 17 and output terminal 13 (in the case of UPS 10', the input terminal 12, internal It is supplied to the load 70 via the line 15, the AC/DC unit 24, the changeover switch 17, the inverter unit 23, and the output terminal 13).

Also, in this initialization process, switching information for the battery unit 30 stored in the memory (EEPROM) of the control unit 21 is read out. Then, it sends a control command to switch the changeover switch 37 to the DC/DC unit 22 side for the battery unit 30 that has the battery 35 that was connected when the UPS 10 etc. was last operated, and also sends a control command to the other battery units 30. A control command is sent to switch the changeover switch 37 to the charging module 32 side. As a result, the batteries 35 of the battery units 30 that were connected at the end of the previous operation are electrically connected to the DC/DC unit 22, and the batteries 35 of the other battery units 30 are connected to the charging module 32.

The charging flag is information (charging necessity information) associated with the ID of each battery 35 (on: charging required, off: charging not required), and is given to each battery 35 in this embodiment. This ID is provided in correspondence with the ID. Furthermore, the charging module 32 does not perform charging unless it receives a charging start command from the control unit 21 . Therefore, charging of the battery 35 of the battery unit 30 is not started at this stage of the initialization process.

In the subsequent step S103, a power reception information acquisition process is performed, and in the next step S105, a power outage occurrence determination process is performed. In the power reception information acquisition process, voltage information output from the sensor 19 is acquired, and based on that information, it is determined whether commercial power is being input to the input terminal 12, that is, whether a power outage has occurred. Determination processing is performed. When commercial power is not input to the input terminal 12, that is, when there is a power outage, the voltage information detected by the sensor 19 indicates that the AC voltage is approximately 0V, so it is possible to determine whether a power outage has occurred.

If it is determined in step S105 that a power outage has occurred (S105; Yes), the process moves to the next step S107, and if it is not determined that a power outage has occurred (S105; No), the process returns to step S103. , performs the power receiving information acquisition process again. In other words, both steps S103 and S105 are repeated until a power outage occurs. In addition, in the determination process of step S105, it may be determined that a power outage has occurred when the AC voltage of the AC power supply 50 becomes less than a predetermined voltage (for example, a voltage less than 90% of the nominal voltage).

In the next step S107, inverter activation processing is performed. If it is determined in the previous determination process (S105) that a power outage has occurred (S105; Yes), it is necessary to convert the DC power output from the battery unit 30 into AC power and supply it to the load 70. Therefore, in this process, a control command (activation command) for starting the switching operation of the semiconductor switching element is output to the DC/DC unit 22 and the inverter unit 23. Both units 22 and 23 immediately start on/off control of the semiconductor switching elements upon receiving the activation command. As a result, both units 22 and 23 can perform the voltage conversion function and the AC conversion function after a predetermined time (for example, about 10 milliseconds) required for the respective output voltages to stabilize. In the case of the UPS 10', the inverter unit 23 is always operating, so in this inverter etc. startup process (S107), a startup command is sent only to the DC/DC unit 22.

In the subsequent step S109, switch switching processing is performed. This process is performed after waiting a predetermined time until the output voltages of the DC/DC unit 22 and inverter unit 23 (DC/DC unit 22 in the UPS 10') become stable, and then A control command to switch to the hour side is output. As a result, the output side of the inverter unit 23 (DC/DC unit 22 in the UPS 10') and the output terminal 13 side are electrically connected via the changeover switch 17, so that the power is supplied from the battery 35 of the battery unit 30. The DC power is boosted by the DC/DC unit 22 and then converted to AC power by the inverter unit 23 and output from the output terminal 13 to the load 70 .

Note that the battery 35 electrically connected to the DC/DC unit 22 at this time is the battery whose changeover switch 37 was switched to the DC/DC unit 22 side in the initialization process (S101), as described above. 35, which is the battery 35 of the battery unit 30 that was connected at the end of the previous operation. For example, in the configuration example shown in FIG. 1, among the plurality of battery units 30, the battery unit 30 is located at the top, and the other battery units 30 are all connected to the charging module 32 and are connected to the DC/DC It is not connected to unit 22.

In the subsequent step S111, power reception information acquisition processing is performed, and in the next step S113, power reception restoration determination processing is performed. In the power reception information acquisition process, the voltage information of the sensor 19 is acquired as in step S103 described above, and based on that information, it is determined whether or not commercial power is being input to the input terminal 12, that is, whether the power outage has been resolved and the AC power supply 50 is being used. A power reception restoration determination process is performed to determine whether the supply of commercial power, that is, the power reception has been restored.

