Efficient usage, storage, and sharing of energy in buildings, vehicles, and equipment

• US 8,872,379 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Ruiz, John Ismael, Nesler, Clay Grenwell, Andrew, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US13/122,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20110204720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/51 Photovoltaic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/53 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/56 Mechanical storage means, e.g. fly wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/57 Charging stations without connection to power networks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 : Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• 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 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 : Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 : Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/008 : Rewarding for providing delivery of electricity to the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 : characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00004 : characterised by the power network being locally controlled
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 : involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 : The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/64 : The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 : involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• 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: 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: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• 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 20/242 : Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to energy demand and supply for buildings, vehicles, and equipment. In exemplary embodiments, energy may be stored in one or more battery packs (e.g., stationary batteries or vehicle batteries) for use in buildings, appliances, and equipment typically relying on energy from a power grid. The exemplary embodiments may store the energy during periods of low demand and/or low cost of energy. Thus, the exemplary embodiments may reduce costs associated with energy usage. The exemplary embodiments may use the stored energy to reduce demand on the power utility during periods of high demand and/or provide energy back to the power utility to meet demands.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) component; and

a backup energy source coupled to the HVAC component, wherein the backup energy source comprises;

a battery directly attached to the HVAC component,

a modular battery system,

a housing of the modular battery system,

a plurality of battery receptacles in the housing,

a plurality of battery modules removably disposed in the plurality of battery receptacles, and

a charger/inverter including a control panel, wherein the charger/inverter is configured to monitor and control aspects of charging and discharging the plurality of battery modules based on input from a buildings electrical system.

2. A system, comprising:

a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) component; and

a backup energy source coupled to the HVAC component,

wherein the backup energy source comprises a battery directly attached to the HVAC component,

wherein the HVAC component comprises a chiller, a condenser, an air handling unit (AHU), or a furnace, or a combination thereof, having the battery integrated into a common enclosure.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the system comprises a plurality of HVAC components configured to mount at distributed locations in a building, and each HVAC component comprises an associated battery.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the battery is configured to at least partially power the HVAC component during a startup procedure.

5. A system, comprising:

a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) component; and

a backup energy source coupled to the HVAC component,

wherein the backup energy source comprises a battery directly attached to the HVAC component, and

wherein the backup energy source comprises a vehicle battery disposed in a vehicle, and the backup energy source comprises a controller configured to obtain backup power from a fleet of vehicles with vehicle batteries.

6. A system, comprising:

a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) component; and

a backup energy source coupled to the HVAC component,

wherein the backup energy source comprises a battery directly attached to the HVAC component, and

wherein the battery is configured to charge during short-term drops in energy demand or pricing, or the battery is configured to discharge during short-term peaks in energy demand or pricing, or the battery is configured to charge or discharge during electrical noise on a power line, or a combination thereof.

7. A system, comprising:

an appliance; and

a backup energy source coupled to the appliance, wherein the backup energy source comprises a battery directly attached to the appliance and wherein the battery is configured to at least partially power the appliance during a startup procedure.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the battery is integrated into a common enclosure of the appliance, and the appliance comprises a laundry machine or a dishwasher.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the battery is integrated into a common enclosure of the appliance, and the appliance comprises an oven, a cooktop, or a microwave.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the battery is integrated into a common enclosure of the appliance, and the appliance comprises a refrigerator or a freezer.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the backup energy source comprises:

a modular battery system;

a housing of the modular battery system;

a plurality of battery receptacles in the housing;

a plurality of battery modules removably disposed in the plurality of battery receptacles; and

a charger/inverter including a control panel, wherein the charger/inverter is configured to monitor and control aspects of charging and discharging the plurality of battery modules based on input from a buildings electrical system.

12. A system, comprising:

an appliance; and

a backup energy source coupled to the appliance, wherein the backup energy source comprises a battery directly attached to the appliance, wherein the battery is configured to charge during short-term drops in energy demand or pricing, or the battery is configured to discharge during short-term peaks in energy demand or pricing, or the battery is configured to charge or discharge during electrical noise on a power line, or a combination thereof.

13. A system comprising:

an appliance; and

a backup energy source coupled to the appliance, wherein the backup energy source comprises a battery directly attached to the appliance,

wherein the backup energy source comprises a modular battery system having a plurality of battery receptacles, and a plurality of battery modules are removably disposed in the plurality of battery receptacles, and

wherein the plurality of battery modules comprises a plurality of vehicle battery modules.

14. A system, comprising:

an energy controller configured to communicate data and energy between a vehicle, a building, and a power utility, wherein the energy controller is configured to control energy distribution from a vehicle battery in the vehicle, a stationary battery in the building, and a power grid.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the energy controller comprises a vehicle controller configured to mount in the vehicle, a building controller configured to mount in the building, or a combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the energy controller is configured to communicate with a vehicle fleet having a plurality of vehicles, each having an associated vehicle battery.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the energy controller is configured to start an engine of the vehicle to generate power.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the energy controller is configured to control a ventilation system of a garage containing the vehicle.