Residential electric load shifting energy storage system

• US 10,693,295 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alternate Power Source Inc
• Original Assignee: Alternate Power Source Inc
• Inventors: Tuleja, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fennema, Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foley, Shon G
• Application Number:
  US14/811,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20160034011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 700291, 700295-297, 320133, 320155
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/04 in which the distribution system is disconnected from the normal source and connected to a standby source
• 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: 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 20/20 End-user application control systems
• 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

Abstract

Techniques are provided for shifting residential electric load from a utility power grid to a battery system during preconfigured hours of electric use. The apparatus includes a memory configured to store computer executable instructions, and a microprocessor in communication with the memory, the microprocessor configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to shift residential electric load from the utility power grid to the battery system for a first time period during a first calendar period of a calendar year, and to shift residential electric load from the utility power grid to the battery system for a second time period during a second calendar period of the calendar year.

Claims

1. A load shed apparatus for shifting a residential electric load from a utility power grid to a battery system during preconfigured hours of electric use, the load shed apparatus comprising:

a first connection configured to electrically connect to a power panel of the residential property;

a second connection configured to electrically connect to the battery system;

a limited set of electric circuits, wherein;

the limited set of electric circuits is less than a total set of electric circuits in the residential property; and

each of the electric circuits comprises an associated relay so that each electric circuit can be individually controlled to be in electrical communication with the first connection to the power panel or the second connection to the battery system, such that each electric circuit can individually receive electricity from either the utility power grid or the battery system via the load shed apparatus;

a memory configured to store computer executable instructions; and

a microprocessor in communication with the memory and each relay of the electric circuits in the limited set of electric circuits, the microprocessor configured to execute the instructions to cause the load shed apparatus to;

individually shift residential electric load for each electric circuit of the limited set of electric circuits for a first time period during a first calendar period of a calendar year, comprising;

individually shifting each associated relay of a first group of one or more electric circuits from the limited set of electric circuits so that each electric circuit of the first group shifts from receiving power from the utility power grid to receiving power from the battery system for the first time period; and

intermittently cycling, during the first time period, each individual electric circuit of a second group of one or more electric circuits of the limited set of electronic circuits by cycling each associated relay of the electric circuits of the second group so that each electric circuit of the second group cycles between (a) receiving power from the utility power grid and (b) an off position wherein the second group of one or more electric circuits does not receive power,

wherein the first group of one or more electric circuits is different than the second group of one or more circuits; and

shift residential electric load for a second time period during a second calendar period of the calendar year, comprising;

individually shifting each of the associated relays of the electric circuits of the first group of one or more electric circuits so that each electric circuit of the first group shifts from receiving power from the utility power grid to receiving power from the battery system for the second time period; and

intermittently cycling, during the second time period, each individual electric circuit of the second group of one or more electric circuits by cycling each of the associated relays of the electric circuits of the second group so that each electric circuit of the second group cycles between (a) receiving power from the utility power grid and (b) the off position.

2. The load shed apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first time period, the second time period, the first calendar period, and the second calendar period are defined by a local electric power pool and utility.

3. The load shed apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the first time period is 1-5 pm and the first calendar period is a summer season; and

the second time period is 5-7 pm and the second calendar period is a winter season.

4. The load shed apparatus in claim 1, wherein each relay of the limited set of electric circuits are 20 amp relays, and the microprocessor is configured to control the 20 amp relays via a MOSFET.

5. The load shed apparatus in claim 1, wherein:

a first electric circuit of the limited set of electric circuits is in electrical communication with a residence heating system, a second electric circuit of the limited set of electric circuits is in electrical communication with a refrigerator, and a third electric circuit of the limited set of electric circuits is in electrical communication with and kitchen lights; and

the microprocessor is further configured to automatically provide emergency power for one or more of the residence heating system, the refrigerator and the kitchen lights, for an emergency time period in the event of a loss of utility power.

6. The load shed apparatus in claim 5, wherein the emergency time period is 4-8 hours depending on a size of the battery system.

7. The load shed apparatus in claim 1, further configured to meter electric usage during shed and non-shed operations to generate reporting data.

8. The load shed apparatus in claim 7, further configured to:

meter the electric usage every minute individually for each of three electric circuits of the limited set of electrical circuits, wherein the three electric circuits supply power to a home HVAC system, a home refrigerator and home kitchen lights; and

sum the minute readings for each of the three individual circuits for each hour to generate hourly reporting data.

9. The load shed apparatus in claim 1, further configured to monitor the battery system for voltage, heat and hours of operation.

10. The load shed apparatus in claim 1, further comprising Ethernet circuitry to provide Ethernet communication to transmit reporting data to a remote server.

11. The load shed apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to shift residential electric load back to the utility power grid at a particular time.

12. The load shed apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to charge the battery using the electric grid or a solar system.

13. The load shed apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a thermal electric generator coupled to a heater and a home heating system of the residential property; and

the microprocessor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to charge the battery system using the thermal electric generator.

14. A load shed apparatus for shifting a residential electric load from a utility power grid to a battery system during preconfigured hours of electric use, the load shed apparatus comprising:

a first connection configured to electrically connect to a residential power panel of the residential property;

a second connection configured to electrically connect to the battery system;

a limited set of electric circuits, wherein;

the limited set of electric circuits is less than a total set of electric circuits in the residential property; and

each of the electric circuits comprises an associated relay so that each electric circuit can be individually controlled to be in electrical communication with the first connection to the power panel or the second connection to the battery system, such that each electric circuit can individually receive electricity from either the utility power grid or the battery system via the load shed apparatus;

a memory configured to store computer executable instructions; and

a microprocessor in communication with the memory and each relay of the electric circuits in the limited set of electric circuits, the microprocessor configured to execute the instructions to cause the load shed apparatus to;

individually control each relay of a first group of one or more electric circuits of the limited set of electric circuits to shift the electric load for the first group of one or more electric circuits, comprising individually shifting each associated relay of the first group of one or more electric circuits so that each electric circuit of the first group shifts from receiving power from the power panel to receiving power from the battery system for a time period during a calendar period of the calendar year;

intermittently cycling, during the time period, each individual electric circuit of a second group of one or more electric circuits of the limited set of electric circuits by cycling each associated relay of the electric circuits of the second group so that each electric circuit of the second group cycles between (a) receiving power from the power panel and (b) an off position wherein the second group of one or more electric circuits does not receive power,

wherein the first group of one or more electric circuits is different than the second group of one or more circuits; and

control each relay of the limited set of circuits to provide emergency power from the battery system for an emergency time period in the event of a loss of utility power to the power panel.

15. The load shed apparatus of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor is configured to charge the battery using the electric grid or a solar system.

16. The load shed apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a thermal electric generator coupled to a heater and a home heating system of the residential property; and

the microprocessor is further configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to charge the battery system using the thermal electric generator.

17. The load shed apparatus in claim 14, wherein each relay of the limited set of electric circuits are 20 amp relays, and the microprocessor is configured to control the 20 amp relays via a MOSFET.