DYNAMICALLY CONTROLLING CONFIGURATION OF A POWER GRID COMPRISING ONE OR MORE STAND-ALONE SUB-GRIDS

• US 20100320838A1
• Filed: 06/17/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: S&C Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Power and Engineering Research Corporation (IPERC)
• Inventors: MASSIE, Darrell D., CURTISS, Peter S., MILLER, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/39
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• 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

Abstract

A technique is provided for automatically controlling configuration of a power grid, which includes one or more stand-alone sub-grids. Each stand-alone sub-grid includes a power generator, and a load is associated with the stand-alone sub-grid(s). The technique includes: monitoring the power grid by monitoring power demand of a load associated with the stand-alone sub-grid(s) and the power generated by the power generator within each stand-alone sub-grid; automatically determining that a grid configuration change is required for the power grid based on the monitoring; and dynamically reconfiguring the power grid by automatically modifying a number of stand-alone sub-grids in the power grid without interrupting power to the load associated with the stand-alone sub-grid(s) of the power grid. In one implementation, the power grid is a mobile power grid, and the power generator of each stand-alone sub-grid is a portable power generator.

Claims

1. A method of controlling configuration of a power grid, the method comprising:

automatically monitoring the power grid, wherein the power grid comprises at least one stand-alone sub-grid, each stand-alone sub-grid comprising a power generator, and wherein the automatically monitoring comprises automatically monitoring power demand of a load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid and power generated by the power generator within each stand-alone sub-grid;

automatically determining that a grid configuration change is required for the power grid based on the monitoring; and

dynamically reconfiguring the power grid by automatically modifying a number of stand-alone sub-grids in the power grid without interrupting power to the load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid of the power grid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored power grid comprises multiple stand-alone sub-grids, and the dynamically reconfiguring comprises automatically electrically connecting a first stand-alone sub-grid and a second sand-alone sub-grid of the multiple stand-alone sub-grids into a single stand-alone sub-grid and automatically deactivating at least one power generator powering one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid without interrupting power to the single stand-alone sub-grid.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the automatically electrically connecting comprises automatically electrically connecting the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with at least one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid is below a low power load threshold.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the automatically electrically connecting comprises employing a grid connect unit electrically connected to the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid in automatically electrically connecting the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid into the single stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with at least one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid is below a low power load threshold, wherein the grid connect unit comprises a power relay, which when closed, electrically connects the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the automatically electrically connecting further comprises monitoring voltage frequencies within the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid and automatically electrically connecting the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid into the single stand-alone sub-grid when the monitored voltage frequencies of the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid are in phase.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamically reconfiguring comprises, without interrupting power, automatically electrically separating a single stand-alone sub-grid of the at least one stand-alone sub-grid into a first stand-alone sub-grid and a second stand-alone sub-grid and automatically activating a power generator for one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid without interrupting power to the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the automatically electrically separating comprises automatically, electrically separating the single stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with the single stand-alone sub-grid is or is dynamically projected to be above a high power load threshold.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the automatically electrically separating comprises employing a grid connect unit electrically connected to the single stand-alone sub-grid in automatically electrically separating the single stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with the single stand-alone sub-grid is or is dynamically projected to be above the high power load threshold, wherein the grid connect unit comprises a power relay, which when opened, in combination with the automatically activating of the power generator, electrically separates the single stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the power grid is a mobile power grid, and the power generator of each stand-alone sub-grid is a portable power generator, and wherein each stand-alone sub-grid further comprises a respective power load.

10. A method of controlling configuration of a power grid, the method comprising:

automatically monitoring the power grid, wherein the power grid comprises at least one stand-alone sub-grid, each stand-alone sub-grid comprising a power generator, and wherein the automatically monitoring comprises automatically monitoring power demand of a load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid and power generated by the power generator within each stand-alone sub-grid;

automatically determining that a grid configuration change is required for the power grid based on the monitoring;

automatically electrically connecting a first stand-alone sub-grid and a second stand-alone sub-grid of the at least one stand-alone sub-grid into a single stand-alone sub-grid and automatically deactivating at least one power generator of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid, the automatically electrically connecting being responsive to the monitored load being below a low power load threshold and occurring without interrupting power to the load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid of the power grid; and

automatically electrically separating a single stand-alone sub-grid of the at least one stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid and automatically activating at least one additional power generator to power one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid, the automatically electrically separating being responsive to the monitored load being or dynamically projected to be above a high power load threshold, and occurring without interrupting power to the load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid of the power grid.

