WO2008095277A1

WO2008095277A1 - Hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger

Info

Publication number: WO2008095277A1
Application number: PCT/CA2008/000019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Snow; Philip Crowley
Original assignee: Icp Global Technologies Inc.
Priority date: 2007-02-07
Filing date: 2008-01-09
Publication date: 2008-08-14
Also published as: GB0914004D0; DE112008000390T5; GB2458625A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a measurement and data logging device for hybrid renewable power components. The device comprises at least one DC bus bar for aggregating DC input-outputs of a plurality of renewable power components; a DC sensor for each of at least one DC bus bar for monitoring said each of at least one DC bus bar; at least one AC sensor for monitoring an AC power line; at least one renewable power sensor for monitoring the plurality of renewable power components; and a data acquisition device for acquiring data from said at least one DC sensor, said at least one AC sensor and said at least one renewable power sensor; wherein the data acquisition device processes and logs said data for monitoring the plurality of renewable power components. The data acquisition device further comprises a network interface for remote communication.

Description

Hybrid Renewable Power Monitor and Data Logger

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This application claims benefit of provisional application No. 60/888,750, filed February 7, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention pertains generally to measurement and data logging capable devices, as well as Ethernet (or network) ready measurement and data logging capable devices. More specifically, the invention relates to devices for the measurement and data logging of power usage and production, especially those devices that work with renewable power generating devices and other related devices, for example, inverters and batteries. The invention also pertains to devices integrating DC sources through a single bus bar architecture, more specifically, relating to power sources and power loads, such as, but not limited to, renewable power related devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Statement of Invention

[0004] The particular invention described contains a multiple input and multiple output conductive bus bar that is used to route and measure electrical current and voltage using electronic sensors that sense the magnetic field of said current and communicate that sensed measurement to a microprocessor, which then uses Ethernet (or suitable wired or wireless communication means) and software to manipulate and display measurements pertaining to but not limited to voltage, current, power, cost savings, and green house gas emissions savings as they are retrieved from renewable power sources and other power sources. [0005] 2. Problem solved by the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention solves is the lack of remote and localized measuring of direct current (DC) current, direct current (DC) voltage and alternating current (AC) current and the lack of long term data logging of these measurements - as they pertain to renewable power related generating devices, power usage devices and other related devices in a renewable power system - in a single multifunction device or microprocessor based platform, software platform or networked configuration.

[0007] Today the measuring of renewable power systems is mostly done through localized viewing of real-time current and voltage levels that are displayed on some renewable devices, such as wind turbine controllers, solar power controllers, inverters, charge controllers, etc. A more integrated, neat, all-in-one solution is necessary to increase the long term accuracy of measurements when multiple sources of renewable power are present in a renewable power system, as well as to allow remote communication of these measurements, and the invention incorporates all these capabilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The invention pertains generally to measurement and data logging capable devices, as well as network ready measurement and data logging capable devices. More specifically, the invention relates to devices for the measurement and data logging of power usage and production, especially those devices that work with renewable power generating devices and other related devices, for example, inverters and batteries. The invention also pertains to devices integrating DC sources through a single bus bar architecture, more specifically, relating to power sources and power loads, such as, but not limited to, renewable power related devices.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide an integrated, all-in-one solution/device for measuring and data logging a plurality of on-grid / off-grid renewable power devices for a long term. [0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a single, integrated measurement and data logging solution /device that allows a user to remotely communicate.

[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, it provides a hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger, comprising: at least one DC bus bar for aggregating DC input-outputs of a plurality of renewable power components; a DC sensor for each of at least one DC bus bar for monitoring said each of at least one DC bus bar; at least one AC sensor for monitoring an AC power line; at least one renewable power sensor for monitoring the plurality of renewable power components; and a data acquisition device for acquiring data from said at least one DC sensor, said at least one AC sensor and said at least one renewable power sensor; wherein said data acquisition device processes and logs the data for monitoring the plurality of renewable power components.

[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, it provides a remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger, comprising: (i) at least one DC bus bar for aggregating DC input-outputs of a plurality of renewable power components; (ii). at least one sensor bock; and (iii). a data acquisition device for acquiring data from said at least one renewable power sensor and said at least one sensor block; wherein said at least one sensor block receives input from at least one renewable power sensor for monitoring the plurality of renewable power components, inputs from at least one DC sensor for each of said at least one DC bus bar for monitoring said each of at least one DC bus bar, and/or input from at least one AC sensor for monitoring an AC power line; wherein the data acquisition device is in communication with each of said at least one sensor block for acquiring data from said each of said at least one sensor block, and processes and logs the data for monitoring the plurality of renewable power components and the AC power line.

[0013] According to yet another aspect of the invention, it provides a hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger system, comprising: (i) a plurality of hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices; and (ii) at least one remote computing device, in communication with the plurality of the hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices via a communication network for managing and collecting data from each of the plurality of hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015] Figure 1 illustrates a system block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention

[0016] Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of a data acquisition of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 illustrates a block diagram of a data acquisition of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

[0018] Figure 4 illustrates a block diagram of a hybrid renewable power monitor and logging system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The present invention will be described with particular reference to the measuring and logging of renewable power inputs and outputs. However, it will be appreciated that the present invention has application to the measurement and logging of other DC inputs and outputs, with modifications appropriate to the application as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. The implementation is intended to illustrate the invention's application to a particular situation, being for renewable power inputs and outputs.

[0020] The invention measures and logs DC currents and DC voltages passing through internal bus bars. In particular, the invention is used to monitor and log the currents and voltages associated with renewable energy components / sources such as, but not limited to, wind turbines, solar arrays, micro hydro, sterling engine, hydrogen fuel cells, wave power, tidal power, batteries, inverters, other supporting controllers and/or any DC renewable power source / residential power system. The invention also measures AC currents, for example, from the AC power lines coming into a house in the breaker panel; however, the renewable energy components may be on-grid or off-grid.

[0021] In the particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, there are several components that make this invention unique. This consists of the data acquisition block 1, positive DC Bus 2, DC sensor block 3, AC sensor block 4, and LCD display circuit 5, keypad 6, and renewable power sensor block 7.

[0022] Each of input/outputs 10 - 14 made from a conductive material that acts as a DC Bus bar that can take multiple DC power components of the same DC voltage is positive DC Bus 2. Each of positive DC Bus 2 can run at the same voltage and/or different voltages. DC sensor block 3 contains multiple Hall Effect current sensors and voltage sensors to measure bidirectional DC currents and voltage, respectively, from power input and/or outputs, and send an analog voltage output to data acquisition block 1 representing these sensor values. DC Bus 2 further feeds power to data acquisition block 1 via port 20, port 21 being connected to a common ground for Controller Power (Negative). Data acquisition block 1 further comprises DC In 22 and 23 from AC Power Adaptor (not shown) for powering the block 1.

[0023] AC sensor block 4 contains Hall Effect sensors for measuring AC current external to the invention and sending analog voltage outputs to data acquisition block 1 representing these currents. These sensors in AC sensor block 4 can be clamped, tied, or otherwise secured in place on a wire or wires 8 in order to measure the AC current passing through that wire(s) 8, in particular for measuring main AC current wires 8 coming into an electrical panel to calculate power consumed from the power utility.

[0024] LCD display circuit 5 contains an LCD (not shown) and interface circuit 36 (shown in Figure 2) that can communicate with data acquisition block 1 to display the various types of data collected by, calculated by and communicated to data acquisition block 1, which is formatted in data acquisition block 1 to a form readable by LCD display circuit 5.

[0025] Keypad 6 contains keys that produce digital signals of logic high or logic low when pressed. These keys will communicate these digital signals to data acquisition block 1, where they can be interpreted according to the current display on LCD display circuit 5 so the selected action can be performed.

