WO2012084196A2 - Responsive load system and method - Google Patents

Responsive load system and method Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012084196A2
WO2012084196A2 PCT/EP2011/006432 EP2011006432W WO2012084196A2 WO 2012084196 A2 WO2012084196 A2 WO 2012084196A2 EP 2011006432 W EP2011006432 W EP 2011006432W WO 2012084196 A2 WO2012084196 A2 WO 2012084196A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
load
responsive load
responsive
network
arrangement
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2011/006432
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2012084196A3 (en
Inventor
katie BLOOR
Original Assignee
Responsiveload Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Responsiveload Ltd. filed Critical Responsiveload Ltd.
Publication of WO2012084196A2 publication Critical patent/WO2012084196A2/en
Publication of WO2012084196A3 publication Critical patent/WO2012084196A3/en

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J3/00—Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
    • H02J3/12—Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks for adjusting voltage in ac networks by changing a characteristic of the network load
    • H02J3/14—Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks for adjusting voltage in ac networks by changing a characteristic of the network load by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/32—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with electric currents without heating effect
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L5/00—Preparation or treatment of foods or foodstuffs, in general; Food or foodstuffs obtained thereby; Materials therefor
    • A23L5/30—Physical treatment, e.g. electrical or magnetic means, wave energy or irradiation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J19/08—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor
    • B01J19/087—Processes employing the direct application of electric or wave energy, or particle radiation; Apparatus therefor employing electric or magnetic energy
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06K—GRAPHICAL DATA READING; PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
    • G06K7/00—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns
    • G06K7/10—Methods or arrangements for sensing record carriers, e.g. for reading patterns by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J2310/00—The network for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by its spatial reach or by the load
    • H02J2310/50—The network for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by its spatial reach or by the load for selectively controlling the operation of the loads
    • H02J2310/56—The network for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by its spatial reach or by the load for selectively controlling the operation of the loads characterised by the condition upon which the selective controlling is based
    • H02J2310/58—The condition being electrical
    • H02J2310/60—Limiting power consumption in the network or in one section of the network, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J2310/00—The network for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by its spatial reach or by the load
    • H02J2310/50—The network for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by its spatial reach or by the load for selectively controlling the operation of the loads
    • H02J2310/56—The network for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by its spatial reach or by the load for selectively controlling the operation of the loads characterised by the condition upon which the selective controlling is based
    • H02J2310/62—The condition being non-electrical, e.g. temperature
    • H02J2310/64—The condition being economic, e.g. tariff based load management
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B70/00—Technologies for an efficient end-user side electric power management and consumption
    • Y02B70/30—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
    • Y02B70/3225—Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E40/00—Technologies for an efficient electrical power generation, transmission or distribution
    • Y02E40/70—Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y04—INFORMATION OR COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES HAVING AN IMPACT ON OTHER TECHNOLOGY AREAS
    • Y04S—SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS
    • Y04S20/00—Management or operation of end-user stationary applications or the last stages of power distribution; Controlling, monitoring or operating thereof
    • Y04S20/20—End-user application control systems
    • Y04S20/222—Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to responsive loads operable to provide load response to electrical power networks when coupled thereto. Moreover, the present invention concerns methods of operating responsive loads to provide load response to electrical power networks. Furthermore, the present invention relates to software products, for example a system configuration of software products, recorded on machine-readable data storage media and executable on computing hardware for implementing aforementioned methods.
  • responsive loads are operable so that a physical variable thereof, for example a temperature of a thermal mass thereof, is maintained between upper and lower threshold limits, and that an instantaneous value of the physical variable of the responsive loads is varied to provide a degree of load response.
  • the loads are operable to function in an ON/OFF manner, for example as for compressors of refrigerators.
  • the responsive loads are operable to seek to compensate at least partially for variations of a physical variable, for example a frequency and/or magnitude, of electrical power supplied from an electrical supply network to which the responsive loads are connected when in operation.
  • the responsive loads are operable, as aforementioned, to control a physical variable or parameter associated therewith between upper and lower limits in response to a modulating control input, for example an electrical power supply frequency; such control has a potential effect of increasing or decreasing power consumption of the responsive loads.
  • a modulating control input for example an electrical power supply frequency
  • an electrical power supply frequency for example an electrical power supply frequency
  • an average value of the physical variable or parameter is correspondingly lowered or raised over relatively shorter timescales, for example within a 24 hour timescale, by way of load response functionality being provided by the responsive load.
  • a change in electrical power supply frequency causing decreased consumption more than increased consumption may result in an average value of a physical variable or parameter being raised, for example temperature within a refrigeration unit.
  • a responsive load may require, for example, that more than one of its physical parameters be maintained within corresponding threshold limits.
  • a compressor providing cooling to a refrigeration facility is not contemporarily controlled from merely a single temperature sensor, but rather a plurality of spatially distributed temperature sensors.
  • control algorithms necessary for controlling the responsive load may be far more complex than described in the aforementioned published patents which relate to relatively simpler types of responsive load.
  • Control of the responsive load may require, for example, that a plurality of physical variables or parameters of the responsive load be maintained between their respective threshold limits, with a result that an effectiveness of the responsive load to provide demand response, namely load response, as a function of electrical power supply frequency may be limited in certain responsive load operating circumstances.
  • One or more of the physical variables or parameters may relate, for example, to a number of switching cycles of mechanical components, for example stop/start cycles of a compressor or ON/OFF cycles of a mechanical power relay controlling a powerful inductive load.
  • control of a large refrigeration plant may require that a plurality of temperature signals as well as consideration of a number of stop/start cycles executed as a plurality of physical variables or parameters be taken into account when controlling the large refrigeration plant to provide responsive load functionality therefrom.
  • a published US patent application no. US 2008/0185451 A1 (Tim Simon Inc.) there is described an energy control system for helping to reduce energy consumption from an energy grid.
  • the system includes a power meter which receives a first power- save signal and generates a second power-save signal for receipt by a control device.
  • a target temperature for a thermostat is changed for a period of time in response to the second power-save signal.
