Hybrid architecture for dc power plants and a method of minimizing battery conductor current

Abstract

Included herein is a DC power plant, a DC power system and a method of reducing battery current. In one embodiment, the DC power plant includes: (1) a rectifier system including an AC power input and a DC power output, the rectifier system configured to receive an AC input voltage at the AC power input and produce a DC output voltage at the DC power output and (2) a controller configured to monitor a battery current associated with a battery distribution conductor coupled to the rectifier system for a remote battery system and dynamically adjust the DC output voltage to maintain the battery current at substantially zero amperes.

1 . A power plant, comprising:
 a rectifier system including an AC power input and a DC power output, said rectifier system configured to receive an AC input voltage at said AC power input and produce a DC output voltage at said DC power output; and   a controller configured to monitor a battery current associated with a battery distribution conductor coupled to said rectifier system for a remote battery system and dynamically adjust said DC output voltage to maintain said battery current at substantially zero amperes.   
     
     
         2 . The power plant as recited in  claim 1  wherein said controller is configured to dynamically adjust said DC output voltage based on sensed current representing said distal battery current. 
     
     
         3 . The power plant as recited in  claim 2  wherein said controller includes a current sensing interface configured to receive said sensed current. 
     
     
         4 . The power plant as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a DC bus coupled to said DC power output. 
     
     
         5 . The power plant as recited in  claim 4  further comprising a cabinet, wherein said rectifier system, said controller and said DC bus are included in said cabinet. 
     
     
         6 . The power plant as recited in  claim 4  wherein said DC bus includes a remote battery connection. 
     
     
         7 . The power plant as recited in  claim 4  wherein said DC bus includes a proximate load connection. 
     
     
         8 . A DC power system, comprising:
 a DC power bus;   a battery system coupled to said DC power bus;   a battery charger coupled to said DC power bus;   primary DC distribution interrupting devices coupled to said DC power bus; and   a power plant coupled to said DC power bus through said primary DC distribution interrupting devices, said power plant located remotely from said DC power bus, said battery system and said battery charger.   
     
     
         9 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 8  wherein said power plant is coupled to said primary DC distribution interrupting devices via battery distribution conductors. 
     
     
         10 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 8  wherein said battery charger is dedicated to providing battery charging current for said battery system. 
     
     
         11 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 8  wherein said power plant includes:
 a rectifier system including an AC power input and a DC power output, said rectifier system configured to receive an AC input voltage at said AC power input and produce a DC output voltage at said DC power output, and 
 a controller electrically configured to monitor a distal battery current generated by said rectifier system for said battery system and dynamically adjust said DC output voltage to maintain said distal battery current at substantially zero amperes. 
 
     
     
         12 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 11  wherein said controller is configured to dynamically adjust said DC output voltage based on a sensed current representing said distal battery current. 
     
     
         13 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 12  wherein said controller includes a current sensing interface configured to receive said sensed current. 
     
     
         14 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 13  further comprising a resistance current shunt coupled to battery distribution conductors connecting said DC power output to said primary DC distribution interrupting devices, wherein said sensed current is provided by said resistance current shunt. 
     
     
         15 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 11  further comprising a DC power distribution center located proximate to said power plant and coupled to said DC power output thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 15  wherein said DC power distribution center is a battery distribution fuse base. 
     
     
         17 . The DC power system as recited in  claim 8  further comprising multiple DC power plants coupled to said DC power bus via said primary DC distribution interrupting devices. 
     
     
         18 . A method of reducing a battery current associated with a rectifier system of a DC power plant, comprising:
 receiving a sensed current from a location on a battery distribution conductor connecting said DC power plant to a remote battery system; and   dynamically adjusting a DC output voltage of said DC power plant based on said sensed current to reduce said battery current to substantially zero amperes.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18  wherein said sensed current is received from a resistance current shunt coupled to said battery distribution conductor. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19  wherein said location is on a DC power plant side of said resistance current shunt.