EP1067649B1 - Power switching system and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has at least one computer (1) that manages data (Q,C,R) for a number of connected producers (W,BB,F), suppliers and/or transporters of the conductive medium t and controls the supply of the medium to at least one consumer (V1-V4). The data contain names and/or memory addresses, current and/or long-term free capacity of lines and/or current and/or long-term potential supply capacity of suppliers or producers and/or prices. An Independent claim is also included for a method of controlling a current delivery system.

Description

The invention relates to a switching system for a conductive medium, in particular current, with the preamble features of claim 1.

So far, end consumers are buying electricity at pre-determined rates from the electricity supplier to which they are connected. The prices may be different depending on the time of day (for example day or night current). The electricity providers either provide the electricity themselves or buy electricity from other electricity suppliers.

From the EP 0 863 492 A1 Applicant is aware of a system for cashless operation of cashier counter dispensers. This system allows a simplified booking of current collection by end users. An end user-side dispenser includes a circuit breaker, which is controlled by a control device for releasing power, and communicating with the control device data carrier input device into which a data carrier with monetary units corresponding control data can be inserted. Furthermore, the control device is connected to a central computer of a financial institution, so that from a customer account corresponding to the amount of electricity drawn and the control data corresponding monetary units can be debited directly in favor of the electricity supplier.

Ultimately, however, this system is designed for a direct contractual relationship between an end consumer, his electricity supplier and a financial institution. The end user is therefore still bound to the price specifications with only one electricity supplier.

Due to the state regulations through the so-called Durchleitungsgesetz, electricity suppliers are obliged to provide their lines with free capacities to other electricity suppliers or electricity brokers for an appropriate transit fee. Thereby it is now possible that e.g. a North German electricity broker in France conducts electricity through the networks of various electricity suppliers and network operators to its North German customers and supplies them directly with electricity.

As in Fig. 1 is indicated, leads through Germany and the neighboring states to the power line a dense network with lines L1 - L6. Conurbations such as Munich, Berlin B and Hamburg HH are connected to power plants via these pipelines. As power plants here, for example, the nuclear power plant Brunsbüttel BB and a nuclear power plant F in France and the Walchensee power plant W in Bavaria BY are outlined.

The WO 97/38385 A1 shows a system and method for establishing communication between power producers, energy buyers and network operators. By means of a computer and a database, a variety of data is managed by energy producers, energy buyers and the network operator, and the supply of energy to the buyers is controlled.

The WO 99/31612 A2 shows computer-based systems and methods for billing resources such as electricity, gas and water. In this case, a host computer is connected to several providers of resources and to several customers. The central computer includes interfaces and a database for storing information about the customers and the resources.

However, the resulting in the power forwarding over a variety of lines of different electricity supplier administrative and accounting effort is very expensive, which makes this type of power shoemaker profitable only for large amounts of electricity. The actual end users benefit from the new possibilities so only conditionally.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a variable switching system for conductive media, in particular electricity, which allow easy switching and accounting of energy such as electric power and the like.

This object is achieved by a switching system, in particular for electricity, with the features of claim 1.

The control of delivery quantities of the conductive medium can be optimized based on the currently available data of individual providers of the medium and of transport lines. As a result, a price-optimized requirement of the medium at providers and the passage through a price-optimized cable route is possible. At the same time, the calculation of the transit charges can take place.

Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

Current and / or long-term free capacities C of lines and / or current or longer-term possible delivery capacities of producers and / or prices for delivery or transit quantities allow optimal calculation of resource requirements. The more frequently the data is updated as needed or at regular intervals, the better the calculation can be optimized.

The transmission of the data can take place via a plurality of interfaces, in particular via telephone lines, power lines, packet data services, the Internet or radio links.

Reservation Reservation Reservations (C) allow for long-term planning and control of the optimized utilization of resources and the pipeline network.

Calculating the remuneration to be paid for individual producers (eg as above W, BB, F) and / or transporters of the conductive medium already before, during and / or immediately after a delivery (in particular in connection with the direct transfer to a financial institution) a speedy, proportionate and cost-effective offsetting of the remuneration of all parties involved, in particular the transit charges for the lines used.

