Variable base load energy management system and method

• US 6,718,213 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2000
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Strategic Design Federation W, LLC
• Original Assignee: Electric City Corporation (Willdan Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enberg, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHUTE, DOUGLAS M
• Application Number:
  US09/679,812
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 700/22, 700/291, 700/295, 700/292, 700/294, 700/293, 700/296, 700/297-298, 700/12, 700/16, 700/286, 324/116, 324/142, 340/870.02, 705/412, 315/86, 315/87
• US Class Current: 700/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for variable base load demand-side energy management. The system of the present invention includes a power reduction device receiving electrical power from an electrical power source and outputting electrical power to a load. The system of the present invention can control the power delivered to one or more devices in a single facility or to multiple facilities. The system of the present invention can control the power delivered to one or more devices located in one or more facilities by sending control signals over various kinds of networks using various communication methods simultaneously, such as a modem, a LAN, or a WAN such as the Internet.

Claims

1. A system for saving energy by varying a base load, comprising:

a power reduction device receiving electrical power from an electrical power source and outputting electrical power to a base load;

a processor;

a) receiving an input signal representing a characteristic of the base load;

b) receiving a schedule from a user, the schedule including a plurality of control setpoints corresponding to a plurality of time periods during a day;

c) generating a control signal based on the schedule, the time of day, and the input signal; and

d) outputting the control signal to the power reduction device to control the amount of power delivered to the base load.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input signal is one of voltage, power, light level, or current.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the input signal is received from a third party system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates a control signal based on a primary input signal and a secondary input signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a secondary control setpoint acts as an upper limit or a lower limit to the primary input signal.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the secondary input signal resets the primary input signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein processor outputs a control signal to ramp the load up to a starting voltage for a predetermined time period whenever:

a) an inrush of current greater than a predetermined threshold is sensed;

or

b) a reset signal is received.

8. The system of claim 1, further including:

wherein the processor is connected to a network, and the processor communicates with a user via the network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor has a digital output for connecting to a contactor, the digital output capable activating the contactor which turns on a connected load, when a user-selected setpoint is exceeded.

10. A system for saving energy costs by varying demand, comprising:

a power reduction device receiving electrical power from an electrical power source and outputting electrical power to a base load; and

a processor outputting a control signal to the power reduction device to decrease the power delivered to the base load in response to a rise in the price of electricity and increase the power delivered to the base load in response to a decrease in the price of electricity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor receives a schedule from a user, the schedule including a plurality of control setpoints for a plurality of time periods during a day, the processor generating the control signal based on the schedule and the time of day.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor receives real time price information from a utility company associated with the electrical power source, the processor generating a control signal based on the price information.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor receives a request signal from a utility company to decrease the load.

14. A method for saving energy costs by varying demand, comprising:

a) receiving input electrical power from an electrical power source;

b) decreasing the output power delivered to a base load in response to a rise in the price of electricity; and

c) increasing the output power delivered to the base load in response to a decrease in the price of electricity.

15. The method of claim 14, further including:

receiving a schedule from a user, the schedule including a plurality of control setpoints corresponding to a plurality of time periods during a day; and

generating a control signal for controlling the power delivered to the load based on the schedule.

16. The method of claim 14, further including:

receiving real-time electricity price information; and

generating the control signal based on the real-time electricity price information.

17. The method of claim 14, further including:

receiving a request signal from a utility company to decrease the load.

18. The method of claim 14, further including:

receiving a first input variable signal representing a first characteristic of the load;

receiving a first control setpoint from a user;

generating the control signal so as to maintain the first input variable within a control band around the control setpoint.

19. The method of claim 18, further including:

receiving a second input variable signal representing a second characteristic of the load;

generating a control signal so as to maintain the first and second input variable signals within a user-specified control band.

20. The method of claim 18, further including:

activating a contactor to turn on the load when the first input variable exceeds a user turn-on setpoint.

21. A system for controlling loads over a network, comprising:

a power reduction device receiving electrical power from an electrical power source and outputting electrical power to a base load;

a processor outputting a control signal to the power reduction device to control the amount of power delivered to the base load, the processor connected to a network; and

a user terminal connected to the network, receiving control instructions from a user, sending the control instructions to the processor over the network, the processor generating the control signal based on the control instructions.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the control instructions include a schedule of control setpoints.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor receives real-time electricity price information over the computer network.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the network is the Internet.