Total harmonic control

• US 10,158,232 B2
• Filed: 07/04/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apparent Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: Xslent Energy Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Matan, Stefan, Horton, Fred C, Marrone, Frank P
• Primary Examiner(s): Elamin, Abdelmoniem I
• Application Number:
  US14/791,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20160087436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,263 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/54 for measuring simultaneously at least two of the following three variables: real component, reactive component, apparent energy
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/026 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/635 for determining the most economical distribution in power systems
• 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 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/10 The network having a local or delimited stationary reach
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/16 The load or loads being an Information and Communication Technology [ICT] facility
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/01 Arrangements for reducing harmonics or ripples
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/06 Controlling transfer of power between connected networks; Controlling sharing of load between connected networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/12 for adjusting voltage in ac networks by changing a characteristic of the network load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/18 Arrangements for adjusting, eliminating or compensating reactive power in networks for adjustment of voltage H02J3/16
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/42 : Circuits or arrangements for compensating for or adjusting power factor in converters or inverters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• 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 10/56 : Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/30 : Reactive power compensation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/40 : Arrangements for reducing harmonics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 : Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/123 : the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/12 : Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 : General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A distributed control node enables total harmonic control. The control node measures current drawn by a load, including harmonics of the primary current. A metering device can generate an energy signature unique to the load including recording a complex current vector for the load in operation identifying the primary current with a real power component and a reactive power component, and identifying the harmonics with a real power component, a reactive power component, and an angular displacement relative to the primary current. The control node can control a noise contribution of the load due to the harmonics as seen at a point of common coupling to reduce noise introduced onto the grid network from the load.

Claims

1. A method for grid control, comprising:

measuring current drawn by a load, including harmonics of the current, with a metering device located on a consumer side of a point of common coupling (PCC) of a consumer premises to a grid network, which is a same side of the PCC as the load, where the load includes one of multiple different devices electrically coupled on the consumer side of the PCC;

computing an angular displacement of harmonics, which include harmonic components of the current, relative to a primary current, which is a main energy component of the current;

generating an energy signature unique to the load including recording a complex current vector for the load in operation identifying for the primary current a real power component and a reactive power component, and identifying for the harmonics a real power component, a reactive power component, and the angular displacement relative to the primary current; and

adjusting an energy output of a power converter at the consumer premises on the consumer side of the PCC to control a noise contribution of the load due to the harmonics as seen at the PCC from a grid side that is not the same side of the PCC as the load, based on harmonics identified in the energy signature for the load, to reduce noise introduced onto the grid network from the load.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprises:

adjusting a reactive power output component of the power converter from energy generated by a local energy source coupled to the consumer side of the PCC.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprises:

adjusting a reactive current component delivered to the load, to create a reactive current that offsets the harmonics identified in the energy signature for the load.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprises:

reducing a frequency of an operating voltage of the load.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending information about current drawn by the load to a control device on the grid network that is on the grid side of the PCC.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending the information about the current drawn by the load to the control device comprises:

sending the information about the current drawn by the load to a grid controller.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein sending the information about the current drawn by the load to the control device comprises:

sending the information about the current drawn by the load to a different control node of the grid network.

8. A distributed control node within a power grid system, comprising:

a grid connector to couple a load to the power grid system, where the load includes one of multiple different devices electrically coupled on a consumer side of a point of common coupling (PCC) to the power grid system at a consumer premises, which is a same side of the PCC as the load;

a metering device located on the consumer side of the PCC to the power grid system as the load, the metering device to measure current drawn by the load;

a controller device to compute an angular displacement of harmonics, which include harmonic components of the current, relative to a primary current, which is a main energy component of the current, and to generate an energy signature unique to the load including recording of a complex current vector for the load in operation identifying for the primary current a real power component and a reactive power component, and identification of a real power component, a reactive power component, and an angular displacement relative to the primary current for the harmonics, the controller further to adjust an energy output of a power converter at the consumer premises on the consumer side of the PCC to control a noise contribution of the load due to the harmonics as seen at the PCC from a grid side that is not the same side of the PCC as the load, based on harmonics identified in the energy signature for the load, to reduce noise introduced onto the power grid system from the load.

9. The control node of claim 8, wherein the controller device is to adjust the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprising to adjust a reactive power output component of the power converter from energy generated by a local energy source coupled to the consumer side of the PCC.

10. The control node of claim 8, wherein the controller device is to adjust the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprising to adjust a reactive current component delivered to the load, to create a reactive current that offsets the harmonics identified in the energy signature for the load.

11. The control node of claim 8, wherein the controller device is adjust the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprising to reduce a frequency of an operating voltage of the load.

12. The control node of claim 8, wherein the controller device is to further send information about current drawn by the load to a control device on the power grid system that is on the grid side of the PCC.

13. The control node of claim 12, wherein the controller device is to send the information about the current drawn by the load to a grid controller.

14. The control node of claim 12, wherein the controller device is to send the information about the current drawn by the load to a different control node of the power grid system.

15. A power grid system, comprising:

multiple loads electrically coupled to a consumer side of a point of common coupling (PCC) at a consumer premises; and

a control node coupled to the multiple loads at the PCC, the control node including

a metering device located on the consumer side of the PCC to the power grid system as the loads, the metering device to measure current drawn by at least one of the loads, to compute an angular displacement of harmonics, which include harmonic components of the current, relative to a primary current, which is a main energy component of the current, and to generate an energy signature unique to the at least one load including recording of a complex current vector for the load in operation identifying for the primary current a real power component and a reactive power component, and identification of a real power component, a reactive power component, and an angular displacement relative to the primary current for the harmonics; and

a power converter to adjust an energy output of a power converter at the consumer premises on the consumer side of the PCC to control a noise contribution of the at least one load due to the harmonics as seen at the PCC from a grid side that is not the same side of the PCC as the load, based on harmonics identified in the energy signature for the load, to reduce noise introduced onto the power grid system from the load.

16. The power grid system of claim 15, wherein the power converter is to adjust the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprising to adjust a reactive power output component of the power converter from energy generated by a local energy source coupled to the consumer side of the PCC.

17. The power grid system of claim 15, wherein the power converter is to adjust the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprising to adjust a reactive current component delivered to the load, to create a reactive current that offsets the harmonics identified in the energy signature for the load.

18. The power grid system of claim 15, wherein the power converter is to adjust the energy output to control the noise contribution from the harmonics of the load further comprising to reduce a frequency of an operating voltage of the load.

19. The power grid system of claim 15, wherein the metering device is to send the information about the current drawn by the load to a different control node of the power grid system.