Power load-leveling system and packet electrical storage

• US 6,522,031 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Electric Power Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Electric Power Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Walborn, Warren W., Ware, Brendan J., Provanzana, John H., Nourai, Ali, Schneider, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DeBeradinis, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US09/974,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20020041126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 307/48, 307/64, 307/82, 307/84, 307/80, 307/43
• US Class Current: 307/48
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/28 Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/10 Efficient use of energy, e.g. using compressed air or pressurized fluid as energy carrier

Abstract

A large scale, capacitor-based electrical energy storage and distribution system capable of effectuating load-leveling during periods of peak demand on a utility. A capacitor or multitude of capacitors may be charged with electrical energy produced by the utility during periods of low demand, such as the evening hours, and discharged during periods of high electrical energy consumption to help reduce demand on the utility. One or more capacitors may be located at a consumer'"'"'s residence or business for providing at least a portion of the consumer'"'"'s electrical power requirements. Alternatively, a farm of capacitors may be provided at or near a utility, or at or near a location experiencing high demand, such that electrical energy stored in the capacitors can be discharged into the utility'"'"'s distribution grid to increase the amount of electrical energy available for use.

Claims

1. An electrical energy distribution system, comprising:

a source of electrical energy;

at least one high energy storage capacitor connected to said source and further connected to a consumer energy usage network;

an amount of electrical energy delivered from said source and stored at said at least one capacitor;

discharged electrical energy from said at least one capacitor into said network; and

another amount of electrical energy delivered from said source and stored at said at least one capacitor to recharge said capacitor after said capacitor has been at least partially discharged.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said network is a consumer'"'"'s home electrical wiring system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said network is a business office'"'"'s electrical wiring system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said network is a part of an electrical power distribution grid connected to said source.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said source is a fossil fuel power plant.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said source is a nuclear power plant.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said source is a hydro-electric power plant.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said source is a solar power plant.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said source is a wind power plant.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one capacitor is an electrochemical capacitor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one capacitor is a cryogenic ceramic capacitor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one capacitor is an electrolytic capacitor.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device for converting AC electrical energy from said source into DC electrical energy for storage in said at least one capacitor.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device for converting DC electrical energy stored in said at least one capacitor to AC electrical energy for delivery to a load.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one capacitor delivers DC electrical energy into said network to supply one or more DC loads in communication therewith.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising control equipment for allowing communication between said source and said at least one capacitor, such that said at least one capacitor may be automatically charged by said source as needed.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said electrical energy is delivered to said at least one capacitor during a period of low electrical energy demand on said source.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one capacitor has an energy storage capacity of at least 50 watt-hours.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said at least one capacitor is charged at a first location, and discharged at one or more other locations.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein a packet of electrical energy required to recharge said at least one capacitor is released into said network by said source, said packet of electrical energy thereafter delivered to said at least one capacitor.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one capacitor has an energy storage density of at least 50 Joules per cubic centimeter.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein there is a difference between the time required for said source to release said packet of electrical energy into said network and the time required for said at least one capacitor to store said electrical energy.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the entirety of said packet of electrical energy is released into said network at once.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the entirety of said packet of electrical energy is released into said network over an extended period of time.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said discharge of electrical energy is of short duration and is used to maintain power quality.

26. An electrical energy storage and distribution system, comprising:

a source of electrical energy;

at least one high energy storage capacitor connected to said source and further connected to an electrical energy distribution grid;

a pathway for transferring an amount of electrical energy from said source to said at least one high energy storage capacitor for storage; and

a pathway for delivering at least a portion of said electrical energy stored by said at least one high energy storage capacitor into said electrical energy distribution grid.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said source is a fossil fuel burning power plant.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said source is a nuclear power plant.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein said source is a hydro-electric power plant.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein said source is a solar power plant.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein said source is a wind power plant.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one capacitor is an electrochemical capacitor.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one capacitor is a cryogenic ceramic capacitor.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one capacitor is an electrolytic capacitor.

35. The system of claim 26, further comprising a device for converting AC electrical energy from said source into DC electrical energy for storage in said at least one capacitor.

36. The system of claim 26, further comprising a device for converting DC electrical energy stored in said at least one capacitor to AC electrical energy for delivery to a load.