The time-dependent staggering of the data allows the targeted use of spare capacity at times with low requirements, e.g. for night stream. The demand-dependent control of generating devices and / or transport media makes the system particularly flexible. Maximum and / or minimum delivery quantities as stored data enable plannable special conditions for customers with regular purchase quantities.

Fig. 1

schematisch ein Leitungsnetz für Strom;

Fig. 2

ein Stromvermittlungssystem; und

Fig. 3

ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Steuerverfahrens dazu.

An embodiment will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically a line network for electricity;

Fig. 2

a power switching system; and

Fig. 3

a flowchart of a control method thereto.

How out Fig. 2 It can be seen, a power switching system consists essentially of a central computer 1, the management and control of a variety of data connected electricity supplier W, BB, F, line operators L1, L2, ..., Ln and consumer 3 (V1, V2, ... , Vn) and preferably also a financial institution 2 is used. Alternatively, a large number of local computers can be used, which serve for the management and control of local data and exchange and synchronize frame data (eg line lengths or maximum transmission of individual power grids) with other central computers.

The central computer 1 has a central processing unit 10 for controlling the entire central computer 1, an interface 11 for connecting the central computer 1 to the external data sources W, BB, F, L1,... Ln, 2, 3 and a first memory section 12 Storing data of the external data sources W, BB, F, L1, ... Ln, 2, 3 on. In a second memory section 13 include programs for controlling the functions of the central processing unit 10 and code key for data exchange with the external Data sources, eg so-called prepayment devices with the end customer, stored. The second memory section 13 or memory serves for data security and is therefore not accessible from outside the central computer 1.

Preferably, the first memory section 12 stores data shown here in the form of a table. Thus, for example, the names and memory addresses of the various external data sources W, BB, F, L1,... Ln, 2, 3 are stored in the first column Q in order to allow targeted access thereto. These values are thus permanently stored over longer periods of time. In a second column currently free capacity C of lines L1, L2, ... and currently possible delivery capacities C of power plants W, BB, F are stored. These constantly changing data are queried at regular intervals dt via the interface 11 from the external data sources W, BB, F, L1, ... Ln, 2. The more frequently the updates occur, the more up-to-date the data in the table. Furthermore, the second column in the rows for consumer 3 includes their currently requested demand values. These are transmitted to the central computer 1 by the consumers 3 as the demand changes.

Reservation marks R are stored in the third column. These serve to reserve capacities C of power plants W, BB, F and lines L1, L2,... And / or to indicate reserved capacities C.

In the fourth column, the current price for the provision of a specific unit quantity of electricity or a specific line capacity is stored. Also this value changes constantly. For example, heating plants are operated around the clock, so that there at night with low power consumption costs for the production of electricity that is not drawn. A particularly low price for electricity from such a cogeneration plant at night would lead to Electricity brokers preferred to request electricity there at night.

In return, hydropower plants, such as the Walchensee power plant W, can be selectively switched on only at high power requirements, so be used for peak load coverage. Since particularly high electricity prices can be enforced at peak times, their operation is then particularly effective. In particular, water storage power plants offer the particular advantage that they can pump overnight with then cost-effective power of a combined heat and power station water from a lower reservoir in a higher reservoir, which allows a particularly effective households with excess electricity.

However, not only the prices of electricity producers, but also the line operators are constantly changing. For example, the capacity of the direct line L2 from the nuclear power plant F to the metropolitan area HH is fully utilized at peak times. Accordingly, the line operator can demand a high transit price at these times. If, however, the nuclear power plant F can deliver even more electricity at more favorable prices than the nuclear power plant BB, alternatively electricity can also be supplied via the line L6, which leads partly through the Benelux countries and possibly has free capacities. For better utilization, the operators would thus lower the transmission price of the line L6 at the corresponding peak time compared to the line L2. Rapid price fluctuations can be transmitted to the central computer 1 by means of corresponding data transfers for updating the table, and thus are currently offered to the customer in the manner of an auction via the Internet.

Further columns of the table serve e.g. for storing longer-term reserved capacities C or framework prices for such longer-term reservations.