If it is determined in step S113 that the power reception has been restored (S113; Yes), it means that commercial power is being supplied from the AC power supply 50, so the process moves to step S115 and the switch is changed. Processing takes place. In this process, a control command is output to the changeover switch 17 to switch from the power outage side to the power reception side. Thereby, commercial power supplied from the AC power supply 50 is supplied to the load 70 via the input terminal 12, the internal line 15, the changeover switch 17, and the like.

Further, inverter etc. stop processing is performed in step S117. That is, when the power outage is resolved and power reception is restored, there is no need to operate the DC/DC unit 22 or the inverter unit 23. Therefore, in this process, a control command (stop command) for stopping the switching operation of the semiconductor switching element is output to the DC/DC unit 22 and the inverter unit 23. When the inverter etc. stop process (S117) is completed, the process moves to step S103, the power receiving information acquisition process is performed again, and along with the determination process of step S105, the process waits in preparation for the next power outage. In the case of the UPS 10', the inverter unit 23 is always operating, so in this inverter etc. stop processing (S117), a stop command is sent only to the DC/DC unit 22.

On the other hand, if it is not determined in step S113 that the power reception has been restored (S113; No), there is a high probability that the power outage is still continuing, so battery information acquisition processing is performed in the next step S119. . In this process, status information of the battery 35 that is currently electrically connected to the DC/DC unit 22 is acquired. Since the battery 35 supplies the electrical energy stored in it to the load 70 via the DC/DC unit 22 and the inverter unit 23, the sensor 39 housed in the battery unit 30 is connected to the battery 35. Acquire electrical status information (output voltage, output current) and physical status information (temperature information, cumulative discharge time information, etc.). Furthermore, if specification information such as the type, nominal voltage, and rated capacity of the battery 35 is stored in the microcomputer module of the sensor 39, such information is also acquired.

In the following step S121, a battery charging necessity determination process is performed. In this process, it is determined whether or not the battery 35 requires charging based on the electrical status information, physical status information, and specification information of the battery 35 acquired in the battery information acquisition process (S119). For example, based on the electrical status information (output voltage and output current), physical status information (temperature information and cumulative discharge time information), and specification information (type, nominal voltage, and rated capacity) of the battery 35, Estimate remaining capacity. Then, when the estimated remaining battery capacity is less than 10%, assuming that the charging capacity at full charge is 100%, it is determined that charging is necessary, and when the remaining battery capacity is, for example, 10% or more, charging is necessary. It is determined that this is not necessary.

If it is determined that charging is not necessary in the battery charging necessity determination process in step S121 (S121; No), the battery 35 continues to use the stored electrical energy to the DC/DC unit 22 or inverter unit 23. Since it is possible to continue supplying the power to the load 70 through the power supply, the process moves to step S111 and the power reception information acquisition process is performed again, and each process from step S111 to S121 is repeated until the power reception is restored.

On the other hand, if it is determined that charging is necessary in the battery charging necessity determination process in step S121 (S121; Yes), the charging flag corresponding to the battery 35 is set to ON in the next step S123. After that, the process moves to the subsequent step S125. Note that, as described above, the charging flag is a charging flag that is provided in the memory (RAM) of the control unit 21 corresponding to each ID of the battery 35 and indicates whether or not charging is required (ON: charging required, OFF: charging not required). It is information.

In step S125, battery switching processing is performed. In this process, the charging flag is set to OFF among the battery units 30 having batteries 35 other than the battery 35 (herein referred to as "current battery 35") that is currently electrically connected to the DC/DC unit 22. One battery unit 30 is selected from among the battery units 30 according to a predetermined rule, and the selector switch 37 of that battery unit 30 is switched to the DC/DC unit 22 side. Thereafter, the changeover switch 37 for the battery unit 30 having the current battery 35 is switched to the charging module 32 side.

Switching of the changeover switch 37 is performed by the control unit 21 sending a control command to each battery unit 30. Further, the predetermined rule may be, for example, to select the IDs assigned to the batteries 35 in advance by sorting them in ascending or descending order, or to select the batteries 35 in the order of their remaining storage capacity. . The remaining power storage capacity of the battery 35 is determined using, for example, remaining power storage capacity information obtained by a charging control process described later.

