Voltage regulation using multiple voltage regulator controllers

• US 9,256,232 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Inventors: Bryson, Michael B., Whitehead, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman, Sean
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, DERRICK A
• Application Number:
  US13/867,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20130234696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/14 using tap transformers or tap changing inductors as final control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/1878 using tap changing or phase shifting transformers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/30 Reactive power compensation

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for regulating a voltage profile of an electric power delivery system. According to some embodiments, a system may include a remote voltage regulating device configured to regulate voltage profile by selecting among a plurality of taps on a remote transformer and an associated a remote voltage regulator controller in communication. The remote voltage regulator controller may calculate remote voltage regulation information and may transmit the remote voltage regulation information to a local voltage regulator controller. The local voltage regulator controller may be in communication with a local voltage regulating device configured to regulate the voltage profile of a local portion of the electric power delivery system by selecting among a plurality of taps on a local transformer. The local voltage regulator controller may be configured to receive the remote voltage regulation information and generate a tap change command for the local voltage regulating device.

Claims

1. A system for regulating a voltage profile of an electric power delivery system, comprising:

a remote voltage regulating device operatively coupled to a remote portion of the electric power delivery system and configured to regulate the voltage profile of the electric power delivery system by selecting among a plurality of taps on a remote transformer;

a remote voltage regulator controller in communication with the remote voltage regulating device configured to obtain remote power system data, calculate remote voltage regulation information, and transmit the remote voltage regulation information;

a local voltage regulating device operatively coupled to a local portion of the electric power delivery system and configured to regulate the voltage profile by selecting among a plurality of taps on a local transformer;

a local voltage regulator controller in communication with the local voltage regulating device and the remote voltage regulator control controller, comprising;

a data bus;

a remote input in communication with the data bus configured to receive the remote voltage regulation information;

a processor in communication with the data bus;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in communication with the data bus comprising;

a voltage regulation module configured to;

receive the remote voltage regulation information,

determine a first out-of-band condition, and

upon detecting the first out-of-band condition, determine a tap position change command for the local voltage regulating device based on the remote voltage regulation information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote voltage regulation information comprises a voltage.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the voltage profile comprises a load-side voltage profile.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote voltage regulation information comprises one of a remote voltage measurement, a tap change request, a tap position of the remote voltage regulating device, and a number of remaining tap positions of the remote voltage regulating device.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data channel between the local voltage regulator controller and a metering device, the data channel configured to communicate the remote voltage regulation information, the data channel comprising one of a fiber optic cable, a wide-area network, a radio-frequency channel, and a power line carrier channel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the local voltage regulation module further calculates and transmits a tap change command for the remote voltage regulating device.

7. A local voltage regulator controller configured to control a tap position change operation of a local voltage regulating device, the local voltage regulator configured to operatively couple to a local position of an electric power delivery system to regulate a voltage of the electric power delivery system, the controller comprising:

a data bus;

a remote input in communication with the data bus and configured to receive remote voltage regulation information from a remote position of the electric power delivery system;

a processor in communication with the data bus;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in communication with the bus, comprising;

a voltage regulation module configured to;

receive the remote voltage regulation information,

determine a first out-of-band condition, and

upon detecting the first out-of-band condition, determine a tap position change command for the local voltage regulator based on the remote voltage regulation information.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein the remote input is further configured to communicate with a remote voltage regulator controller operatively coupled to a remote voltage regulator in communication with the remote position of the electric power delivery system.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein the remote voltage regulation information comprises one of a remote voltage measurement, a tap change request, a tap position of the remote voltage regulator, and a number of remaining tap positions of the remote voltage regulator.

10. A method for regulating a voltage of an electric power delivery system using a local voltage regulator at a local location of the electric power delivery system and a remote voltage regulator at a remote location of the electric power delivery system, the method comprising:

receiving local electric power system information from a local intelligent electronic device at the local location in communication with the local voltage regulator;

receiving remote electric power system information from the remote location by a remote intelligent electronic device at the remote location in communication with the remote voltage regulator;

sending remote electric power system information to the local intelligent electronic device;

determining, by the local intelligent electronic device, the existence of a first out-of-band condition; and

,

sending, by the local intelligent electronic device, a command to the remote voltage regulator to change a tap position to regulate the remote voltage upon detecting the first out-of-band condition.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

comparing the remote electric power system information against a first threshold to determine if a second out-of-band condition exists; and

,

upon detecting the second out-of-band condition, sending a command to the remote voltage regulator to change a tap position to regulate the remote voltage.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

measuring the remote electric power system information at the remote location by a metering device at the remote location; and

,

transmitting the remote electric power system information to the intelligent electronic device at the local location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting comprises formatting a message according to a communication protocol, the message including the remote electric power system information.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of transmitting the remote electric power system information further comprises the step of encrypting the electric power system information.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

measuring a local current at the local position by the intelligent electronic device;

measuring a local voltage at the local position by the intelligent electronic device; and

calculating a remote estimated voltage using the local current, the local voltage, and a line impedance.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

comparing the remote estimated voltage against a second threshold to detect the first out-of-band condition at the remote location when the remote electric power system information is unavailable.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

calculating an updated line impedance using a ratio of the remote electric power system information including a remote measured voltage to the remote estimated voltage; and

,

updating the line impedance with the updated line impedance.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

calculating a new remote estimated voltage using a new local current measurement, a new local voltage measurement, and the updated line impedance; and

when the remote electric power system information is not available, comparing the new remote estimated voltage against the first threshold to detect the first out-of-band condition at the remote location.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a scaling factor by determining a ratio of the remote electric power system information including the remote measured voltage to the remote estimated voltage.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a new remote estimated voltage using a new local current measurement, a new local voltage measurement, the set line impedance, and the scaling factor; and

when the remote electric power system information is not available, comparing the new remote estimated voltage against the first threshold to detect the first out-of-band condition at the remote location.