Furthermore, limit values can be stored previously between large consumers 3 and a power broker Consider agreed and particularly favorable price / performance ratios. Occurs at a consumer 3 unexpectedly higher power consumption, so he gets the previously for example over the Internet (with digital signature) purchased and granted amount of electricity at the agreed price, for the additionally requested and delivered amount of electricity, however, another variable rate may be used.

The settlement of delivered, transmitted and purchased electricity is similar to the EP 0 863 492 A1 directly by a settlement at a financial institution 2, which is also connected to the central computer 1.

The data exchange between the central computer 1 and the external data sources W, BB, F, L1,... Ln, 2, 3 takes place via the interface 11. This enables data transmission via common communication media, such as e.g. Telephone lines 14, packet data services 15, such as the Internet, or radio links 16, such as mobile. But there are also data transfers directly through the power lines 17 ("power-line") possible, for example, lead from the electricity brokers to the end user 3, so that then the price request and the purchase can be made about it. Likewise, by coding the electricity meter of the customer can be parameterized accordingly, e.g. to a predetermined maximum power output of e.g. 10 kW for private customers or e.g. 100 kW for corporate customers. These limits, as well as reference times, are included in the contract negotiated previously via the Internet and are transmitted to the electricity meter.

With reference to an exemplary consumer V1 in Hamburg is described below with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 3 illustrates the tainting of electricity.

At the first login of the consumer V1, a new data line is created in the central computer 1, in which the standard data of the consumer are stored. To These include, for example, a particularly low power requirement of less than 1 kW / h from 6 pm to 7 am and a particularly high power consumption of up to 1 MW / h from 7 am to 6 pm for a machine shop.

Thereupon, the data of the individual electricity suppliers W, BB, F and line operators are searched by the central processing unit for a combination which permits a particularly favorable price using common algorithms. Here is e.g. the cheapest electricity at night directly from the power plant BB, during the day but from the nuclear power plant F via the line L6 available. The correspondingly required capacities of the two power plants BB and F and the L6 line will be reserved in the longer term. The reservations are stored in the table and in the corresponding computers of the operator. Due to the long-term predictability, the consumer V1 is granted the particularly favorable prices with a broker surcharge, whereby the final prices are also stored in the table.

However, if the consumer V1 (eg a machine factory) receives an urgent order that requires night shifts in the machine hall, he requests more power from the central computer 1 via the corresponding data line 16, in this case a mobile radio network, for example got to. Alternatively, the switching on of the machines can signal the increased power demand. The central computer 1 then searches the table with the current data of the individual power plants W, BB, F and the lines L1, L2, ... for the best possible delivery option for the suddenly incurred large power needs. Under certain circumstances, the power is also simultaneously supplied by several power plants BB and W and via different lines L2 or L3, L4, L5. Thus, the current electricity price to the customer to accept the offer (or rejection), for example, be displayed on the display of his mobile phone.

After conclusion of the contract by electronic means and immediate (or any other desired time) structure of the power supply and parallel to this, the transmitted or supplied amounts of electricity are recorded directly. The electricity suppliers and line operators transmit these values to the central computer 1 via the corresponding data connections. Alternatively or additionally, the amount of electricity detected by the consumer V1 at its electricity meter can also be transmitted directly to the central computer 1 via data line 16. These values for the additional requested current will be offset against the current current hourly or daily prices stored in the table. The electricity consumption is thus calculated at the previously agreed price.

At the end of the day (or even half-day or weekly) are the financial institution 2 transmitted via the data line 14, the individual amounts to be offset. There, the charge for the power consumption by the user V1 is collected and corresponding proportionally credited to the operators of the central computer 1, the lines used L2 - L5 (especially after the stored in memory cable length and assignment to the respective owners) and the power supplying power plants W and BB.

In a preferred embodiment, the central computer 1 at a particularly high power demand or unfavorable delivery prices of other power plants BB, F or unfavorable transit prices of suitable for these lines L2, L6 at night directly at the inactive hydropower plant W a larger minimum amount of electricity to the night Request standard price and thereby initiate the automatic commissioning of this hydroelectric power plant W. In this case, the minimum amount of electricity and the night price are also stored or retrievable in the table.

