HIGH SPEED FEEDBACK FOR POWER LOAD REDUCTION USING A VARIABLE GENERATOR

• US 20100327800A1
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgeport Fittings Incorporated (NSI Industries, LLC), Stem, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Powergetics, Inc.
• Inventors: REINECCIUS, Stacey
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/22 The renewable source being solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• 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 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for control of power charge/discharge from energy storage system. The invention also provides for power monitoring and management, including power management for a variable generator. An intelligent charge system may include a premise sensor, a variable generator sensor, one or more energy storage units, and a controller, which may receive information about the power demand, power provided by an electricity provider, and charge/discharge information from an energy storage unit. The information received may all be time synchronized in relation to a time based reference. The controller may provide instructions to an energy storage unit at a rapid rate.

Claims

1. An intelligent charge system comprising:

a premise sensor for measuring premise power information, wherein the premise power information provided by the premise sensor is time synchronized with a time reference;

a variable generator sensor for measuring variable generator power information, wherein the variable generator power information is time synchronized with the time reference;

at least one energy storage unit, wherein the energy storage unit can send information that is synchronized with the time reference; and

a control computer which receives time synchronized information from the premise sensor, the variable generator sensor, and the energy storage unit, and provides a charge/discharge instruction to the energy storage unit based on the received time synchronized information.

2. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the premise sensor or the variable generator sensor is provided on a customer side of the system.

3. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the variable generator is at least one of the following:

a wind generator, a solar electric generator, a water-powered generator, or a geothermal generator.

4. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the charge/discharge instruction is provided at a rapid rate.

5. The smart charge system of claim 4, wherein the charge/discharge instruction is provided every 15 minutes or less.

6. The smart charge system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of energy storage units.

7. The smart charge system of claim 6, wherein the control computer provides charge/discharge instruction to each of the energy storage units.

8. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the charge/discharge instruction includes at least one of the following:

whether to charge or discharge, power level to charge or discharge, maximum duration of charge or discharge in case of loss of communication, or a phase of power against which this is to apply for each phase.

9. The smart charge system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage unit is provided on the customer side and is capable of being installed with pre-existing equipment on the customer side.

10. A method of power monitoring and management comprising:

providing, at a controller, a desired limit load;

receiving, at the controller, power demand load information;

receiving, at the controller, variable generator power information; and

transmitting, from the controller to an energy storage unit, a charge/discharge instruction based on the desired limit load, the power demand load information, and the variable generator power information, wherein the charge/discharge information is delivered at a fast sample rate.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving, at the controller, state of charge information from the energy storage unit, wherein the charge/discharge instruction also depends on the state of charge information.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the fast sample rate is every 15 minutes or less.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the charge/discharge instruction causes the energy storage unit to be charged or discharged, thereby providing an average apparent demand load on an electricity provider that approaches or is maintained at the desired limit load.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the power demand load information is received from an external communications unit.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the energy storage unit maintains a current level while allowing voltage to be varied or maintained, or the energy storage maintains a voltage level while allowing the current to be varied or maintained.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the variable generator power information is received from at least one of the following:

a wind generator, a solar electric generator, a water-powered generator, or a geothermal generator.

17. A method of power monitoring and management comprising.

receiving premise power information from a premise sensor, wherein the premise power information is time synchronized with a time synchronization reference;

receiving variable generator power information from a variable generator sensor, wherein the variable generator power information is time synchronized with the time reference;

receiving state of charge information from at least one energy storage unit, wherein the state of charge information is synchronized with the time synchronization reference; and

providing a charge/discharge instruction to the energy storage unit based on the received premise power information, the received variable generator power information, and the received state of charge information.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the received sensor information, received variable generator power information, and the received state of charge information includes time stamps.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving power demand load information from an external communications unit, wherein the power demand load information is synchronized with the time synchronization reference.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the charge/discharge instructions are provided every 15 minutes or less.