Method and system for providing power factor correction in a power distribution system
First Claim
1. A device for providing power factor correction of a power line carrying power having a voltage and a current, comprising:
- a power factor measurement module configured to measure the current and the voltage of the power line;
a power factor correction assembly including a capacitance configured to be connected to the power line;
wherein said power factor correction assembly is configured to vary the capacitance;
a controller in communication with said power factor measurement assembly and said power factor correction assembly;
a communication module in communication with said controller;
wherein said controller is configured to cause said communication module to transmit data of the measured current and voltage to a remote computer system;
wherein said controller is responsive to a command originating from the remote computer system to cause said power factor correction assembly to change the capacitance, substantially at a zero crossing of the voltage of the power carried by power line; and
wherein said controller is configured to cause said power factor correction assembly to increase the capacitance upon determining that the voltage of the power line is below a predetermined voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for providing power factor correction of a low voltage subnet that includes a low voltage feeder line that is connected to one or more low voltage power supply lines that supply power to one or more customer premises is provided. In one embodiment, the device includes a power factor measurement module configured to measure power parameters for determining a power factor of the power traversing the low voltage subnet; a power factor correction assembly configured to vary a capacitance connected to the low voltage feeder of the low voltage subnet; a controller in communication with the power factor measurement assembly and the power factor correction assembly. The controller may be configured to cause the power factor correction assembly to change the capacitance based on the determined power factor. The controller may form part of a power line communication device configured to provide communications to the one or more customer premises.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A device for providing power factor correction of a power line carrying power having a voltage and a current, comprising:
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a power factor measurement module configured to measure the current and the voltage of the power line; a power factor correction assembly including a capacitance configured to be connected to the power line; wherein said power factor correction assembly is configured to vary the capacitance; a controller in communication with said power factor measurement assembly and said power factor correction assembly; a communication module in communication with said controller; wherein said controller is configured to cause said communication module to transmit data of the measured current and voltage to a remote computer system; wherein said controller is responsive to a command originating from the remote computer system to cause said power factor correction assembly to change the capacitance, substantially at a zero crossing of the voltage of the power carried by power line; and wherein said controller is configured to cause said power factor correction assembly to increase the capacitance upon determining that the voltage of the power line is below a predetermined voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for providing power factor correction to a power distribution system that includes a plurality of power lines, the system comprising:
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a remote computer system; a plurality of correction assemblies, each comprising; a first capacitance configured to be connected to one of the plurality of power lines; a first switch configured to connect said first capacitance to the one power line and disconnect said first capacitance from the one power line; a first voltage sensor device configured to measure the voltage of the one power line; a first current sensor device configured to measure the current carried by the one power line; a communication module; and a first controller in communication with said first switch and said communication module and configured to receive current data from said first current sensor device and receive voltage data from said first voltage sensor device; wherein said first controller is configured to determine a power factor based on said current data and said voltage data; wherein said first controller is configured to cause said communication module to transmit the power factor to the remote computer system; wherein said remote computer system is configured to process received power factor data from a plurality of the correction assemblies; wherein said remote computer system is configured to transmit one or more control messages to one or more correction assemblies in response to processing data from one or more correction assemblies; wherein said first controller of each correction assembly is configured to respond to one or more control messages received from said remote computer system to operate said first switch to connect or disconnect said first capacitance, substantially at a zero crossing of the voltage of the one power line. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification