WO2023219022A1

WO2023219022A1 - Power supply device and power supply system

Info

Publication number: WO2023219022A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/016956
Authority: WO
Inventors: 真理子和田; 知之神山
Original assignee: 三菱電機株式会社
Priority date: 2022-05-10
Filing date: 2023-04-28
Publication date: 2023-11-16
Also published as: JPWO2023219022A1

Abstract

In the present invention, a power supply device comprises: an input terminal connected to an external power supply; an output terminal connected to a load; and N power supply units (10) connected to each other in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal. N is an integer of 2 or higher. Each power supply unit (10) includes a power supply circuit (101) that generates power supplied to the load on the basis of power supplied from the input terminal, and a control circuit that controls the starting and stopping of the power supply circuit (101). The control circuit starts the power supply circuit (101) upon receiving a start signal, and calculates the cumulative output power which is the cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit (1010) from the first start. The control circuit (101) stops the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a first threshold value.

Description

Power supplies and power systems

The present disclosure relates to a power supply device and a power supply system.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-34047 (Patent Document 1) discloses a power supply device including a plurality of power supply units connected in parallel to a load. In this power supply device, each power supply unit includes constant current operation in its operating range. When starting up the power supply device, the power supply unit in the first order is started by a power-on signal, and the power supply unit in the second order is started by detecting the constant current operation of the power supply unit in the first order. Next, upon detection of the constant current operation of the second-order power supply unit, the third-order power supply unit is activated. In this way, the plurality of power supply units are configured to be activated in sequence according to a preset order.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-34047

The power supply device described in Patent Document 1 always preferentially starts up the power supply unit in the higher order, so as the operating period of the power supply device becomes longer, the usage time of the plurality of power supply units will vary. As a result, there is a concern that the lifespan of the entire power supply device will depend on the lifespan of the topmost power supply unit.

The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and the purpose of the present disclosure is to improve the lifespan of a power supply device including a plurality of power supply units connected in parallel to a load.

A power supply device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an input terminal connected to an external power source, an output terminal connected to a load, and N power supply units connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal. Equipped with N is an integer of 2 or more. Each power supply unit includes a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to a load based on power supplied from an input terminal, and a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit. The control circuit receives the activation signal and activates the power supply circuit, and calculates a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit since the first activation. The control circuit stops the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching the first threshold. In the power supply unit whose power supply circuit has stopped operating, the control circuit initializes the cumulative output power amount in response to maintenance being performed, and calculates the cumulative output power amount of the power supply circuit from startup after initialization. .

A power supply device according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes an input terminal connected to an external power source, an output terminal connected to a load, and N units connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal. A power supply unit is provided. N is an integer of 2 or more. Each power supply unit includes a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to a load based on power supplied from an input terminal, and a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit. The control circuit receives the activation signal and activates the power supply circuit, and calculates a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit since the first activation. The control circuit stops the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching the first threshold. In a power supply unit in which the operation of the power supply circuit has been stopped, when the control circuit receives the activation signal, the control circuit restarts the power supply circuit and calculates the cumulative output power amount since the initial activation. The control circuit stops the operation of the power supply circuit again in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value.

A power supply device according to yet another aspect of the present disclosure includes an input terminal connected to an external power source, an output terminal connected to a load, and N units connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal. Equipped with a power supply unit. N is an integer of 2 or more. Each power supply unit includes a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to a load based on power supplied from an input terminal, and a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit. The control circuit receives the activation signal and activates the power supply circuit, and calculates a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit since the first activation. The control circuit stops the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching the first threshold. The N power supply units are comprised of a first power supply unit to an Nth power supply unit, and I is an integer from 2 to N−1. The control circuit of the first power supply unit receives a start signal when the power is turned on and starts the power supply circuit, and also sends a start signal to the control circuit of the second power supply unit in response to the output current of the power supply circuit reaching a reference current. Output. The control circuit of the I-th power supply unit starts the power supply circuit upon receiving a start signal from the control circuit of the (I-1) power supply unit, and also starts the power supply circuit in response to the output current of the power supply circuit reaching the reference current. (I+1) Output a start signal to the control circuit of the power supply unit.

According to the present disclosure, in a power supply device including a plurality of power supply units connected in parallel to a load, maintenance can be performed on each power supply unit at an appropriate timing according to its usage state. As a result, it becomes possible to improve the life of the power supply device.

1 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of a power supply device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of the power supply unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a control circuit. 5 is a time chart showing an example of the operation of the power supply device. 3 is a circuit block diagram of a power supply unit applied to a power supply device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram of a power supply device according to Embodiment 3. FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a power supply system according to a fifth embodiment. 8 is a circuit block diagram showing a first configuration example of the power supply device shown in FIG. 7. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a communication circuit in each power supply unit. 8 is a circuit block diagram showing a second configuration example of the power supply device shown in FIG. 7. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the same or corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

Embodiment 1.
(Configuration of power supply device)
FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of a power supply device according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the power supply device 1 includes an input section 11, an output section 12, N power supply units 10(1) to 10(N), and a communication line 13. N is an integer of 2 or more.

The N power supply units 10(1) to 10(N) are composed of the first power supply unit 10(1) to the Nth power supply unit 10(N). In the following description, the power supply units 10(1) to 10(N) may be collectively referred to as the power supply unit 10.

A starting priority order is determined in advance for the first power supply unit 10(1) to the Nth power supply unit 10(N). The number assigned to each power supply unit 10 represents the priority order of its own device. That is, the first power supply unit 10(1) has the first priority, and the Nth power supply unit 10(N) has the Nth priority.

The input section 11 is connected to an external power source (not shown). The external power source may be an AC power source or a DC power source. The output section 12 is connected to the load 2.

The N power supply units 10(1) to 10(N) are connected in parallel to each other between the input section 11 and the output section 12. Each power supply unit 10 includes an input terminal T1, an output terminal T2, and communication terminals T3 and T4.

