System and method for intelligent static transfer switch with smart home power management

• US 10,312,684 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saeed Hassan Fard, Seyed Ali Nabavi Niaki
• Original Assignee: Saeed Hassan Fard, Seyed Ali Nabavi Niaki
• Inventors: Niaki, Seyed Ali Nabavi, Fard, Saeed Hassan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sun, Pinping
• Application Number:
  US15/093,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20170141610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• 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 13/00022 using wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00036 the elements or equipment being or involving switches, relays or circuit breakers circuits for indication of single switches H01H9/167
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• 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: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/066 characterised by the use of dynamo-electric machines H02J9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• 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 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 : Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/248 : UPS systems or standby or emergency generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

Systems and methods for intelligent transfer and management of power maintain a continuous and cost efficient supply of power to electrical loads in a residential or commercial unit when different energy resources such as utility, backup generators, energy storage systems and distributed energy resources (e.g. solar and wind) are available.

Claims

1. A system for automatic management of supply and distribution of electric power, the system comprising:

a main transfer switch unit connected to a plurality of energy resources via a corresponding plurality of switches, and configured to control input power received from the plurality of energy resources, and to supply power to a load management switches unit according to a first plurality of control signals;

the load management switches unit, receiving power from the main transfer switch unit, and configured to control supply of power to a plurality of loads according to a second plurality of control signals; and

a monitoring and power management unit communicating with the main transfer switch unit and the load management switches unit,

wherein the monitoring and power management unit monitors load information and system information signals received from the load management switches unit and from the main transfer switch unit, and accordingly provides control signals for the main transfer switch unit and the second plurality of control signals for the load management switches unit in such a way that the electric power is seamlessly supplied to the main transfer switch unit and the plurality of loads;

wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to couple to a power utility and to at least one energy resource selected from a backup generator, a battery, and an alternative energy source, with an EXOR logic mode and with OR logic mode;

wherein, in EXOR logic mode, the main transfer switch unit is configured to transfer power from the power utility to the at least one energy resource when there is a power outage in the power utility; and

wherein, in OR logic mode, the main transfer switch unit is configured to transfer power to the plurality of loads from both the power utility and the at least one energy resource for reducing a cost of power consumption from the power utility.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the load management switches unit and the main transfer switch unit comprises a plurality of static AC switches.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to supply power to a plurality of priority loads.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of energy resources includes at least one battery.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to charge at least one battery using input power from at least one of the power utility, the backup generator and the alternative energy source.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to couple to the power utility and to one or more of at least one backup generator, at least one battery, and at least one alternative energy source.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interactive display unit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring and power management unit is configured to communicate with at least one of the main transfer switch unit and the load management switches unit via a wireless communication means.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring and power management unit is configured to send the system information and the load information to a server and receive the system and load information from the server.

10. A method for automatic management of supply and distribution of electric power, the method comprising:

monitoring load information and system information signals received from a load management switches unit and from a main transfer switch unit, the main transfer switch unit being connected to a plurality of energy resources via a corresponding plurality of switches, the load management switches unit receiving power from the main transfer switch unit; and

providing control signals for the main transfer switch unit and for the load management switches unit according to the load and system information, wherein the load management switches unit is configured to control supply of power to a plurality of loads according to a second plurality of control signals, and wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to control input power received from the plurality of energy resources and to supply power to the load management switches unit according to a first plurality of control signals;

wherein a monitoring and power management unit monitors load information and system information signals received from the load management switches unit and from the main transfer switch unit, and accordingly provides control signals for the main transfer switch unit and the second plurality of control signals for the load management switches unit in such a way that electric power is seamlessly supplied to the main transfer switch unit and the plurality of loads;

wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to couple to a power utility and to at least one energy resource selected from a backup generator, a battery, and an alternative energy source, with an EXOR logic mode and with OR logic mode;

wherein, in EXOR logic mode, the main transfer switch unit is configured to transfer power from the power utility to the at least one energy resource when there is a power outage in the power utility; and

wherein, in OR logic mode, the main transfer switch unit is configured to transfer power to the plurality of loads from both the power utility and the at least one energy resource for reducing a cost of power consumption from the power utility.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to supply power to a plurality of priority loads.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of energy resources includes at least one battery.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to charge the at least one battery using input power from at least one of the power utility, the backup generator and the alternative energy source.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to switch to at least one of the backup generator, the battery and the alternative energy source, for supply of input power during the power outage.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to reduce receive of input power from the power utility and increase receive of input power from at least one of the backup generator, the battery and the alternative energy source.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the monitoring and power management unit communicates with at least one of the main transfer switch unit and the load management switches unit via a wireless communication means.

17. a programmable power management apparatus comprising a microprocessor, the apparatus configured to:

monitor load information and system information signals received from a load management switches unit and from a main transfer switch unit the main transfer switch unit being connected to a plurality of energy resources via a corresponding plurality of switches, the load management switches unit receiving power from the main transfer switch unit; and

provide control signals for the main transfer switch unit and for the load management switches unit according to the load and system information,

wherein the load management switches unit is configured to control supply of power to a plurality of loads according to a second plurality of control signals, and wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to control input power from the plurality of energy resources and to supply power to the load management switches unit according to a first plurality of control signals;

wherein a monitoring and power management unit is configured to monitor load information and system information signals received from the load management switches unit and from the main transfer switch unit, and accordingly provide control signals for the main transfer switch unit and the second plurality of control signals for the load management switches unit in such a way that electric power is seamlessly supplied to the main transfer switch unit and the plurality of loads;

wherein the main transfer switch unit is configured to couple to a power utility and to at least one energy resource selected from a backup generator, a battery, and an alternative energy source, with an EXOR logic mode and with OR logic mode;

wherein, in EXOR logic mode, the main transfer switch unit is configured to transfer power from the power utility to the at least one energy resource when there is a power outage in the power utility; and

wherein, in OR logic mode, the main transfer switch unit is configured to transfer power to the plurality of loads from both the power utility and the at least one energy resource for reducing a cost of power consumption from the power utility.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with at least one of the main transfer switch unit and the load management switches unit via a wireless communication means.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is configured to send the system information and the load information to a server and receive the system information and load information from the server.