Load shedding for surface heating units on electromechanically controlled cooking appliances

• US 8,803,040 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Steurer, Brian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US12/884,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20110062142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 219/492, 219/494, 219483-486, 219/507, 219/508, 219/497, 307 39- 51
• US Class Current: 219/483
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/60 Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0266 Cooktops
• 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

Abstract

According to one aspect, a system for reducing peak power usage of an electromechanically controlled cooking appliance is provided. The system includes at least one infinite switch, one or more heating units, at least one of which comprising at least two separately controllable resistive heating elements, a control operatively coupled to the one or more heating units, the control being configured to receive and process a utility state signal indicative of the current state of an associated utility, wherein the one or more heating units include at least one relay switch configured to selectively enable and disable energization of one of the elements in response to the utility state signal.

Claims

1. A system for reducing peak power usage of an electromechanical device comprising:

at least one of an infinite switch and a thermostat;

one or more power consuming elements, each power consuming element comprising at least two separately controllable zones;

a control in communication with a demand signal module and said one or more power consuming elements, said control being configured to receive and process a signal from said demand signal module indicative of the current state of an associated utility including a first state indicative of a utility peak demand period and a second state indicative of a utility off-peak demand period, wherein the control operates the electromechanical device in an energy savings mode during a peak demand period and in a normal operating mode during an off-peak demand period; and

at least one throw relay configured to control the delivery of power to at least one of said at least two separately controllable zones;

wherein (i) in the energy savings mode, the control is configured to open said at least one throw relay, cutting off power delivery to at least one but not all of the at least two separately controllable zones to enable duty cycling of the at least one but not all of the at least two separately controllable zones to reduce power consumption of the electromechanical device during a peak demand period, and (ii) in the normal operating mode the control is configured to supply power and enable duty cycling of all of the at least two separately controllable zones during an off-peak demand period.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more power consuming elements is a surface heating element.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said surface heating element comprises a plurality of coils, such that each heating zone comprises a separate arrangement of coils.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein each arrangement of coils is comprised of alternating coils.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one or more power consuming element comprises a cooking cavity.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein opening said throw relay reduces peak power consumed by about 40%.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control is located downstream from said at least one infinite switch and thermostat.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein a single throw relay includes multiple poles to control power delivery to a plurality of heating elements.

9. A method for reducing peak power usage of an electromechanical device comprising:

providing a control downstream from an associated infinite switch, said control being configured to receive and process a signal indicative of the current state of an associated utility, the utility state being at least one of a peak demand period and an off-peak demand period;

providing at least one power consuming element comprising at least two zones, wherein the power delivery to at least one zone is separately controlled by an associated throw relay;

receiving and processing a signal by said control;

operating said device in a normal mode during the off-peak demand period;

operating said device in an energy savings mode during the peak demand period; and

returning said device to normal mode at the conclusion of the peak demand period;

wherein (i) in the energy savings mode, the control is configured to open said throw relay, cutting off power delivery to at least one but not all of the at least two zones to enable duty cycling of the at least one but not all of the at least two zones to reduce power consumption of the electromechanical device during a peak demand period, and (ii) in the normal operating mode the control is configured to supply power and enable duty cycling of all of the at least two zones during an off-peak demand period.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein eliminating the delivery of power to at least one of said zones reduces peak power consumption of the electromechanical device by about 40%.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein returning to the normal mode includes deactivating said throw relay and causing said throw relay to close, wherein closing said throw relay allows power to return to said at least one zone.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said at least one power consuming element comprises a surface heating element that includes a plurality of coils, wherein each zone comprises a separate assembly of coils.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein said at least one power element comprises a cooking cavity heating element with an inner heating zone and an outer heating zone.

14. An electromechanical cooking appliance comprising:

one or more surface heating elements, each heating element comprising at least two heating zones;

a control configured to receive and process a signal from an associated demand side management module, said signal comprising a first state indicative of a utility peak demand period and a second state indicative of a utility off-peak demand period, wherein the control operates the cooking appliance in an energy savings mode during a peak demand period and in a normal operating mode during an off-peak demand period; and

a throw relay configured to control the delivery of power to at least one of said at least two heating zones of at least one of said one or more surface heating elements;

wherein (i) in the energy savings mode, the control is configured to open said throw relay, cutting off power delivery to at least one but not all of the at least two heating zones to enable duty cycling of the at least one but not all of the at least two heating zones to reduce power consumption of the cooking appliance during a peak demand period, and (ii) in the normal operating mode the control is configured to supply power and enable duty cycling of all of the at least two heating zones during an off-peak demand period.

15. The cooking appliance according to claim 14, wherein opening said throw relay reduces peak power consumed by about 40%.

16. The cooking appliance according to claim 14, wherein said control is located downstream of an associated infinite switch.