Power flow measurement and management
First Claim
1. A method of controlling power flow within an electricity distribution network, the electricity distribution network comprising a measurement node, the measurement node being configured to access a data store storing data indicative of one or more predefined power flow patterns each associated with a group of power units, including a first predefined power flow pattern associated with a first group of power units, each power unit being electrically connected to the electricity distribution network and being configured to consume electric power from, and/or provide electric power to, the electricity distribution network such that a change in consumption and/or provision of electric power by each of the power units results in a change in power flow in the network, wherein each power unit in the first group of power units has an associated power flow control device for controlling power consumed from, and/or provided to, the electricity distribution network, the power flow control device associated with each power unit being different from power flow control devices associated with each other power unit, the method comprising:
- generating, at each power flow control device, a first control sequence, wherein the first control sequence defines a sequence of control signals for controlling the power flow to and/or from each of the power units in the first group of power units in accordance with the first predefined power flow pattern; and
controlling, at each power flow control device, power flow to and/or from each of the respective power units in said first group of power units in accordance with the first control sequence such that the consumption and/or provision of power by each of the power units in the first group of power units is varied according to said first predefined power flow pattern,thereby coordinating consumption and/or provision of power by the power units in the first group of power units to provide a collective power flow in the electricity distribution network, the collective power flow having a pattern corresponding to said first predefined power flow pattern, and a power flow characteristic measurable by the measurement node.
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Abstract
Methods and systems for measuring and/or managing power consumption by power units connected to an electricity distribution network are disclosed. Power flow to and/or from a power unit connected to an electricity distribution network is controlled in accordance with a control sequence, such that the consumption and/or provision of power by the power unit results in a power flow having a predefined flow pattern, and having a characteristic, such as an amplitude, which can be remotely measured. This measurement may be performed using a method in which a signal indicative of power flowing at a measurement node is measured and correlated with a predefined pattern, and a characteristic of the correlated signal is measured. Thus, power flow characteristics resulting from a group of one or more power flow devices can be remotely detected and measured.
21 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of controlling power flow within an electricity distribution network, the electricity distribution network comprising a measurement node, the measurement node being configured to access a data store storing data indicative of one or more predefined power flow patterns each associated with a group of power units, including a first predefined power flow pattern associated with a first group of power units, each power unit being electrically connected to the electricity distribution network and being configured to consume electric power from, and/or provide electric power to, the electricity distribution network such that a change in consumption and/or provision of electric power by each of the power units results in a change in power flow in the network, wherein each power unit in the first group of power units has an associated power flow control device for controlling power consumed from, and/or provided to, the electricity distribution network, the power flow control device associated with each power unit being different from power flow control devices associated with each other power unit, the method comprising:
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generating, at each power flow control device, a first control sequence, wherein the first control sequence defines a sequence of control signals for controlling the power flow to and/or from each of the power units in the first group of power units in accordance with the first predefined power flow pattern; and controlling, at each power flow control device, power flow to and/or from each of the respective power units in said first group of power units in accordance with the first control sequence such that the consumption and/or provision of power by each of the power units in the first group of power units is varied according to said first predefined power flow pattern, thereby coordinating consumption and/or provision of power by the power units in the first group of power units to provide a collective power flow in the electricity distribution network, the collective power flow having a pattern corresponding to said first predefined power flow pattern, and a power flow characteristic measurable by the measurement node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification