Utility management system and method
First Claim
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1. A method of controlling a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility, comprising:
- a) establishing a scheduling day having a length and dividing the scheduling day into a plurality of time periods;
b) scheduling a water inflow amount to the storage facility for each time period of an entire upcoming scheduling day length to establish a pumping schedule;
c) for the first time period of the pumping schedule, controlling the at least one pump in accordance with the pumping schedule; and
d) after a time period length elapses, repeating b) and c) to reestablish the pumping schedule for each time period of the next entire upcoming scheduling day length and control the at least one pump in accordance with the inflow amount scheduled for the first time period of the reestablished pumping schedule.
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Abstract
Disclosed are a system and method for controlling a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility. Also disclosed are a system and method of establishing a pumping schedule for a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility. The systems and methods are adapted to minimize the economic cost associated with operating the pump(s) of the water supply system. Another aspect of the systems and methods includes meeting operational constraints of the water supply system.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility, comprising:
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a) establishing a scheduling day having a length and dividing the scheduling day into a plurality of time periods;
b) scheduling a water inflow amount to the storage facility for each time period of an entire upcoming scheduling day length to establish a pumping schedule;
c) for the first time period of the pumping schedule, controlling the at least one pump in accordance with the pumping schedule; and
d) after a time period length elapses, repeating b) and c) to reestablish the pumping schedule for each time period of the next entire upcoming scheduling day length and control the at least one pump in accordance with the inflow amount scheduled for the first time period of the reestablished pumping schedule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of establishing a pumping schedule for a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility, comprising:
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a) establishing a scheduling day having a length and dividing the scheduling day into a plurality of time periods, each time period having an associated utility cost rate; and
b) establishing an initial pumping schedule constrained by pumping capacity for the scheduling day, the initial pumping schedule having an inflow amount for each time period of the scheduling day that assigns inflow to at least one lowest available cost rate time period before higher cost rate time periods. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of establishing a pumping schedule in a system having at least one pump to move a material with respect to at least one storage facility, comprising:
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establishing a scheduling day having a length and dividing the scheduling day into a plurality of time periods, each time period having an associated utility cost rate; and
establishing a pumping schedule for the scheduling day, the pumping schedule constrained by pumping capacity of the system and constrained by at least one of a minimum level constraint or a maximum level constraint, wherein the schedule establishing assigns inflow to at least one lowest available cost rate time period before higher cost rate time periods and such that a material level in the at least one storage facility satisfies the at least one constraint. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A scheduling apparatus for controlling a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility, comprising a processor that executes logic to:
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a) establish a scheduling day having a length and divide the scheduling day into a plurality of time periods;
b) schedule a water inflow amount to the storage facility for each time period of an entire upcoming scheduling day length to establish a pumping schedule;
c) for the first time period of the pumping schedule, control the at least one pump in accordance with the pumping schedule; and
d) after a time period length elapses, repeat b) and c) to reestablish the pumping schedule for each time period of the next entire upcoming scheduling day length and control the at least one pump in accordance with the inflow amount scheduled for the first time period of the reestablished pumping schedule.
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39. A scheduling apparatus for establishing a pumping schedule for a water supply system having at least one pump and at least one storage facility, comprising a processor that executes logic to:
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a) establish a scheduling day having a length and divide the scheduling day into a plurality of time periods, each time period having an associated utility cost rate; and
b) establish an initial pumping schedule constrained by pumping capacity for the scheduling day, the initial pumping schedule having an inflow amount for each time period of the scheduling day that assigns inflow to at least one lowest available cost rate time period before higher cost rate time periods. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. A scheduling apparatus for establishing a pumping schedule in a system having at least one pump to move a material with respect to at least one storage facility, comprising a processor that executes logic to:
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a) establish a scheduling day having a length and divide the scheduling day into a plurality of time periods, each time period having an associated utility cost rate; and
b) establish a pumping schedule for the scheduling day, the pumping schedule constrained by pumping capacity of the system and constrained by at least one of a minimum level constraint or a maximum level constraint, wherein the logic to establish the schedule assigns inflow to at least one lowest available cost rate time period before higher cost rate time periods and such that a material level in the at least one storage facility satisfies the at least one constraint.
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Specification