Modular electrical energy storage with fault protection

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a power converter comprising a bidirectional alternating current (AC)/direct current (DC) converter;

an AC power source terminal configured to connect to an AC power source;

at least one AC load terminal;

a plurality of DC energy storage terminals configured to connect to a plurality of electrical energy storage devices;

a plurality of protection circuits, wherein each of the plurality of protection circuits is electrically connected between a respective one of the plurality of DC energy storage terminals and the power converter, wherein the plurality of protection circuits are configured to disconnect the respective terminal from the power converter following a failure of the respective one of the plurality of electrical energy storage devices;

an enclosure; and

a plurality of legs, wherein at least one leg of the plurality of legs incorporates a terminal of the plurality of DC energy storage terminals, wherein the at least one leg comprises:

an electrical plug,

an electrical socket,

a conductor electrically connecting the terminal, the electrical plug, and the electrical socket, and

an isolating material encasing at least part of the leg;

wherein the leg extends the height of the enclosure,

wherein at least part of the isolating material and at least part of the electrical socket protrude from a bottom side of the enclosure, and

wherein the electrical plug and the electrical socket are on opposite ends of the leg.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power converter further comprises

a DC/DC converter, and

a DC power source terminal configured to connect to a DC power source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the power converter further comprises

a DC/DC converter, and

at least one DC load terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protection circuits comprises at least one sensor configured for detecting the failure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of protection circuits comprises a communication circuit for receiving a notification of failure from the respective one of the plurality of electrical energy storage devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical energy storage devices comprise at least one storage element selected from the group consisting of batteries, thermal storage, kinetic storage, fuel cell, flow batteries, and electrochemical storage.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is electrically connected to the power converter.

8. A system comprising:

a plurality of DC electrical energy storage modules;

at least one AC load;

an AC power source; and

a power device, comprising:

a bidirectional AC/DC converter circuit,

a plurality of DC storage terminals configured to connect to each of the plurality of DC electrical energy storage modules,

a plurality of protection circuits electrically connected between the respective one of the plurality of DC storage terminals and the bidirectional AC/DC converter circuit, wherein the plurality of protection circuits are configured to disconnect the respective terminal from the bidirectional AC/DC converter circuit following a failure of the respective one of the plurality of DC electrical energy storage modules;

an enclosure; and

a plurality of legs, wherein at least one leg of the plurality of legs incorporates a terminal of the plurality of DC storage terminals, wherein the at least one leg comprises:

an electrical plug,

an electrical socket,

a conductor electrically connecting the terminal, the electrical plug, and the electrical socket, and

an isolating material encasing at least part of the leg;

wherein the leg extends the height of the enclosure,

wherein at least part of the isolating material and at least part of the electrical socket protrude from a bottom side of the enclosure, and

wherein the electrical plug and the electrical socket are on opposite ends of the leg.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the power device further comprises

a DC/DC converter configured to supply DC power to the plurality of DC storage terminals; and

a DC power source terminal configured to connect to a DC power source to the DC/DC converter.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the DC power source is at least one of a photovoltaic power generator, a fuel cell, a DC generator, or a DC-connected wind turbine.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of protection circuits comprises at least one sensor configured for detecting the failure.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of protection circuits comprises a communication circuit for receiving a notification of failure from the respective one of the plurality of DC electrical energy storage modules.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of DC electrical energy storage modules comprise at least one storage element selected from the group consisting of batteries, thermal storage, kinetic storage, fuel cell, flow batteries, and electrochemical storage.

14. A method, comprising:

discharging a plurality of electrical energy storage devices to at least one AC load using a plurality of DC energy storage terminals, at least one AC load terminal, and a power converter, the power converter comprising a bidirectional AC/DC converter;

charging the plurality of electrical energy storage devices using an AC power source and the power converter;

wherein each of a plurality of protection circuits is electrically connected between a respective one of the plurality of DC energy storage terminals and the power converter, and

wherein following a failure of a respective one of the plurality of protection circuits, disconnecting the respective terminal from the power converter,

wherein the power converter comprises an enclosure and a plurality of legs, and

wherein the charging and discharging are performed using the plurality of legs, wherein at least one leg of the plurality of legs incorporates a terminal of the plurality of DC energy storage terminals, wherein the at least one leg comprises:

an electrical plug,

an electrical socket,

a conductor electrically connecting the terminal, the electrical plug, and the electrical socket, and

an isolating material encasing at least part of the leg;

wherein the leg extends the height of the enclosure,

wherein at least part of the isolating material and at least part of the electrical socket protrude from a bottom side of the enclosure, and

wherein the electrical plug and the electrical socket are on opposite ends of the leg.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the power converter further comprises

a DC/DC converter, and

a DC power source terminal configured to connect to a DC power source.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the power converter further comprises

a DC/DC converter configured to supply DC power to the plurality of DC storage terminals; and

at least one DC load terminal configured to connect to a DC power source to the DC/DC converter.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of protection circuits comprises at least one sensor configured for detecting the failure.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of protection circuits comprises a communication circuit for receiving a notification of failure from the respective one of the plurality of electrical energy storage devices.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the electrical energy storage devices comprise at least one storage element selected from the group consisting of batteries, thermal storage, kinetic storage, fuel cell, flow batteries, and electrochemical storage.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the DC power source is at least one of a photovoltaic power generator, a fuel cell, a DC generator, or a DC-connected wind turbine.