Energy management apparatus and method
First Claim
1. Energy management apparatus comprising:
- comparator means for comparing a demand count, indicative of power consumption by a plurality of loads, with a set point count and for producing a load demand indication dependent upon said comparison including,a multiple-digit scanned output demand counter receiving demand count pulses,a multiple-digit scanned output set point counter receiving set point pulses,means for synchronizing scanning of the digits of the counters by stopping digit scanning of a counter which falls behind in the digit scan cycle until the next scan cycle of the driving counter returns the counters to equally significant digits, andload control means responsive to said load demand indication for controlling the application of power to loads of said plurality of loads.
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Abstract
An energy management system for a group of electrical loads such as in an industrial plant. The electrical power usage by the group of loads is elastically maintained between an upper set point and a lower low limit point, which is a percentage of the set point, at all times. The electrical load demand is presented in the form of a demand count to a comparator whose output provides a load display and couples load information to a sequencer. The sequencer cycles those loads which are off through the group of controlled loads and also varies the number of off loads in response to the comparator information. The set point floats and is responsive to actual power demand and a memory may be utilized to affect the sequencer operation dependent upon preprogrammed instructions for particular loads on particular days.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. Energy management apparatus comprising:
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comparator means for comparing a demand count, indicative of power consumption by a plurality of loads, with a set point count and for producing a load demand indication dependent upon said comparison including, a multiple-digit scanned output demand counter receiving demand count pulses, a multiple-digit scanned output set point counter receiving set point pulses, means for synchronizing scanning of the digits of the counters by stopping digit scanning of a counter which falls behind in the digit scan cycle until the next scan cycle of the driving counter returns the counters to equally significant digits, and load control means responsive to said load demand indication for controlling the application of power to loads of said plurality of loads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Energy management apparatus comprising:
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comparator means for comparing a demand count indicative of power consumption by a plurality of loads with a set point count and for producing a load demand indication dependent upon said comparison; load control means responsive to said load demand indication for controlling the application of power to loads of said plurality of loads; set point adjustment means responsive to said demand count for adjusting the set point count by a portion of the difference between the two said counts, the set point adjustment means being responsive to said demand count for adjusting the set point count by a portion of the difference between the two said counts; and said set point adjustment means including a floating set point demand counter, means for synchronizing the floating set point demand counter with the counters of the comparator means, and counter means for adjustably maintaining the set point count and for coupling this count to a comparator in digit synchronization with the floating set point demand counter, and further including means for entering the positive or negative difference between the demand count and set point count in a given period of time, after dividing down by a desired amount, into the counter means. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. An energy management method comprising the steps of:
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comparing a demand count having a plurality of digits of different significance, indicative of power consumption by a plurality of loads, with a set point count having a plurality of digits of significance corresponding to those of the demand count; synchronizing the comparison of each pair of equally significant digits within a single comparator in sequence to obtain a resultant load demand indication dependent upon said comparison; and controlling the application of power to loads of said plurality of loads in response to said load demand indication.
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Specification