  • the control device can create a third power-save signal for receipt by a power-save adapter for an associated energy- consuming unit to permit only limited operation of the energy-consuming unit.
  • the energy control system is thus operable to receive control signals and distribute them to one or more power consuming devices to provide demand response.
  • WO2010/031012A1 General Electric Company
  • a method and system for communicating with an associated home appliance having a micro-controller wherein the system includes a meter device that emits a signal in response to data indicative of energy operational costs.
  • One or more RFID tags receive a master device signal.
  • the one or more RFID tags are connected to associated one or more home appliance microcontrollers to control operational modes of home appliances.
  • the RFID tags are responsive to distinct frequency signals emitted by a master device and representative of different modes of operation for the associated home appliance.
  • control arrangement is implemented by at least one circuit board incorporated into or in close spatial proximity to the device;
  • a method of operating a responsive load including at least one power-consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement, characterized in that the method includes one or more steps of:
  • a responsive load adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, wherein the responsive load is operable in its active mode of operation Mn to provide a load response by varying energy stored therein as a function of at least one physical variable describing a physical variable of an electrical supply provided thereto from the power network, and wherein the responsive load is operable to exhibit discrete ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles during which an amount of energy stored in the load is varied to provide the load response, characterized in that the responsive load includes a control arrangement for monitoring a number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles executed by the responsive load from commencement of the active mode of operation, and for disabling the load response provided by the responsive load to an inactive mode of operation after the responsive load has performed a predetermined number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles.
  • FIG. 4 is an illustration of a responsive load power system including a kiln arrangement for providing responsive load services to a power distribution system;
  • FIG. 5 is an illustration of a responsive load power system including a fan-cooled server arrangement for providing responsive load services to a power distribution system.
  • each responsive load 140 includes an input S2 for receiving from the control arrangement 110 instructions to switch the responsive load 140 between its plurality of operating modes M.
  • the control signal optionally includes information regarding cost of electricity being supplied, projected cost of electricity, total load on the network, electrical power generating capacity available to the network 130 from the power generator arrangement 120, and so forth.
  • the responsive load 140 is operable to switch between a plurality of different operating modes M, wherein selection between the different modes is determined by at least one of:
  • the responsive loads 140 each beneficially include the aforementioned output S1 coupled via the communication arrangement 120 to the control arrangement 110 indicative of whether or not the responsive load 140 is capable of being switched from a given mode Ma to another given mode Mb of the plurality of different operating modes of the load 140.
  • the communication arrangement 120 can, for example, be an optical fibre data link, a wireless data link, and electrical cable data link, or any combination thereof.
  • the communication arrangement 120 includes a communication network, for example the Internet.
  • the control arrangement 110 which determines which operating mode M is adopted by a given load 140, is optionally is at least partially spatially remote from the load 140 and/or its associated one or more power-consuming devices.
  • the neutral value of operation is in a range of 20% and 80% between minimum and maximum power consumption and/or energy storage within the load 140.
  • the neutral value corresponds to a mid-value of stored energy in the load 140 in respect of maximum and minimum thresholds of stored energy allowable in the load 140, for example a hot water tank is maintained at the neutral value which lies approximately midway, for example within 35% to 75% of its operating temperature range, between its maximum and minimum allowable temperature limits
  • the neutral value corresponds to a long-term behavior of the load 140, for example a nominal adjustment temperature that users of the load 140 usually select manually.
  • the loads 140 of the system 100 are operable to function according to modes of operation which are determined by physical phenomena occurring within the loads 140.
  • the system 100 therefore beneficially employs a method of operating the responsive load 140 including its associated power-consuming device adapted to be connected via the electrical power network 130 to the power generator arrangement 120, and is adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to the control arrangement 110.
  • the control arrangement 110 is operable to control the load 140 to provide a load response depending upon at least one physical variable, for example a frequency and/or magnitude of electrical supply from the network 130, when the load 140 is operating in its active mode Mn.
  • the method includes:
  • the power-consuming device and/or its associated load 140 includes the output S1 coupled via the communication arrangement to the control arrangement 110 indicative of whether or not the responsive load 140 is capable of being switched between its plurality of different operating algorithms.
  • the operating algorithms are mutually related in a hierarchical manner, for example as will be described in greater detail later.
  • a selection amongst the operating algorithms is dependent upon a history of one or more previous operating algorithm executed for controlling the responsive load 140.
  • the control unit 300 is coupled via an output S1 and an input S2 as aforementioned to the external control arrangement 110.
  • the control arrangement 110 is operable to oversee operation of responsive loads 140 coupled to the network 130.
  • the control unit 300 optionally provides autonomous control via the input S2 of the kilns 210, 220, 230, optionally pursuant to some general directions provided from the control arrangement 110.
  • the kiln arrangement 200 is operable to manufacture a range of ceramic products involving mutually different manufacturing processes in which the kilns 210, 220, 230 are operated within various different temperature ranges depending upon the type of ceramic product being manufactured, with corresponding varying amounts of power being consumed by the heaters 250, 260, 270 of the kilns 210, 220, 230 respectively.
  • Certain processes occurring within the kilns 210, 220, 230 for manufacturing certain types of ceramic products require associated temperatures T1 , T2, T3 to be tightly controlled within relatively narrow temperature limits, whereas other processes for other types of products can be implemented with relatively wider temperature limits.
  • Such a computation is beneficially performed within the control unit 300 which then communicates its decision regarding magnitude and quality of load responsive service via the output S1 to the control arrangement 110.
  • a process P occurring within the kiln arrangement 200 determines a potential magnitude of responsive load that is susceptible to being provided by the kiln arrangement 200, functioning as a responsive load 140, to the network 130.
  • the control unit 300 is operable to communicate such inactive state information M0 via the output S1 to the control arrangement 110.
