Power Generation and Control System

• US 20100052429A1
• Filed: 08/20/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanton Kee Iii Nethery
• Original Assignee: Stanton Kee Iii Nethery
• Inventors: Nethery, Stanton Kee III
• Granted Patent: US 9,083,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/85
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 11/008 preventing unsafe switching operations in substations (Schaltfehlerschutz)
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/003 responsive to reversal of power transmission direction reversal of direct current H02H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 11/00 Circuit arrangements for providing service supply to auxiliaries of stations in which electric power is generated, distributed or converted
• 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 3/388 Islanding, i.e. disconnection of local power supply from the network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A power generation and control system is easily installed in a consumer household, a business, or an end-user establishment for generating power and preventing power from flowing to a power grid from a consumer circuit during a power outage A communications transceiver is adapted to transmit a permission signal for allowing power generation only after the control system has been installed. The control system can be adapted to replace an existing circuit breaker in a household circuit breaker box and prevents power from traveling from consumer power generators to the grid during a power outage. In the same manner that end-users can add appliances to existing circuits, end-users can easily add additional power generation devices without hiring a professional electrician and without worrying about causing harm to utility workman during power outages.

Claims

1. A power generation and control system for preventing power from flowing to a power grid from a circuit during a power outage that can be installed in an end user establishment, the system comprising:

a main power flow controller for controlling a flow of power between the power grid and the circuit, said controller including;

an input adapted to be connected to the power grid;

an output adapted to be connected to the circuit;

a power sensor for sensing the flow of power; and

a power control switch located between the power grid and the circuit for interrupting the flow of power between the power grid and the circuit when the power sensor senses that the flow of power is not flowing in an appropriate direction, thus allowing anyone to attach a power generation device to the circuit.

2. The power generation and control system of claim 1, further comprising a power generation device including a generator connected to the circuit for producing power.

3. The power generation and control system of claim 1, wherein the main power flow controller further includes a circuit breaker.

4. The power generation and control system of claim 3, wherein the main power flow controller is adapted to replace an existing circuit breaker in a circuit breaker box.

5. The power generation and control system of claim 3, wherein the main power flow controller is adapted to replace an electrical power meter.

21. The power generation and control system of claim 2, wherein the generator is selected from the group consisting of photovoltaic generators, wind powered generators, hydroelectric generators, fuel cells, diesel engines, Stirling engines, gas turbines, micro-turbines, and hybrid vehicles, and combinations thereof.

6. (canceled)

7. A power generation and control system adapted to be installed in an end user establishment circuit for preventing power from flowing to a power grid from the circuit during a power outage, the system comprising:

a main power flow controller for controlling a flow of power between the power grid and the circuit, said controller including;

an input adapted to be connected to the power grid;

an output adapted to be connected to the circuit;

a power control switch located between the power grid and the circuit for interrupting the flow of power between the power grid and the circuit when there is no power in the power grid; and

a communications transceiver for giving permission for a power generation device to put power onto the circuit.

8. The power generation and control system of claim 7, further comprising:

a power generation device including;

a generator connected to the circuit for producing power; and

a power generation controller for controlling the generator including a second transceiver for receiving the permission generated by the power generation control system communications transceiver and ensuring that the power generation device puts power onto the circuit only when permitted, thus allowing anyone to attach a power generation device to the circuit.

9. The power generation and control system of claim 7, wherein the main power flow controller further comprises a circuit breaker.

10. The power generation and control system of claim 9, wherein the main power flow controller is adapted to replace an existing circuit breaker in a circuit breaker box.

11. The power generation and control system of claim 8, wherein the main power flow controller is adapted to replace an electrical power meter.

12. The power generation and control system of claim 8, wherein the power generation controller further includes a pattern generator for sending a power usage pattern and the main power flow controller further includes a pattern sensor for sensing the power usage pattern caused by the pattern generator and determining that the generator is downstream of the main power flow controller.

13. The power generation and control system of claim 8, wherein the power generation controller can only provide power to the circuit if the power generation controller is located downstream from the main power flow controller.

14. A method for installing in an end user establishment a control system for controlling distribution of power between a power grid and a circuit and allowing anyone to attach a power generation device to the circuit, said method comprising:

installing the control system in the end user establishment;

generating a permission signal with the control system to indicate a presence of the control system;

enabling the power generation device to provide power only when the permission signal is provided by a control system; and

allowing installation of the power generation device in the end user establishment by anyone when the control system is present.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein installing the control system is performed by an electrician and allowing installation of the power generation device includes permitting anyone to connect the power generation device by plugging the power generation device into a power receptacle located in the circuit.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

monitoring the power grid to determine whether there is power on the power grid; and

preventing power from flowing from the circuit to the power grid when there is no power on the power grid.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein generating a permission signal only occurs only if the power generation controller is located downstream from the control system.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein generating a permission signal further includes sending a power usage pattern from the power generation device, sensing the power usage pattern with the control system, determining that the power generation device is downstream of the control system and only sending the permission signal to the power generation device if the power generation device is downstream of the control system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein sending the power usage pattern includes varying power flowing between the power generation device and the control system.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising supplying power to the control system with a low voltage signal during a power outage.