METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POWER MANAGEMENT

• US 20120226386A1
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: KULATHU, Ganesh, WIMMER, Wolfgang, GUPTA, Arinjai, PAPAEVANGELOU, Diogenis, OTTO VAN DER WAL, Willem, NYKVIST, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,496,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• 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 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Abstract

A method and a system for power management for a plant electrical network are provided. The power management system over a plant-wide communication network includes both concepts of hierarchical level and distributed level power management using multiple controllers. At least one controller in the power management system is configured for power management in a first local process area within the plant electrical network and is capable to communicate with at least a second controller configured for power management in a second local process area within the plant electrical network over the communication network.

Claims

1. A power management system for a plant electrical network including power distribution equipment, power actuators, local generators and loads of an industrial plant, the system comprising:

a plant-wide communication network; and

a plurality of controllers for power management in the plant electrical network, wherein a first controller from the plurality of controllers is configured for power management in a first local process area within the plant electrical network and for communication over the communication network, with at least a second controller from the plurality of controllers configured for power management in a second local process area within the plant electrical network.

2. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the first controller from the plurality of controllers is configured as a central controller for the plant electrical network, communicatively connected to any controllers from the plurality of controllers that are configured for power management in respective local process areas within the plant electrical network.

3. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the central controller is configured to perform power management based on priorities assigned with local process areas.

4. The power management system of claim 2, wherein the central controller is configured to communicate one or more power management commands to the second controller from the plurality of controllers.

5. The power management system of claim 1, wherein at least one controller from the plurality of controllers is configured as a local controller in a local process area for a power management function in the local process area, which will operate in a remote control mode or in a partial autonomous mode or in complete autonomous mode.

6. The power management system of claim 1, wherein at least one controller from the plurality of controllers is configured for a local process area that includes an electrical network existing as an islanded or as an isolated network.

7. The power management system of claim 1 wherein the power management comprises:

one or more power management functionalities for load shedding including slow load shedding, or manual load shedding, power balance computations, and/or issuance of priorities to carry out a power management function.

8. The power management system of claim 1, wherein at least one controller from the plurality of controllers performs power management functionalities regarding load shedding priority communication in the plant-wide communication network.

9. The power management system of claim 1, comprising:

at least one process visualizing interface associated with the first and/or second controller for providing priority configuration and manual functions for power management in the plant electrical network.

10. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the first controller from the plurality of controllers and the second controller are distributed in two different hierarchical levels in the plant electrical network.

11. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the first controller from the plurality of controllers and the second controller are to be distributed in a same hierarchical level in the plant electrical network.

12. The power management system of claim 1, wherein a scope of a local process area for at least one controller from the plurality of controllers is as defined in or inferred from the first controller or device configuration files.

13. The power management system of claim 1, wherein a scope of a local process area for at least one controller from the plurality of controllers will change dynamically based on contingency conditions in the plant electrical network.

14. The power management system of claim 1, wherein local process areas of at least two controllers from the plurality of controllers are disjoint to each other.

15. The power management system of claim 1, wherein the first local process area controlled by the first controller includes at least one other local process area controlled by the at least one second controller from the plurality of controllers of a plant electrical network.

16. The power management system of claim 1, wherein at least one controller from the plurality of controllers is configured to perform slow load shedding for at least one load in a respective local process area.

17. The power management system of claim 1, wherein at least one controller from the plurality of controllers is configured to perform manual load shedding for at least one load in a local process area.

18. The power management system of claim 1, wherein at least one controller from the plurality of controllers is configured to perform at least one power management function in a respective local process area based on a communication received in the plant-wide communication network.

19. A method for power management in a plant electrical network including power distribution equipment, power actuators, local generators and loads of an industrial plant, using at least two controllers communicatively interconnected via a plant-wide communication network and being configured for power management in at least two local process areas within the plant electrical network, respectively, the method comprising:

(a) deciding an operation mode for at least one controller from the at least two controllers as (a) a remote control mode or (b) a complete autonomous mode or (c) a partial autonomous mode;

(b) performing power balance computations for respective local process areas by the at least two controllers in accordance with the operation mode of the at least one controller; and

(c) performing power management based on results of power balance computations in the respective local process areas associated with the at least two controllers.

20. The method for power management of claim 19 wherein deciding the operation mode for the at least one controller comprises:

detecting at least one of (a) a communication connectivity status between the at least two controllers, or (b) an electrically connectivity status between the respective local process areas associated with the at least two controllers, or (c) information received from an other controller of the at least two controllers, or (d) one or more user inputs provided through a process visualization interface, or (e) from any combinations of (a), (b), (c) and (d).

21. The method for power management of claim 19, comprising:

initiating the performing power balance computations by the at least one controller on (a) detecting of change in the operation mode, or (b) detecting a system disturbance in the respective local process areas, or (c) for providing consolidated electrical network information to the at least one controller.

22. The method for power management of claim 19, wherein the performing power management by the at least one controller comprises:

performing at least one function from functions for (a) load shedding based on load shedding priorities, (b) power control based on priority for generator, and (c) power restoration based on reconnecting priority for a load.

23. A device comprising:

means for power management in a plant electrical network in a first local process area within the plant electrical network; and

means for communicating, over a plant-wide communication network, with at least one other device configured for power management in the plant electrical network in a second local process area.

24. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein the device is an IEC 61850 compliant controller.

25. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein a scope of the local process area is as defined in or inferred from configuration files of the device.

26. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein a scope of the local process area changes dynamically based on contingency conditions in the plant electrical network.

27. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein the means for power management performs slow load shedding for at least one load in the local process area.

28. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein the means for power management performs manual load shedding for at least one load in the local process area.

29. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein the means for power management performs at least one power management function in the local process area based on a communication received in the plant-wide communication network.

30. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein the means for power management autonomously performs at least one power management function in the local process area.

31. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein the means for power management performs at least one power management function in the local process area based on a communication received in the plant-wide communication network and also autonomously performs at least one power management function in the local process area.

32. The device for power management in a local process area within the plant electrical network of claim 23, wherein area performs power management functionalities accounting load shedding priority communication received in the plant-wide communication network.