[0026] Renewable power sensor block 7 contains sensors related to potential renewable power output, for example, an anemometer sensor to measure wind speed and wind direction and/or a solar irradiation sensor to measure solar output in W/m² , which would output digital or analog signals to data acquisition block 1.

[0027] Data acquisition block 1 further comprises a network interface, i.e. TCP/IP Port 24, for remote communication.

[0028] Referring to Figure 2, the data acquisition block consists of a microprocessor 31 that gathers all data and interprets the data in a useful manner for the user. The sensor circuits 33 are used to gather information on the flow and amounts of power going through a renewable system using the output from current sensors and voltage sensors from Figure 1, DC sensor block 3, in such a way as to return a small voltage that changes to represent the amount and direction of current and the amount of voltage from the Figure 1, positive DC Bus 2.

[0029] Through analog-to-digital converter 34, the outputs from sensor circuits 33 are passed to microprocessor 31 for software conversion to actual current and voltage values, respectively. These values are used for external and internal applications, including but not limited to, storage and logging in flash memory 35, display on Figure 2, LCD display circuit 5, through LCD communication circuit 36, output to a computer interface through Ethernet port and circuitry 37, then to TCP/IP Port 24, calculations for power ranges checks that send a digital PWM signal to audible alarm unit 38, as well as calculations of renewable power cost savings, emission production savings from using renewable power sources, and power production from any DC power sources. [0030] The invention is powered from either power sources connected to the Figure 1, positive DC Bus 2, which is limited to a voltage range of 12VDC to 240 VDC or powered from a 12VDC source such as AC to DC wall-plug adaptor, if no DC power is present from the Figure 1, positive DC Bus 2. The power is input to power circuit 39 where it is converted to 5VDC and/or 3.3 VDC for use by microprocessor 31 and all other circuitry of Figure 1 and Figure 2 that require power to operate.

[0031] Figure 3 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention 1'. A data acquisition device 100' comprises microprocessor 31. The data acquisition device further comprises a flash memory (or an equivalent volatile or non-volatile data storage device) 35, LCD communication circuit 36, an Audible Alarm unit 38, Wired and/or Wireless communication device 50, and network communication device 37', which are in communication with the microprocessor 31. A plurality of sensor blocks 60-1 to 60-n, which may be remotely located from the data acquisition device 100', are in communication with the data acquisition device 100' via wired or/and wireless communication medium. Each of the sensor blocks 60-1 to 60-n comprises sensor 33' (-1 .. -n) for receiving analog inputs from DC sensor block 3'(-l .. -n) and/or AC sensor block 4'(-l .. -n) and wired and/or wireless communication device 51(-1 .. -n), which is in communication with the wired and/or wireless communication device 50 of the data acquisition device 100'. Optionally, said each of the sensor blocks 60-1 to 60-n further comprises a power circuit 32' for supplying power for itself, or is powered from a power circuit 32 of the data acquisition device 100' while the power circuit 32 powering all the components / devices on the data acquisition device 100'. The data acquisition device 100' is in communication with a remote computing device (not shown), such as a personal computer, handheld computing device, etc., via the network communication device 37' for receiving inputs from the remote user and transmitting various measured data acquired to the remote computing device.

[0032] Referring to Figure 4, due to the remote communication capability of the present invention, a plurality of the data acquisition devices 100/100' may be deployed with at least one remote computing device 300 for forming a system 500 in a region over a communication network 200 to measure and log a plurality of renewable power systems. The communication network 200 may be wired or wireless or combination thereof. The communication network 200 may be a telephone network or a data communication network including Internet. The system 500 may be used to implementing a telemetry application,

[0033] It is clear that the inventive concept of this hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger is not limited to the measurement and data logging of renewable power devices, but to the measurement and logging of other DC inputs and outputs, with modifications appropriate to the application as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the embodiments depicted herein are intended to be merely illustrative and not restrictive in any sense. It is further understood that the present invention may be carried out in other specific way than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of such invention. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger, comprising:

i. at least one DC bus bar for aggregating DC input-outputs of a plurality of renewable power components; ii. at least one DC sensor for each of said at least one DC bus bar for monitoring said each of at least one DC bus bar; iii. at least one AC sensor for monitoring an AC power line; iv. at least one renewable power sensor for monitoring said plurality of renewable power components; and v. a data acquisition device for acquiring data from said at least one DC sensor, said at least one AC sensor and said at least one renewable power sensor; wherein said data acquisition device processes and logs said data for monitoring said plurality of renewable power components.

2. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 1 wherein said data acquisition device monitors and logs voltage, current and power based on said data.

3. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 2 wherein said data acquisition device further calculates, monitors and logs cost savings and green house gas emissions savings based on said data.

4. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 1 wherein said data acquisition device further comprises a network interface for a remote communication.

5. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 1 wherein said data acquisition device further comprises at least one safety alarm.

6. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 5 wherein said at least one safety alarm is an audible alarm, a visual alarm or a combination thereof.

7. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 1 wherein said renewable power components comprise residential power systems.

8. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 7 wherein said residential power systems comprise wind turbines, solar arrays, micro hydro, sterling engines, hydrogen fuel cells, wave powers, tidal powers, batteries, inverters, or a combination thereof.

9. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 8 wherein said residential power systems are on-grid.

10. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 8 wherein said residential power systems are off-grid.

11. A remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger, comprising:

vi. at least one DC bus bar for aggregating DC input-outputs of a plurality of renewable power components; vii. at least one sensor bock; and viii. a data acquisition device for acquiring data from said at least one renewable power sensor and said at least one sensor block; wherein said at least one sensor block receives input from at least one renewable power sensor for monitoring said plurality of renewable power components, inputs from at least one DC sensor for each of said at least one DC bus bar for monitoring said each of at least one DC bus bar, and/or input from at least one AC sensor for monitoring an AC power line; wherein said data acquisition device is in communication with each of said at least one sensor block for acquiring data from said each of said at least one sensor block, and processes and logs said data for monitoring said plurality of renewable power components and said AC power line.

12. The remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 11 wherein said data acquisition device is in communication with each of said at least one sensor block via wired or wireless communication.

13. The remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 11 wherein said data acquisition device comprises:

i. a microprocessor for processing said data; ii. a data storage device for logging said data; iii. an interfacing device for handling a standard input and output, in communication with said microprocessor; iv. at least one communication device for communication between said microprocessor and said at least one sensor block; and v. a network communication device for said microprocessor to interface with a communication network.

14. The remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim 13 wherein said each of said at least one sensor block is remotely located from said data acquisition device.

15. The remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim

11 wherein said communication between said data acquisition device and said each of said at least one sensor block is wireless communication.

16. The remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger recited in claim

11 wherein said communication between said data acquisition device and said each of said at least one sensor block is wired communication.

17. A hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger system, comprising:

i. a plurality of hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices; and ii. at least one remote computing device, in communication with said plurality of said hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices via a communication network for managing and collecting data from each of said plurality of hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices.

18. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger system recited in claim 17 wherein said plurality of hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices comprises:

19. The hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger system recited in claim 17 wherein said plurality of hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices comprises remote hybrid renewable power monitor and data logger devices, each comprising:

i. at least one DC bus bar for aggregating DC input-outputs of a plurality of renewable power components; ii. at least one sensor bock; and iii. a data acquisition device for acquiring data from said at least one renewable power sensor and said at least one sensor block; wherein said at least one sensor block receives input from at least one renewable power sensor for monitoring said plurality of renewable power components, inputs from at least one DC sensor for each of said at least one DC bus bar for monitoring said each of at least one DC bus bar, and/or input from at least one AC sensor for monitoring an AC power line; wherein said data acquisition device is in communication with each of said at least one sensor block for acquiring data from said each of said at least one sensor block, and processes and logs said data for monitoring said plurality of renewable power components and said AC power line.