Multiphase electrical power assignment at minimal loss

• US 8,803,570 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stem, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stem, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Lynn, Reineccius, Stacey
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Brandon S
• Application Number:
  US13/339,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 327141-163, 331/1/A, 331 15- 17, 375373-376
• US Class Current: 327/141
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/26 Arrangements for eliminating or reducing asymmetry in polyphase networks
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 5/02 of power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/50 Arrangements for eliminating or reducing asymmetry in polyphase networks

Abstract

In a multiphase electrical power assignment, a processor: receives instructions to connect a bi-directional power device to a multiphase premise power source; determines that the power device is to be coupled to a target phase'"'"'s phase connection; confirms that the power device is not coupled to any phase connections; and couples the power device to the phase connection, where the power device'"'"'s power signal is synchronized with the phase connection'"'"'s power signal. When the power device is in a connected state, the processor: issues a command to place each phase connection switch in an open state; in response to confirming that the phase connection switches are in the open state, issues commands to the power device so that a power signal of the power device will be synchronized with the target phase; and closes the phase connection switch corresponding to the target phase.

Claims

1. A method for balancing the amount of power flowing through phases of a multiphase premises power source, comprising:

(a) determining that there is an imbalance in an amount of power flowing through a first phase and a second phase of a plurality of phases of a multiphase premises power source; and

(b) delivering a power signal to the first phase using a bi-directional power device, wherein an amount of power delivered in the power signal from the bi-directional power device is derived from the determined imbalance in the amount of power flowing through the first phase and the second phase.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bi-directional power device comprises an AC power source/load device, wherein the determining (a) further comprises:

(a1) determining that a hot output of the AC power source/load device is to be connected to the first phase of the plurality of phases using a processor; and

(a2) placing the AC power source/load device into an idle mode by the processor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bi-directional power device comprises an AC power source/load device, and a plurality of phase connection switches are coupled between the AC power source/load device and the plurality of phases, and the method further comprising:

confirming that the bi-directional power device is not coupled to any of the plurality of phases using the processor, wherein confirming comprises;

determining whether the AC power source/load device is in a connected state using a processor;

in response to determining that the AC power source/load device is in the connected state, issuing a command to place each of the plurality of phase connection switches in an open state using the processor;

determining that each of the plurality of phase connection switches is in the open state using the processor,

in response to confirming that each of the plurality of phase connection switches is in the open state, issuing commands to the AC power source/load device so that a power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the first phase using the processor; and

closing a first phase connection switch of the plurality of phase connection switches corresponding to the first phase by the processor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a frequency and zero crossing point of the first phase using the processor;

issuing timing and control commands to the AC power/source load device-so that a frequency of the power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the frequency of the first phase using the processor; and

issuing a command by the processor to a fixed logic coupled to the plurality of phase connection switches to close the first phase connection corresponding to the first phase at the zero crossing point of the first phase.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

confirming that each of the plurality of phase connection switches are in an appropriate state using the processor; and

in response to confirming that each of the plurality of phase connection switches are in the appropriate state by the processor, instructing the AC source/load device to begin providing or drawing power.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that a bi-directional power device is to be coupled to a first phase further comprises receiving instructions to connect the bi-directional power device to the first phase;

and the method further comprises;

confirming by the processor that the bi-directional power device is not coupled to any of the plurality of phase connections before delivering the power signal to the first phase.

6. A computer program product for balancing the amount of power flowing through phases of a multiphase premises power source, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to;

determine that there is an imbalance in the amount of power flowing through a first phase and a second phase of a plurality of phases of a multiphase premises power source; and

delivering a power signal to the first phase using a bi-directional power device, wherein an amount of power delivered in the power signal of the bi-directional power device is derived from the determined imbalance in the amount of power flowing through the first phase and the second phase.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the bi-directional power device comprises a AC power source/load device, wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine that the bi-directional power device is to be coupled to the first phase is further configured to:

determine a hot output of the AC power source/load device is to be connected to the first phase of the multiphase premises power source; and

place the AC power source/load device into an idle mode using a processor.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein a plurality of phase connection switches is coupled between the AC power source/load device and the plurality of phases, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to confirm that the bi-directional power device is not coupled to any of the plurality of phases and to couple the bi-directional power device to the phase, wherein the method further comprises:

determine whether the AC power source/load device is in a connected state;