The input terminal T1 of each power supply unit 10 is connected to the input section 11. The external power supply supplies power to the input terminal T1 via the input section 11. Each power supply unit 10 generates power to be supplied to the load 2 based on the power supplied to the input terminal T1, and outputs the generated power to the output terminal T2. The output terminal T2 of each power supply unit 10 is connected to the output section 12. The load 2 is driven by power supplied from the output terminal T2 of each power supply unit 10 via the output section 12.

Communication terminals T3 and T4 of each power supply unit 10 are connected to communication terminals T3 and T4 of other power supply units 10 via communication lines 13. Specifically, the communication terminal T4 of the first power supply unit 10(1) is connected to the communication terminal T3 of the second power supply unit 10(2) via the communication line 13. The communication terminal T4 of the second power supply unit 10(2) is connected to the communication terminal T3 of the third power supply unit 10(3) via the communication line 13. The communication terminal T3 of the Nth power supply unit 10 (N) is connected to the communication terminal T4 (not shown) of the (N-1)th power supply unit 10 (N-1) via the communication line 13. In this way, the communication terminal T3 of the I-th power supply unit 10 (I) is connected to the communication terminal T4 of the (I-1) power supply unit 10 (I-1) via the communication line 13. I is an integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N.

(Configuration of power supply unit)
FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing the configuration of the power supply unit 10 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the power supply unit 10 includes a power supply circuit 101, a current detection circuit 102, a cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103, and a start signal output circuit 104.

The power supply circuit 101 generates power to be supplied to the load 2 based on the power supplied from the input terminal T1. The power supply circuit 101 is configured to include a semiconductor switching element such as an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) or a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor), and by controlling the on/off of the semiconductor switching element, it is possible to extract power from the input power. Generate output power.

The power supply circuit 101 is, for example, an AC/DC converter that converts AC power supplied from the input terminal T1 into DC power, and/or a DC/AC converter that converts the voltage value of the DC power supplied from the input terminal T1. It is configured to include a power converter such as, and a control circuit for controlling the power converter. The power supply circuit 101 is activated upon receiving the activation signal ST input to the communication terminal T3, and generates power to be supplied to the load 2.

The current detection circuit 102 is a circuit for detecting the current Io output from the power supply circuit 101 to the output section 12. The current detection circuit 102 includes, for example, an ammeter for measuring the output current Io and a resistor (shunt resistor) connected in parallel to the ammeter. The current detection circuit 102 uses a resistor to convert the output current Io into a voltage Vo corresponding to the magnitude of the output current Io. Current detection circuit 102 outputs the generated voltage Vo to power supply circuit 101 and activation signal output circuit 104.

The power supply circuit 101 can be configured to include constant current operation in its operating range, similar to the power supply unit included in the power supply device described in Patent Document 1. For example, the constant current operation of each power supply unit is controlled by comparing the voltage Vo input from the current detection circuit 102 with a preset reference voltage. Furthermore, the constant voltage control of the output voltage from the power supply circuit 101 is performed by, for example, dividing the output voltage by a resistor connected in parallel to the circuit, and controlling the divided voltage to be maintained constant by comparing the divided voltage with a reference voltage. .

The activation signal output circuit 104 compares the output voltage Vo of the current detection circuit 102 and a predetermined reference voltage Vref. When the output voltage Vo becomes equal to or higher than the reference voltage Vref, that is, when the output current Io becomes equal to or higher than the reference current, a startup signal ST is generated, and the generated startup signal ST is output to the communication terminal T4. In each of the first power supply unit 10(1) to the (N-1)th power supply unit 10(N-1), the activation signal ST output to the communication terminal T4 is transmitted via the communication line 13 to the power supply unit 10(N-1). It is input to the communication terminal T3 of the power supply unit 10 whose startup priority is one level lower.

Note that the reference voltage Vref is a voltage according to the magnitude of the reference current, and can be generated by a reference voltage generation circuit provided inside or outside the power supply unit 10. Alternatively, the reference voltage Vref may be stored in advance in a memory built into the power supply unit 10 or an external storage device.

After the power supply circuit 101 is started, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 calculates the cumulative output power amount AE, which is the cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit 101 since the first startup. Specifically, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 is connected to the output terminal T2 and is configured to measure the power output from the power supply circuit 101 to the output terminal T2. The cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 calculates the cumulative output power amount AE by integrating the measured values of the output power of the power supply circuit 101 since the first startup.

The cumulative output power amount AE is 0Wh when the usage period of the power supply unit 10 is 0 hours, that is, when the power supply unit 10 is new. As the period of use of the power supply unit 10 becomes longer, the cumulative output power amount AE increases. The cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 compares the cumulative output power amount AE with a predetermined threshold value E1. The threshold value E1 can be set depending on the period of use during which maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is required, for example, taking into consideration the life span of the power supply unit 10 and the environment in which the power supply device 1 is used.

Note that the threshold E1 can be generated by a threshold generation circuit provided inside or outside the power supply unit 10. Alternatively, the threshold value E1 may be stored in advance in a memory built into the power supply unit 10 or an external storage device.

The cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 determines whether maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is necessary based on the comparison result between the cumulative output power amount AE and the threshold value E1. When the cumulative output power amount AE becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value E1, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 determines that maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is necessary. In this case, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 generates a stop signal STP and outputs it to the power supply circuit 101.

When the power supply circuit 101 receives the stop signal STP from the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103, it stops its operation. The power supply circuit 101 stops generating power to be supplied to the load 2 by stopping the built-in power converter. In this way, in the power supply device 1 according to the first embodiment, the power supply unit 10 that is determined to require maintenance is spontaneously stopped before a failure occurs.

Note that when stopping the operation of the power supply circuit 101, the output power (output current Io) of the power supply circuit 101 may be instantly reduced from 100% to 0%, or the output power (output current Io) may be reduced to 100%. It may be gradually decreased from 0% to 0%.

When maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is performed after the power supply circuit 101 is stopped, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 of the power supply unit 10 is initialized (reset). That is, the cumulative output power amount AE is set to an initial value of 0Wh. In response to the restart of the power supply unit 10 after maintenance, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 calculates the cumulative output power amount AE of the power supply circuit 101 since the restart.

