Line drop compensation methods and systems

• US 8,847,570 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Utilidata, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Utilidata, Inc.
• Inventors: Bell, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Emily P
• Application Number:
  US14/264,973
• Time in Patent Office: 154 Days
• Field of Search: 323/300, 323/301, 700292-294, 700/297, 700/298
• US Class Current: 323/301
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to regulating electric power at a node of a system for distribution of electricity. A voltage controller can identify properties of branch structures in a system that includes a voltage regulation device that controls a voltage source supplying electricity to nodes via the branch structures. The voltage controller can receive information on voltage and current associated with electricity provided by the voltage source. The voltage controller can receive, from a metering devices at nodes in the system, primary voltage information. The voltage controller can select one of the nodes based on the primary voltage information. The voltage controller can determine, based on the properties, an impedance for a branch structure corresponding to the selected node. The voltage controller can control the voltage regulation device based on the impedance for the branch structure corresponding to the selected node and the information on the voltage and the current.

Claims

1. A method of regulating electric power at a node of a system for distribution of electricity, comprising:

identifying, by a voltage controller, one or more properties of branch structures in the system, the system comprising a voltage regulation device that controls a voltage source that supplies electricity to a plurality of nodes via the branch structures;

receiving, by the voltage controller, information on voltage and current associated with electricity provided by the voltage source;

receiving, by the voltage controller from a metering device at each of the plurality of nodes in the system, primary voltage information;

selecting, by the voltage controller, a node of the plurality of nodes based on the primary voltage information;

determining, by the voltage controller based on the one or more properties, an impedance for a branch structure corresponding to the selected node; and

controlling, by the voltage controller, the voltage regulation device based on the impedance for the branch structure corresponding to the selected node and the information on the voltage and the current.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an effective resistance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the impedance and the information on the voltage and the current; and

controlling, by the voltage controller, the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an effective resistance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the impedance and the information on the voltage and the current;

determining an effective reactance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the effective resistance and the impedance; and

controlling, by the voltage controller, the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance and the effective reactance.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a difference between a magnitude of a voltage of the voltage source and a primary voltage of the selected node;

determining an effective resistance based on a quotient of the difference and a magnitude of a source current phasor of the voltage source; and

controlling, by the voltage controller, the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an effective resistance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the impedance and the information on the voltage and the current;

determining an effective reactance from the voltage source to the selected node based on a product of the effective resistance and the impedance; and

controlling, by the voltage controller, the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance and the effective reactance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more properties are indicative of at least one of a size of the branch structures, a material of the branch structures, or an arrangement of the branch structures.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information on voltage and current comprises a source current phasor of the voltage source.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a lower bound for each primary voltage of the plurality of nodes; and

selecting the node having a lowest primary voltage based on the lower bound.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting measurements of electricity supplied to each node of the plurality of nodes from the voltage source;

determining deviant voltage levels that the supplied electricity will not drop below as a result of varying electrical consumption at the node, the deviant voltage level being computed based on a confidence level and the detected measurements;

determining a lower bound for each primary voltage of the plurality of nodes based on the determined deviant voltage levels; and

selecting the node having a lowest primary voltage based on the lower bound for each primary voltage of the plurality of nodes.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting measurements of the supplied electricity to each node of the plurality of nodes by compensating for one or more delays in a signal path of the detected measurements.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting measurements of the supplied electricity to each node of the plurality of nodes by processing a voltage time series of the supplied electricity along multiple signal paths to produce a delay compensated smoothed negative peak envelope of the voltage time series.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling, by the voltage controller, the voltage regulation device by providing line drop compensation.

13. A system for regulating electric power at a node of electric power distribution circuitry, comprising:

a computing device including at least one processor configured to;

identify one or more properties of branch structures distribution circuitry comprising a voltage regulation device that controls a voltage source supplying electricity to a plurality of nodes via the branch structures;

receive information on voltage and current associated with electricity provided by the voltage source;

receive, from a metering device at each of the plurality of nodes in the system, primary voltage information;

select a node of the plurality of nodes based on the primary voltage information;

determine, based on the one or more properties, an impedance for a branch structure corresponding to the selected node; and

control the voltage regulation device based on the impedance for the branch structure corresponding to the selected node and the information on the voltage and the current.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine an effective resistance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the impedance and the information on the voltage and the current; and

control the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine an effective resistance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the impedance and the information on the voltage and the current;

determine an effective reactance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the effective resistance and the impedance; and

control the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance and the effective reactance.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine a difference between a magnitude of a voltage of the voltage source and a primary voltage of the selected node;

determine an effective resistance based on a quotient of the difference and a magnitude of a source current phasor of the voltage source; and

control the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine an effective resistance from the voltage source to the selected node based on the impedance and the information on the voltage and the current;

determine an effective reactance from the voltage source to the selected node based on a product of the effective resistance and the impedance; and

control the voltage regulation device based on the effective resistance and the effective reactance.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more properties are indicative of at least one of a size of the branch structures, a material of the branch structures, or an arrangement of the branch structures.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the information on voltage and current comprises a source current phasor of the voltage source.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

detect measurements of electricity supplied to each node of the plurality of nodes from the voltage source;

determine deviant voltage levels that the supplied electricity will not drop below as a result of varying electrical consumption at the node, the deviant voltage level being computed based on a confidence level and the detected measurements;

determine a lower bound for each primary voltage of the plurality of nodes based on the determined deviant voltage levels; and

select the node having a lowest primary voltage based on the lower bound for each primary voltage of the plurality of nodes.