Controlling power generators and chillers

• US 9,317,022 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Osogami, Takayuki, Yanagisawa, Hiroki
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, M. N.
• Application Number:
  US13/553,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20130345890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control

Abstract

A method of meeting a power demand of a power consumption unit is disclosed. A forecasted power demand for a power demand scenario for the power consumption unit is determined and a probability of occurrence of the power demand scenario is determined. An objective function for operating at least one power supply device is created that includes the forecasted power demand of the power demand scenario and the determined probability of occurrence of the power demand scenario. A substantial minimum of the objective function is located to determine a schedule for operating the at least one power supply device to meet the forecasted power demand. The at least one power supply device may be operated according to the determined schedule to meet the power demand of the power consumption unit.

Claims

1. A power generation system for meeting a power demand of a power consumption unit, comprising:

a chiller for regulating a temperature of the power consumption unit;

a heat storage unit for supplying heat to the chiller;

an electric power system of the power consumption unit for providing electrical power to the power consumption unit and to the chiller;

a power supply device configured to supply power to the electric power system; and

a processor configured to determine a schedule for supplying power to the electric power system using the at least one power supply device, wherein the processor;

creates an objective function for operating the at least one power supply device that includes a forecasted power demand scenario of the power consumption unit and a probability of occurrence of the power demand scenario,

locates a substantial minimum of the objective function to determine the schedule for operating the at least one power supply device to meet the power demand scenario, wherein a relation between a fuel consumption of the power supply device and a power output of the power supply device is represented using a piece-wise linear function, and

operates the at least one power supply device according to the determined schedule.

2. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein objective function includes a heat loss at the chiller.

3. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein at least one power supply further comprises a generator and the objective function includes a power loss at the generator.

4. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the objective function includes a term for at least one of a generator, a battery, the chiller unit and the heat storage unit.

5. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the forecasted power demand is at least one of:

(i) an electrical power demand; and

(ii) a power demand for regulating an environment of the power consumption unit.

6. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to reduce a number of intervals of the piece-wise linear function to reduce a computation time for locating the substantial minimum of the objective function.

7. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to reduce a selected set of adjacent intervals of the piece-wise linear function into intervals over which the piecewise linear function is convex.

8. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the objective function is subject to a heat constraint and an energy constraint.

9. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the power consumption unit further comprises a building that includes a generator as the power supply device and at least one device for supplying power that regulates an environment of the building.

10. A power generation system for supplying power to a power consumption unit, comprising:

a chiller for regulating a temperature of the power consumption unit;

a heat storage unit for supplying heat to the chiller;

an electric power system of the power consumption unit for providing electrical power to the power consumption unit and to the chiller;

a power production device configured to supply power to the electric power system; and

a processor configured to;

create an objective function for operating the power production device, the objective function including a term for a forecasted power demand for the power consumption unit in a selected power demand scenario and a probability of occurrence of the selected power demand scenario,

locate a substantial minimum of the objective function to determine a schedule for operating the power production device to meet the expected power demand, wherein a relation between a fuel consumption of the power production device and a power output of the power production device is represented using a piece-wise linear function, and

operate the power production device according to the determined schedule.

11. The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the objective function includes a heat loss at the chiller.

12. The power generation system of claim 10, wherein at least one power production device further comprises a generator and the objective function includes a power loss at the generator.

13. The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the objective function includes a term for at least one of a generator, a battery, the chiller unit and the heat storage unit.

14. The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the expected power demand is at least one of:

(i) an electrical power demand; and

(ii) a power demand for regulating an environment of the power consumption unit.

15. The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to reduce a number of intervals of the piece-wise linear function to reduce a computation time for locating the substantial minimum of the objective function.

16. The power generation system of claim 10, the processor further configured to reduce a selected set of adjacent intervals of the piece-wise linear function into intervals over which the piecewise linear function is convex.

17. The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the objective function is subject to a heat constraint and an energy constraint.

18. The power generation system of claim 10, wherein the power consumption unit further comprises a building that includes an electrical generator as the power production device and at least one device for supplying power that regulates an environment of the building.