SYSTEM, METHOD AND CONTROLLER FOR MANAGING AND CONTROLLING A MICRO-GRID

• US 20130166084A1
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hatch Limited (Hatchcos Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hatch Limited (Hatchcos Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Sedighy, Mohammad, Kamh, Mohamed Zakaria, El-Deib, Amgad, Iravani, Reza, Hagar, Abdelrahman Abbas
• Granted Patent: US 9,870,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A system, method and controller for managing and controlling a micro-grid network. The system includes a plurality of energy resources including at least one dispatchable energy resource and at least one intermittent energy resource, wherein the at least one of the energy resources is an energy storage element and at least one of the intermittent energy resources is responsive to environmental conditions to generate power, a controller configured to record operational constraints of the energy resources, obtain an environmental condition prediction and generate a component control signal based on the environmental condition prediction and the operational constraints corresponding to the energy resources. The controller is further configured to receive a network disturbance signal and generate a dynamic control signal based on such disturbances.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a micro-grid network, wherein the network includes a plurality of distributed energy resources including at least one dispatchable energy resource and at least one intermittent energy resource, wherein at least one of the energy resources is an energy storage element and at least one of the intermittent energy resources is responsive to environmental conditions to generate power, the method comprising:

recording at least one operational constraint corresponding to each energy resource;

obtaining an environmental condition prediction; and

generating a component control signal for at least some of the energy resources, including the energy storage element, based on the environmental condition prediction and the operational constraints corresponding to the energy resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental condition prediction relates to a time period and the component control signals are generated for the time period.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

predicting a load demand for the micro-grid network to provide a total predicted load demand; and

wherein generating the component control signal for at least some of the energy resources comprises generating the component control signal based on the total predicted load demand for the micro-grid network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the environmental condition prediction includes receiving at least one environmental condition variable and generating the environmental condition prediction based on the at least one environmental condition variable.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the load demand is predicted in part based on the at least one environmental condition variable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting a power generation level of intermittent energy resources in the micro-grid network based on the environmental condition prediction to provide a total predicted supply.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the time period is selected from the group consisting of:

a few seconds; and

a percentage of a duty cycle of the energy resources.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating at least some of the energy resources, including the energy storage element, in response to the component control signal.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one operational constraint corresponding to at least one energy resource includes at least one operational constraint selected from the group consisting of a switching cycle constraint and a minimum load constraint.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the component control signal corresponding to one of the energy resources is selected from the group consisting of:

includes a power switching signal, wherein the one energy resource starts or stops supplying power to the micro-grid network in response to the power switching signal

a power level control signal, wherein the one energy resource supplies power to the hybrid power grid in a quantity corresponding to the power level control signal;

a source charge/discharge signal, wherein the at least one of the energy storage elements in the micro-grid network charges or discharges in response to the charge/discharge signal; and

a source store/release signal, wherein the at least one of the energy storage elements in the micro-grid network stores or releases power in response to the store/release signal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the at least one operational constraint corresponding to each energy resource includes receiving at least one operational constraint from each energy resource and storing the at least one operational constraint corresponding to the energy resource.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the intermittent energy resource is a wind power generation system and the dispatchable energy resource is a diesel power generation system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the energy storage element is a battery.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the component control signal generated for at least some of the energy resources is selected from the group consisting of:

when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, and wherein when the total predicted wind supply and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network are stable, generating a component control signal for at least some of the energy resources comprises generating a power switching signal to turn off the dispatchable energy resources, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge the at least one energy storage element and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand and power stored by the at least one energy storage element in the power network when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network and the total predicted wind supply and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network are stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of the total predicted load demand and power stored by the at least one energy storage element in the micro-grid network when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is stable and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of the total predicted load demand and power stored by the at least one energy storage element in the micro-grid network when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is stable and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of the total predicted load demand and power stored by the at least one energy storage element in the micro-grid network when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of the total predicted load demand and power stored by the at least one energy storage element in the micro-grid network when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of the total predicted load demand and power stored by the at least one energy storage element in the micro-grid network when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge the at least one energy storage element and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but to curtail supply to the micro-grid network based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of the total predicted load demand and power stored by the at least one energy storage element in the micro-grid network when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, and the total predicted wind supply and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network are stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually increase supply, a charge/discharge signal to at least one energy storage element to charge or discharge the at least one energy storage element based on the operational constraints of the dispatchable energy resources and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is stable and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power switching signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually stop supplying power and a power level control signal to at least one energy storage element to supply power to the micro-grid network when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing; and

a component control signal for at least some of the energy resources comprises generating a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing.

