Systems, Methods, and Apparatus for Protecting Power Transformers

• US 20130073483A1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Boot, John Christopher, Caird, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US13/234,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• 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: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for protecting power transformers. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for protecting a power transformer from overload. The method can include receiving transformer power rating information; receiving load information from individual meters supplied by the power transformer; summing the received load information; comparing the summed load information to the received transformer power rating information; and determining spare load capacity associated with the power transformer based at least in part on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for protecting a power transformer from overload, the method comprising:

receiving transformer power rating information;

receiving load information from individual meters supplied by the power transformer;

summing the received load information;

comparing the summed load information to the received transformer power rating information; and

determining spare load capacity associated with the power transformer based at least in part on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting prices for electricity based at least in part on the spare load capacity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein setting prices is based on a detected presence and number of plug-in vehicles.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending one or more demand response messages to the individual meters.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more demand response messages comprise price information.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more demand response messages are utilized for limiting power to one or more customers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a control command to one or more electrical vehicle chargers to limit or stop charging if a load associated with the power transformer exceeds a safe operating limit or predetermined limit.

8. A system comprising:

one or more meters;

at least one power transformer operable to provide power to the one or more meters;

at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions for;

receiving power rating information for the at least one power transformer;

receiving load information from the one or more meters supplied by the at least one power transformer;

summing the received load information;

comparing the summed load information to the received power rating information; and

determining spare load capacity associated with the least one power transformer based at least in part on the comparison.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for setting prices for electricity based at least in part on the spare load capacity.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein setting prices is based on a detected presence and number of plug-in vehicles.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising an advanced metering infrastructure network for sending one or more demand response messages to the individual meters.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more demand response messages comprise price information.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a control command to one or more electrical vehicle chargers to limit or stop charging if a load associated with the power transformer exceeds a safe operating limit or predetermined limit.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein power is limited by the one or more meters.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one memory for storing data and computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions for;

receiving power rating information for at least one power transformer;

receiving load information from one or more meters supplied by the at least one power transformer;

summing the received load information;

comparing the summed load information to the received power rating information; and

determining spare load capacity associated with the least one power transformer based at least in part on the comparison.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is further configured for setting prices for electricity based at least in part on the spare load capacity.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein setting prices is based on a detection of a plug-in vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an advanced metering infrastructure network for sending one or more demand response messages to the individual meters.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more demand response messages comprise price information.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to send a control command to one or more electrical vehicle chargers to limit or stop charging if a load associated with the power transformer exceeds a safe operating limit or predetermined limit.