Method of detecting instability in islanded electrical systems
First Claim
1. A method of automatically identifying a probable instability condition of an islanded electrical system, the method comprising:
- receiving, using a controller, an indication that power to a plurality of loads has been transferred from a primary power source to an alternate power source electrically isolated from the primary power source to form an islanded electrical system that includes the alternate power source and the loads, the alternate power source providing electrical power to the loads;
responsive to receiving the power source change signal, receiving a load status change signal from a load in the islanded electrical system indicating that an operational status of the load has changed;
responsive to receiving the first load change signal, receiving frequency magnitude values, according to a first periodicity corresponding to at least one per 100 ms, of the alternating current or voltage measured by an intelligent electronic device (IED) coupled in the islanded electrical system to the alternate power source, and storing frequency data indicative of the measured frequency magnitude values and associated timestamp values corresponding to a time or cycle count each of the frequency magnitude values are measured;
based on the received frequency magnitude values, identifying a pickup time corresponding to a detected deviation from a nominal or fundamental frequency of the electrical power and a dropout time corresponding to a restoration of the frequency of the electrical power to the nominal or fundamental frequency;
based on at least the pickup time and the dropout time, calculating a rate of recovery for the detected frequency deviation from the nominal or fundamental frequency;
the controller determining whether an anomalous condition exists in the islanded electrical system based on at least whether the calculated rate of recovery exceeds a rate of recovery threshold; and
responsive to the rate of recovery exceeding the rate of recovery threshold, storing in a memory an indication that the anomalous condition exists.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for evaluating the stability of an islanded electrical system (off-grid) using high-speed frequency measurements of the electrical signal supplied by an alternate power source in the islanded electrical system. Additional inputs may include status signals from an automatic transfer switch, a generator, and loads within the islanded electrical system. The high-speed frequency measurements have a resolution sufficient to enable analysis of any combination of the frequency magnitude (e.g., sudden increase), frequency slew rate (e.g., frequency rate of change), frequency rate of recovery (e.g., frequency recovery time), or frequency oscillations (e.g., frequency ringing around the nominal value before settling) to indicate the presence of an actual or impending instability of the islanded electrical system. The frequency referred to herein corresponds to the frequency at which an alternating current supplied by the alternate power source is cycling.
67 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of automatically identifying a probable instability condition of an islanded electrical system, the method comprising:
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receiving, using a controller, an indication that power to a plurality of loads has been transferred from a primary power source to an alternate power source electrically isolated from the primary power source to form an islanded electrical system that includes the alternate power source and the loads, the alternate power source providing electrical power to the loads; responsive to receiving the power source change signal, receiving a load status change signal from a load in the islanded electrical system indicating that an operational status of the load has changed; responsive to receiving the first load change signal, receiving frequency magnitude values, according to a first periodicity corresponding to at least one per 100 ms, of the alternating current or voltage measured by an intelligent electronic device (IED) coupled in the islanded electrical system to the alternate power source, and storing frequency data indicative of the measured frequency magnitude values and associated timestamp values corresponding to a time or cycle count each of the frequency magnitude values are measured; based on the received frequency magnitude values, identifying a pickup time corresponding to a detected deviation from a nominal or fundamental frequency of the electrical power and a dropout time corresponding to a restoration of the frequency of the electrical power to the nominal or fundamental frequency; based on at least the pickup time and the dropout time, calculating a rate of recovery for the detected frequency deviation from the nominal or fundamental frequency; the controller determining whether an anomalous condition exists in the islanded electrical system based on at least whether the calculated rate of recovery exceeds a rate of recovery threshold; and responsive to the rate of recovery exceeding the rate of recovery threshold, storing in a memory an indication that the anomalous condition exists. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of automatically identifying a probable instability condition of an islanded electrical system, the method comprising:
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receiving, using a controller, an indication that power to a plurality of loads has been transferred from a primary power source to an alternate power source electrically isolated from the primary power source to form an islanded electrical system that includes the alternate power source and the loads, the alternate power source providing electrical power in the form of an alternating current to the loads; responsive to receiving the indication that power to the loads has been transferred to the alternate power source, receiving a load status change signal indicating that an operational status of a load in the islanded electrical system has changed, causing a frequency deviation event in which a frequency of the alternating current deviates from a nominal or fundamental frequency of the alternating current; responsive to receiving the load status change signal, receiving frequency magnitude values, according to a first periodicity corresponding to at least one per cycle of the alternating current, of the alternating current or voltage signal measured by an intelligent electronic device (IED) coupled in the islanded electrical system to the alternate power source, and storing frequency data indicative of the measured frequency magnitude values; the controller analyzing the received frequency magnitude values to identify oscillations in the measured frequency magnitude values above and below a nominal or fundamental frequency for the alternating current during the frequency deviation event, the analyzing including quantifying a severity of the oscillations based on a number of times the measured frequency values exceed or drop below the nominal or fundamental frequency by more than a predetermined threshold; the controller determining whether an anomalous condition exists in the islanded electrical system based on at least the severity of the oscillations during the frequency deviation event; and responsive to the controller determining that the anomalous condition exists, storing in a memory an indication that the anomalous condition exists. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification