Decentralized generator control

• US 9,906,041 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Incorporated
• Inventors: Ravikumar, Krishnanjan Gubba, Manson, Scott M., Raghupathula, Sai Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Connolly, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/071,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20170271882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/10 The dispersed energy generation being of fossil origin, e.g. diesel generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/42 with automatic parallel connection when synchronisation is achieved
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/12 Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation

Abstract

The present disclosure pertains to distributed controllers configured to control a plurality of electrical generators in an electrical generation and distribution system. In one embodiment, a distributed controller consistent with the present disclosure may include a communication subsystem to obtain a first plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements from a first node. A measurement analysis subsystem may compare the first plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements and the second plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements. The first node and the second node may be associated in an electrical island by a topology detection subsystem based on the correlation. A control subsystem may be configured to implement a control action based on the association of the first node and the second node in the electrical island.

Claims

1. A distributed controller configured to control at least a portion of an electrical generation and distribution system, comprising:

a communication subsystem configured to communicate via a network and configured to;

obtain a first plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements from a first node;

a measurement analysis subsystem configured to;

compare the first plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements and a second plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements;

determine a correlation between the electrical parameters at the first node and the electrical parameters at a second node;

a topology detection subsystem configured to;

associate the first node and the second node in an electrical island based on the correlation;

a control subsystem configured to;

implement a control action based on the association of the first node and the second node in the electrical island.

2. The distributed controller of claim 1, wherein the first node comprises an output of a first electrical generator and the second node comprises an output of a second electrical generator.

3. The distributed controller of claim 2, wherein the control subsystem is further configured to:

synchronize the output of the first electrical generator with the output of the second electrical generator;

wherein the control action comprises electrically connecting the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator.

4. The distributed controller of claim 2, further comprising a load sharing dispatch subsystem configured to implement an equal percentage loading scheme to equally balance a load between the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator;

wherein the control action comprises adjusting the output of one of the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator to maintain the equal balance.

5. The distributed controller of claim 4, further comprising:

a power control subsystem configured to receive a set point from the load sharing dispatch subsystem and to provide an input to a governor of the second generator.

6. The distributed controller of claim 2, further comprising a tie flow control subsystem configured to selectively draw electrical power from a utility tie connection to supplement electrical power generated by the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator.

7. The distributed controller of claim 2, further comprising a VAR dispatch subsystem configured to establish a VAR set point for the second electrical generator;

wherein the communication subsystem is further configured to communicate the VAR set point for the second electrical generator to a remote distributed controller.

8. The distributed controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor component configured to monitor the second node and to acquire monitored electrical parameter measurements;

a time subsystem configured to associate the monitored electrical parameter measurements with a corresponding plurality of time stamps to create the second plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements.

9. The distributed controller of claim 8, wherein the time subsystem is further configured to receive a common time signal available to the remote distributed controller.

10. The distributed controller of claim 8, wherein the communication subsystem is further configured to transmit the second plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements to a remote distributed controller.

11. The distributed controller of claim 1, wherein the communication subsystem is further configured to transmit the control action to a remote distributed controller.

12. The distributed controller of claim 1, wherein the distributed controller is configured to operate the electrical generation and distribution system in an islanded configuration.

13. A method for controlling a plurality of electrical generators using a plurality of distributed controllers, the method comprising:

obtaining first plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements at a first node;

obtaining a second plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements at a second node;

comparing the first plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements and the second plurality of time-stamped electrical parameter measurements;

determining a correlation between the electrical parameters at the first node and the electrical parameters at the second node;

associating the first node and the second node in an electrical island based on the correlation;

implementing a control action based on the association of the first node and the second node in the electrical island.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first node comprises an output of a first electrical generator and the second node comprises an output of a second electrical generator.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control action comprises synchronizing and electrically connecting the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the control action comprises implementing an equal percentage loading scheme to equally balance a load between the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising drawing electrical power from a utility tie connection to supplement electrical power generated by the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the control action comprises establishing a VAR set point for one of the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

calculating an available incremental reserve margin associated with the first electrical generator and the second electrical generator;

wherein the control action comprises a load shedding action based on the available incremental reserve margin.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the correlation between the electrical parameters at the first node the electrical parameters at the second node comprises a standing angle.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the first node and the second node are associated in the electrical island without a deterministic topology of the electrical generation and distribution system.