In the power supply unit 10 shown in FIG. 2, the current detection circuit 102, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103, and the start signal output circuit 104 constitute a "control circuit" for controlling the start and stop of the power supply circuit 101. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control circuit.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control circuit includes a processor 20, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 21, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 22, an I/F (Interface) device 23, and a storage device 24. The processor 20, RAM 21, ROM 22, I/F device 23, and storage device 24 exchange various data via a communication bus 25.

For example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is employed as the processor 20. The processor 20 reads the program from the storage device 24 to the ROM 22 . The RAM 21 functions as a working memory and temporarily stores various data necessary for executing programs. Communication terminals T3 and T4 are connected to the I/F device 23. Thereby, the power supply unit 10 exchanges data with other power supply units 10. The storage device 24 is, for example, a storage medium such as a hard disk or a flash memory, and stores a program executed by the processor 20. Note that the storage device 24 stores not only the program but also information used in the program (eg, reference voltage Vref, threshold value E1).

In the first embodiment, the processor 20 executes a program stored in the storage device 24, thereby executing various controls by the control device. However, various controls by the control device are not limited to execution by software, but can also be executed by dedicated hardware (electronic circuit).

(Operation of power supply device)
Next, the operation of the power supply device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described using FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a time chart showing an example of the operation of the power supply device 1. FIG. 4 shows the operation of each power supply unit 10 when starting up the power supply device 1.

FIG. 4(A) shows the waveform of power supplied from the power supply device 1 to the load 2. FIG. 4(B) shows the waveform of the output voltage Vo1 of the current detection circuit 102 in the first power supply unit 10(1). FIG. 4C shows the waveform of the output voltage Vo2 of the current detection circuit 102 in the second power supply unit 10(2). FIG. 4(D) shows the waveform of the output voltage Vo3 of the current detection circuit 102 in the third power supply unit 10(3). FIG. 4(E) shows the waveform of the output voltage Vo4 of the current detection circuit 102 in the fourth power supply unit 10(4). FIG. 4(F) shows the waveform of the cumulative output power amount AE1 of the first power supply unit 10(1).

When power is turned on to the power supply device 1 at time t0, the first power supply unit 10(1) is activated first. The input unit 11 outputs a start signal ST to the first power supply unit 10(1) in response to power being supplied from the external power supply. In the first power supply unit 10 (1), the power supply circuit 101 is activated upon receiving the activation signal ST from the input section 11, and generates power to be supplied to the load 2. Current detection circuit 102 converts output current Io1 of power supply circuit 101 into voltage Vo1 and outputs it to power supply circuit 101 and activation signal output circuit 104.

After time t0, as the power supplied to the load 2 increases, the output current Io1 of the first power supply unit 10(1) increases, and the output voltage Vo1 of the current detection circuit 102 also increases. The activation signal output circuit 104 compares the output voltage Vo1 and the reference voltage Vref.

At time t1, when the output voltage Vo1 reaches the reference voltage Vref, the activation signal output circuit 104 outputs the activation signal ST to the communication terminal T4. The activation signal ST is input to the communication terminal T3 of the second power supply unit 10(2) via the communication line 13.

In the second power supply unit 10 (2), the power supply circuit 101 is activated in response to the activation signal ST input to the communication terminal T3, and generates power to be supplied to the load 2. That is, the total value of the output power of the first power supply unit 10(1) and the output power of the second power supply unit 10(2) is supplied to the load 2.

By sharing power supply to the load 2 between the two power supply units 10(1) and 10(2), the output current Io1 of the first power supply unit 10(1) decreases at time t1. As a result, the output voltage Vo1 also decreases. On the other hand, since the output current Io2 of the second power supply unit 10(2) increases, the output voltage Vo2 increases. Note that since the output current Io1 and the output current Io2 are equal to each other, the output voltage Vo1 and the output voltage Vo are also equal to each other.

After time t1, in the second power supply unit 10(2), the activation signal output circuit 104 compares the output voltage Vo2 and the reference voltage Vref. At time t2, when the output voltage Vo2 reaches the reference voltage Vref, the activation signal output circuit 104 outputs the activation signal ST to the communication terminal T4. The activation signal ST is input to the communication terminal T3 of the third power supply unit 10(3) via the communication line 13.

In the third power supply unit 10(3), the power supply circuit 101 is activated upon receiving the activation signal ST input to the communication terminal T3, and generates power to be supplied to the load 2. As a result, the total value of the output power of the first power supply unit 10(1), the output power of the second power supply unit 10(2), and the output power of the third power supply unit 10(3) is supplied to the load 2.

By sharing the power supply to the load 2 among the three power supply units 10(1), 10(2), and 10(3), at time t2, the output current Io1 of the first power supply unit 10(1) increases. decreases again, so the output voltage Vo1 also decreases again. Since the output current Io2 of the second power supply unit 10(2) also decreases, the output voltage Vo2 also decreases.

On the other hand, since the output current Io3 of the third power supply unit 10(3) increases, the output voltage Vo3 increases. Note that since the output currents Io1, Io2, and Io3 are equal to each other, the output voltages Vo1, Vo2, and Vo3 are also equal to each other.

When the increase in the power supplied to the load 2 stops at time t3 and the power becomes a constant value, the output current Io of each of the three power supply units 10(1), 10(2), and 10(3) also remains constant. value. Therefore, the output voltages Vo1, Vo2, and Vo3 also have constant values.

As explained above, when power is turned on to the power supply device 1 at time t0, as the power supplied to the load 2 increases, the first power supply unit 10(1) Start in order. After the power supply circuit 101 is started, the cumulative output power detection circuit 103 of each power supply unit 10 calculates the cumulative output power AE, which is the cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit 101 since the first startup.

In the first power supply unit 10(1), a cumulative output power amount AE1, which is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit 101 from time t0, is calculated. As shown in FIG. 4(F), the cumulative output power amount AE1 gradually increases. The cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 compares the cumulative output power amount AE1 with a threshold value E1.