  • a decision by the control unit 300 whether or not to start a given manufacturing process P within the kiln arrangement 200 is beneficially made in the control unit 300 on a basis of information provided from the control arrangement 110; for example, in an event that the control arrangement 110 informs the kiln arrangement 200 via the input S2 that electric supply to the kiln arrangement 200 from the network 130 is likely to be variable and not necessarily guaranteed, for example due to unpredictable weather conditions affecting output on a given day from wind farms forming a part of the generator arrangement 120, the control unit 300 beneficially selects a manufacturing process P for the kiln arrangement 200 which is more tolerant to fluctuations of an instantaneous cost of electrical supply, a projected future cost of electrical supply, a frequency and/or magnitude of electrical supply from the network 130 and which is capable of providing an enhanced degree of responsive load to the network 130 to assist to keep its operation stable despite unpredictable supply of electrical power thereto from, for example, the aforementioned wind farms.
  • the kiln arrangement 200 is operable to exhibit a plurality of mutually different operating modes M, one of which is shutdown of the ovens 210, 220, 230 of the kiln arrangement 200 rendering it temporarily incapable of providing responsive load services to balance the network 130.
  • the kiln arrangement 200 includes other types of electric load, for example cooling fans and heating water tanks for supplying hot water for ceramic washing purposes, which can also optionally be controlled from the control unit 300 for providing response load services to the network 130.
  • the server arrangement 500 is coupled to receive electrical power from the aforementioned network 130 which is itself coupled to the aforesaid generator arrangement 120.
  • the server arrangement 500 includes a power control unit 510 which is coupled to the aforementioned control arrangement 110 which is also operable to control operation of the network 130 and/or the generator arrangement 120.
  • an array of data servers 550 for hosting Internet functions, for example web-sites, Internet television and search engines.
  • the data servers 550 consume considerable power when in operation and periodically require cooling by selective use of a plurality of cooling fans 520, 530, 540. However, the servers 550 have considerable thermal mass and their temperature changes gradually as a function of time.
  • the plurality of cooling fans includes a small fan 520, a medium fan 530 and a large fan 540.
  • the small fan 520 can be brought rapidly into action to provide cooling for the servers 550 and also quickly returned to a stationary state where the fan 520 does not provide significant cooling.
  • the large fan 540 is sluggish to start and requires considerable in-rush current to start its rotor in movement.
  • the medium fan 530 has an intermediate operating characteristic between the small fan 520 and the large fan 540. In operation, the fans 520, 530, 540 dissipate power when executing their cooling function.
  • the dissipation within the fans 520, 530, 540 can be beneficially employed selectively for providing load response services for providing load balancing services to the network 130. Moreover, operation of the fans 520, 530, 540 is controlled by the power control unit 510 depending upon instantaneous load on the network 130 as well as instantaneous power dissipation occurring within the servers 550.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
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  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
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  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Artificial Intelligence (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
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  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Supply And Distribution Of Alternating Current (AREA)
  • Remote Monitoring And Control Of Power-Distribution Networks (AREA)

Abstract

A responsive load (140) includes at least one power-consuming device (210, 220, 230) adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement (110), wherein the responsive load (140) is operable to provide an autonomous load response depending upon a characteristic of an electrical supply, for example electrical energy cost, frequency and/or electrical supply magnitude. The responsive load (140) is operable to provide an autonomous load response whose characteristics are determined by a control signal received at the responsive load (140) which determines a manner of operation of the responsive load (140), and/or to provide an autonomous load response depending upon one or more processes which have been previously executed by the responsive load (140).

Description

RESPONSIVE LOAD SYSTEM AND METHOD
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to responsive loads operable to provide load response to electrical power networks when coupled thereto. Moreover, the present invention concerns methods of operating responsive loads to provide load response to electrical power networks. Furthermore, the present invention relates to software products, for example a system configuration of software products, recorded on machine-readable data storage media and executable on computing hardware for implementing aforementioned methods.
Background to the invention
In United Kingdom patents nos. GB2426878, GB2436252 and GB2436253 (David Hirst, RLtec Ltd.), there are described responsive loads and associated methods of providing load response in responsive loads. The responsive loads are operable so that a physical variable thereof, for example a temperature of a thermal mass thereof, is maintained between upper and lower threshold limits, and that an instantaneous value of the physical variable of the responsive loads is varied to provide a degree of load response. Optionally, the loads are operable to function in an ON/OFF manner, for example as for compressors of refrigerators. The responsive loads are operable to seek to compensate at least partially for variations of a physical variable, for example a frequency and/or magnitude, of electrical power supplied from an electrical supply network to which the responsive loads are connected when in operation.
The responsive loads are operable, as aforementioned, to control a physical variable or parameter associated therewith between upper and lower limits in response to a modulating control input, for example an electrical power supply frequency; such control has a potential effect of increasing or decreasing power consumption of the responsive loads. While an instantaneous value of a physical variable or parameter of a responsive load may remain within in tolerance between the upper and lower limits, an average value of the physical variable or parameter is correspondingly lowered or raised over relatively shorter timescales, for example within a 24 hour timescale, by way of load response functionality being provided by the responsive load. For example, a change in electrical power supply frequency causing decreased consumption more than increased consumption may result in an average value of a physical variable or parameter being raised, for example temperature within a refrigeration unit. A responsive load may require, for example, that more than one of its physical parameters be maintained within corresponding threshold limits. For example, a compressor providing cooling to a refrigeration facility is not contemporarily controlled from merely a single temperature sensor, but rather a plurality of spatially distributed temperature sensors. In such a situation, control algorithms necessary for controlling the responsive load may be far more complex than described in the aforementioned published patents which relate to relatively simpler types of responsive load.
Control of the responsive load may require, for example, that a plurality of physical variables or parameters of the responsive load be maintained between their respective threshold limits, with a result that an effectiveness of the responsive load to provide demand response, namely load response, as a function of electrical power supply frequency may be limited in certain responsive load operating circumstances.
