METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POWER LOAD MANAGEMENT

• US 20100026096A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: HUNG, WEN-TE, YEH, TUNG-JUNG, PENG, SHENG-HSUAN, KO, HORNG-SHINN
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/39
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 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 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

A method for power load management is provided in the present invention, wherein two different standard values are determined to be a basis for regulating power consumption. When power consumption exceeds a first standard value, a monitoring procedure is started to monitor consumption status. If the power consumption exceeds a second standard value, an unloading procedure is processed to reduce the power consumption of electrical devices under operation. In another embodiment, the present invention also provides a system for power load management comprising a control unit coupled to at least one electrical device and a power meter. By means of real-time recording of power consumption in the power meter, the control unit is capable of determining the power consumption status and determining whether it is necessary to unload or reload the at least one electrical device.

Claims

1. A method for power load management, comprising steps of:

determining a first standard value and a second standard value;

determining a first monitoring value and a second monitoring value according to a power consumption status;

determining whether the second monitoring value is larger than the second standard value when the first monitoring value exceeds the first standard value; and

starting an unloading procedure if the second monitoring value is larger than the second standard value.

2. The method for power load management as recited in claim 1, wherein the first monitoring value is a moving average of power consumption per unit time.

3. The method for power load management as recited in claim 1, wherein the second monitoring value is a moving average of power consumption per unit time.

4. The method for power load management as recited in claim 1, wherein the unloading procedure further comprises steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of electrical devices;

(b) unloading one device of the plurality of electrical devices; and

(c) monitoring the power consumption status for a specific period of time, and returning to Step (b) if the second monitoring value is larger than the second standard value, or stopping unloading the one device if the second monitoring value is smaller than the second standard value.

5. The method for power load management as recited in claim 4, wherein Step (a) further comprises a step of determining an unloading order of the plurality of electrical devices and selecting an electrical device that is not to be unloaded for the time being.

6. The method for power load management as recited in claim 4, further comprising a step of switching some of the plurality of electrical devices into an automatic mode or a local mode.

7. The method for power load management as recited in claim 4, further comprising a step of performing a reloading procedure.

8. The method for power load management as recited in claim 7, wherein the reloading procedure further comprises steps of:

(a) monitoring the unloaded electrical device;

(b) determining the relation between the second standard value and the second monitoring value if the first monitoring value is between the first standard value and the second standard value after the unloading procedure has been performed for a period of time; and

(c) reloading the unloaded electrical device if the second monitoring value is smaller than or equal to the second standard value; and

(d) repeating from Step (b) to Step (c).

9. The method for power load management as recited in claim 8, wherein the reloading procedure further comprises a step of performing Step (c) when the unloading time of the unloaded electrical device exceeds a threshold value.

10. The method for power load management as recited in claim 1, wherein the unloading procedure further comprises steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of electrical devices;

(b) determining whether all of the plurality of electrical devices have been unloaded;

(c) performing a first unloading procedure on one of the electrical devices if not all the plurality of electrical devices have been unloaded, otherwise performing a second unloading procedure on one of the electrical devices if all the plurality of electrical devices have been unloaded; and

(d) monitoring the power consumption status for a specific period of time, and returning to Step (c) if the second monitoring value is larger than the second standard value, or stopping unloading the one device if the second monitoring value is smaller than the second standard value.

11. The method for power load management as recited in claim 10, further comprising a step of switching some of the plurality of electrical devices into an automatic mode or a local mode.

12. A system for power load management, comprising:

a power meter, coupled to a power source to record a power consumption status;

a control unit, electrically coupled to the power meter to issue an unloading signal or a reloading signal according to the power consumption status; and

at least an electrical device, coupled the control unit to receive the unloading signal or the reloading signal to be unloaded or reloaded.

13. The system for power load management as recited in claim 12, wherein the electrical device further comprises:

a main engine; and

a logic control module, capable of receiving the unloading signal or the reloading signal to issue an operation signal to the main engine.

14. The system for power load management as recited in claim 13, wherein the main engine is an air conditioner.

15. The system for power load management as recited in claim 13, wherein the logic control module further comprises:

an unloading relay module, electrically coupled to the main engine, the unloading relay module being capable of transmitting the operation signal to the main engine; and

a logic control unit, coupled to the unloading relay module, the logic control unit being capable of controlling the unloading relay module according to the unloading signal or the reloading signal.

16. The system for power load management as recited in claim 15, wherein the unloading relay module further comprises a plurality of relays.

17. The system for power load management as recited in claim 15, wherein the logic control unit is capable of switching between an automatic mode and a local mode.

18. The system for power load management as recited in claim 15, wherein the control unit is further connected to an information display unit.

19. The system for power load management as recited in claim 12, wherein the logic control unit further comprises a power supply and an arithmetic unit.

20. The system for power load management as recited in claim 12, further comprising an alarm module.

21. The system for power load management as recited in claim 12, wherein the control unit communicates with the at least an electrical device and the power meter via a wired network or a wireless network.