Power control unit

Abstract

A power control apparatus for controlling charging and discharging of a plurality of storage means ( 101 a, . . . ) has voltage measuring means ( 102 a, . . . ) for measuring voltages of said storage means respectively, current measuring means ( 103 a, . . . ) for measuring currents flowing through said storage means respectively, a status detecting means ( 104 ) for detecting the operating status of each storage means from values measured by said voltage measuring means and said current measuring means, and a charging/discharging controlling means ( 105 ) for controlling currents, voltages, or power according to the operating status of each storage means detected by said status detecting means to charge or discharge said storage means.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A power control apparatus for controlling charging and discharging of a plurality of storage means, comprising 
 voltage measuring means for measuring voltages of said storage means respectively,    current measuring means for measuring currents flowing through said storage means respectively,    a status detecting means for detecting the operating status of each storage means from values measured by said voltage measuring means and said current measuring means, and    a charging/discharging controlling means for controlling currents, voltages, or power according to the operating status of each storage means detected by said status detecting means to charge or discharge said storage means.    
     
     
         2 . The power control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said status detecting means calculates the internal impedance or open circuit voltage of each storage means and the charging/discharging controlling means controls charging/discharging currents, voltages, or power of said storage means according to impedances or open circuit voltages thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The power control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 said status detecting means calculates the internal impedance or open circuit voltage of each storage means, and    said charging/discharging controlling means calculates the permissible charging or discharging current value of each storage means from its int ernal impedance, open circuit voltage, preset maximum permissible voltage and minimum permissible voltage, calculates the sum of all currents flowing through said storage means to suppress a current over the calculated permissible charging or discharging current from flowing into or out of each of said storage means and controls the charging or discharging current to make the total current below the calculated total current value.    
     
     
         4 . The power control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein 
 said status detecting means calculates the charging status of each storage means and determines the maximum or minimum of the calculated charging states, and    said charging/discharging controlling means controls the charging current, voltage, or power by the maximum charging status value and controls the discharging current, voltage, or power by the minimum charging status value.    
     
     
         5 . The power control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said power control apparatus further comprises a switch means which selectively breaks or makes a connection between said charging/discharging controlling means and any storage means and said charging/discharging controlling means checks the on/off status of said switch means and controls the current, voltage or power according to the detected on/off status of said switch means and the running status of each storage means to discharge or charge the storage means.  
     
     
         6 . The power control apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein 
 said status detecting means calculates the internal impedance or open circuit voltage of each storage means and said charging/discharging controlling means controls charging/discharging currents, voltages, or power of said storage means according to the impedances or open circuit voltages thereof.    
     
     
         7 . The power control apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein 
 said status detecting means calculates the charging status of each storage means and determines the maximum or minimum of the calculated charging states, and    said charging/discharging controlling means controls the charging current, voltage, or power by the maximum charging status value and controls the discharging current, voltage, or power by the minimum charging status value.    
     
     
         8 . The power control apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a load and a means selected from a group of a commercial power supply, a solar energy generator, a micro gas turbine generator and a fuel cell to supply power to said load, wherein said power control apparatus supplies power to said load or said commercial power supply and uses power from said commercial power supply, a solar energy generator, a micro gas turbine generator or a fuel cell as a charging power.  
     
     
         9 . The power control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said storage means supply power to an electric motor which drives vehicle wheels and are charged by power from the outside of a vehicle or power from said electric motor when said motor is used as a power generator.  
     
     
         10 . The power control apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said storage means supply power to an electric motor which drives vehicle wheels and are charged by power generated by a dynamo-electric generator which is driven by a internal combustion engine on a vehicle or power from said electric motor when said motor is used as a power generator.  
     
     
         11 . A power control apparatus for controlling charging of a plurality of storage means comprising 
 voltage measuring means for measuring voltages of said storage means respectively,    current measuring means for measuring currents flowing through said storage means respectively,    a status detecting means for respectively calculating the internal impedances and open circuit voltages of said storage means from values measured by said voltage and current measuring means, and    a charging current controlling means calculates a permissible charging current value of each storage means from its internal impedance or open circuit voltage and a preset maximum permissible charging voltage which are detected by said status detecting means calculates the sum of all currents flowing through said storage means to suppress a current over t he calculated current from flowing into said storage means, and controls the charging current to make the current below the calculated total current value.    
     
     
         12 . A power control apparatus for controlling discharging of a plurality of storage means comprising 
 voltage measuring means for measuring voltages of said storage means respectively,    current measuring means for measuring currents flowing through said storage means respectively,    a status detecting means for respectively calculating the internal impedances and open circuit voltages of said storage means from values measured by said voltage and current measuring means, and    a discharging current controlling means calculates a permissible discharging current value of each storage means from its internal impedance or open circuit voltage and a preset maximum permissible discharging voltage which are detected by said status detecting means calculates the sum of all currents flowing through said storage means to suppress a current over the calculated current from flowing from said storage means, and controls the discharging current to make the current below the calculated total discharging current value.