Domestic appliance demand-response power consumption control system and method

• US 10,396,557 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Gary, Jr., Wyndham F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deberadinis, Robert L
• Application Number:
  US15/787,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20190123558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• 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 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• 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: 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 using the power network as support for the transmission

Abstract

A power control device for an electrically powered appliance may selectively switch off one 110 volt input (of two separate 110 volt input lines) of a 220 volt power supply to the appliance during certain periods of operation, in response to a demand-response request. This may adjust operation of one or more components of the appliance, thus adjusting an amount of power consumed by the appliance. A determination of which one, of the two, 110 volt input lines to be switched off may be made based on an analysis of the amount of power consumed by each of the two 110 volt input lines during operation of the appliance. The power control device may be provided at any point between the electrically powered appliance and a power distribution panel distributing power from an external source.

Claims

1. A method of operating an appliance, the appliance being electrically coupled to a plurality of electrical supply lines supplying electrical power to the appliance, the method comprising:

receiving power information related to a supply of power to the appliance; and

operating the appliance in a demand response mode based on the received power information, including suspending a supply of power through at least one of the plurality of electrical supply lines.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the power information includes receiving, by a receiver of the appliance, a demand-response power reduction request from an external utility source supplying electrical power to the appliance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending the supply of power through at least one of the plurality of electrical supply lines includes:

suspending the supply of power through a first electrical supply line and de-energizing a first operable portion of the appliance; and

maintaining a supply of power through a second electrical supply line and energizing a second operable portion of the appliance.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

receiving the power reduction request includes receiving the power reduction request while performing an operating cycle of the appliance in which the first operable portion is in an energized state and the second operable portion is in an energized state,

de-energizing the first operable portion includes transitioning the first operable portion from the energized state to a de-energized state in response to the power reduction request, and

energizing the second operable portion includes maintaining the energized state of the second operable portion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the appliance comprises an electric dryer, the first operable portion comprises a heating element of the dryer, and the second operable portion comprises at least one of a fan, a motor, or a controller of the dryer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein maintaining the second operable portion in the energized state and transitioning the first operable portion from the energized state to the de-energized state includes maintaining operation of the fan, the motor and the controller, and suspending operation of the heating element to preserve freshness of partially dried items in in a treating chamber of the dryer.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein maintaining the second operable portion in the energized state and transitioning the first operable portion from the energized state to the de-energized state continues a partial treatment, based on the operating cycle, of items received in a treatment chamber of the appliance.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein

receiving the power reduction request includes receiving the power reduction request while the appliance is in an idle state in which the first operable portion is in a de-energized state and the second operable portion is in a de-energized state,

de-energizing the first operable portion includes maintaining the de-energized state of the first operable portion in response to initiation of an operating cycle of the appliance, and

energizing the second operable portion includes transitioning the second operable portion from the de-energized state to the energized state in response to the initiation of the operating cycle of the appliance.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein an amount of electrical power consumed by the first operable portion of the appliance when performing an operation cycle is greater than an amount of electrical power consumed by the second operable portion of the appliance when performing the operational cycle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

during an operation cycle of the appliance, measuring an electrical power consumption level associated with each of the plurality of electrical supply lines; and

identifying the at least one of the plurality of electrical supply lines to switch off based on the measured electrical power consumption levels.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying the at least one of the plurality of electrical supply lines to switch off includes identifying an electrical supply line, of the plurality of electrical supply lines, associated with a component of the appliance that consumes a greatest amount of electrical power while performing the operating cycle.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical supply lines form a 220 volt circuit, and the at least one of the plurality of electrical supply lines forms a 110 volt circuit.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the appliance comprises at least one of an electric dryer, a pool heater, a spa heater, an oven, a range or a home battery charging system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the suspending of the supply of power through the at least one of the plurality of electrical supply lines is performed by at least one of the appliance, a power control device coupled to the appliance, a cable coupled to the appliance, a power control device coupled to an electrical socket providing electricity to the appliance, an electrical socket providing electrical power to the appliance, or a power control device installed at, in or in conjunction with, a circuit breaker or fuse panel controlling a flow of power to the appliance.

15. A method of operating an appliance, the appliance being electrically coupled to a first electrical supply main and a second electrical supply main, the method comprising:

receiving, by a power control device operably coupled to the appliance, power information related to a supply of power to the appliance;

detecting a demand response power reduction request based on the received power information; and

operating the appliance in a demand response mode based on the received power information, including;

switching the first electrical supply main to an off-state to de-energize a first operable portion of the appliance; and

maintaining the second electrical supply main in an on-state to maintain an energized state of a second operable portion of the appliance.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a demand response power reduction end notification; and

in response to the demand response reduction end notification,

switching the first electrical supply main to an on-state to re-energize the first operable portion of the appliance; and

maintaining the second electrical supply main in the on-state to maintain the energized state of the second operable portion of the appliance.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein an amount of energy consumed by the first operable portion during an operation cycle of the appliance is greater than an amount of energy consumed by the second operable portion during the operation cycle of the appliance.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the appliance comprises an electric dryer, the first operable portion comprises a heating element of the dryer, and the second operable portion comprises at least one of a fan, a motor or a controller of the dryer.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

during an operating cycle, measuring an amount of electrical power consumed by the first electrical supply main and an amount of electrical power consumed by the second electrical supply main;

determining that the amount of electrical power consumed by the first electrical supply main is greater than the amount of electrical power consumed by the second electrical supply main; and

identifying the first electrical supply main to be switched off in response to the demand response power reduction request.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the switching is performed by at least one of the appliance, a power control device coupled to the appliance, a cable coupled to the appliance, a power control device coupled to an electrical socket providing electricity to the appliance, an electrical socket providing electricity to the appliance, or a device installed at, in or in conjunction with a circuit breaker or fuse panel.