If the cumulative output power amount AE1 reaches the threshold value E1 at time t4, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 determines that maintenance of the first power supply unit 10(1) is necessary, and the power supply circuit 101 Outputs a stop signal STP. When receiving the stop signal STP, the power supply circuit 101 stops the generation of the power supplied to the load 2 by stopping the built-in power converter. Since the operation of the power supply circuit 101 is stopped, the output current Io1 of the first power supply unit 10(1) decreases to zero, and therefore the output voltage Vo1 also decreases to zero.

Due to the suspension of operation of the first power supply unit 10 (1), the number of power supply units 10 that supply power to the load 2 is reduced from three to two, so that the second power supply unit 10 (2) and the third power supply unit 10 The burden of (3) will increase. In response to the output currents Io2 and Io3 starting to increase at time t4, the output voltages Vo2 and Vo3 also start increasing.

In the third power supply unit 10(2), the activation signal output circuit 104 compares the output voltage Vo3 and the reference voltage Vref. At time t5, when the output voltage Vo3 reaches the reference voltage Vref, the activation signal output circuit 104 outputs the activation signal ST to the communication terminal T4. The activation signal ST is input to the communication terminal T3 of the fourth power supply unit 10(4) via the communication line 13.

In the fourth power supply unit 10 (4), the power supply circuit 101 is activated in response to the activation signal ST input to the communication terminal T3, and generates power to be supplied to the load 2. As a result, the total value of the output power of the second power supply unit 10(2), the output power of the third power supply unit 10(3), and the output power of the fourth power supply unit 10(4) is supplied to the load 2.

At time t5, the number of power supply units 10 supplying power to load 2 has returned to three, so that the output current of each of the three power supply units 10(2), 10(3), and 10(4) increases. Io is a constant value, and the output voltages Vo2, Vo3, and Vo4 are also constant values.

As the operation of the first power supply unit 10(1) whose cumulative output power amount AE has reached the threshold value E1 is stopped in this way, the startup priority is lower than that of the first power supply unit 10(1). The fourth power supply unit 10(4) is newly activated and starts supplying power to the load 2. According to this, maintenance of the first power supply unit 10(1) whose operation has been stopped can be performed while continuing power supply to the load 2.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, maintenance can be performed on each power supply unit 10 at an appropriate timing depending on its usage state while fulfilling its function as a power supply device. As a result, it becomes possible to improve the life of the entire power supply device.

Note that the number N of power supply units 10 included in the power supply device 1 is preferably larger than the number required to supply rated power to the load 2. In this way, even while maintenance is being performed on some of the power supply units 10, it is possible to continue stably supplying power to the load 2 from the remaining power supply units 10.

Embodiment 2.
FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of the power supply unit 10 applied to the power supply device 1 according to the second embodiment. The overall configuration of the power supply device 1 according to Embodiment 2 is the same as the configuration of the power supply device 1 shown in FIG. 1, so a description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5, the power supply unit 10 according to the second embodiment differs from the power supply unit 10 shown in FIG. 2 in that it includes a status display circuit 105. The status display circuit 105 is connected to the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103.

The cumulative output power detection circuit 103 generates a stop signal STP and outputs it to the power supply circuit 101 and the status display circuit 105 when the cumulative output power AE of the power supply circuit 101 exceeds the threshold E1.

The status display circuit 105 includes, for example, a display installed in the casing of the power supply unit 10. In response to receiving the stop signal STP, the status display circuit 105 displays on the display that the power supply unit 10 is in the stopped state. This allows the user of the power supply device 1 to be notified that the power supply unit 10 requires maintenance.

Embodiment 3.
FIG. 6 is a circuit block diagram of the power supply device 1 according to the third embodiment. The power supply device 1 according to the third embodiment differs from the power supply device 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in the connection of the communication line 13. As shown in FIG. 6, the communication terminal T4 of the Nth power supply unit 10(N) is connected to the communication terminal T3 of the first power supply unit 10(1) via the communication line 13. The configuration of each power supply unit 10 is the same as that of the power supply unit 10 shown in FIG.

In the third embodiment, the first power supply unit 10(1) is configured to start in response to power being turned on to the power supply device 1 or in response to input of a start signal ST to the communication terminal T3. ing.

In the Nth power supply unit 10 (N), the power supply circuit 101 starts up in response to the start signal ST input to the communication terminal T3 from the (N-1)th power supply unit 10 (N-1), and supplies the power to the load 2. generate electricity. The activation signal output circuit 104 compares the output voltage Vo of the current detection circuit 102 and the reference voltage Vref.

The activation signal output circuit 104 generates a activation signal ST when the output voltage Vo becomes equal to or higher than the reference voltage Vref, and outputs the generated activation signal ST to the communication terminal T4. The activation signal ST outputted to the communication terminal T4 is inputted to the communication terminal T3 of the first power supply unit 10(1) via the communication line 13. In the first power supply unit 10(1), the power supply circuit 101 that is in a stopped state starts up again in response to the start-up signal ST input to the communication terminal T3.

Here, since the operation of the power supply unit 10 (I) with a higher startup priority is stopped, the power supply circuit 101 of the Nth power supply unit 10 (N) is started and starts supplying power to the load 2. Assume a case. I is an integer from 1 to N-1.

In this case, power supply to the load 2 is continued from the (I+1)th power supply unit 10 (I+1) to the Nth power supply unit 10 (N). However, when the power supplied to the load 2 increases, the output current Io of the power supply circuit 101 increases in each power supply unit 10, so the output voltage Vo may exceed the reference voltage Vref. Therefore, there is a concern that the power supply circuit 101 of each power supply unit 10 may become overloaded.

According to the third embodiment, the activation signal output circuit 104 of the N-th power supply unit 10(N) outputs the activation signal to the first power supply unit 10(1) in response to the output voltage Vo reaching the reference voltage Vref. ST is output to restart the power supply circuit 101 of the first power supply unit 10(1). This increases the number of power supply units 10 that supply power to the load 2, so it is possible to avoid overloading the power supply circuit 101 of each power supply unit 10 during operation.