The information of the changeover switch 37 of the battery unit 30 that was changed in step S125 (switching information of the battery unit 30) is saved in the memory (EEPROM) of the control unit 21 along with the ID of the battery 35 in the subsequent changeover information storage process of step S127. be done. When the switching information storage process (S127) is completed, the process moves to step S111, and each process from step S111 described above is repeated. As a result, even if the operation of the UPS 10 or the like ends while executing any of the processes in steps S103 to S125, the battery unit 30 or the like that was last connected to the DC/DC unit 22 during operation or immediately before the end of operation Since the information of the battery 35 is saved, it is possible to obtain the switching information of the battery unit 30 in the above-mentioned initialization process (S101).

By configuring the main control process in this way and having the control unit 21 execute the information processing in each step, the UPS 10 or the like can control the battery unit when the commercial power to be supplied from the AC power supply 50 to the load 70 is interrupted. It becomes possible to convert the DC power supplied from the 30 batteries 35 into AC power and supply it to the load 70 instead of commercial power. In other words, it becomes possible to function as an uninterruptible power supply.

<Charging control processing>
Next, the flow of the charging control process executed by the control unit 21 when charging each battery unit 30 installed in the UPS 10 etc. will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. Note that, as described above, this charging control process is performed at a predetermined period (for example, 1 hour interval) or during a period when the UPS 10, etc. is receiving commercial power after the UPS 10, etc. is powered on. It is activated at a predetermined time (for example, midnight).

As shown in FIG. 4, in the charging control process, a predetermined initialization process is first performed in step S201. In this process, for example, in the present charging control process, the work area of the memory (RAM) used by the control unit 21 is cleared, and the charging module 32 of each battery unit 30 is initialized. As a result, each charging module 32 is reset to a charging standby state.

In the following step S203, charging flag acquisition processing is performed. The charging flag is charging necessity information that is set to ON for batteries 35 that require charging and set to OFF for other batteries 35 in the above-mentioned main control process, and is associated with the ID of each battery 35. It is something that The charging flag acquired through this process is used in the determination process in the next step S205. Note that the battery 35 that requires charging may correspond to a "required charging battery" as described in the claims.

In step S205, which determines whether or not a battery needs to be charged, it is determined whether or not there is a battery 35 which needs to be charged, based on the charging flag acquired in step S203. That is, it is determined whether there is a charging flag set to on. If there is a charge flag that is on (S205; Yes), there is a battery 35 that requires charging, so the process moves to the next step S207, and if there is no charge flag that is on (S205; No), since there is no battery 35 that requires charging, this charging control process ends.

The details of the charging order determination process in step S207 are shown in FIG. 5, so the description will be made with reference to FIG. 5 from here on. As shown in FIG. 5, the charging order determination process starts with the process of acquiring charging flag information (flag information) acquired in step S203 described above. In the flag information acquisition process of step S301, the number of charging flags set to on is counted to acquire quantity information of the batteries 35 that need to be charged.

Then, in the determination process of step S303, it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of batteries 35 that need to be charged. If there are a plurality of batteries 35 (S303; Yes), the process moves to the next step S305. On the other hand, if there is not more than one battery 35, that is, if there is only one battery 35 that needs charging (S303; No), the battery 35 corresponding to the charging flag is set as the first battery in the charging ranking by the ranking determination process in step S308. Thereafter, the main charging order determining process is completed and the process returns to the charging control process.

In step S305, battery information acquisition processing is performed. This process is almost the same as step S119 of the main control process described above, but differs from the process in step S119 in that status information is acquired from all batteries 35 whose charging flags are set to on. In this embodiment, the status information of the battery 35 acquired by this battery information acquisition process (S305) is, for example, electrical status information, physical status information, specification information, etc., and these are included in the ID of the battery 35. Associated and retrieved.

The electrical status information is, for example, information on the output voltage and output current of the battery 35, and the physical status information is, for example, information on the internal temperature (cell temperature) of the battery 35, and information on the cumulative discharge time of the battery 35. , information on the number of times of charging, and information on the amount of electrolyte in the battery 35. Further, the specification information is, for example, information on the type, nominal voltage, and rated capacity of the battery 35.

