Thermal storage device controller

• US 9,370,044 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Basic Holdings Corp.
• Original Assignee: Basic Holdings Corp.
• Inventors: McDonald, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall, Mark
• Application Number:
  US13/703,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20130146587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 219/494, 219483-486, 219/497, 219/506, 392/449, 392/454, 392/498
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1923 using thermal energy, the cost of which varies in function of time
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/02 Automatic switching arrangements specially adapted to apparatus ; Control of heating devices thermally-actuated switches H01H37/00
• 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: Y04S 20/244 the home appliances being or involving heating ventilating and air conditioning [HVAC] units

Abstract

A controller providing selective activation of thermal storage devices within a network to balance requirements of a user to manage their heating and the network operator to balance the load available with the load on the network.

Claims

1. A controller for managing the activation of at least one heating element within a thermal storage device, the controller comprising:

a. A first interface for receiving a signal from a remote network operator regarding availability of power within a electricity grid for take up by the thermal storage device;

b. A processor configured on receipt of the signal to determine whether to switch the heating element to take up available power and to provide an activation signal in positive response of said determination;

c. A switch in communication with the processor and configured on receipt of the activation signal to energise the heating element,

wherein the controller is configured to;

adjust a preset set-point of the thermal storage device, thereby allowing the thermal storage device to receive additional heating above what is required for the normal usage of the device;

selectively energise the heating element dependent on the current status of the thermal storage device;

monitor, on receipt of the signal from the network operator, whether activation of the heating element is required to meet the preset set-point of the thermal storage device;

interrogate current operating parameters of the thermal storage device to ascertain whether additional heating is required to meet the set-point; and

interact in a two-way signal interaction with the thermal storage device at the time of decision as to whether to energise the heating element.

2. The controller of claim 1 wherein on determination that no heating is required, the controller is configured to elect not to activate the heating element irrespective of the signal received.

3. The controller of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to record the timed operation of the heating element over a historical time period to determine whether additional heating is required.

4. The controller of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to receive a periodic signal from a sensor co-located with the thermal storage device regarding a status of the device, the controller being further configured to use this periodic signal at the time of decision as to whether to energise the heating element.

5. The controller of claim 1 comprising at least one data store providing a defined relationship between a percentage charge of the thermal storage device and temperature.

6. The controller of claim 5 configured to process a sensed actual temperature relative to the capacity or set point of the device and define the level of charge necessary to have the device at full capacity.

7. The controller of claim 1 configured to monitor the current capacity of the thermal storage device to provide energy and the expected requirement on the device to provide heat over a future time period.

8. The controller of claim 7 configured such that when the expected requirement exceeds the capacity the controller activates the heating elements irrespective of the fact that a signal has not been received from the network requiring activation.

9. The controller of claim 7 configured to forecast future load on the network and to effect an energising of the heating element based on this forecasting to ensure heating of the thermal storage device does not overlap with periods of already high load within the network, thereby assisting in network load management.

10. The controller of claim 1 configured to generate a delay in providing the activation signal in positive response of said determination to switch the heating element to take up available power.

11. The controller of claim 1 wherein the received signal from the network includes an indicated start and stop time for the controller or a start time with a request that heating of the device is continued until a prescribed level of storage is achieved, the controller being configured to interrogate the signal and determine an appropriate action.

12. The controller of claim 1 wherein the received signal comprises a plurality of signals for different controllers, the controller being configured to determine a correct signal for that controller.

13. The controller as claimed in claim 1 configured to effect activation of the at least one heating element at predetermined times.

14. The controller of claim 1 coupled to and controlling a plurality of thermal storage devices.

15. The controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is operable on receipt of the control signal to select one of a plurality of power levels and to provide a charge signal associated with the selected power level.

16. The controller as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a charge unit in communication with the processor and configured on receipt of the charge signal to power the at least one heating element at the selected power level from a mains supply thereby ensuring that the thermal storage device is maintained at least partially charged.

17. A controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein the charge unit is configured to provide a load which matches the static heat loss of the thermal storage device.

18. A controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein the charge unit is configured for supplying power to the thermal storage device at a level such that the device is charged with heat at a similar rate as its self-discharging heat rate.

19. A controller as claimed in any claim 16, wherein the charge unit is configured for preventing the thermal storage device from overheating beyond a preset point.

20. A controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein the charge unit is configured for sensing the temperature of the thermal storage device.