11. A system for controlling configuration of a power grid, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the system is capable of performing a method, the method comprising;

automatically monitoring the power grid, wherein the power grid comprises at least one stand-alone sub-grid, each stand-alone sub-grid comprising a power generator, and wherein the automatically monitoring comprises automatically monitoring power demand of a load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid and power generated by the power generator within each stand-alone sub-grid;

automatically determining that a grid configuration change is required for the power grid based on the monitoring; and

dynamically reconfiguring the power grid by automatically modifying a number of stand-alone sub-grids in the power grid without interrupting power to the load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid of the power grid.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the monitored power grid comprises multiple stand-alone sub-grids, and the dynamically reconfiguring comprises automatically electrically connecting a first stand-alone sub-grid and a second stand-alone sub-grid of the multiple stand-alone sub-grids into a single stand-alone sub-grid, and automatically deactivating at least one power generator powering one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid without interrupting power to the single stand-alone sub-grid, and wherein the automatically electrically connecting comprises automatically electrically connecting the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with at least one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid is below a lower power load threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the automatically electrically connecting comprises employing a grid connect unit electrically connected to the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid in automatically electrically connecting the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid into the single stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with the at least one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid is below the low power load threshold, and wherein the grid connect unit comprises a power relay, which when closed, electrically connects the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the automatically electrically connecting further comprises monitoring voltage frequencies within the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid and automatically electrically connecting the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid into the single stand-alone sub-grid when the monitored voltage frequencies of the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid are in phase.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the dynamically reconfiguring comprises, without interrupting power, automatically electrically separating a single stand-alone sub-grid of the at least one stand-alone sub-grid into a first stand-alone sub-grid and a second stand-alone sub-grid, and automatically activating a power generator for one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid without interrupting power to the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid, and wherein the automatically electrically separating comprises automatically electrically separating the single stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when power load associated with the single stand-alone sub-grid is or is dynamically projected to be above a high power load threshold.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the automatically electrically separating comprises employing a grid connect unit electrically connected to the single stand-alone sub-grid in automatically electrically separating the single stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with the single stand-alone sub-grid is or is dynamically projected to be above the high power load threshold, wherein the grid connect unit comprises a power relay, which when opened, in combination with the automatically activating of the power generator, electrically separates the single stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the power grid is a mobile power grid, and the power generator of each stand-alone sub-grid is a portable power generator, and wherein each stand-alone sub-grid further comprises a respective load.

18. A computer program product for controlling configuration of a power grid, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

automatically monitoring the power grid, wherein the power grid comprises at least one stand-alone sub-grid, each stand-alone sub-grid comprising a power generator, and wherein the automatically monitoring comprises automatically monitoring power demand of a load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid and power generated by the power generator within each stand-alone sub-grid;

automatically determining a grid configuration change is required for the power grid based on the monitoring; and

dynamically reconfiguring the power grid by automatically modifying a number of stand-alone sub-grids in the power grid without interrupting power to the load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid of the power grid.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the monitored power grid comprises multiple stand-alone sub-grids, and the dynamically reconfiguring comprises automatically electrically connecting a first stand-alone sub-grid and a second stand-alone sub-grid of the multiple stand-alone sub-grids into a single stand-alone sub-grid, and automatically deactivating at least one power generator powering one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid without interrupting power to the single stand-alone sub-grid, and wherein the automatically electrically connecting comprises automatically electrically connecting the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when power load associated with at least one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid is below a lower power load threshold.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the dynamically reconfiguring comprises, without interrupting power, automatically electrically separating a single stand-alone sub-grid of the at least one stand-alone sub-grid into a first stand-alone sub-grid and a second stand-alone sub-grid, and automatically activating a power generator for one of the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid without interrupting power to the first stand-alone sub-grid or the second stand-alone sub-grid, and wherein the automatically electrically separating comprises automatically electrically separating the single stand-alone sub-grid into the first stand-alone sub-grid and the second stand-alone sub-grid when load associated with the single stand-alone sub-grid is or is dynamically projected to be above a high power load threshold.

21. A method of deploying power grid configuration control logic on one or more processing units, the method comprising:

installing power grid configuration control logic on at least one processing unit, the power grid configuration control logic to;

automatically monitor the power grid, wherein the power grid comprises at least one stand-alone sub-grid, each stand-alone sub-grid comprising a power generator, and wherein the automatic monitoring comprises automatically monitoring power demand of a load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid and power generated by the power generator within each stand-alone sub-grid;

automatically determine that a grid configuration change is required for the power grid based on the monitoring; and

dynamically reconfigure the power grid by automatically modifying a number of stand-alone sub-grids in the power grid without interrupting power to the load associated with the at least one stand-alone sub-grid of the power grid.