In the subsequent step S307, a process is performed to determine whether or not it is set in advance to charge a plurality of battery units 30 (batteries 35) at the same time. This determination is made, for example, based on optional function information written in the memory (EEPROM) of the control unit 21 at the time of shipping or maintenance of the UPS 10 or the like. Therefore, if it is determined that the optional function of multiple simultaneous charging is not set (S307; No), the process moves to the ranking determination process of step S308.

In the charging order determining process of step S308, the charging order is determined based on the state information of the battery 35 acquired in the battery information obtaining process (S305). For example, the degree of deterioration rank (deterioration rank) of the battery 35 is obtained by performing a classification process that can rank the progress of deterioration over time based on information such as the output voltage of the battery 35, the number of times of charging, and the internal temperature. Generally, a battery 35 with a high degree of deterioration is often fully charged in a shorter time than a battery 35 with a low degree of deterioration. Therefore, for the batteries 35 whose degree of deterioration is within a predetermined allowable range, the order of charging is determined so that the battery 35 is charged first in order of higher deterioration rank (greater deterioration).

That is, the battery 35 with the highest deterioration rank within the allowable range is determined to be the first charging priority, and the battery 35 with the lowest deterioration rank is determined to be the last charging priority. This makes it possible to prepare a battery unit 30 having a charged battery 35 in a short period of time. Furthermore, regardless of the degree of deterioration, the charging order may be determined according to a predetermined order associated with the ID of the battery 35. Furthermore, based on the type of battery 35 (lead storage battery, lithium ion secondary battery, all-solid-state battery, etc.), the charging order may be determined so that batteries 35 of a type with a short charging time are charged preferentially.

Regarding the battery 35 (or its battery unit 30) whose deterioration rank is outside the allowable range, the control unit 21 memory ( It may be stored in EEPROM). Thereby, during maintenance or the like, it becomes possible to easily find a battery unit 30 associated with such unchargeable information (failure information) as a battery unit 30 that requires replacement.

If it is determined by the determination process in step S307 that the optional function of multiple simultaneous charging is set (S307; Yes), load power information acquisition process in step S309 is performed. In this process, for example, the current information output from the sensor 19 is acquired, and based on that information, the current power consumption value of the commercial power supplied from the AC power supply 50 is calculated, and this is consumed by the load 70. Obtain the current load power information.

At this point, the charging module 32 of each battery unit 30 has not yet started charging, and the power consumed by the control unit 21 is orders of magnitude smaller than the expected power consumption of the load 70. Therefore, it can be estimated that the current power usage value of commercial power is approximately the same value as the load power value that the load 70 is consuming. Note that if the power value of the maximum power consumption that can be consumed by the load 70 is known in advance, the maximum power consumption information may be acquired as load power information in step S309.

In the following step S311, surplus power calculation processing is performed. Since the power value of the maximum allowable power that the AC power supply 50 can supply is known in advance (known), the surplus power value is calculated by subtracting the load power value obtained in step S309 from this maximum allowable power value. calculate. Then, in the next step S313, a process of determining a combination of batteries 35 to be charged is performed.

For example, the total maximum value of charging current consumed when each battery 35 that needs charging is charged by the corresponding charging module 32 is calculated, and from the total maximum charging current value, the power consumption of commercial power at the time of charging is calculated. (value of power used during charging). Then, if the result of subtracting this estimated power usage value during charging from the surplus power value calculated by the surplus power calculation process (S311) is a positive value (surplus power value>power usage value during charging), It becomes possible to charge all of the batteries 35 that require charging at the same time within the range of surplus power. Therefore, it is decided to charge all the batteries 35 that need to be charged at the same time, that is, it is decided that all of these batteries 35 are ranked first in the charging order. Thereby, the battery 35 can be charged in a shorter time than when the batteries 35 that need to be charged are sequentially charged one by one.

On the other hand, if the result of subtracting the power usage value during charging from the surplus power value is a negative value or zero (surplus power value ≦ power usage value during charging), a predetermined amount of power is selected from among the batteries 35 that need to be charged. The battery 35 is selected and excluded, the predetermined battery 35 is not charged, and the total maximum value of the charging current consumed when charging the remaining batteries 35 that require charging is calculated. Similarly, the power consumption value during charging is estimated. Then, the process of selecting and excluding a predetermined battery 35 is continued until the result of subtracting the electric power value used during charging from the surplus electric power value becomes a positive value.

