Battery and inverter configuration with increased efficiency
View Patent ↗In the current invention, in order to increase efficiency of battery powered AC electricity supply, multiple inverter/battery modules are used in parallel but can be individually shut down. The number of inverters activated depends on the power usage. When only a little power is needed only one or a few inverters are activated. When more power is needed the battery inefficiency increases and more inverters will be activated.
1. An AC electricity supply system comprising:
a plurality of DC power sources;
a plurality of inverters, wherein each inverter is connected to a corresponding DC power source and is configured to convert DC electricity from the corresponding DC power source into AC electricity;
a power line connecting each of the plurality of inverters to an AC load for providing AC electricity from the plurality of inverters to the AC load; and
a controller operatively coupled to each of the plurality of inverters by a communications bus, wherein the controller is configured to measure a power consumption of the AC load and, based on the measured power consumption of the AC load, activate an appropriate number of inverters.
2. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of DC power sources comprise a plurality of batteries.
3. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of inverters has its own controller.
4. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein at least two of the plurality of inverters have different power ratings.
5. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein said controller is connected to a sensor that is configured to measure the power consumption.
6. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of inverters are connected to the AC load in parallel.
7. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of DC power sources is configured to be recharged when not in use.
8. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of DC power sources is a capacitor.
9. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of DC power sources are identical.
10. A method for providing AC electricity to an AC load, the method comprising:
measuring a power consumption of the AC load, wherein power is provided to the AC load from a plurality of inverters, each of the plurality of inverters being connected to a corresponding DC power source; and configured to convert DC electricity from the corresponding DC power source into AC electricity;
based on the measured power consumption, determining an appropriate number of inverters to activate; and
activating the appropriate number of inverters.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the corresponding DC power source comprises a battery.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein at least two of the plurality of inverters have different power ratings.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of inverters are connected to the AC load in parallel.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the corresponding DC power source is configured to be recharged when not in use.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the corresponding DC power source is a capacitor.
16. The AC electricity supply system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to determine the appropriate number of inverters to activate in accordance with an equation or look-up table stored on the controller and based on a measured power consumption of the AC load.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein determining an appropriate number of inverters to activate is performed in accordance with an equation or look-up table.