Note that when the power supplied to the load 2 further increases, or when the operation of the (I+1)th power supply unit 10 (I+1) is stopped, the output voltage Vo of each power supply unit 10 becomes the reference voltage Vref again. may be reached. In this case, the activation signal output circuit 104 of the first power supply unit 10(1) outputs the activation signal ST to the second power supply unit 10(2). When the second power supply unit 10(2) is in a stopped state, the power supply circuit 101 is activated again in response to the activation signal ST and starts supplying power to the load 2.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the power supply unit 10 that has been stopped for maintenance can be restarted to supply power to the load 2. According to this, (N-1) power supply units 10 excluding the one power supply unit 10 undergoing maintenance can be operated to continue supplying power to the load 2. Therefore, the number N of power supply units 10 can be suppressed to one more than the number required to supply rated power to the load 2.

Embodiment 4.
In the power supply device 1 according to the first to third embodiments described above, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 of each power supply unit 10 is configured to calculate the cumulative output power amount AE of the power supply circuit 101 from the initial startup. Ru. Then, when maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is performed, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 is initialized.

According to this, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 continues to calculate the cumulative output power amount AE from the initial startup until maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is performed. Therefore, even if you try to start up the power supply circuit 101 again without performing maintenance on the power supply unit 10 after receiving the stop signal STP from the cumulative output power detection circuit 103 and stopping the operation of the power supply circuit 101, the cumulative Since the output power amount detection circuit 103 outputs the stop signal STP, the power supply circuit 101 cannot be started.

While this has the effect of prompting the user to perform maintenance on the power supply unit 10, if maintenance is delayed for some reason, the number of power supply units 10 that can be used is limited. Therefore, there is a concern that the power supply device 1 may not be able to supply the necessary power to the load 2. Furthermore, there is a concern that the power supply unit 10 during operation may become overloaded.

Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 of each power supply unit 10 is configured to have a plurality of threshold values. In the following description, it is assumed that the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 has two threshold values E1 and E2. Note that the threshold value E2 is assumed to be larger than the threshold value E1. The threshold E1 corresponds to an example of a "first threshold", and the threshold E2 corresponds to an example of a "second threshold".

In each power supply unit 10, after the power supply circuit 101 is started, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 calculates the cumulative output power amount AE of the power supply circuit 101 from the first startup. The cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 compares the cumulative output power amount AE with a threshold value E1. When the cumulative output power amount AE exceeds the threshold value E1, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 determines that maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is necessary, generates a stop signal STP, and outputs it to the power supply circuit 101. When the power supply circuit 101 receives the stop signal STP from the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103, it stops its operation.

If maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is not performed after the power supply circuit 101 is stopped, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 is not initialized. In this state, when the power supply circuit 101 receives the activation signal ST input to the communication terminal T3, the power supply circuit 101 is activated again and generates power to be supplied to the load 2. The cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 continues to calculate the cumulative output power amount AE of the power supply circuit 101 since the first startup.

At this time, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 compares the cumulative output power amount AE and the threshold value E2. When the cumulative output power amount AE becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value E2, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 generates a stop signal STP and outputs it to the power supply circuit 101. The power supply circuit 101 stops operation again upon receiving the stop signal STP.

In this way, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 is configured to set the threshold value in two stages, and to gradually increase the threshold value for comparison with the cumulative output power amount AE. According to this, even if maintenance of the power supply unit 10 that has been stopped is delayed, the use of the power supply unit 10 can be continued until the cumulative output power amount AE reaches the threshold value E2.

For example, in the power supply device 1 according to the first embodiment, when the cumulative output power amount AE reaches the threshold value E1 in the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 of the Nth power supply unit 10 (N), the Nth power supply unit 10 (N) ) to 10 (N) All operations stop. Thereafter, when power is turned on to the power supply device 1, the first power supply unit 10(1) is restarted in order. If maintenance has not been performed on each power supply unit 10, the power supply circuit 101 starts supplying power in the restarted power supply unit 10, and restarts the power supply circuit 101 in response to the cumulative output power amount AE reaching the threshold value E2. It will stop working. According to this, the power supply device 1 can continue to supply power to the load 2 until the cumulative output power amount AE in the Nth power supply unit 10 (N) reaches the threshold value E2.

Alternatively, in the power supply device 1 according to the third embodiment, the first power supply unit 10(1) is activated again in response to the activation signal ST from the activation signal output circuit 104 of the Nth power supply unit 10(N). If maintenance of the first power supply unit 10(1) is not performed, the power supply circuit 101 is restarted and then stops operating again when the cumulative output power amount AE reaches the threshold value E2. That is, the first power supply unit 10(1) can continue to be used until the cumulative output power amount AE reaches the threshold value E2.

Note that the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 may have three or more threshold values. In this case, after the power supply circuit 101 is restarted without waiting for initialization, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 compares the cumulative output power amount AE with a threshold value that is larger than the previously used threshold value, and the comparison result is The stop signal STP is configured to be output in response to the stop signal STP. According to this, even if maintenance of the power supply unit 10 is delayed, the power supply unit 10 can be continued to be used until the cumulative output power amount AE reaches the largest threshold value.

Embodiment 5.
In Embodiments 5 to 7, the configuration of a power supply system to which the power supply device 1 according to the present embodiment is applied will be described.

(Power system configuration)
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a power supply system according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the power supply system includes a plurality of power supply devices 1 and a server 3.

The server 3 is a management device for managing the plurality of power supply devices 1. The server 3 is installed, for example, at a service center for maintaining the quality of the plurality of power supply devices 1 and protecting them from failure. Each power supply device 1 is communicably connected to a server 3 via a communication network 5 . The communication network 5 is typically the Internet. The server 3 may be a shared server shared by multiple service centers, or a cloud server provided by a cloud server management company.

(Configuration of power supply device)
FIG. 8 is a circuit block diagram showing a first configuration example of the power supply device 1 shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 8, the power supply device 1 according to the first configuration example differs from the power supply unit 10 shown in FIG. 2 in that it includes a status display circuit 105 and a communication circuit 106. The status display circuit 105 and the communication circuit 106 are connected to the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103.

The cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 generates a stop signal STP and outputs it to the power supply circuit 101, the status display circuit 105, and the communication circuit 106 when the cumulative output power amount AE of the power supply circuit 101 becomes equal to or higher than the threshold value E1. .