The battery 35 excluded in this way is determined to be ranked second in the charging ranking. There are a plurality of excluded batteries 35, and the total maximum value of the charging current consumed when charging these excluded batteries 35 is calculated, and the power consumption value during charging is estimated in the same manner as described above. Then, the result of subtracting the power usage value during charging from the surplus power value is obtained, and if the value is a positive value, all of these excluded batteries 35 are determined to be ranked second in the charging ranking.

On the other hand, the result of subtracting the electric power value used during charging from the surplus electric power value is obtained, and if the value is a negative value, a predetermined battery 35 is selected from these excluded batteries 35 and further The battery 35 is excluded and the remaining battery 35 is determined to be ranked second in the charging order. The battery 35 that has been further excluded here is determined to be ranked third in the charging ranking. In this way, the charging order is determined by repeating the same process until the charging order is determined for all the batteries 35 whose charging flags are set to on (batteries 35 that require charging).

Note that the predetermined battery 35 that is excluded from the charging target in this way is the one that has the highest degradation rank or the one that has the lowest degradation rank among the batteries 35 whose charging flag is set to on (batteries 35 that require charging). A low value, a predetermined value associated with the ID of the battery 35, etc. are selected. Further, the predetermined battery 35 may be selected at random regardless of such information. Note that the deterioration rank is the one explained in the above-mentioned charging order determination process (S308). When the charging target battery combination determining process in step S313 is completed, the main charging order determining process is completed and the process returns to the charging control process.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the order of battery units 30 to be charged is determined by the charging order determination process in step S207, a charging command sending process is performed in the next step S209. In this embodiment, since the charging order of each battery unit 30 having a battery 35 that requires charging is determined by the charging order determination process (S207), the charging order is 1 in the process of step S209. A control command (charging start command) to start charging is sent to the battery unit 30 that has been determined to be in the position.

As mentioned above, if the optional function of multiple simultaneous charging is set, there are multiple battery units 30 that have been determined to be ranked first in the charging order, so in that case, charging will start for all of them. Send a command. As a result, the charging module 32 of the battery unit 30 that has received the charging start command starts charging the battery 35 housed in the battery unit 30, and the charging state of the battery 35 (charging, charging completed, charging The information (charging information) notifying the user of the cancellation (charging information) is sent in response to a request from the control unit 21, or is sent to the control unit 21 at predetermined intervals. Such charging information is sent together with (associated with) the ID of the battery 35.

In the following step S211, charging information acquisition processing is performed. In this process, charging information sent from the battery unit 30 that sent the charging start command is acquired. Since the charging information is information that informs the charging state of the battery 35 (charging, charging completed, or charging stopped), in the charging completion determination process of the next step S213, the charging of the battery 35 is determined based on this charging information. Determine whether or not the process has been completed.

That is, in step S213, if it is determined that the charging information sent from the charging module 32 is information indicating the completion of charging (S213; Yes), the charging of the battery 35 corresponding to the charging module 32 is completed. Therefore, the process moves to the subsequent step S215. On the other hand, if it is not determined that the charging information is information indicating the completion of charging (S213; No), the process returns to step S211 and the charging information acquisition process is performed again. That is, the processes of step S211 and step S213 are repeatedly performed until charging information indicating the completion of charging is sent from the charging module 32.

In the next step S215, charging flag off processing is performed. The charging information sent from the charging module 32 is associated with the ID of the battery 35 charged by the charging module 32. Therefore, in the control unit 21, since it becomes possible to identify the battery 35 or battery unit 30 that has completed charging from the ID of the battery 35, the charging flag associated with the ID of the battery 35 that has completed charging is Set from on (requires charging) to off (no charging required).

In the following step S217, a process is performed to determine whether there is any remaining battery that needs to be charged. For example, if there is a battery 35 that has the same or lower charging order than the fully charged battery 35, there are remaining batteries that need to be charged. Therefore, if there is a charging flag that is set to require charging among the charging flags associated with the ID of the battery 35 (S217; Yes), the process moves to step S209 again. Then, each process of steps S211 to S217 is repeated until there are no charging flags set to ON indicating that charging is required (S217; No).

Then, in the final step S219, charging information storage processing is performed. This time, the information regarding the charging of each battery 35 carried out for each battery unit 30 includes, for example, date and time information provided from the clock module, information on the start of charging, charging completion, and information on the charging time. Information such as charging order is saved.