One or more of the physical variables or parameters may relate, for example, to a number of switching cycles of mechanical components, for example stop/start cycles of a compressor or ON/OFF cycles of a mechanical power relay controlling a powerful inductive load. Thus, control of a large refrigeration plant may require that a plurality of temperature signals as well as consideration of a number of stop/start cycles executed as a plurality of physical variables or parameters be taken into account when controlling the large refrigeration plant to provide responsive load functionality therefrom. In a published US patent application no. US 2008/0185451 A1 (Tim Simon Inc.), there is described an energy control system for helping to reduce energy consumption from an energy grid. The system includes a power meter which receives a first power- save signal and generates a second power-save signal for receipt by a control device. A target temperature for a thermostat is changed for a period of time in response to the second power-save signal. The control device can create a third power-save signal for receipt by a power-save adapter for an associated energy- consuming unit to permit only limited operation of the energy-consuming unit. The energy control system is thus operable to receive control signals and distribute them to one or more power consuming devices to provide demand response.
In a published United States patent application no. US2010/0088261 A1 (Montalvo), there is described a manner in which a fully automated demand response may be implemented at end users, in accordance with terms agreed to by the end users to reduce energy demand during demand response events. Demand reduction actions are optionally automatically implemented at the end users in an absence of a demand response event, to implement energy demand curtailment according to criteria of the end users, wherein the demand reduction actions are determined based on monitoring data and hierarchy of demand reduction actions and using artificial intelligence and neural networks.
In a published PCT patent application no. WO2010/031012A1 (General Electric Company), there is described a method and system for communicating with an associated home appliance having a micro-controller, wherein the system includes a meter device that emits a signal in response to data indicative of energy operational costs. One or more RFID tags receive a master device signal. The one or more RFID tags are connected to associated one or more home appliance microcontrollers to control operational modes of home appliances. Optionally, the RFID tags are responsive to distinct frequency signals emitted by a master device and representative of different modes of operation for the associated home appliance.
In a published PCT patent application no. WO 2010/065197A2 (American Power Conversion Corporation), there is described a power reduction aggregation system which includes a central server and a plurality of power reduction devices. The control server of the power reduction aggregate system includes a network interface configured to transmit and receive information to and from a communication network. Moreover, the system includes a power grid status module coupled to the network and configured to transmit a power stats message to the network, via the network interface, towards at least two power reduction devices connected to the network. Furthermore, the system includes a power savings compensation module configured to determine an aggregate compensation earned for providing an aggregate energy reduction induced by the at least two power reduction devices in response to receiving the power status message. The system is configured to determine individual parties of the aggregate compensation associated with each of the at least two power reduction devices.
A contemporary problem arising in practice is that electrical supply grid operators relying on responsive loads to assist to stabilize dynamic operation of associated electrical power distribution grids or networks may potentially not be satisfied with known types of single-mode-of-operation responsive loads which provide an inflexible response characteristic when challenging grid balancing requirements arise, wherein, in certain circumstances, these single-mode-of-operation responsive loads may potentially risk causing and/or worsening conditions of instability of associated electrical power supply grids or networks.
Summary of the invention
The present invention seeks to increase a number of responsive loads available for assisting to stabilize electrical power networks subject to dynamically varying generating capacity and varying overall load on the networks by including responsive loads under complex control, wherein a plurality of physical variables or parameters are to be maintained within corresponding threshold limits.
Additionally, the invention seeks to utilize responsive load characteristics of responsive loads more effectively when assisting to stabilize electrical power networks.
Moreover, the invention seeks to provide load response in such a way that an electrical power bill, namely cost of electrical power supplied, associated with each responsive load is not affected.
Furthermore, the invention seeks to reduce operating wear-and-tear on diverse types of responsive loads when assisting to stabilize electrical power networks.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a responsive load as claimed in appended claim 1 : there is provided a responsive load including at least one power-consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement, wherein the responsive load is operable to provide a load response depending upon at least one physical parameter describing operating characteristics of the electrical power network, characterized in that the responsive load is operable to provide a load response whose characteristics are determined by one or more control signals received at the responsive load which determines a manner of operation of the responsive load, and/or to provide a load response depending upon one or more processes which have been previously executed by the responsive load.
The invention is of advantage in that the responsive load is capable of providing a load response, namely demand response, for network load balancing purposes whilst simultaneously accommodating complex processes occurring in association with the responsive load.
The control signal is optionally an ancillary signal, for example including information regarding one or more of: a cost of electricity via the network, a future projected cost of electricity, a frequency of electrical supply from the network, a reference frequency, a time reference, a magnitude of electrical supply from the network, a magnitude of load on the network, instructions to load shed, instructions to increase load, a black-out restart , a brown-out restart.
Optionally, the responsive load is operable to provide a semi-autonomous or autonomous load response, based on parameters measured spatially locally at the responsive load.
The invention is capable of avoiding synchronization between a plurality of responsive loads mutually connected to a same electrical power distribution network. Moreover, the present invention is potentially capable of providing substantially a fullest extent of load response as possible when operating in an active state for providing load response. Furthermore, the invention is capable of avoiding excess wear-and-tear occurring in responsive loads exhibiting ON/OFF cycles, ramping cycles or similar when in operation.
Contemporary dynamic demand response functionality results in increased power dissipation being potentially exhibited by responsive loads, with a possibility of excessively frequent switching of the responsive loads; such frequent switching is susceptible to result in increased wear-and-tear or breakage, problems of stability issues resulting from network feedback mechanisms or spatially local feedback; the present invention addresses such problems, thereby providing a better responsive load service. Optionally, the responsive load is implemented so that the control arrangement includes a communication arrangement for receiving the one or more external control signals indicative of the at least one physical parameter describing operating characteristics of the electrical power network for controlling operation of the responsive load to provide load response, wherein the at least one physical parameter describes at least one of;
(a) a cost of energy being provided to the electrical power network;
(b) a rate of change of the at least one physical parameter; and
(c) a control signal providing instruction to the responsive load to operate in a predefined manner. Optionally, the control arrangement of the responsive load includes a smart meter, for example a communication-enabled domestic smart meter for monitoring domestic power consumption.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the control arrangement includes frequency detecting means for detecting an electrical supply frequency of an electrical supply provided from the electrical power network to the responsive load and/or detecting frequency deviations of the electrical supply for controlling operation of the responsive load to provide load response.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the communication arrangement is adapted to supply values representative of one or more physical variables and/or operational variables from the device to the control arrangement for controlling the load response. For example, the responsive loads communicate their status regarding providing responsive load to the control arrangement, so that the control arrangement is capable of making decisions in respect of an aggregate of responsive load capacity available to the control arrangement to use of network balancing purposes. Optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the device is operable to maintain one or more physical control variables or parameters within controlled threshold limits; and variables supplied by the communication arrangement to the control arrangement include the physical control variables or parameters together 5 with the controlled threshold limits. More optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the physical variables include the power consumption status of the device.
