Real-time pricing controller of an energy storage medium
First Claim
1. A controller for controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning, comprising:
- an energy pricing data structure for storing a real-time energy pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time-varying production costs of energy;
a data storage medium containing rules determined during a developmental phase using dynamic programming, said rules matching optimal control trajectories of an energy cost function that is dependent upon said real-time energy pricing profile, said rules governing the operation of the energy storage medium; and
an engine for generating during an operational phase an energy storage medium control signal based upon said real-time energy pricing profile and said rules, whereby the energy storage medium is controlled with said energy storage medium control signal in order to minimize energy costs associated with environmental conditioning by the environmental control system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning. The controller includes an energy pricing data structure for storing a real-time energy pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time-varying production costs of energy. The controller also includes a storage medium containing rules that approximate optimal control trajectories of an energy cost function that is dependent upon the real-time energy pricing profile, with the rules governing the operation of the energy storage medium. In addition, the controller has an engine for generating a storage medium control signal based upon the real-time energy pricing profile and the rules whereby the energy storage medium is controlled with the storage medium control signal in order to minimize energy costs associated with environmental control system.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A controller for controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning, comprising:
-
an energy pricing data structure for storing a real-time energy pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time-varying production costs of energy;
a data storage medium containing rules determined during a developmental phase using dynamic programming, said rules matching optimal control trajectories of an energy cost function that is dependent upon said real-time energy pricing profile, said rules governing the operation of the energy storage medium; and
an engine for generating during an operational phase an energy storage medium control signal based upon said real-time energy pricing profile and said rules, whereby the energy storage medium is controlled with said energy storage medium control signal in order to minimize energy costs associated with environmental conditioning by the environmental control system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method of controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning, comprising:
-
(a) storing a real-time energy pricing profile in an energy pricing data structure, said real-time pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time varying production costs of energy;
(b) governing the operation of the energy storage medium with rules determined during a developmental phase using dynamic programming, said rules matching an optimal control trajectory of an energy cost function that is dependent upon said real-time energy pricing profile; and
(c) generating during an operational phase an energy storage medium control signal based at least in part upon said energy pricing profile and said rules, whereby the energy storage medium is controlled with the energy storage medium control signal in order to minimize energy costs associated with environmental conditioning by the environmental control system. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An environmental control system that provides environmental conditioning of a facility, comprising:
-
an air conditioning system;
a thermal energy storage tank that is used in conjunction with said air conditioning system to cool the facility; and
a controller that controls said air conditioning system and said thermal energy storage tank, said controller including;
an energy pricing data structure for storing a real-time energy pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time-varying production costs of energy, a data storage medium containing rules determined during a developmental phase using dynamic programming, said rules matching optimal control trajectories of an energy cost function that is dependent upon said real-time energy pricing profile, said rules governing the operation of said thermal energy storage tank, and an engine for generating during an operational phase a control signal based upon said real-time energy pricing profile and said rules, whereby energy costs associated with the environmental conditioning of the facility are minimized.
-
-
21. A controller for controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning, comprising:
-
an energy pricing data structure for storing a real-time energy pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time-varying production costs of energy;
a data storage medium containing rules determined using dynamic programming, said rules matching optimal control trajectories of an energy cost function that is dependent upon said real-time energy pricing profile, said rules governing the operation of the energy storage medium; and
an engine for generating an energy storage medium control signal based upon said real-time energy pricing profile and said rules, whereby the energy storage medium is controlled with said energy storage medium control signal in order to minimize energy costs associated with environmental conditioning by the environmental control system, wherein the controller operates with a hybrid control algorithm having a finite number of discrete states and also allowing, within at least one state, continuous control. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
discharging the energy storage medium during a first time interval in which an energy cost rate is at a maximum as determined by the real-time energy pricing profile, and discharging the energy storage medium during a subsequent high energy cost interval, so long as the energy storage medium is not depleted and the environmental conditioning continues to be necessary, wherein the discharging during the first time interval and the discharging during the subsequent high energy cost interval occur at rates which maximize the energy output of the energy storage medium during each interval while maintaining sufficient energy within the energy storage medium so that later energy demands of the environmental control system as predicted by a forecaster can be met.
-
-
23. The controller of claim 21, wherein said rules comprise charging rules that include:
-
always charging the energy storage medium at a maximum rate;
charging the energy storage medium only during a customer specified charging period; and
ceasing the charging of the energy storage medium if the energy storage medium is charged to a maximum specified limit.
-
-
24. A method of controlling an energy storage medium connected to an environmental control system that is providing environmental conditioning, comprising:
-
(a) storing a real-time energy pricing profile in an energy pricing data structure, said real-time pricing profile indicative of energy rates corresponding to time varying production costs of energy;
(b) governing the operation of the energy storage medium with rules determined using dynamic programming, said rules matching an optimal control trajectory of an energy cost function that is dependent upon said real-time energy pricing profile; and
(c) generating an energy storage medium control signal based at least in part upon said energy pricing profile and said rules, whereby the energy storage medium is controlled with the energy storage medium control signal in order to minimize energy costs associated with environmental conditioning by the environmental control system, wherein said rules further comprise charging rules that include;
always charging the energy storage medium at a maximum rate;
charging the energy storage medium only during a customer specified charging period; and
ceasing the charging of the energy storage medium if the energy storage medium is charged to a maximum specified limit. - View Dependent Claims (25)
discharging the energy storage medium during a first time interval in which an energy cost rate is at a maximum as determined by the real-time energy pricing profile, and discharging the energy storage medium during a subsequent high energy cost interval, so long as the energy storage medium is not depleted and the environmental conditioning continues to be necessary, wherein the discharging during the first time interval and the discharging during the subsequent high energy cost interval occur at rates which maximize the energy output of the energy storage medium during each interval while maintaining sufficient energy within the energy storage medium so that later energy demands of the environmental control system as predicted by a forecasting can be met.
-
Specification