35. The method of claim 16, wherein the energy storage element is a flywheel.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the component control signal generated for at least some of the energy resources is selected from the group consisting of:

when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, and wherein when the total predicted wind supply and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network are stable, generating a component control signal for at least some of the energy resources comprises generating a power switching signal to turn off the dispatchable energy resources except the diesel power generation system with the lower power production and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, and the total predicted wind supply and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network are stable;

a power switching signal to turn off the dispatchable energy resources except the diesel power generation system with the lower power production and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is stable and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power switching signal to turn off the dispatchable energy resources except the diesel power generation system with the lower power production and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is stable and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually decrease supply and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually increase supply and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually increase supply and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually increase supply and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, and the total predicted wind supply and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network are stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to gradually increase supply and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is stable;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is stable and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power switching signal to turn off the dispatchable energy resources except the diesel power generation system with the lower power production and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production but curtail supply to the micro-grid network in excess of total predicted load demand when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is increasing;

a power switching signal to turn off the dispatchable energy resources when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is increasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing; and

a power level control signal to the dispatchable energy resources to dispatch required diesel and a power level control signal to the intermittent energy resources to maximize production when a total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network exceeds the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network, the total predicted wind supply in the micro-grid network is decreasing and the total predicted load demand in the micro-grid network is decreasing.

53. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving micro-grid network topology status indicating status of switching elements in the micro-grid network, wherein generating the component control signal for at least some of the energy resources comprises generating the component control signal based on the micro-grid network topology status.

54. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one network disturbance signal for the micro-grid network and generating a dynamic control signal for at least some of the energy resources based on the network disturbance signal.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising generating the dynamic control signal for at least some of the energy resources based on the environmental condition prediction and the operational constraints corresponding to the energy resources.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the dynamic control signal is generated for a time period shorter than the component control signal.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the at least one network disturbance signal is selected from the group consisting of:

the at least one network disturbance signal indicating indicates a change in load demand of the micro-grid network;

the at least one network disturbance signal indicating a change in supply from at least one distributed energy resource of the micro-grid network; and

the at least one network disturbance signal indicating a change in environmental condition prediction.

60. The method of claim 54, wherein generating the dynamic control signal comprises generating a signal selected from the group consisting of:

a real power change signal for maintaining frequency of the micro-grid network at a nominal value; and

a reactive power change signal for maintaining voltage of the micro-grid network at a nominal value.

62. The method of claim 54, further comprising combining the component control signal for at least some of the energy resources with the dynamic control signal for the same energy resources to generate an overall control signal;

and operating the same energy resources in response to the overall control signal.

8. (canceled)

12-14. -14. (canceled)

19-34. -34. (canceled)

37-52. -52. (canceled)

58-59. -59. (canceled)

61. (canceled)

63-90. -90. (canceled)

91. A method of controlling a micro-grid network, wherein the network includes a plurality of distributed energy resources including at least one dispatchable energy resource and at least one intermittent energy resource, wherein at least one of the energy resources is an energy storage element and at least one of the intermittent energy resources is responsive to environmental conditions to generate power, the method comprising:

recording at least one operational constraint corresponding to each energy resource;

receiving at least one network disturbance signal;

generating a dynamic control signal for at least some of the energy resources, including the energy storage element, based on the network disturbance signal and the operational constraints corresponding to the energy resources.

92. The method of claim 91, further comprising receiving micro-grid network topology status indicating status of switching elements in the micro-grid network, wherein generating the dynamic control signal for at least some of the energy resources comprises generating the dynamic control signal based on the micro-grid network topology status.

93. The method of claim 91, further comprising obtaining an environmental condition prediction, wherein generating the dynamic control signal for at least some of the energy resources comprises generating the dynamic control signal based on the environmental condition prediction.

94. The method of claim 91, wherein generating the dynamic control signal comprises generating a signal selected from the group consisting of:

a real power change signal for maintaining frequency of the micro-grid network at a nominal value; and

a reactive power change signal for maintaining voltage of the micro-grid network at a nominal value.

96. The method of claim 91, wherein the at least one network disturbance signal is selected from the group consisting of:

the at least one network disturbance signal indicating indicates a change in load demand of the micro-grid network;

the at least one network disturbance signal indicating a change in supply from at least one distributed energy resource of the micro-grid network; and

the at least one network disturbance signal indicating a change in the environmental condition prediction.

99. The method of claim 93, further comprising generating a component control signal for at least some of the energy resources, including the energy storage element, based on the environmental condition prediction and the operational constraints corresponding to the energy resources.

100. The method of claim 99, further comprising combining the component control signal for at least some of the energy resources with the dynamic control signal for the same energy resources to generate an overall control signal, and operating the same energy resources in response to the overall control signal.

101. The method of claim 99, wherein the dynamic control signal is generated for a time period shorter than the component control signal.

95. (canceled)

97-98. -98. (canceled)

102-110. -110. (canceled)