Optionally, the responsive load is operable to switch between a plurality of different operating modes M, wherein selection between the different modes M is determined jLu uy en leciai υι ΐϋ υι.
(a) a physical condition of the responsive load and/or a process being executed by the responsive load;
(b) at least one physical variable describing a characteristic of electrical supply provided to the responsive load;
15 (c) a control signal provided to the responsive load; and
(d) one or more instructions generated by the control arrangement regarding operation of the responsive load.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the plurality of different modes M includes an inactive mode of operation MO in which the responsive load is 0 inhibited from providing demand load response for assisting to stabilize operation of the electrical power network, and at least one active mode M/7 in which the responsive load is enabled to provide load response for assisting to stabilize operation of the electrical power network.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the communication 5 arrangement includes at least one of:
(a) interconnections wherein the control arrangement is implemented by at least one circuit board incorporated into or in close spatial proximity to the device;
(b) a general data communication network providing for data communication over an extensive geographical area; and (c) a wireless data communication network.
More optionally, the responsive load includes an output (S1) coupled via the communication arrangement to the control arrangement indicative of whether or not the responsive load is capable of operating in any mode other than the inactive mode MO.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the control arrangement is at least partially spatially remote from the device, and that the communication arrangement includes a communication network.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented, such that the control arrangement is spatially local to the device, and the communication arrangement is either externally wired or linked in software. For example, at least a portion of the control arrangement is spatially located at the responsive load, for example on a mutually same printed circuit board.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented, such that the control arrangement includes an operator of the electrical power network and/or an operator of the generation arrangement.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a responsive load including at least one power-consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement, characterized in that the method includes one or more steps of:
(a) providing a load response whose characteristics are determined by a control signal received at the responsive load which determines a manner of operation of the responsive load; and
(b) providing a load response depending upon one or more processes which have been previously executed by the responsive load. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a responsive load adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, characterized in that the responsive load is operable to adjust energy stored and/or power consumed within itself to a neutral value when in its inactive mode of operation MO wherein the responsive load is disabled from providing load response for stabilizing the network; and the responsive load is operable to provide a load response from the neuirai vaiue when the load is switched from its inactive mode of operation MO to its active mode of operation Mn, wherein the responsive load is operable to provide the load response as a function of at least one physical variable of an electrical supply from the network provided to the responsive load when the responsive load is in its active mode of operation Mn. Optionally, the responsive load is implemented, such that the neutral value of operation is in a range of 20% and 80% between minimum and maximum power consumption of the responsive load or energy storage within the responsive load. More optionally, the responsive load is implemented, such that the neutral value corresponds to a mid-value of stored energy in the responsive load in respect of maximum and minimum thresholds of stored energy allowable in the responsive load.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented, such that the neutral value corresponds to a long-term behavior of the responsive load.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a responsive load adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, characterized in that the method includes:
(a) operating the load to adjust energy stored within itself to a neutral value when in its inactive mode of operation M0 wherein the responsive load is disabled from providing load response for stabilizing the network; and (b) operating the responsive load to provide response from the neutral value when the responsive load is switched from its inactive mode of operation to its active mode of operation Mn, wherein the responsive load is operable to provide a load response as a function of at least one physical variable describing characteristics of electrical supply provided to the responsive load when the responsive load is in its active mode of operation Mn.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a responsive load adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, wherein the responsive load is operable in its active mode of operation Mn to provide a load response by varying energy stored therein as a function of at least one physical variable describing a physical variable of an electrical supply provided thereto from the power network, and wherein the responsive load is operable to exhibit discrete ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles during which an amount of energy stored in the load is varied to provide the load response, characterized in that the responsive load includes a control arrangement for monitoring a number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles executed by the responsive load from commencement of the active mode of operation, and for disabling the load response provided by the responsive load to an inactive mode of operation after the responsive load has performed a predetermined number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles.
Optionally, the responsive load is periodically reset from its inactive mode of operation back to its active mode of operation. According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a responsive load adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, wherein the responsive load is operable in its active mode of operation to provide load response by varying energy stored therein as a function of at least one physical variable describing a characteristic of an electrical supply provided thereto from the power network, and wherein the responsive load is operable to exhibit discrete ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles during which an energy storage capacity of the load is varied to provide the load response, characterized in that the method includes: using a control arrangement of the responsive load for monitoring a number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles executed by the responsive load from commencement of the active mode of operation, and for disabling the load response provided by the load to an inactive mode of operation after the responsive load has performed a predetermined number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles. According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a responsive load including a power-consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement, wherein the control arrangement is operable to control the responsive load to provide a demand load response depending upon at least one physical variable describing a characteristic of an electrical supply from the network when the responsive load is operating in its active mode, characterized in that the active mode has associated therewith a plurality of mutually different operating algorithms for controlling power consumption of the power-consuming device when providing load response, and wherein the control arrangement is operable to select amongst one or more of the plurality of operating algorithms in response to changes of a physical variable of the power-consuming device and/or in response to the at least one physical variable of electrical supply from the network and/or in respect of time.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented, such that the device includes an output coupled via the communication arrangement to the control arrangement indicative of whether or not the responsive load is capable of being switched between its plurality of different operating algorithms. Optionally, the responsive load is implemented such that the operating algorithms are mutually related in a hierarchical manner.