In addition, electrical state information (for example, information on the output voltage and output current of the battery 35) acquired from the sensor 39 of each battery unit 30, physical state information (for example, the internal temperature (cell temperature) of the battery 35), information, information on the cumulative discharge time of the battery 35, information on the number of charging times, information on the amount of electrolyte in the battery 35), specification information (for example, information on the type of battery 35, nominal voltage and rated capacity), and load information. Information such as electric power value and surplus electric power value is also saved. When the charging information storage process (S219) is completed, this charging control process ends.

As described above, in the UPS 10 and the like according to the present embodiment, the battery 35 and the charging module 32 that charges the battery are structurally integrated and constitute the battery unit 30. The battery units 30 are plural, and include an inverter unit 23 that can convert DC power output from the battery 35 into AC power, and a switch 37 (via the DC/DC unit 22) that can be turned on in the event of a commercial power outage. It is structurally independent or detachable from the control unit 21 that controls the battery 35 and the inverter unit 23 (which enables electrical continuity between the battery 35 and the inverter unit 23).

As a result, the battery unit 30 is structurally independent or structurally removable from other parts such as the control unit 21, the DC/DC unit 22, and the inverter unit 23. It becomes possible to freely set the number of battery units 30 relative to each other. Since it is easy to increase or decrease the number of battery units 30, for example, when installing the system, configure the UPS 10 with the minimum number of battery units 30 (for example, two), and then when expanding the system due to an increase in the power consumption of the load 70, the battery units 30 It becomes possible to increase the number of units 30 to an arbitrary number (for example, five). When downsizing the system, any number of battery units 30 can be removed.

In this way, in the UPS 10 and the like according to this embodiment, the number of battery units 30 can be arbitrarily set to match the backup power capacity required by the user. Therefore, equipment costs at the time of system introduction, expansion, etc. can be suppressed. Further, since the battery 35 and the charging module 32 that charges it are in a one-to-one relationship, for example, the batteries 35 of the plurality of battery units 30 do not need to be of the same type. Therefore, it is also possible to mix battery units 30 having different types of batteries 35 among the plurality of battery units 30. Therefore, it is possible to create a battery configuration that matches the user's needs.

Further, in the UPS 10 and the like according to the present embodiment, the plurality of battery units 30 are not electrically connected in parallel or in series, but one battery unit 30 is connected to the DC/DC through the changeover switch 37. Since the battery units 30 are connected to the unit 22, other battery units 30 not connected to the DC/DC unit 22 can be replaced or removed. Therefore, even when AC power is being supplied to the load 70 by the DC/DC unit 22 or the inverter unit 23 during a power outage, for example, the used battery unit 30 with a small remaining storage capacity can be filled up. It can be replaced with a new battery unit 30 in a charged state.

In addition, by repeatedly replacing the fully charged battery unit 30 with the used battery unit 30, the supply of AC power by the UPS 10 etc. during a power outage can be made as long as the fully charged battery unit 30 is available. Can be continued. Furthermore, as long as it can supply DC power energy equivalent to the battery 35 of the battery unit 30, a renewable energy source such as a solar power generation unit, a wind power generation unit, or a geothermal power generation unit may be used instead of the battery unit 30. You can also use

Furthermore, in the UPS 10 and the like according to the present embodiment, when the AC power supply 50 that supplies commercial power is out of power, the control unit 21 is electrically connected to the inverter unit 23 via the changeover switch 37. When the battery 35 of the battery unit 30 becomes less than a predetermined charging capacity (S121; Yes), the changeover switch 37 is controlled to electrically disconnect the battery 35 and the inverter unit 23, and the plurality of battery units 30 The changeover switch 37 is controlled so that the battery 35, which has a predetermined charging capacity or more, and the inverter unit 23 are electrically connected to each other (S125). This makes it possible to supply AC power to the load 70 as long as there is a battery unit 30 whose battery 35 has a predetermined charging capacity or more among the plurality of battery units 30 .

In addition, in the above-mentioned UPS 10 etc., a configuration is illustrated in which the UPS 10 etc. supplies commercial power (AC power) received from the AC power supply 50 to the charging module 32 via the internal line 15 or the branch line 16 as a charging unit of the battery unit. Although the configuration is not limited to this, for example, each battery unit 30 may be equipped with a charging module 32 so that each battery unit 30 having a charging module 32 can directly receive power from the AC power source 50. A power line may be provided to supply commercial power (AC power) to each charging module 32.

