System and method for managing energy generation equipment

• US 7,127,327 B1
• Filed: 03/24/2004
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DTE Energy Technologies, Inc. (DTE Energy Company)
• Original Assignee: DTE Energy Technologies, Inc. (DTE Energy Company)
• Inventors: O'Donnell, John, Sherding, Cameron D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): KASENGE, CHARLES R
• Application Number:
  US10/808,181
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 700/50, 700/22, 700/28, 705/412
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power

Abstract

A system and method for controlling distributed generation equipment based on remotely derived dispatch schemes improves economics and reliability of operation. The system can adapt to variable changing conditions in real-time to provide adaptable, real-time, site-specific load forecasting.

Claims

1. A method for determining an optimal dispatch scheme for an on-site power generation arrangement, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a dispatch need for said arrangement;

(b) determining a value for at least one non-iterative fuzzy variable associated with operation of said arrangement;

(c) determining a non-iterative ranking based on at least one non-iterative fuzzy truth table;

(d) determining a value for at least one iterative fuzzy variable associated with operation of said arrangement;

(e) determining a dispatch rank based on at least one iterative fuzzy truth table and ascending sort;

(f) repeating steps (c) and (d) until said determined dispatch need is met;

(g) determining an optimal dispatch scheme; and

(h) delivering a dispatch control file based on said dispatch scheme to said arrangement.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) includes the step of using case-based reasoning.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (g) includes the steps of determining an all-grid and an all-boiler solution.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one non-iterative fuzzy variable is taken from the group consisting of:

cheap electricity, expensive electricity, cheap heat, expensive heat, low hours, high hours.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one iterative fuzzy variable is taken from the group consisting of:

good or bad non-iterative dispatch membership, good or bad electric match membership, good or bad load match membership, good or bad load following match membership.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said arrangement includes a plurality of energy generation units, and wherein said non-iterative ranking and said dispatch rank are determined based on at least a subset of said generation units.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said arrangement includes a plurality of energy generation units, and wherein step (e) further includes the step of dispatching the highest ranked unit.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said dispatched unit is dispatched at optimal capacity.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps (c) and (d) are further repeated at step (f) if at least reserve margin excess is less than zero.

10. The method of claim 1 including the step of, between steps (g) and (h), determining whether said arrangement is grid-connected or grid-isolated.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein, upon said arrangement being grid-isolated, adjusting said arrangement from an optimal operating point associated with said optimal dispatch scheme.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said determined optimal dispatch scheme is one of the operational modes consisting of:

economic dispatch, base load, peak shaving, economic dispatch plus peak shaving, single point control.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said variable in steps (b) and (d) is a variable taken from the group consisting of:

part load efficiency characteristics, capacity, output level, grid-connection status, temperature de-rating of equipment, load following requirements, reserve margin, n−

1 requirements, start-up costs, hour of operation, running status, forecasted thermal load, forecasted electrical load, maintenance costs, fuel costs, grid price, thermal capacity costs.

14. A computer system for determining an optimal dispatch scheme for an on-site power generation arrangement, comprising:

means for determining a dispatch need for said arrangement;

means for determining a value for at least one non-iterative fuzzy variable associated with operation of said arrangement;

means for determining a non-iterative ranking based on at least one non-iterative fuzzy truth table;

means for determining a value for at least one iterative fuzzy variable associated with operation of said arrangement;

means for determining a dispatch rank based on at least one iterative fuzzy truth table and ascending sort;

means for determining whether said determined dispatch need is met;

means for determining an optimal dispatch scheme; and

means for delivering a dispatch control file based on said dispatch scheme to said arrangement.