in response to determining that the AC power source/load device is in the connected state, issue a command to place each of the plurality of phase connection switches in an open state;

confirm that each of the plurality of phase connection switches is in the open state;

in response to confirming that each of the plurality of phase connection switches is in the open state, issue commands to the AC power source/load device so that a power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the first phase; and

close a first phase connection switch of the plurality of phase connection switches corresponding to the first phase.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program code configured to issue commands to the AC power source/load device so that the power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the first phase and to close the first phase connection switch of the plurality of phase connection switches corresponding to the first phase are further configured to:

determine a frequency and zero crossing point of the power signal of the first phase;

issue timing and control commands to the AC power/source load device so that a frequency of the power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the frequency of the power signal of the first phase; and

issue a command to a fixed logic coupled to the plurality of phase connection switches to close the first phase connection switch corresponding to the first phase at the zero crossing point of the power signal of the first phase.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to:

confirm that each of the plurality of phase connection switches are in an appropriate state; and

in response to confirming that each of the plurality of phase connection switches are in the appropriate state, instruct the AC source/load device to begin providing or drawing power.

11. A system, comprising:

a plurality of power phase connections coupled to a multiphase premises power source;

a bi-directional power device;

a plurality of phase connection switches coupled to the bi-directional power device is and the plurality of power phase connections; and

a processor operationally coupled to a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program configured to;

determine that there is an imbalance in an amount of power flowing through a first phase and a second phase of a plurality of phases; and

delivering a power signal to the first phase using the bi-directional power device by closing a first phase connection switch that is coupled to the first phase and the bi directional power device, wherein an amount of power delivered in the power signal from the bi-directional power device is derived from the determined imbalance in the amount of power flowing through the first phase and the second phase.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the bi-directional power device comprises an AC power source/load device, wherein the computer readable program code configured to determine that the bi-directional power device is to be coupled to the first phase is further configured to:

determine a hot output of the AC power source/load device is to be connected to a first phase of the multiphase premises power source; and

place the AC power source/load device into an idle mode using the processor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured:

to confirm that the bi-directional power device is not coupled to any of the plurality of phase connections,

to couple the bi-directional power device to the first phase connection;

determine whether the AC power source/load device is in a connected state;

in response to determining that the AC power source/load device is in the connected state, issue a command to place each of the plurality of phase connection switches in an open state;

confirm that each of the plurality of phase connection switches is in the open state;

in response to confirming that each of the plurality of phase connection switches is in the open state, issue commands to the AC power source/load device so that a power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the first phase; and

close a first phase connection switch of the plurality of phase connection switches corresponding to the first phase.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a fixed logic coupled to the plurality of phase connection switches and the processor, wherein the computer readable program code configured to issue commands to the AC power source/load device so that the power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the first phase and to close the first phase connection switch of the plurality of phase connection switches corresponding to the first phase are further configured to:

determine a frequency and zero crossing point of the power signal of the first phase;

issue timing and control commands to the AC power/source load device so that a frequency of the power signal of the AC source/load device will be synchronized with the frequency of the power signal of the first phase; and

issue a command to the fixed logic to close the first phase connection switch corresponding to the first phase at the zero crossing point of the power signal of the first phase.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer readable program code is further configured to:

confirm that each of the plurality of phase connection switches are in an appropriate state; and

in response to confirming that each of the plurality of phase connection switches are in the appropriate state, instruct the AC source/load device to begin providing or drawing power.

16. A method of balancing the amount of power flowing through phases of a multiphase premises power source, comprising:

determining that there is an imbalance in power flowing through at least one of a plurality of phases of the multiphase premises power source that are in electrical communication to a multiphase electrical power grid; and

delivering a power signal to the at least one phase using a bi-directional power device based on the determined imbalance in power flowing through the at least one phase and another phase of the plurality of phases.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that there is the imbalance in power flowing through at least one of the plurality of phases further comprises receiving instructions to connect the bi-directional power device to at least one phase of the multiphase premises power source using a processor.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining if the bi-directional power device is coupled to any of the plurality of phase connections using the processor.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein delivering a power signal to the at least one phase using a bi-directional power device further comprises closing a phase connection switch that is coupled to the at least one phase, and wherein at least one phase connection switch is connected to each of the phases of the plurality of phases, and the power signal delivered by the bi-directional power device is synchronized with a power signal of the at least one phase.