ENFORCING FINE-GRAINED DEMAND MANAGEMENT IN SMART GRIDS

• US 20140114487A1
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Universiti Brunei Darussalam
• Inventors: Hazra, Jagabondhu, Kalyanaraman, Shivkumar, Narayanaswamy, Balakrishnan, Husain, Saiful A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,188,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00017 using optical fiber
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00034 the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/54 according to a pre-established time schedule
• 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 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/003 Load forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future load demand
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/144 Demand-response operation of the power transmission or distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/00 Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

Methods and arrangements for enforcing demand management in electrical grids. Electrical power is provided from an electrical network to at least one substation, the electrical network including an electrical generation grid in communication with the at least one substation, the at least one substation comprising a power limiter. Electrical power is provided from the at least one substation to a plurality of locations, each location comprising a smart power demand manager which controls electrical power delivery to at least power-drawing item. There is detected, with respect to the electrical network, at least one discrepancy comprising at least one of: an unbalanced network load; an unscheduled network load; a change in network supply; and a change in network condition. In response to such detection, electrical power delivery is controlled via employing the power limiter of the at least one substation in collaboration with at least one smart power demand manager.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing electrical power from an electrical network to at least one substation, the electrical network including an electrical generation grid in communication with the at least one substation, the at least one substation comprising a power limiter;

providing electrical power from the at least one substation to a plurality of locations, each location comprising a smart power demand manager which controls electrical power delivery to at least power-drawing item;

detecting at least one discrepancy with respect to the electrical network, the at least one discrepancy comprising at least one of;

an unbalanced network load;

an unscheduled network load;

a change in network supply; and

a change in network condition; and

controlling, in response to detecting the at least one discrepancy, electrical power delivery with respect to at least one of the locations;

said controlling comprising employing the power limiter of the at least one substation in collaboration with at least one smart power demand manager to control electrical power delivery.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the smart power demand manager comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a smart meter, a smart distribution system, and a smart plug.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the smart power demand manager controls electrical power delivery to at least a portion of a building.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting comprises employing an unbalance detector and predictor with respect to the electrical generation grid.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting comprises accepting input from at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a phasor measurement unit;

a load meter;

a transformer meter;

a synchro-phasor;

a SCADA measurement system;

thermal measurement;

ambient condition measurement;

a smart meter;

a smart plug;

a grid level sensor;

a distribution level sensor;

a prediction of future renewable energy availability;

generator availability; and

a load level associated with a residential or commercial consumer.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said controlling comprises employing a balancing center that employs the accepted input.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said employing of a balancing center comprises, for determining generation levels and power levels in a generation and distribution grid, employing at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a financial contract;

a power delivery guarantee;

a generator preference; and

a consumer preference.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said controlling comprises determining generation levels and power levels in a generation and distribution grid.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the smart power demand manager comprises a scheduler that determines a scheduling of power delivery to at least one power-drawing item.

10. The method according to claim 10, wherein said employing comprises receiving, as input, at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

detected voltage;

detected frequency; and

a communication signal.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to manage delivery of electrical power from an electrical network to at least one substation, the electrical network including an electrical generation grid in communication with the at least one substation, the at least one substation comprising a power limiter;

computer readable program code configured to manage delivery of electrical power from the at least one substation to a plurality of locations, each location comprising a smart power demand manager which controls electrical power delivery to at least power-drawing item;

computer readable program code configured to detect at least one discrepancy with respect to the electrical network, the at least one discrepancy comprising at least one of;

an unbalanced network load;

an unscheduled network load;

a change in network supply; and

a change in network condition;

computer readable program code configured to control, in response to detecting the at least one discrepancy, electrical power delivery with respect to at least one of the locations; and

computer readable program code configured to employ the power limiter of the at least one substation in collaboration with at least one smart power demand manager to control electrical power delivery.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to manage delivery of electrical power from an electrical network to at least one substation, the electrical network including an electrical generation grid in communication with the at least one substation, the at least one substation comprising a power limiter;

computer readable program code configured to manage delivery of electrical power from the at least one substation to a plurality of locations, each location comprising a smart power demand manager which controls electrical power delivery to at least power-drawing item;

computer readable program code configured to detect at least one discrepancy with respect to the electrical network, the at least one discrepancy comprising at least one of;

an unbalanced network load;

an unscheduled network load;

a change in network supply; and

a change in network condition;

computer readable program code configured to control, in response to detecting the at least one discrepancy, electrical power delivery with respect to at least one of the locations; and

computer readable program code configured to employ the power limiter of the at least one substation in collaboration with at least one smart power demand manager to control electrical power delivery.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the smart power demand manager comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a smart meter, a smart distribution system, and a smart plug.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the smart power demand manager controls electrical power delivery to at least a portion of a building.

15. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein said computer readable program code is configured to employ an unbalance detector and predictor with respect to the electrical generation grid.

16. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein said computer readable program code is configured to accept input from at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

a phasor measurement unit;

a load meter;

a transformer meter;

a synchro-phasor;

a SCADA measurement system;

thermal measurement;

ambient condition measurement;

a smart meter;

a smart plug;

a grid level sensor;

a distribution level sensor;

a prediction of future renewable energy availability;

generator availability; and

a load level associated with a residential or commercial consumer.

17. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein said computer readable program code is configured to determine generation levels and power levels in a generation and distribution grid.

18. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the smart power demand manager comprises a scheduler that determines a scheduling of power delivery to at least one power-drawing item.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein said computer readable program code is configured to receive, as input, at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

detected voltage;

detected frequency; and

a communication signal.

20. A method comprising:

providing electrical power from an electrical network to at least one substation, the electrical network including an electrical generation grid in communication with the at least one substation, the at least one substation comprising a power limiter;

providing electrical power from the electrical network to a plurality of locations, the electrical network including an electrical generation grid in communication with the plurality of locations, each location comprising a smart power demand manager, each location comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of;

a residential unit and a commercial unit;

detecting at least one discrepancy with respect to the electrical network, the at least one discrepancy comprising at least one of;

an unbalanced network load;

an unscheduled network load;

a change in network supply; and

a change in network condition; and

controlling at least one of the at least one power limiter, in response to detecting the at least one discrepancy, to limit a supply of electrical power to at least one of the locations, the at least one power limiter being in communication with the smart power demand manager of at least one location, the at least one power limiter comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of;

a substation power limiter;

a residential unit power limiter; and

a commercial unit power limiter.