Optionally, the responsive load is implemented, such that a selection amongst the operating algorithms is dependent upon a history of one or more previous operating algorithm executed for controlling the responsive load.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a responsive load including a power-consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network to a power generation arrangement, and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement, wherein the control arrangement is operable to control the responsive load to provide a load response depending upon at least one physical variable describing a characteristic of electrical supply from the network when the responsive load is operating in its active mode, characterized in that the method includes: (a) arranging for the active mode to have associated therewith a plurality of mutually different operating algorithms for controlling power consumption of the power-consuming device when providing load response; and
(b) operating the control arrangement to select between one or more of the plurality of operating algorithms in response to changes of a physical variable of the power-consuming device and/or in response to the at least one physical parameter describing characteristics of electrical supply from the network and/or in respect of time.
According to a ninth aspect of the invention, there is provided a system configuration of software products recorded on machine-readable data storage media, wherein the configuration of software products is executable upon computing hardware for implement a method pursuant to at least one of the second, fourth, sixth and eighth aspect of the invention.
Features of the invention are susceptible to being combined together in various combinations without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Description of the diagrams
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the diagrams wherein: FIG. 1 is an illustration of a conventional electric power network system which forms a basis for the present invention;
FIG. 2A is an illustration of a first embodiment of an electrical power network system pursuant to the present invention, wherein a control arrangement is spatially remote from its corresponding responsive load; optionally, the control arrangement includes a communication-enabled smart meter, for example a domestic smart meter;
FIG. 2B is an alternative illustration of a second embodiment of an electrical power network system pursuant to the present invention, wherein a control arrangement is spatially collocated with each corresponding responsive load;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of control input and output of a responsive load pursuant to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an illustration of a responsive load power system including a kiln arrangement for providing responsive load services to a power distribution system; and
FIG. 5 is an illustration of a responsive load power system including a fan-cooled server arrangement for providing responsive load services to a power distribution system.
In the accompanying diagrams, an underlined number is employed to represent an item over which the underlined number is positioned or an item to which the underlined number is adjacent. A non-underlined number relates to an item identified by a line linking the non-underlined number to the item. When a number is non- underlined and accompanied by an associated arrow, the non-underlined number is used to identify a general item at which the arrow is pointing. Description of embodiments of the invention
Referring to FIG. 1 , a conventional electrical power network system is indicated generally by 10. The system 10 includes an arrangement of power generators 20, an electrical power distribution network 30 and an arrangement of power consumes represented by an arrangement of loads 40. The arrangement of loads 40 includes at least one of domestic, commercial and industrial activities. The arrangement of power generators 20 includes at least one of: nuclear power stations, coal power stations, gas power stations, oil-powered generators, hydroelectric generators, wind turbines, combined heat-and-power generators powered by refuse, soiar panels, geothermal power generators and ocean wave energy generation systems. Spatially, the arrangement of generators 20, the power distribution network 30 and the arrangement of loads 40 can be intermingled. In operation, one or more of the arrangement of generators 20, the power distribution network 30 and the loads 40 are temporally changing.
An operator of the network 30 is usually contractually obliged to provide the loads 40 with an electrical supply conforming to certain frequency limits and amplitude limits. Such control of the network 30 involves the operator sending control signals to the generators 20 as well as optionally controlling an energy storage facility 50 of the network 30, for example implemented by way of a hydroelectric pump storage arrangement such as Dinorwig, Wales. An amplitude and frequency of electricity supplied via the electrical power network 30 tends to fall as an overall load L0 on the network 30 is increased, and vice versa. The overall load L0 presented by the loads 40 can be subject to considerable diurnal variations, and is also potentially affected by season of year. It is contemporary practice to control the generators 20 to track the overall load L0 presented by the loads 40. However, the generators 20 are susceptible themselves to being subject to temporal variations, for example when a portion of the generators 20 include wind turbines and/or photovoltaic devices; on certain days, there is less wind, and the Sun is obscured by clouds from time-to-time. Moreover, one or more of the generators 20 may, for example, be at least partially out of action at a given time on account of a need to implement maintenance work and/or on account of technical failure. A more recent approach for stabilizing the network 30 is to control a portion of the loads 40 in response to one or more physical parameters of an electrical supply from the network to the loads 40; such control is known as "smart grid" wherein the loads 40 become "responsive loads". Optionally, the loads 40 are capable of providing load response in an autonomous manner. The one or more physical parameters include one or more of:
(a) a frequency of electrical power supplied from the network 30;
(b) a magnitude of electrical power supplied form the network 30, for example power and/or voltage;
(c) a power loading in the network 30;
(d) a rate of change of a physical variable of the network 30; and
(e) an instantaneous cost, or future anticipated cost, of supplying electrical power to the network 30; and
(f) an ancillary signal from a network operator for controlling the loads 40, for example a timing signal, a frequency reference signal, a control signal for providing recovery from, for example, a black-out or brown-out situation when he network 30 needs to be restart or partially restarted.
Such control of the loads 40 is optionally implemented from a centralized location, for example from a control facility managing operation of the network 30. Alternatively, the control is implemented, at least in part, locally at the loads 40, namely in an semi- autonomous or autonomous manner; in such case, communication-enabled domestic smart meters optionally form a part of the control facility. Control from a centralized location incurs cost and complexity associated with communicating control signals. Conversely, autonomous control results in potentially a lack of information available to an operator of the network 30 regarding how much responsive load capacity is available within the arrangement of loads 40. Moreover, there are also potentially concerns regarding whether or not the network 30 is stable under all operating conditions when a high proportion of its loads 40 are operable to provide the network 30 with a responsive load service to assist to stabilize operation of the network 30, namely to maintain one or more of its physical variables, for example its operating frequency, within upper and lower limits and/or to maintain its voltage within upper and lower limits. An unknown configuration of autonomous responsive loads 40 potentially represents a multi-pole feedback arrangement which can suffer oscillations due to positive feedback effects as well as a tendency to synchronize their switching activities where employed. Moreover, when a portion of the loads 40 are implemented as responsive loads for providing a commercial load balancing service to an operator of the network 30, there often arises a need to verify a degree of load balancing service that has been provided by the portion of the loads 40, and an indication when the load balancing service has been provided. Such information is of relevance when a commercial contract has been executed between the operator of the network 30 and the portion of the loads 40 for compensating for the cost of being able to operate the portion of loads 40 as responsive loads.
