Responsive Load Monitoring System and Method

• US 20120185108A1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Responsiveload Limited (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: Responsiveload Limited (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Howe, Andrew, Bloor, Katie, Warren, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/387,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185108A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/58 The condition being electrical
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• 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: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A system employs a method of determining a level of potential responsive-load electrical power network service susceptible to being provided by one or more power consuming devices (100). The method includes: (a) determining operating characteristics of power consuming devices; (b) developing a parameterized numerical model of operation of the power consuming devices based upon the determined operating characteristics; (c) developing an operating regime using the numerical model and a set of operating rules for the devices for providing responsive-load electrical power network service; (d) applying the operating regime to each of the devices; and (e) monitoring operating characteristics of the power consuming devices (100) after installation for verifying their responsive-load electrical power network service. Optionally, the devices are operable to function autonomously to provide their responsive-load electrical power network service. Optionally, the parameterized numerical model of operation describes a fullest extent to which the power consuming devices are capable of providing responsive-load electrical power network service.

Claims

1. A method of determining a level of potential responsive-load electrical power network service susceptible to being provided by one or more power consuming devices, wherein said method includes:

(a) determining operating characteristics of one or more power consuming devices;

(b) developing a model of operation of the one or more power consuming devices based upon the determined operating characteristics; and

(c) developing an operating regime using the model of operation and a set of operating rules for the one or more devices for providing responsive-load electrical power network service, wherein

the model of operation of the one or more power consuming devices is a parameterized numerical model; and

the determined operating characteristics includes a maximum load capacity of the one or more power consuming devices potentially available for the responsive-load electrical power network service.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more devices are operably functional to provide the responsive-load electrical power network service in an autonomous manner.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, including:

(d) applying the operating regime to the one or more devices for providing the responsive-load electrical power network service.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parameterized numerical model of operation describes a fullest extent to which the one or more power consuming devices are capable of providing the responsive-load electrical power network service.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further including monitoring operating characteristics of the one or more power consuming devices after installation for verifying their responsive-load electrical power network service.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein monitoring of the one or more devices is performed remotely via one or more interface devices.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determination of said operating characteristics includes determining at least one of parameters α

, β

, η and

T, wherein the parameters α and

β

describe an expected proportion of time in which the one or more devices are able to switch ON/OFF, the parameter η

describes a working ratio of the one or more devices, and the parameter T describes operating cycle times of the one or more devices.

8. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said method includes at least one of:

(a) communicating an availability of the one or more power consuming devices to provide a responsive-load electrical power network service;

(b) communicating an amount of stored energy in said one or more power consuming devices;

(c) communicating an amount of energy storage capacity remaining in said one or more power consuming devices and/or the amount actually consumed;

(d) communicating an indication of a power load and/or aggregate load response said one or more power consuming devices are capable of providing and/or are actually providing to the electrical power network; and

(e) communicating an indication of the absolute power load said one or more power consuming devices are actually in operation consuming from the electrical power network.

12. A responsive-load electrical power service control system for controlling a level of a responsive-load electrical power network service to be provided by one or more power consuming devices according to the method of claim 3, the one or more power consuming devices being coupled via an electrical power network to one or more power generators, said electrical power network service including at least one of:

frequency control and load control, said responsive-load electrical power service control system including;

an interface device adapted for communication with the one or more power consuming devices; and

a data processing device communicatively coupled with the interface device, the control system being adapted to communicate at least one of the following variables;

(a) an availability of the one or more power consuming devices to provide load response service;

(b) an amount of stored energy in said one or more power consuming devices;

(c) an amount of energy storage capacity remaining in said one or more power consuming devices and/or the amount actually consumed;

(d) an indication of a power load and/or aggregate load response said one or more power consuming devices are capable of providing and/or are actually providing to the electrical power network; and

(e) an indication of the absolute power load said one or more power consuming devices are actually consuming from the electrical power network.

13. The control system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a power scheduler adapted to utilize information on the at least one variable to schedule a configuration of the one or more power generators.

26. A control system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the system is operable to determine an amount of responsive-load electrical power network service provided during an event when the service is invoked, wherein provision of the service is verified by comparing an actual electrical consumption of a sample of devices with an estimated consumption of those devices and/or an estimated consumption of devices in a population.

35. A control system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the interface device is operable to control provision of the responsive-load electrical power network service by the one or more power consuming devices in response to a remotely transmitted signal.

36. A method as claimed in claim 3, including:

(e) recording a cumulative period during which the one or more devices were able to provide the responsive-load electrical power service and a quality of the service provided.

37. A method as claimed in claim 1, including providing the responsive-load electrical power network service in response to a remotely transmitted signal.

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. A system for monitoring and determining a level of a responsive-load electrical power network service to be provided by one or more power consuming devices coupled via an electrical power network to one or more power generators, said electrical power network service including at least one of:

frequency control and load control, the system including;

an interface device, adapted for communication with the one or more power consuming devices or an electricity meter (M); and

a data processing device communicatively coupled with the interface device, the data processing device being adapted to;

(i) develop a parameterized numerical model of operation of the one or more power consuming devices based upon determined operating characteristics of the one or more power consuming devices, one of the determined operating characteristics being maximum load capacity of the one or more devices potentially available for the responsive-load electrical power network service; and

(ii) develop an operating regime using the numerical model and a set of operating rules for the one or more devices for providing a responsive-load electrical power network service.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

34. (canceled)