In response to receiving the stop signal STP, the status display circuit 105 displays on the display that the power supply unit 10 is in the stopped state.

The communication circuit 106 generates status data indicating the status of the power supply unit 10 and transmits the generated status data to the server 3. FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the communication circuit 106 in each power supply unit 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, the communication circuit 106 of each power supply unit 10 is communicatively connected to the server 3. When receiving the stop signal STP from the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103, the communication circuit 106 transmits status data including the identification information of the stopped power supply unit 10 and the identification information of the power supply device 1 including the power supply unit 10. is generated and sent to the server 3.

The server 3 outputs the status data received from the power supply unit 10 from an output unit (not shown). Thereby, a worker present at the service center can know which power supply unit 10 requires maintenance from a remote location without going to the site. As a result, the worker can efficiently perform maintenance on the power supply unit 10 of each power supply device 1 at appropriate timing.

Embodiment 6.
(Configuration of power supply device)
FIG. 10 is a circuit block diagram showing a second configuration example of the power supply device 1 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, the power supply device 1 according to the second configuration example is obtained by adding a control device 14 to the power supply device 1 according to the first configuration example shown in FIG.

The control device 14 controls the N power supply units 10(1) to 10(N). The control device 14 is connected to the communication circuit 106 of each power supply unit 10. The control device 14 is further configured to exchange data with the server 3.

When the communication circuit 106 of each power supply unit 10 receives the stop signal STP from the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103, it transfers the received stop signal STP to the control device 14.

The control device 14 generates status data indicating the status of each power supply unit 10 based on data exchanged with each communication circuit 106, and transmits the generated status data to the server 3. Specifically, when receiving the stop signal STP from the communication circuit 106 of any one of the N power supply units 10(1) to 10(N), the control device 14 10 and the identification information of the power supply device 1 including the power supply unit 10 is generated and transmitted to the server 3.

In the second configuration example as well, the same effects as in the first configuration example described above can be obtained. In the second configuration example, since the control device 14 is further configured to generate status data of each power supply unit 10, the communication circuit 106 of each power supply unit 10 needs to hold identification information of the power supply unit 10. There is no. Therefore, the communication circuit 106 can be simplified.

Embodiment 7.
In the fourth embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 has a plurality of threshold values in each power supply unit 10 of the power supply device 1. When the power supply device 1 according to the fourth embodiment is applied to the power supply device 1 included in the power supply system (see FIG. 7) shown in the fifth and sixth embodiments, the communication circuit 106 or the control device 14 is connected to the server 3. In contrast, it is possible to configure the state data of each power supply unit 10 to be transmitted in stages.

For example, assume that the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 has two threshold values E1 and E2. Note that the threshold value E2 is assumed to be larger than the threshold value E1.

In the power supply unit 10 shown in FIG. 8, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 generates the first stop signal STP when the cumulative output power amount AE of the power supply circuit 101 from the first startup becomes equal to or higher than the threshold value E1. It outputs to the power supply circuit 101, the status display circuit 105, and the communication circuit 106. Furthermore, when the cumulative output power amount AE from the first startup exceeds the threshold value E2, the cumulative output power amount detection circuit 103 generates a second stop signal STP and outputs a second stop signal STP to the power supply circuit 101, the status display circuit 105, and the communication circuit. Output to 106.

In the first configuration example shown in FIG. 9, the communication circuit 106 generates status data and transmits it to the server 3 in response to receiving the first stop signal STP. At this time, the communication circuit 106 includes the status data indicating that the power supply unit 10 is in a state that requires protection, together with the identification information of the stopped power supply unit 10 and the identification information of the power supply 1 that includes the power supply unit 10. Include information.

The communication circuit 106 further generates status data and transmits it to the server 3 in response to receiving the second stop signal STP. At this time, the communication circuit 106 includes the status data indicating that the power supply unit 10 needs to be replaced, along with the identification information of the stopped power supply unit 10 and the identification information of the power supply 1 that includes the power supply unit 10. Include information.

According to this, the communication circuit 106 of each power supply unit 10 transmits information indicating that the power supply unit 10 is in a state that requires protection, and information indicating that the power supply unit 10 is in a state that requires protection, based on the comparison result between the cumulative output power amount AE and the threshold values E1 and E2. Information indicating that the unit 10 needs to be replaced is sent to the server 3 in stages. Therefore, a worker at the service center can know in detail what state the power supply unit 10 is in based on the state data of each power supply unit 10. Therefore, the worker can perform maintenance on the power supply unit 10 that needs to be replaced with priority over the power supply unit 10 that needs to be protected, and it becomes possible to improve the efficiency of maintenance.

In the second configuration example shown in FIG. 10, the control device 14 receives an initial stop signal STP from the communication circuit 106 of any one of the N power supply units 10(1) to 10(N). When received, state data including the identification information of the stopped power supply unit 10 and the identification information of the power supply device 1 including the power supply unit 10, as well as information indicating that the power supply unit 10 is in a state that requires protection. Send to server 3.

Further, when the control device 14 receives the second stop signal STP from the communication circuit 106 of any one of the N power supply units 10(1) to 10(N), the control device 14 controls the stopped power supply unit 10. and the identification information of the power supply device 1 including the power supply unit 10, and status data including information indicating that the power supply unit 10 needs to be replaced is transmitted to the server 3. According to this, similarly to the first configuration example, a service center worker can know in detail what state the power supply unit 10 is in based on the state data from each power supply unit 10. Therefore, in the second configuration example as well, the same effects as in the first configuration example can be obtained.

The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Unless there is a contradiction, at least two of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined. The technical scope indicated by the present disclosure is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the embodiments described above, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all changes within the scope. .

Hereinafter, various aspects of the present disclosure will be collectively described as supplementary notes.
(Additional note 1)
An input terminal connected to an external power supply,
an output terminal connected to the load;
comprising N power supply units connected in parallel to each other between the input terminal and the output terminal, where N is an integer of 2 or more,
Each power supply unit is
a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to the load based on the power supplied from the input terminal;
a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit;
The control circuit includes:
Activating the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal, and calculating a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit from the initial activation,
Stopping the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a first threshold;
In the power supply unit in which the operation of the power supply circuit is stopped, the control circuit:
Initializing the cumulative output power amount in response to maintenance being performed;
A power supply device that calculates the cumulative output power amount of the power supply circuit from startup after initialization.

