Methods, systems and apparatus for regulating frequency of generated power using flywheel energy storage systems with varying load and/or power generation
First Claim
1. A method for controlling AC frequency of electrical power being distributed to a power distribution grid, wherein the power distribution grid includes a plurality of electrical loads interconnected with a plurality of power generation facilities, and wherein a power generated by at least one of the plurality of power generation facilities is being adjusted, based on a grid parameter, to control the AC frequency, the frequency control method comprising the steps of:
- electrically coupling an energy storage subsystem to the power distribution grid, said energy storage sub system comprising a plurality of flywheel energy storage systems;
receiving a signal that depends on the grid parameter, wherein the signal specifies an amount of electrical power to be added to the power distribution grid from the energy storage subsystem or absorbed from the power distribution grid by the energy storage subsystem, the amount being an amount established to regulate the AC frequency of the electrical power on the power distribution; and
controlling, by an array controller and based on the received signal, the plurality of flywheel energy storage systems so the energy storage sub-system adds the amount of electrical power when the received signal indicates that electrical power is to be added to the power distribution grid and absorbs the amount of electrical power when the received signal indicates that electrical power is to be absorbed from the power distribution grid.
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Abstract
Featured are methods for regulating the AC frequency of the electrical power to be supplied on an electrical distribution system or grid. Such a method includes electrically coupling an energy storage sub-system to the electrical distribution network, where the energy storage sub-system includes one or more flywheel energy storage systems. Also featured as devices, systems and apparatuses embodying such methodologies or for use in implementing such methodologies of the present invention.
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Citations
81 Claims
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1. A method for controlling AC frequency of electrical power being distributed to a power distribution grid, wherein the power distribution grid includes a plurality of electrical loads interconnected with a plurality of power generation facilities, and wherein a power generated by at least one of the plurality of power generation facilities is being adjusted, based on a grid parameter, to control the AC frequency, the frequency control method comprising the steps of:
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electrically coupling an energy storage subsystem to the power distribution grid, said energy storage sub system comprising a plurality of flywheel energy storage systems; receiving a signal that depends on the grid parameter, wherein the signal specifies an amount of electrical power to be added to the power distribution grid from the energy storage subsystem or absorbed from the power distribution grid by the energy storage subsystem, the amount being an amount established to regulate the AC frequency of the electrical power on the power distribution; and controlling, by an array controller and based on the received signal, the plurality of flywheel energy storage systems so the energy storage sub-system adds the amount of electrical power when the received signal indicates that electrical power is to be added to the power distribution grid and absorbs the amount of electrical power when the received signal indicates that electrical power is to be absorbed from the power distribution grid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for controlling AC frequency of electrical power being distributed via a power distribution grid, wherein the power distribution grid includes a plurality of electrical loads interconnected with a plurality of power generation facilities and wherein time varying fluctuations of the plurality of electrical loads and the plurality of power generation facilities cause time varying power short falls and power excesses on the power distribution grid, the frequency control method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a grid parameter; generating, based on the monitored grid parameter, a signal for controlling operation of a plurality of flywheel energy storage systems, wherein the signal specifies an amount of power that is to be selectively delivered to, or absorbed from, the power distribution grid, the amount being established so that when the amount is delivered to or absorbed from the power distribution grid, the AC frequency of the electrical power on the power distribution grid is regulated; and causing, based on the signal, each of the flywheel energy storage systems to deliver the amount of electrical power to the power distribution grid when the signal is a control signal to deliver electrical power to the power distribution grid and causing each of the flywheel energy storage systems to absorb the amount of electrical power from the power distribution grid when the signal is a control signal to absorb electrical power from the power distribution grid. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. An AC frequency regulation system for regulating AC frequency of electrical power being distributed to a power distribution grid that includes a plurality of electrical loads interconnected with a plurality of power generation facilities, wherein time varying fluctuations of the plurality of electrical loads and the plurality of power generation facilities cause time varying power short falls and power excesses on the power distribution grid, said system comprising:
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a plurality of flywheel energy storage systems, the plurality of flywheel energy storage systems being electrically coupled to the power distribution grid; and an array controller being operably coupled to each one of the plurality of flywheel energy storage systems and configured to receive a signal that depends on a grid parameter, the array controller being configured and arranged so as to control each of the plurality of flywheel energy storage systems responsive to the signal, wherein the signal specifies an amount of electrical power to be selectively added to or absorbed from the power distribution grid, the amount of electrical power being an amount established to regulate the AC frequency of the electrical power on the power distribution grid, and wherein the array controller controls each of the plurality of flywheel energy storage systems so that the plurality of flywheel energy storage systems adds the amount of electrical power when the received signal indicates that electrical power is to be added to the power distribution grid, and absorbs the amount of electrical power when the received signal indicates that electrical power is to be absorbed from the power distribution grid. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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Specification