21. A controller as claimed in claim 16, wherein the charge unit is configured for sensing the ambient air temperature.

22. A controller as claimed in claim 20, wherein the charge unit is configured for temporarily ceasing the supply of power to the thermal storage device when the thermal storage device is at or above a predetermined temperature.

23. A controller as claimed in claim 22, wherein the charge unit is configured for resuming power supply to the thermal storage device when the thermal storage device is at or below a predetermined temperature.

24. A controller as claimed in claim 21, wherein the charge unit is configured for temporarily ceasing the supply of power to the thermal storage device when the ambient air temperature is at or above a predetermined temperature.

25. A controller as claimed in claim 24, wherein the charge unit is configured for resuming the supply of power to the thermal storage device when the ambient air temperature is at or below a predetermined temperature.

26. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the controller further comprises a thermostat.

27. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the charge unit comprises at least one switch.

28. A controller as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a data repository for storing the plurality of power levels.

29. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the power levels are associated with forecasted climatic conditions.

30. A controller as claimed in claim 29, wherein the forecasted climatic conditions includes wind.

31. A controller as claimed in claim 29, wherein the forecasted climatic conditions includes humidity.

32. A controller as claimed in claim 29, wherein the forecasted climatic conditions include rainfall.

33. A controller as claimed in claim 29, wherein the forecasted climatic conditions include atmospheric pressure.

34. A controller as claimed in claim 29, wherein the forecasted climatic conditions include atmospheric particle count.

35. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the power levels are associated with real-time climatic conditions.

36. A controller as claimed in claim 35, wherein the real-time climatic conditions includes at least one of temperature, wind, rainfall, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and atmospheric particle count.

37. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the power levels are associated with historical climatic conditions.

38. A controller as claimed in claim 37, wherein the historical climatic conditions includes at least one of temperature, wind, rainfall, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and atmospheric particle count.

39. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the power levels are associated with the months of the year.

40. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the power levels are associated with the seasons of the year.

41. A controller as claimed in claim 15, configured to read a sensed condition.

42. A controller as claimed in claim 15, configured to read a sensed temperature of the thermal storage device.

43. A controller as claimed in claim 15, configured to read a sensed ambient temperature.

44. A controller as claimed in claim 42, configured to communicate the sensed temperature of the thermal storage device to the network operator.

45. A controller as claimed in claim 44, wherein the control signal from the network operator is at least partially based on the sensed temperature of the thermal storage device.

46. A controller as claimed in claim 43, configured to communicate the sensed ambient temperature to the network operator.

47. A controller as claimed in claim 46, wherein the control signal from the network operator is at least partially based on the sensed ambient temperature.

48. A controller as claimed in claim 41, configured to communicate the sensed condition to the network operator.

49. A controller as claimed in claim 48, wherein the control signal from the network operator is at least partially based on the sensed condition.

50. A controller as claimed in claim 15, configured to interrogate the network operator for requesting the control signal.

51. A controller as claimed in claim 15, wherein the controls signals to the controller from the network operator are associated with electricity tariff information.

52. A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermal storage device has a plurality of operating modes with the respective operating modes having an associated default core temperature.

53. A controller as claimed in claim 52, further comprising a switching element for selectively switching between the operating modes.

54. A controller as claimed in claim 52, wherein the switching element is configured to be responsive to a control signal from the remote network operator for selectively switching the thermal storage device to one of the operating modes.

55. A controller as claimed in claim 52, wherein the switching element is configured to be manually operated for switching the thermal storage device to one of the operating modes.

56. A controller as claimed in claim 53, wherein the thermal storage device has a first operating mode and a second operating mode.

57. A controller as claimed in claim 56, wherein the thermal storage device has a standby mode.

58. A controller as claimed in claim 57, wherein the switching element is operable for selectively switching the thermal storage device to one of the first operating mode, the second operating and the standby operating mode.

59. A controller as claimed in claim 58, wherein when the thermal storage device is in the first operating mode its default core temperature is set at 550°

Celsius.

60. A controller as claimed in claim 58, wherein when the thermal storage device is in the second operating mode its default core temperature is set at 400°

Celsius.

61. An electrical grid load management tool comprising a plurality of controllers as claimed in claim 1, the controllers allowing for selective powering of a network of thermal storage devices to provide a heat reserve.

62. The controller of claim 1 co-located with the thermal storage device which it controls.

63. An electrical grid load management tool comprising a plurality of controllers as claimed in claim 1, the controllers allowing for selective activation of a network of thermal storage devices to absorb excess capacity within the grid.

64. The tool of claim 63 wherein the controllers are grouped into sets, the tool being configured to selectively activate individual sets of thermal storage devices.