37. The system of claim 26, further comprising control equipment for allowing communication between said source and said at least one capacitor, such that said at least one capacitor may be automatically charged by said source as deeded.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein said control equipment further allows stored electrical energy to be automatically discharged from said at least one capacitor into said electrical energy distribution grid in response to demand.

39. The system of claim 26, wherein said electrical energy is delivered to said at least one capacitor during a period of low electrical energy demand on said source.

40. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one capacitor is located at or near said source.

41. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one capacitor is portable, and may be transported to a location requiring additional electrical energy and connected to said location'"'"'s electrical energy distribution grid.

42. The system of claim 26, wherein a multitude of capacitors are connected together to provide increased electrical energy storage capacity.

43. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one capacitor is transportable.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said at least one capacitor is charged at a first location, and discharged at one or more other locations.

45. The system of claim 26, wherein a packet of electrical energy of a size required to recharge said at least one capacitor is released into said pathway by said source, said packet of electrical energy thereafter delivered to said at least one capacitor.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein there is a delay between the release of said packet of electrical energy into said pathway by said source and the delivery of said packet of electrical energy to said at least one capacitor.

47. The system of claim 45, wherein there is a difference between the time required for said source to release said packet of electrical energy into said pathway and the time required for said at least one capacitor to store said electrical energy.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein the entirety of said packet of electrical energy is released into said pathway substantially at once.

49. The system of claim 45, wherein the entirety of said packet of electrical energy is released into said pathway over an extended period of time.

50. A method of storing and distributing electrical energy to effect electrical power load leveling, said method comprising:

providing a source of electrical energy;

providing at least one high energy storage capacitor capable of storing a significant amount of electrical energy sufficient to power a plurality of devices simultaneously, through a consumer energy usage network, said at least one high energy storage capacitor in communication with said source;

supplying an amount of electrical energy to said at least one high energy storage capacitor to charge said at least one high energy storage capacitor during a period of low electrical energy demand on said source;

discharging at least a portion of said electrical energy stored in said at least one high energy storage capacitor to a load supplied by said source, during a period of high demand on said source; and

repeatedly charging and discharging said at least one high energy storage capacitor during periods of low and high electrical energy demand respectively.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising an electrical energy distribution network in communication with said at least one capacitor.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein said at least one capacitor is located at a residence.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said at least one capacitor is located at a business.

54. The method of claim 50, wherein said at least one capacitor is located at or near said source.

55. The method of claim 50, wherein said electrical energy distribution network resides in a residence and is adapted to transport electrical energy from said at least one capacitor to at least one load located therein.

56. The method of claim 50, wherein said electrical energy distribution network resides in a business and is adapted to transport electrical energy from said at least one capacitor to at least one load located therein.

57. The method of claim 50, wherein said electrical energy distribution network is a part of an electrical energy distribution grid provided to transport electrical energy from said source to its customers.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said at least one capacitor is designed to store an amount of electrical energy for later introduction into said electrical energy distribution grid.

59. The method of claim 50, wherein said at least one capacitor is designed to store and later provide at least a portion of the electrical energy required by at least one specific load.

60. The method of claim 50, wherein said at least one capacitor is portable and may be transported to a location where load leveling is needed, said at least one capacitor adapted for connection to an electrical energy distribution grid in communication with said source.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said at least one capacitor is charged at a first location, and discharged at one or more other locations.

62. The method of claim 50, further comprising converting AC electrical energy from said source into DC electrical energy for storage by said at least one capacitor.

63. The method of claim 50, further comprising converting DC electrical energy from said at least one capacitor into AC electrical energy for delivery to a load.

64. The method of claim 50, further comprising providing control equipment for allowing communication between said source and said at least one capacitor, such that said at least one capacitor may be automatically charged and discharged as needed.

65. The system of claim 50, wherein a packet of electrical energy of a size required to recharge said at least one capacitor is released by said source, said packet of electrical energy thereafter delivered to said at least one capacitor.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein there is a delay between the release of said packet of electrical energy by said source and the delivery of said packet of electrical energy to said at least one capacitor.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein there is a difference between the time required for said source to release said packet of electrical energy and the time required for said at least one capacitor to store said electrical energy.

68. The system of claim 66, wherein the entirety of said packet of electrical energy is released by said source substantially at once.

69. The system of claim 66, wherein the entirety of said packet of electrical energy is released by said source over an extended period of time.