Building Power Management System

• US 20140175877A1
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: William Baker
• Original Assignee: William Baker
• Inventors: Baker, William
• Application Number:
  US13/987,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20140175877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/23
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/066 Reconnection being a consequence of eliminating the fault which caused disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/08 responsive to excess current responsive to abnormal temperature caused by excess current H02H5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/22 of short duration, e.g. lightning
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/24 responsive to undervoltage or no-voltage H02H3/207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/0004 involved in a protection system
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• 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: 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: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A building power management system employs a power manager and a plurality of load circuits (e.g., outlet circuits, appliances, equipment, etc.). In operation, the power manager senses (directly or indirectly) a source voltage at a power source node, sheds one or more of the load circuits from a power source node in response to the source voltage sagging below a source voltage limit, and reconnects shedded load circuit(s) to the power source node upon the source voltage exceeding the source voltage limit. Further, the program manager senses (directly or indirectly) a source current flowing through the power source node, sheds one or more of the load circuits from the power source node in response to the source current exceeding a source current limit, and reconnects shedded load circuit(s) to the power source node upon the source current sagging below the source current limit.

Claims

1. A building power management system, comprising:

a plurality of load circuits; and

a power manager operable coupled to the load circuits,

wherein the power manager is operable for sensing a source voltage at a power source node, for shedding at least one of the load circuits from the power source node in response to the source voltage sagging below a source voltage limit, and for reconnecting each shedded load circuit to the power source node upon the source voltage exceeding the source voltage limit; and

wherein the program manager senses is further operable for sensing a source current flowing through the power source node, for shedding at least one of the load circuits from the power source node in response to the source current exceeding a source current limit, and for reconnecting each shedded load circuit to the power source node upon the source current sagging below the source current limit.

2. The building power management system of claim 1, wherein the load circuits are at least partially connected in parallel to the power source node.

3. The building power management system of claim 1, wherein the load circuits are at least partially connected in series to the power source node.

4. The building power management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a surge protector operably operably coupling the power source node to the power manager and the load circuits.

5. The building power management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a backup power generator operably coupled to the power source node to the power manager and the load circuits.

6. The building power management system of claim 1, wherein the power manager sheds a maximum number of load circuits in response to the source voltage sagging below a source voltage limit, the maximum number of load circuits being less than a total number of load circuits.

7. The building power management system of claim 1, wherein the power manager sheds a maximum number of load circuits in response to the source current exceeding a source current limit, the maximum number of load circuits being less than a total number of load circuits.

8. The building power management system of claim 1, wherein the power manager sheds a maximum number of load circuits in response to the source current exceeding a source current limit, the maximum number of load circuits being less than a total number of load circuits.

9. The building power management system of claim 1, wherein the power manager decrease the source voltage limit in response to reaching a specific number of shedded load circuits.

10. The building power management system of claim 1, wherein the power manager increases the source voltage limit in response to reaching a specific number of shedded load circuits.

11. A power network, comprising:

a plurality of load circuits; and

a plurality of power circuits, each power circuit including;

a relay operable coupling one of the plurality of load circuits to a power source node,

a source voltage sensor operably coupled to the power source node,

a source current sensor operably coupled between the relay and the load circuit, and

a pulsing circuit operably coupled to the relay; and

a power manager operable to communicate a power command signal to the pulsing circuit for selectively transitioning the relay between an open state and a closed state.

12. The power network of claim 11,

wherein the power command signal indicates an operational load condition in response to a voltage sensing signal being greater than a source voltage threshold and a current sensing signal being less than a source current threshold, and

wherein the power command signal indicates a shed load condition in response to one of the voltage sensing signal being less than the source voltage threshold and the current sensing signal being greater than the source current threshold.

13. The power network of claim 11,

wherein the power command signal indicates an operational load condition in response to a current time of day being within an online time range, and

wherein the power command signal indicates a shed load condition in response to the current time of day being within an offline time range.

14. The power network of claim 11,

wherein the power command signal indicates an operational load condition in an absence of a manual override command, and

wherein the power command signal indicates a shed load condition in response to the manual override command.

15. The power network of claim 11, wherein the power manager communicates at least one command signal to at least one of a local workstation and a remote workstation.

16. The power network of claim 15, wherein at least one of the local workstation and the remote workstation is operable to communicate a manual override to the power manager.