Another consumption scenario is presented using the example of a private consumer Vn in Hamburg. This Although it could obtain cheap nuclear power from the nuclear power plant BB over a short line, but it concludes with the operator of the central computer 1 from a contract for environmentally sound electricity purchase. Although northern German wind power plants can provide relatively short-term relatively cheap electricity, but not in doldrums. Therefore, it gets 15% more expensive electricity from the hydroelectric power plant W via the central computer during production. The delivery takes place, for example, via the L3 and L1 lines of the Bayernwerke, the L4 line of an Eastern European line operator and the L5 line of a north German electricity supplier. Calculated by the central computer 1 in favor of Bayernwerke the delivered amount of electricity multiplied by the respective current table value of the production price (in line W) and the amount of electricity multiplied by the respective transmission prices for the lines L3 and L1. The multiplication value of the price for line L4 and the amount of electricity will be credited to the Eastern European line operator. The North German electricity supplier finally gets the value from the multiplication of the transmission price of line L5 from the table and the amount of electricity. The operator of the central computer receives a fixed or electricity-dependent brokerage price. These amounts are transmitted to the financial institution 2, which credits the individual amounts accordingly and debits the consumer Vn with the sum of the sums.

The consumer Vn orders his electricity over the Internet. For identification with respect to the central computer 1, the consumer Vn, together with his order, transmits a code key assigned to him, the copy of which is stored in the second memory section 13. In return, with the conclusion of the contract with this code key then the activation of the electricity meter at the customer.

Also possible is an automatic order of a predetermined amount of electricity at a certain price or over a predetermined period. This is how a consumer can be easily switch between just for him cheap electricity brokers or electricity suppliers.

Instead of ordering via the Internet, so a computer that is accessible to the consumer, also telephone orders can be made. Another exemplary way to buy power is the use of smart cards, credit or debit cards 34 that can be plugged into a reader 32 at the cashier counter dispensers 33.

Of course, instead of supplying electricity, this system can also mediate and charge for another medium such as water, gas, oil, thermal heat or the like.

Claims (11)

1. Procurement system for a flowable medium, in particular electricity, wherein at least a computer (1) processes data (Q, C, R) of a variety of connected producers (W, BB, F), suppliers and/or carriers of the flowable medium and controls the supply of the flowable medium to at least one consumer (V1, V2, Vn),
   characterized in that the producer equipment (W) and/or media lines (L1 - L6) are controllable by the system on demand, wherein the data (Q, C, R) in a memory (12) include names and/or stored addresses (Q), instantaneous and/or long-term free capacities (C) of lines (L1 - L6) and/or instantaneous or long-term possible capacity of supply (R) of producers (W, BB, F) and/or prices for supply or transmission volumes.
2. Procurement system according to claim 1, characterized by an interface (11) for updating the data (Q, C, R), if necessary or in regular intervals.
3. Procurement system according to claim 2, characterized in that the interface (11) transmits the data via telephone lines (14), powerlines (L1 - L6), data package services (15), the Internet or radio links (16).
4. Procurement system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data include reservation notes to and for reservation of capacities (C).
5. Procurement system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a computer (1) for calculating the remuneration to be paid to single producers (W, BB, F) and/or carriers of the transportable medium before, during and/or after a supply.
6. Procurement system according to claim 5, characterized in that an interface (11) transmits the remuneration data to a bank for accounting.
7. Procurement system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a storage section (13) in the first or a further memory (11, 13) to storing safety-relevant data, in particular code keys of producers (W, BB, F), carriers and/or consumers (V1, V2, Vn).
8. Procurement system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data (C, R) are time-dependently staggered.
9. Procurement system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data define maximum and/or minimum delivery volumes.
10. Procurement system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that selectable producers (W, BB, F) and/or media lines (L1 - L6) can be predetermined.
11. Procurement system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the accounting of supplied volumes or amounts to be supplied is performed via direct accounting with a bank, Smartcards, credit or money cards.

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