Controller and method of controlling a power system

• US 8,326,467 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rivers, Cecil Jr., Cutler, Seth Adam, Hoogmartens, Michiel
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US13/225,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20120095612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 700/22, 700/27, 700/33, 700/286, 700/297, 701/22
• US Class Current: 700/297
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/14 by input of vehicle departure time
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00007 using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00024 by means of mobile telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00026 involving a local wireless network, e.g. Wi-Fi, ZigBee or Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/30 The power source being a fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/322 the battery being on-board an electric or hybrid vehicle, e.g. vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G], power aggregation, use of the battery for network load balancing, coordinated or cooperative battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 : Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 : Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 : Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/121 : using the power network as support for the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/126 : using wireless data transmission

Abstract

A controller for a power system including a plurality of power system components includes a memory for storing computer-executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions program the processor to determine an operating condition of at least one first power system component and at least one second power system component of the plurality of power system components. The processor is also programmed to determine whether a predetermined condition is met based on at least one operating condition, and transmit a command to at least one other controller to at least one of electrically couple the first power system component to the second power system component and electrically decouple the first power system component from the second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met.

Claims

1. A controller for a power system including a plurality of power system components, said controller comprising:

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to said memory and to the plurality of power system components, said processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions program said processor to;

determine an operating condition of at least one first power system component and at least one second power system component of the plurality of power system components, wherein the at least one second power system component includes a power storage device switchable between a power storage mode of operation and a power supply mode of operation;

identify a predetermined time for completing a charging operation of the power storage device;

determine whether a switching of the power storage device from the power storage mode of operation to the power supply mode of operation will prevent the charging operation from completing within the predetermined time;

determine whether a predetermined condition is met based on at least one operating condition; and

transmit a command to at least one other controller to at least one of electrically couple the at least one first power system component to the at least one second power system component and electrically decouple the at least one first power system component from the at least one second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met.

2. The controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to transmit a command to the at least one other controller to set a maximum amount of current to supply to the power storage device.

3. The controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to transmit a command to the at least one other controller to switch the power storage device from the power storage mode of operation to the power supply mode of operation.

4. The controller in accordance with claim 3, wherein the power storage device is a power storage device of an electric vehicle, said processor is further programmed to:

identify the predetermined time for completing the charging operation of the power storage device by receiving a requested completion time for the charging operation.

5. The controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one first power system component includes a utility power source coupled to the at least one second power system component and configured to supply power to the at least one second power system component, said processor is further programmed to electrically decouple the utility power source from the at least one second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met.

6. The controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one second power system component includes a plurality of loads configured to receive power from the at least one first power system component, said processor is further programmed to categorize the plurality of loads into at least one high priority load and at least one low priority load.

7. The controller in accordance with claim 6, wherein said processor is further programmed to electrically decouple the at least one low priority load from the at least one first power system component while maintaining a supply of power to the at least one high priority load from the at least one first power system component.

8. The controller in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to transmit a command to the at least one other controller to at least one of electrically couple the at least one first power system component to the at least one second power system component and electrically decouple the at least one first power system component from the at least one second power system component based on at least one forecasted condition of the power system.

9. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied therein, wherein, when executed by a processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

determine an operating condition of at least one first power system component and at least one second power system component of a plurality of power system components within a power system, wherein the at least one second power system component includes a power storage device switchable between a power storage mode of operation and a power supply mode of operation;

identify a predetermined time for completing a charging operation of the power storage device;

determine whether a switching of the power storage device from the power storage mode of operation to the power supply mode of operation will prevent the charging operation from completing within the predetermined time;

determine whether a predetermined condition is met based on at least one operating condition; and

transmit a command to at least one controller to at least one of electrically couple the at least one first power system component to the at least one second power system component and electrically decouple the at least one first power system component from the at least one second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met.

10. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to transmit a command to the at least one controller to switch the power storage device from the power storage mode of operation to the power supply mode of operation.

11. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 10, wherein the power storage device is a power storage device of an electric vehicle, and wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

identify the predetermined time for completing the charging operation of the power storage device by receiving a requested completion time for the charging operation.

12. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one first power system component includes a utility power source coupled to the at least one second power system component and configured to supply power to the at least one second power system component, the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to electrically decouple the utility power source from the at least one second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met.

13. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 9, wherein the at least one second power system component includes a plurality of loads configured to receive power from the at least one first power system component, the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to categorize the plurality of loads into at least one high priority load and at least one low priority load.

14. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to electrically decouple the at least one low priority load from the at least one first power system component while maintaining a supply of power to the at least one high priority load from the at least one first power system component.

15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in accordance with claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to transmit a command to the at least one controller to at least one of electrically couple the at least one first power system component to the at least one second power system component and electrically decouple the at least one first power system component from the at least one second power system component based on at least one forecasted condition of the power system.

16. A method of controlling a power system, said method comprising:

determining, by a first controller, an operating condition of at least one first power system component and at least one second power system component of a plurality of power system components within the power system, wherein the at least one second power system component includes a power storage device switchable between a power storage mode of operation and a power supply mode of operation;

identifying a predetermined time for completing a charging operation of the power storage device;

determining whether a switching of the power storage device from the power storage mode of operation to the power supply mode of operation will prevent the charging operation from completing within the predetermined time;

determining, by the first controller, whether a predetermined condition is met based on at least one operating condition; and

transmitting, by the first controller, a command to at least one second controller to at least one of electrically couple the at least one first power system component to the at least one second power system component and electrically decouple the at least one first power system component from the at least one second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising transmitting, by the first controller, a command to the at least one second controller to switch the power storage device from the power storage mode of operation to the power supply mode of operation.

18. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the at least one first power system component includes a utility power source coupled to the at least one second power system component and configured to supply power to the at least one second power system component, said method further comprising electrically decoupling the utility power source from the at least one second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met.

19. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the at least one second power system component includes a plurality of loads configured to receive power from the at least one first power system component, said method further comprising:

categorizing the plurality of loads into at least one high priority load and at least one low priority load; and

electrically decoupling the at least one low priority load from the at least one first power system component while maintaining a supply of power to the at least one high priority load from the at least one first power system component.

20. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising transmitting, by the first controller, a command to the at least one second controller to at least one of electrically couple the at least one first power system component to the at least one second power system component and electrically decouple the at least one first power system component from the at least one second power system component based on at least one forecasted condition of the power system.