In addition, in the above-mentioned UPS 10, etc., in the charging control process (FIG. 4), an algorithm including the charging order determination process (S207) has been explained as an example, but for example, priority is given to the battery 35 of each battery unit 30. When charging is performed in a predetermined order or at random without ranking, the charging order determining process (S207) becomes unnecessary. Therefore, this process is deleted in the algorithm for such cases.

Furthermore, in the UPS 10 and the like described above, the charging module 32 of each battery unit 30 is configured to start charging the battery 35 after receiving the control command (charging start command) sent from the control unit 21. The charging module 32 of each battery unit 30 may be configured to autonomously (independently) charge each battery 35 without receiving a charging start command. In this case, the charging module 32 needs to configure a control algorithm to charge the battery 35 during the commercial power reception period, and the charging control process (FIGS. 4 and 5) performed by the control unit 21 is unnecessary. become.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, the UPS 10 with a constant commercial power supply system and the UPS 10' with a constant inverter power supply system have been exemplified and described as UPSs to which the uninterruptible power supply system of the present invention is applied. It can also be applied to a line interactive type UPS as long as it includes each part corresponding to the "battery part, charging part, inverter part, switch part, and control part" (hereinafter referred to as "battery part, etc."). Furthermore, the uninterruptible power supply system of the present invention can be applied to cases where each part corresponding to the battery part etc. is configured separately, or a part of them and the remaining part are configured. .

Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The techniques described in the claims include various modifications or changes to the specific examples described above. Further, the technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical usefulness singly or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims as filed. Furthermore, the techniques illustrated in this specification or the drawings simultaneously achieve a plurality of objectives, and achieving one of the objectives has technical utility in itself. Note that the descriptions in parentheses in the [Explanation of symbols] column can clarify the correspondence between the terms used in each of the embodiments described above and the terms described in the claims.

10,10'...UPS (uninterruptible power supply system)
11... Housing 17... Changeover switch 19... Sensor 21... Control unit (control unit, charging control unit)
22...AC/DC unit 23...Inverter unit (inverter section)
24...DC/DC unit 30, 30'...Battery unit 31...Housing 32...Charging module (charging part)
35...Battery (battery part)
37…Selector switch (switch section)
39...Sensor 50...AC power supply 70...Load

Claims (4)

An uninterruptible power supply system that converts DC power into AC power and supplies it to the load when commercial power to be supplied to the load from the outside is interrupted,
a battery section that outputs the DC power;
a charging unit that converts the commercial power to DC power and charges the battery unit;
an inverter unit capable of converting DC power output from the battery unit into the AC power;
a switch unit that enables electrical continuity between the battery unit and the inverter unit;
a control unit that controls the switch unit to be in a conductive state in the case of a power outage of the commercial power;
including;
At least the battery section and the charging section constitute a battery unit that is structurally integrated and structurally independent or detachable from the inverter section and the control section,
An uninterruptible power supply system characterized in that the number of battery units is plural. In the case where the commercial power is out of power,
When the battery section of the battery unit electrically connected to the inverter section via the switch section becomes less than a predetermined charging capacity, the control section is configured to electrically connect the battery section and the inverter section. and controlling the switch unit so that the inverter unit is electrically connected to the battery unit whose charging capacity is equal to or greater than the predetermined charging capacity among the plurality of battery units. The uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The uninterruptible power supply system has a charging control section that controls charging of the battery section,
In a state in which there are a plurality of battery units each having a battery section (hereinafter referred to as a "required battery section" in the present claim) having a charging capacity of less than a predetermined charging capacity,
The charging control unit charges the plurality of battery units requiring charging at the same time within a range of surplus power obtained by subtracting the maximum power consumption of the load from the maximum allowable power that the commercial power can supply. The uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1 or 2. The uninterruptible power supply system has a charging control section that controls charging of the battery section,
The battery unit has a configuration that outputs state information representing an electrical or physical state of the battery unit included in the battery unit or information unique to the battery unit to the charging control unit,
In a state in which there are a plurality of battery units each having a battery section (hereinafter referred to as a "required battery section" in the present claim) having a charging capacity of less than a predetermined charging capacity,
The charging control unit sequentially charges the battery units requiring charging included in the plurality of battery units according to a ranking determined based on the status information or the unique information output from the plurality of battery units. The uninterruptible power supply system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

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