Systems and methods for coordinating signal injections to understand and maintain orthogonality among signal injections patterns in utility grids

• US 10,074,977 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Brooks, Brian E., Lu, Yang, Tio, Andrew T., Benoit, Gilles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Jason
• Application Number:
  US15/324,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20170207624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/2513 Arrangements for monitoring electric power systems, e.g. power lines or loads; Logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0256 injecting test signals and analyzing monitored process response, e.g. injecting the test signal while interrupting the normal operation of the monitored system; superimposing the test signal onto a control signal during normal operation of the monitored system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00006 characterised by information or instructions transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated power network element or electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2203/20 Simulating, e g planning, reliability check, modelling or computer assisted design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/12 characterised by data transport means between the monitoring, controlling or managing units and monitored, controlled or operated electrical equipment
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Methods and systems for implementing experimental trials on utility grids. The variation of grid parameters are coordinated to create periods of time and areas of space from within which the variations of grid parameters do not overlap, allowing sensor data within those periods of time and areas of space to be associated with particular variations in grid parameters. This associated data can in turn be used to improve models of sensor response and utility grid behavior.

Claims

1. A method for delivering coordinated signal injections into a utility grid, comprising:

receiving spatial and temporal reaches for a plurality of signal injections, wherein the temporal reach includes a duration of one of the signal injections and an expected duration of a response to the one signal injection;

selecting times and locations for the plurality of signal injections to be implemented into a utility grid such that the spatial and temporal reaches of the signal injections do not overlap; and

implementing the signal injections into the utility grid at the selected times and locations,

wherein the signal injections are implemented by changing the state of grid controls,

wherein the grid controls are at least one of capacitor banks, load tap changers, and inverters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting data from sensors along the utility grid.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising associating the collected data from sensors with signal injections, based on the time and location of the sensor data and the spatial and temporal reaches of the signal injection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the signal injections is dispatching grid personnel to perform a task.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a graphical modeling technique is used for selecting the times and locations the plurality of signal injections are to be implemented.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the graphical modeling technique is a Bayesian Causal Network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process is used for selecting the times and locations the plurality of signal injections are to be implemented.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the spatial reach is computed based on a database of utility grid response to prior signal injections.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the temporal reach is computed based on a database of utility grid response to prior signal injections.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of the signal injections are made into the utility grid simultaneously.

11. A system for making coordinated signal injections into a utility grid, comprising:

a memory configured to store spatial reaches for a plurality of signal injections;

a memory configured to store temporal reaches for the plurality of signal injections, wherein each of the temporal reaches includes a duration of one of the signal injections and an expected duration of a response to the one signal injection;

a processor configured to select a set of times and locations for signal injections within which the temporal reaches and spatial reaches are not both overlapping; and

a plurality of controls on a utility grid which implement the signal injections at the selected times and locations,

wherein the signal injections are implemented by changing the state of grid controls,

wherein the grid controls are at least one of capacitor banks, load tap changers, and inverters.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of sensors along the utility grid.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a processor configured to associate data from the plurality of sensors with signal injections.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to select the times and locations for signal injection using a graphical modeling technique.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a processor configured to compute a spatial reach for a signal injection based on a database of grid response to prior signal injections.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a processor configured to compute a temporal reach for a signal injection based on a database of grid response to prior signal injections.