(Additional note 2)
An input terminal connected to an external power supply,
an output terminal connected to the load;
comprising N power supply units connected in parallel to each other between the input terminal and the output terminal, where N is an integer of 2 or more,
Each power supply unit is
a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to the load based on the power supplied from the input terminal;
a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit;
The control circuit includes:
Activating the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal, and calculating a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit from the initial activation,
Stopping the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a first threshold;
In the power supply unit in which the operation of the power supply circuit is stopped, the control circuit:
When the activation signal is received, the power supply circuit is activated again, and the cumulative output power amount from the initial activation is calculated;
A power supply device that stops the operation of the power supply circuit again in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value.

(Additional note 3)
An input terminal connected to an external power supply,
an output terminal connected to the load;
comprising N power supply units connected in parallel to each other between the input terminal and the output terminal, where N is an integer of 2 or more,
Each power supply unit is
a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to the load based on the power supplied from the input terminal;
a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit;
The control circuit includes:
Activating the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal, and calculating a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit from the initial activation,
Stopping the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a first threshold;
The N power supply units are comprised of a first power supply unit to an Nth power supply unit, I is an integer from 2 to N-1,
The control circuit of the first power supply unit starts the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal when the power is turned on, and starts the control circuit of the second power supply unit in response to the output current of the power supply circuit reaching a reference current. outputting the activation signal to the control circuit;
The control circuit of the I-th power supply unit receives the activation signal from the control circuit of the (I-1) power supply unit, starts the power supply circuit, and causes the output current of the power supply circuit to reach the reference current. The power supply device outputs the activation signal to the control circuit of the (I+1)th power supply unit in accordance with the above.

(Additional note 4)
The N power supply units are comprised of a first power supply unit to an Nth power supply unit, I is an integer from 2 to N-1,
The control circuit of the first power supply unit starts the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal when the power is turned on, and starts the control circuit of the second power supply unit in response to the output current of the power supply circuit reaching a reference current. outputting the activation signal to the control circuit;
The control circuit of the I-th power supply unit receives the activation signal from the control circuit of the (I-1) power supply unit, starts the power supply circuit, and causes the output current of the power supply circuit to reach the reference current. The power supply device according to

supplementary note

1 or 2, which outputs the activation signal to the control circuit of the (I+1)th power supply unit, depending on the case.

(Appendix 5)
The control circuit of the Nth power supply unit receives the start signal from the control circuit of the (N-1)th power supply unit to start the power supply circuit, and causes the output current of the power supply circuit to reach the reference current. 5. The power supply device according to supplementary note 3 or 4, which outputs the activation signal to the control circuit of the first power supply unit in response to the activation signal.

(Appendix 6)
The power supply device according to appendix 5, wherein N is a number that is one larger than the number of units required to supply rated power to the load.

(Appendix 7)
Each of the power supply units further includes a display circuit for displaying the status of the power supply unit,
The power supply device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, wherein the display circuit displays that the power supply unit is in a stopped state in response to the stoppage of operation of the power supply circuit.

(Appendix 8)
The power supply device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 7;
a management device that is communicatively connected to the power supply device and manages the power supply device;
The power supply device is configured to transmit state data indicating the state of each power supply unit to the management device,
When the operation of the power supply circuit in any one of the N power supply units stops, the power supply device stores identification information of the power supply unit in the stopped state, and identification information of the power supply device. A power supply system that generates the state data including the state data and transmits the state data to the management device.

(Appendix 9)
In the power supply unit in which the operation of the power supply circuit is stopped, the control circuit:
Initializing the cumulative output power amount in response to maintenance being performed;
If the activation signal is received before maintenance is performed, the power supply circuit is activated again, the cumulative output power amount from the initial startup is calculated, and the cumulative output power amount is determined from the first power supply circuit. configured to stop the operation of the power supply circuit again in response to reaching a second threshold that is larger than the threshold;
In any one of the N power supply units, when the operation of the power supply circuit stops in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching the first threshold, the power supply device , transmitting the state data including information indicating that the power supply unit is in a state requiring protection to the management device that generated it;
In the power supply unit, when the operation of the power supply circuit stops again in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching the second threshold, the power supply device enters a state in which the power supply unit needs to be replaced. The power supply system according to appendix 8, wherein the power supply system transmits the status data including information indicating that the status data is generated to the management device that generated the status data.

(Appendix 10)
Each of the power supply units further includes a communication circuit that is communicatively connected to the management device,
The power supply system according to appendix 8 or 9, wherein the communication circuit generates the state data and transmits it to the management device.

(Appendix 11)
The power supply device further includes a control device communicatively connected to the management device,
Each of the power supply units further includes a communication circuit communicatively connected to the control device,
The power supply system according to appendix 8 or 9, wherein the control circuit generates the status data based on data exchange with the communication circuit of each of the power supply units, and transmits the generated status data to the management device. .

1 Power supply device, 2 Load, 3 Server, 5 Communication network, 10, 10 (1) to 10 (N) Power supply unit, 11 Input section, 12 Output section, 14 Control device, 20 Processor, 21 RAM, 22 ROM, 23 I/F device, 24 Storage device, 25 Communication bus, 101 Power supply circuit, 102 Current detection circuit, 103 Cumulative output power amount detection circuit, 104 Start signal output circuit, 105 Status display circuit, 106 Communication circuit, T1 input terminal, T2 Output terminal, T3, T4 communication terminal, ST start signal, STP stop signal.

