Load management controller

• US 8,975,779 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Colin David Harris, Thomas Laurence Bean, Timothy Patrick Cooper
• Original Assignee: Colin David Harris, Thomas Laurence Bean, Timothy Patrick Cooper
• Inventors: Cooper, Timothy Patrick, Harris, Colin David, Bean, Thomas Laurence
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): PARRIES, DRU M
• Application Number:
  US12/596,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20100207448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 307/43, 307/20
• US Class Current: 307/43
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/32 using batteries with converting means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• 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 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 70/30 Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

The present invention relates to a load management controller for a household electrical installation comprising a pair of electricity supplies, a grid supply and a micro-generator supply, providing electricity to a plurality if sub-circuits. The household electrical installation has means to monitor the amount of electricity being supplied by the micro-generator supply and the amount of electricity being consumed in the household. The load management controller has means to access and use that information to control the supply of electricity to an energy storage sub-circuit to route surplus electricity supplied by the micro-generator to the energy storage sub-circuit. Furthermore, the load management controller can communicate with a remote electricity supplier to control the loads in the household to achieve better grid management and efficiency.

Claims

1. A load management controller for a household electrical installation, the household electrical installation comprising a main panel receiving electricity from a pair of electricity supplies and distributing the electricity to a plurality of electrical sub-circuits, one of which being an energy storage sub-circuit, the pair of electricity supplies comprising a grid supply and a micro-generator supply, the household electrical installation further comprising:

i. a power meter to monitor the amount of electricity being supplied by the micro-generator;

ii. a power meter to monitor the amount of electricity being consumed in the household; and

iii. the load management controller comprising means to determine a surplus electricity amount by determining the amount of electricity generated by the micro-generator which is not being consumed in the household; and

altering the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to route the surplus electricity to the energy storage sub-circuit;

the means to alter the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit further comprising a high-speed switching device which gradually and continuously adjusts in real time the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to set the amount of electricity being supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to any value between 0% and 100% of the total load of the energy storage sub-circuit so as to continuously match, as closely as possible, the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit with the surplus electricity, so as to prevent output from the micro-generator supply being exported to the grid.

2. A load management controller as claimed in claim 1 in which the energy storage sub-circuit comprises an energy storage device.

3. A load management controller as claimed in claim 1 in which the energy storage sub-circuit comprises an energy storage device.

4. A load management controller as claimed in claim 1 in which each of the electrical sub-circuits has an electricity usage profile containing rules determining the supply of electricity to the electricity sub-circuit associated therewith, the load management controller comprising means to access the electricity usage profiles and means to control supply of electricity to the electrical sub-circuits having an electricity usage profile in accordance with the rules of the electricity usage profile for that electrical sub-circuit.

5. A load management controller as claimed in claim 4 in which the means to control supply of electricity to the electrical sub-circuits further comprises a thyristor, responsive to the load management controller, intermediate the electricity power supply and the electrical sub-circuit having an electricity usage profile.

6. A load management controller as claimed in claim 4 in which the means to control supply of electricity to the electrical sub-circuits further comprises a speed controller, responsive to the load management controller, intermediate the electricity power supply and the electrical sub-circuit having an electricity usage profile.

7. A load management controller as claimed in claim 1 in which the load management controller has means to export electricity from a rechargeable battery bank onto an electricity supply grid.

8. A load management controller as claimed in claim 7 in which the load management controller exports the electricity to the electricity supply grid in response to a request for electricity received from a remote electricity power supply operator.

9. A load management controller for a household electrical installation as claimed in claim 1 in which one of the electricity sub-circuits comprises a rechargeable battery bank in an electric vehicle operable as an alternative power supply to the remaining electrical sub-circuits in the household electrical installation.

10. A load management controller as claimed in claim 1 in which the micro-generator supply further comprises a dedicated inverter/controller circuit.

11. A household electrical installation comprising a main panel receiving electricity from a pair of electricity supplies and distributing the electricity to a plurality of electrical sub-circuits, one of which being an energy storage sub-circuit, the pair of electricity supplies comprising a grid supply and a micro-generator supply, the household electrical installation further comprising a load management controller, the household electrical installation comprising:

i. a power meter to monitor the amount of electricity being supplied by the micro-generator;

ii. a power meter to monitor the amount of electricity being consumed in the household; and

iii. the load management controller comprising means to determine a surplus electricity amount by determining the amount of electricity generated by the micro-generator which is not being consumed in the household; and

alter the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to route the surplus electricity to the energy storage sub-circuit; and

in which one of the electricity sub-circuits comprises a rechargeable battery bank in an electric vehicle operable as an alternative power supply to the remaining electrical sub-circuits in the household electrical installation;

characterised in that, the means to alter the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit further comprises a high-speed switching device which gradually and continuously adjusts in real time the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to set the amount of electricity being supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to any value between 0% and 100% of the total load of the energy storage sub-circuit so as to continuously match, as closely as possible, the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit with the surplus electricity, so as to prevent output from the micro-generator supply being exported to the grid.

12. A household electrical installation as claimed in claim 11 in which each of the electrical sub-circuits has an electricity usage profile containing rules determining the supply of electricity to the electrical sub-circuit associated therewith, the load management controller having access to each of the electricity usage profiles, the load management controller having means to control the supply of electricity to the electricity sub-circuits in accordance with the rules of the electricity usage profile of the electrical sub-circuits.

13. A household electrical installation as claimed in claim 11 in which one of the electricity sub-circuits comprises a rechargeable static battery bank operable as an alternative power supply to the remaining electrical sub-circuits in the household electrical installation.

14. A household electrical installation comprising a main panel receiving electricity from a pair of electricity supplies and distributing the electricity to a plurality of electrical sub-circuits, one of which being an energy storage sub-circuit, the pair of electricity supplies comprising a grid supply and a micro-generator supply, the household electrical installation further comprising a load management controller, the household electrical installation comprising:

i. a power meter to monitor the amount of electricity being supplied by the micro-generator;

ii. a power meter to monitor the amount of electricity being consumed in the household; and

iii. the load management controller comprising means to determine a surplus electricity amount by determining the amount of electricity generated by the micro-generator which is not being consumed in the household; and

altering the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to route the surplus electricity to the energy storage sub-circuit; and

in which the load management controller comprises means to select one of a rechargeable static battery bank, a rechargeable battery bank in an electric vehicle, a micro-generator supply and a grid power supply to provide power to one or more of the remaining electrical sub-circuits;

characterised in that, the means to alter the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit further comprises a high-speed switching device which gradually and continuously adjusts in real time the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to set the amount of electricity being supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit to any value between 0% and 100% of the total load of the energy storage sub-circuit so as to continuously match, as closely as possible, the amount of electricity supplied to the energy storage sub-circuit with the surplus electricity, so as to prevent output from the micro-generator supply being exported to the grid.

15. A household electrical installation as claimed in claim 14 in which each of the electrical sub-circuits has an electricity usage profile containing rules determining the supply of electricity to the electrical sub-circuit associated therewith, the load management controller having access to each of the electricity usage profiles, the load management controller having means to control the supply of electricity to the electricity sub-circuits in accordance with the rules of the electricity usage profile of the electrical sub-circuits.