The present invention is concerned with an electrical power network system 100 as illustrated in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. In FIG. 2A, an arrangement of responsive loads 140 is coupled via an electrical power distribution network 130 to an arrangement of generators 120. Each load 140 includes one or more power-consuming devices, for example refrigerators, space heaters, immersion heaters, water heaters, heat pumps, production machinery, ovens, kilns, water pumps, lighting, electrical motor arrangements, electric vehicles, fans and so forth. Each load 140 is provided with a control arrangement 110 which is optionally, at least in part, located at a spatially remote location 160 in relation to the loads 140, for example at a centralized control location wherefrom the power distribution network 130 is managed. In FIG. 2B, each responsive load 140 coupled to the network 130 has spatially collocated thereat a corresponding control arrangement 110. Optionally, the control arrangements 110 of the responsive loads 140 beneficially exchange information therebetween for coordinating operation of their loads 140, for example in a peer-to-peer manner; for example control arrangement 110 include domestic smart meters which are communication enabled to receive signals indicative of at least one physical variable describing operating characteristics of the network 130.
Whereas certain types of responsive loads 140 are usually operated in a generally continuous manner whilst coupled to the network 130, for example domestic refrigerators are usually in pseudo-constant operation throughout a day and usually include an approximately constant thermal load, corresponding to a substantially constant inventory of contents, other types of responsive loads 140 can be highly temporally variable but nevertheless are useful for providing demand response to the network 130 and/or the generators 120. Variable types of load 140 include water pumps for irrigation, industrial ovens for manufacturing processes, domestic kettles, immersion heaters, and transport systems which are employed on an intermittent basis. For example, certain responsive loads are only available at certain times of day, for example a domestic hot water immersion heater may be controlled by a timer clock so that the immersion heater is only powered when an owner of a corresponding domestic premises is in residence. As a further example, power consumed by an immersion heater associated with a hot water tank is highly dependent upon a rate at which heated water is removed from the tank and replaced with corresponding cold water, for example during showering activities where hot water is extracted at a high rate from the tank. Removal of water from the tank enhances a period during which its immersion heater can be potentially operated at elevated power consumption for providing a response load characteristic in comparison to a static situation where the tank is filled with a charge of water in a dormant manner, wherein the water is substantially within a desired temperature range and the tank is well lagged with thermal insulation. The inventors of the present invention have appreciated, for example, that the tank with its associated immersion heater are susceptible to provide potentially a responsive load characteristic when dormant in a first mode M1 of operation, and also when providing heated water therefrom in a second mode of operation M2, although very different responsive load control algorithms, or algorithm defining parameters, are required depending upon which mode of operation is utilized for the immersion heater. In other words, responsive loads 140 pursuant to the present invention are susceptible to respond to changes at least one physical variable, for example frequency and/or magnitude and/or cost, of an electrical supply from the network 130 as well as to at least one physical variable or parameter of the load 140, by switching amongst a plurality of modes M of operation, wherein each mode M of operation has associated therewith a corresponding degree of responsive load characteristic exhibited by the load 140 coupled to the network 130. Such operation is to be juxtaposed against conventional responsive loads 140 that essentially operate pursuant to a single mode of operation, for example domestic refrigerators configured to provide a responsive load functionality. In many situations, it is desirable to be able to ascertain in real time a capacity of the system 100 to provide responsive loads 140 for stabilizing operation of the network 130. The real time capacity will be a function of which operating mode M is instantaneously active in each of the responsive loads 140. Beneficially, as illustrated in FIG. 3, each of the responsive loads 140 includes an associated output S1 indicative of which mode M of operation pertains to the responsive load 140. The output S1 from each load 140 is beneficially coupled to the control arrangement 110 so that the control arrangement 110 is provided with information regarding whether or not the load 140 is available to provide demand response, namely to provide load response to assist to stabilize operation of the network 130. Optionally, the output S1 is also indicative of which of a plurality of potential modes M is being executed in operation by its associated responsive load 140. For example, a population of responsive loads 140 are arranged to provide feedback to a central control facility responsible for operating the network 130 regarding which operating modes M are instantaneously available in the loads 140; the central control facility provided with such information is then in a more informed state regarding the loads 140 for making decisions regarding how to balance the network 130.