Claims

An input terminal connected to an external power supply,
an output terminal connected to the load;
N power supply units connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal, where N is an integer of 2 or more,
Each power supply unit is
a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to the load based on the power supplied from the input terminal;
a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit;
The control circuit includes:
Activating the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal, and calculating a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit from the initial activation,
Stopping the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a first threshold;
In the power supply unit in which the operation of the power supply circuit is stopped, the control circuit:
Initializing the cumulative output power amount in response to maintenance being performed;
A power supply device that calculates the cumulative output power amount of the power supply circuit from startup after initialization.
An input terminal connected to an external power supply,
an output terminal connected to the load;
N power supply units connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal, where N is an integer of 2 or more,
Each power supply unit is
a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to the load based on the power supplied from the input terminal;
a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit;
The control circuit includes:
Activating the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal, and calculating a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit from the initial activation,
Stopping the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a first threshold;
In the power supply unit in which the operation of the power supply circuit is stopped, the control circuit:
When the activation signal is received, the power supply circuit is activated again, and the cumulative output power amount from the initial activation is calculated;
A power supply device that stops the operation of the power supply circuit again in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value.
An input terminal connected to an external power supply,
an output terminal connected to the load;
N power supply units connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal, where N is an integer of 2 or more,
Each power supply unit is
a power supply circuit that generates power to be supplied to the load based on the power supplied from the input terminal;
a control circuit that controls starting and stopping of the power supply circuit;
The control circuit includes:
Activating the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal, and calculating a cumulative output power amount that is a cumulative value of the output power of the power supply circuit from the initial activation,
Stopping the operation of the power supply circuit in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching a first threshold;
The N power supply units are comprised of a first power supply unit to an Nth power supply unit, I is an integer from 2 to N-1,
The control circuit of the first power supply unit starts the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal when the power is turned on, and starts the control circuit of the second power supply unit in response to the output current of the power supply circuit reaching a reference current. outputting the activation signal to the control circuit;
The control circuit of the I-th power supply unit receives the activation signal from the control circuit of the (I-1) power supply unit, starts the power supply circuit, and causes the output current of the power supply circuit to reach the reference current. The power supply device outputs the activation signal to the control circuit of the (I+1)th power supply unit in accordance with the above.
The N power supply units are comprised of a first power supply unit to an Nth power supply unit, I is an integer from 2 to N-1,
The control circuit of the first power supply unit starts the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal when the power is turned on, and starts the control circuit of the second power supply unit in response to the output current of the power supply circuit reaching a reference current. outputting the activation signal to the control circuit;
The control circuit of the I-th power supply unit receives the activation signal from the control circuit of the (I-1) power supply unit, starts the power supply circuit, and causes the output current of the power supply circuit to reach the reference current. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the activation signal is output to the control circuit of the (I+1)th power supply unit in accordance with the above.
The N power supply units are comprised of a first power supply unit to an Nth power supply unit, I is an integer from 2 to N-1,
The control circuit of the first power supply unit starts the power supply circuit in response to the activation signal when the power is turned on, and starts the control circuit of the second power supply unit in response to the output current of the power supply circuit reaching a reference current. outputting the activation signal to the control circuit;
The control circuit of the I-th power supply unit receives the activation signal from the control circuit of the (I-1) power supply unit, starts the power supply circuit, and causes the output current of the power supply circuit to reach the reference current. The power supply device according to claim 2, wherein the activation signal is output to the control circuit of the (I+1)th power supply unit in accordance with the above.
The control circuit of the Nth power supply unit receives the start signal from the control circuit of the (N-1)th power supply unit to start the power supply circuit, and causes the output current of the power supply circuit to reach the reference current. The power supply device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the activation signal is output to the control circuit of the first power supply unit in response to the activation.
7. The power supply device according to claim 6, wherein N is a number that is one larger than the number required to supply rated power to the load.
Each of the power supply units further includes a display circuit for displaying the status of the power supply unit,
The power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display circuit displays that the power supply unit is in a stopped state in response to the stoppage of operation of the power supply circuit.
The power supply device according to claim 1;
a management device that is communicatively connected to the power supply device and manages the power supply device;
The power supply device is configured to transmit state data indicating the state of each power supply unit to the management device,
When the operation of the power supply circuit in any of the N power supply units stops, the power supply device includes identification information of the power supply unit in a stopped state and identification information of the power supply device. A power supply system that generates the state data and transmits it to the management device.
The power supply device according to claim 2;
a management device that is communicatively connected to the power supply device and manages the power supply device;
The power supply device is configured to transmit state data indicating the state of each power supply unit to the management device,
When the operation of the power supply circuit in any of the N power supply units stops, the power supply device includes identification information of the power supply unit in a stopped state and identification information of the power supply device. A power supply system that generates the state data and transmits it to the management device.
A power supply device according to claim 3;
a management device that is communicatively connected to the power supply device and manages the power supply device;
The power supply device is configured to transmit state data indicating the state of each power supply unit to the management device,
When the operation of the power supply circuit in any of the N power supply units stops, the power supply device includes identification information of the power supply unit in a stopped state and identification information of the power supply device. A power supply system that generates the state data and transmits it to the management device.
In the power supply unit in which the operation of the power supply circuit is stopped, the control circuit:
Initializing the cumulative output power amount in response to maintenance being performed;
If the activation signal is received before maintenance is performed, the power supply circuit is activated again, the cumulative output power amount from the initial startup is calculated, and the cumulative output power amount is determined from the first power supply circuit. configured to stop the operation of the power supply circuit again in response to reaching a second threshold that is larger than the threshold;
In any one of the N power supply units, when the operation of the power supply circuit stops in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching the first threshold, the power supply device , transmitting the state data including information indicating that the power supply unit is in a state requiring protection to the management device that generated it;
In the power supply unit, when the operation of the power supply circuit stops again in response to the cumulative output power amount reaching the second threshold, the power supply device enters a state in which the power supply unit needs to be replaced. The power supply system according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the power supply system transmits the state data including information indicating that the state data is generated to the management device that generated the state data.
Each of the power supply units further includes a communication circuit that is communicatively connected to the management device,
The power supply system according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the communication circuit generates the state data and transmits it to the management device.
The power supply device further includes a control device communicatively connected to the management device,
Each of the power supply units further includes a communication circuit communicatively connected to the control device,
Any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the control circuit generates the status data based on data exchange with the communication circuit of each power supply unit, and transmits the generated status data to the management device. Power system as described in section.