System for controlling demand of multi-air-conditioner

• US 7,871,014 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Han-Won, Youn, Sang-Chul, Jeon, Duck-Gu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, GEORGE BINH MINH
• Application Number:
  US11/945,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 621/75, 622/30, 621/25, 165/208, 165/209, 700/276, 700/295, 700/296, 236/46.R, 236/51, 340/870.01
• US Class Current: 236/51
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/244 the home appliances being or involving heating ventilating and air conditioning [HVAC] units

Abstract

A system for controlling multiple air conditioners. The system includes a demand control unit configured to calculate an estimated power amount used by the multiple air conditioners based on an amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during a predetermined time period, and to forcibly control an operation of one or more air conditioners based on a size of the estimated power amount. Further, the demand control unit is connected to the multiple air conditioners and communicates with the multiple air conditioners using a serial data communication protocol.

Claims

1. A system for controlling multiple air conditioners, the system comprising:

a demand control unit configured to calculate an estimated power amount used by the multiple air conditioners based on an amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during a predetermined time period, and to forcibly control an operation of one or more air conditioners based on a size of the estimated power amount;

one or more individual watt-hour meters, each being connected with respective air conditioners and configured to measure the power consumed by each of the one or more air conditioners; and

an overall watt-hour meter configured to measure the amount of power consumed by the entire system,

wherein the demand control unit is connected to the multiple air conditioners and communicates with the multiple air conditioners using a serial data communication protocol.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the demand control unit comprises:

one or more platforms connected with the one or more air conditioners and the one or more individual watt-hour meters, said one or more platforms configured to receive the amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during the predetermined time period and power from the one or more individual watt-hour meters; and

a control unit that controls the one or more air conditioners based on the power amount received from the one or more platforms.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more platforms comprise:

a gateway configured to communicate with the individual watt-hour meters using a first communication method and to communicate with the control unit using a second communication method that is different than the first communication method; and

a communication control unit that controls communication between the gateway and the individual watt-hour meters.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more platforms are connected to the multiple air conditioners and communicate with the multiple air conditioners via a serial data communication protocol, and

wherein the serial data communication protocol is the RS-485 communication protocol.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more platforms communicate with the individual watt-hour meters using the RS-485 serial communication protocol or a pulse input method.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more platforms communicate with the control unit using the Ethernet protocol.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the demand control unit compares the estimated power amount and a pre-set target power amount, calculates an operation rate of said one or more air conditioners based on the comparison result, assigns priority levels to said one or more air conditioners, and forcibly controls the operation of said one or more air conditioners based on the assigned priority levels.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the demand control unit divides the multiple air conditioner into groups and assigns each group a priority level such that the demand control unit forcibly controls an operation of air conditioners included in a lower assigned priority level group before air conditioners included in a higher priority level group.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the demand control unit records a forcibly control history of the multiple air conditioners, assigns the priority levels to the multiple air conditioners based on the recorded forcibly control history of the multiple air conditioners, and forcibly controls the operation of said one or more air conditioners based on the assigned priority levels.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the demand control unit assigns a higher priority level to a first air conditioner that has been forcibly controlled more recently or more often than a second air conditioner such that the demand control unit forcibly controls the second air conditioner before the first air conditioner.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein the demand control unit forcibly controls the operation of a respective air conditioner by turning off at least one of an outdoor unit and indoor unit of the respective air conditioner or by reducing an operation mode of the respective air conditioner.

12. A method for controlling multiple air conditioners, the method comprising:

measuring an amount of power consumed by each of one or more air conditioners via each of one or more individual watt-hour meters during a predetermined time period;

measuring an amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners via an overall watt-hour meter during the predetermined time period;

calculating an estimated power amount used by the multiple air conditioners based on the amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during the predetermined time period; and

forcibly controlling an operation of the one or more air conditioners based on a size of the estimated power amount,

wherein the forcibly controlling step uses a serial data communication protocol to forcibly control the operation of the one or more air conditioners.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the multiple air conditioners are connected to one or more platforms and the one or more individual watt-hour meters, said one or more platforms receiving the amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during the predetermined time period and power from the one or more individual watt-hour meters, and

wherein the forcibly controlling step forcibly controls the one or more air conditioners based on the power amount received from the one or more platforms.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more platforms communicate with the individual watt-hour meters using the RS-485 serial communication protocol or a pulse input method.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more platforms communicate with the multiple air conditioners using the RS-485 communication protocol.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more platforms are connected to a control unit that performs the forcibly controlling step, and

wherein the one or more platforms and the control unit communicate using an Ethernet communication protocol.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

comparing the estimated power amount and a pre-set target power amount;

calculating an operation rate of said one or more air conditioners based on the comparison result; and

assigning priority levels to said one or more air conditioners,

wherein the forcibly controlling step forcibly controls the operation of said one or more air conditioners based on the assigned priority levels.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

dividing the multiple air conditioner into groups; and

assigning each group a priority level such that the demand control unit forcibly controls an operation of air conditioners included in a lower assigned priority level group before air conditioners included in a higher priority level group.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

recording a forcibly control history of the multiple air conditioners,

wherein the assigning step assigns the priority levels to the multiple air conditioners based on the recorded forcibly control history of the multiple air conditioners, and

wherein the forcibly controlling step forcibly controls an operation of an air conditioner based on the assigned priority levels.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the assigning step assigns a higher priority level to a first air conditioner that has been forcibly controlled more recently or more often than a second air conditioner such that the forcibly controlling step forcibly controls the second air conditioner before the first air conditioner.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the forcibly controlling step forcibly controls the operation of a respective air conditioner by turning off at least one of an outdoor unit and indoor unit of the respective air conditioner or by reducing an operation mode of the respective air conditioner.