Optionally, each responsive load 140 includes an input S2 for receiving from the control arrangement 110 instructions to switch the responsive load 140 between its plurality of operating modes M. In an example situation, certain responsive loads 140 of the system 100 are nominally in an inactive non-responsive state M0, but are susceptible to being activated to one or more active states Mn, wherein n = 1 , 2, 3 to provide load response in a situation wherein the network 130 is under extreme electrical load stress, for example by way of: (a) an emergency overload situation on the network 130 caused by excessive total aggregate load coupled thereto;
(b) a situation where restart of the network 130 after shutdown thereof is required ("blackout" or "brownout"); and
(c) a situation where considerable generator 120 capacity has been lost from the network 130 such that a total aggregate load presented by the loads 140 coupled to the network 130 must be rapidly reduced. In such a situation, the responsive loads 140 for a given mode M of their operation optionally function in an autonomous manner, but a control of which modes M the loads 140 execute is controlled by the control arrangement 110, for example from a centralized control centre for the electrical power network 130 and/or from a control centre from which the generators 120 are controlled. When centralized control of operating modes M is employed, and response control within each operating mode M is beneficially controlled spatially locally at the responsive loads 140, namely autonomously at the responsive loads 140, a volume of data needed to be communicated between the control arrangement 110 and the responsive loads 140 can be considerably reduced. Such data reduction enables many loads 140 widely distributed over a geographical region to be controlled by wireless, without a need to communicate vast amounts of control data. Moreover, monitoring the control modes M via the outputs S1 received at the control arrangement 110 provides an efficient manner for the control arrangement 110 to acquire information regarding a total responsive load capacity available in real time; such information can be considerable benefit when operating an electrical network load balancing service in return for payment. In certain circumstances, the control arrangement 110 is spatially collocated with the load 140, and may optionally include an existing a prion controller as a part of its operating characteristics. In certain situations, the responsive loads 140 include electromechanical components, for example compressors, pumps, electric motors, fans, actuated baffles, which are susceptible to undergoing a finite number of cycles before needing maintenance or replacement. For such components, it is desirable to limit a degree of wear-and-tear experienced by the components over a given period of time. The control arrangement 110 is beneficially operable to cause certain of the loads 140 to switch between their modes M, for example from an active responsive load mode M3 to an inactive non-responsive load mode M0 after a predetermined number of ON/OFF cycles and/or mechanical movements and/or speed changes have been performed. After attaining the inactive mode M0, corresponding loads 140 are permitted to return to the responsive load modes M3 after a certain period of time has elapsed after switching to the inactive mode M0. The responsive loads 140, as aforementioned, each include at least one power- consuming device adapted to be connected via the electrical power network 130 to the power generator arrangement 120, and are adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to the control arrangement 110. The communication arrangement includes, for example, circuit board tracks when spatial collocation pertains, a software link, a wireless communication link, a data network link (for example via Internet). Each responsive load 140 is operable to provide a load response depending upon at least physical variable of the network 130, for example a frequency and/or magnitude of an electrical supply provided to the responsive load 140, and/or an external control signal. The control signal optionally includes information regarding cost of electricity being supplied, projected cost of electricity, total load on the network, electrical power generating capacity available to the network 130 from the power generator arrangement 120, and so forth. Moreover, the responsive load 140 is operable to switch between a plurality of different operating modes M, wherein selection between the different modes is determined by at least one of:
(a) a physical condition of the load 140 and/or a process being executed by the responsive load 140;
(b) at least one physical characteristic of the network 130, for example its frequency and/or magnitude of the electrical supply provided to the load 140 and/or a control signal provided to control the responsive load 140; and
(c) one or more instructions generated by the control arrangement 110 regarding operation of the load 140.
The responsive loads 140 each beneficially include the aforementioned output S1 coupled via the communication arrangement 120 to the control arrangement 110 indicative of whether or not the responsive load 140 is capable of being switched from a given mode Ma to another given mode Mb of the plurality of different operating modes of the load 140. The communication arrangement 120 can, for example, be an optical fibre data link, a wireless data link, and electrical cable data link, or any combination thereof. Optionally, the communication arrangement 120 includes a communication network, for example the Internet. As aforementioned, the control arrangement 110, which determines which operating mode M is adopted by a given load 140, is optionally is at least partially spatially remote from the load 140 and/or its associated one or more power-consuming devices. Optionally, the control arrangement 110 is spatially located with the load 140 and/or associated one or more power-consuming devices, namely in a semi-autonomous or substantially autonomous manner. Optionally, the control arrangement 110 includes an operator of the electrical power network 130 and/or an operator of the generator arrangement 120 when more centralized control of the network 130 is desired. In situations wherein control of the network 130 becomes unstable, for example because of multiple poles in responses of loads 140 connected to the network 130 and operable to provide load balancing services thereto, it is desirable that one or more of the loads 140 operate pursuant to a plurality of potential modes M, wherein the modes M include an inactive mode M0 of operation in which the one or more loads 140 are inhibited from providing demand load response for assisting to stabilize operation of the electrical power network 130 by reducing instability oscillation amplitudes; such a "safe mode" M0 potentially removes multiple response poles which give rise to the control instabilities. Such instabilities can also arise from a plurality of the loads 140 which unintentionally mutually synchronize in their switching characteristics, wherein these instabilities can be addressed in a similar manner as aforementioned. Beneficially, the control arrangement 110 is adapted to provide selection between the plurality of modes M for a given load 140 based upon an adaptive filtering of at least one physical variable of the network 130, for example frequency and/or magnitude of electrical supply provided from the network 130 to the load 140. Such adaptive filtering alters a temporal response characteristic of the load 140 to variations in the electrical supply. For example, in an event that a severe deviation of mains electricity response occurs such that many responsive loads 140 are invoked into operation in an active mode Mn, the adaptive filtering employed to control the loads 140 is beneficially rendered more sluggish, namely with a longer time constant or lower pole frequency. Such more sluggish response is potentially beneficial in several ways: a risk of the network 130 becoming unstable in an oscillatory manner is reduced on account of a single dominant response pole of the loads 140 providing a substantially simple first order power consuming characteristic to the loads 140 coupled to the network 130 which is more straightforward to control by way of feedback, and wear-and-tear of the load 140 when operating in a switching ON/OFF, ramp or stepped manner is reduced. Optionally, temporal responsive of the loads 140 is quickened for smaller frequency deviations and/or magnitude deviations from a nominal centre frequency and/or amplitude, for example less than +/- 0.1 Hz deviation from a nominal mean frequency of 50.0 Hz, and rendered more sluggish for larger deviations from a nominal centre frequency and/or amplitude, for example greater than +/- 0.3 Hz deviation from the nominal centre frequency and/or amplitude. Optionally, the centre frequency and/or amplitude are fixed for the entire network 130. Alternatively, the centre frequency and/or amplitude are based on historical values, for example is a moving average of frequency and/or amplitude of electrical supply from the network 130.
The loads 140 are potentially of a mutually different nature and therefore controllable in mutually different ways to provide responsive load stabilization of the network 130. Such response diversity is desirable for preventing mutual synchronization of mutually similar types of responsive-load power consuming devices which are operable to function in an ON/OFF switching manner, for example populations of domestic refrigeration and/or heat pump devices whose compressors function in an ON/OFF manner. In order to reduce any tendency towards mutual synchronization, the filter employed for each load 140 or device is adapted to a power consumption and/or temporal response characteristic of the load 140 or device respectively. Optionally, a tendency for the network 130 to experience operating instability when response loads 140 are coupled thereto is reduced by at least one of:
(a) changing one or more control limits of at least one physical variable of the at least one device;
(b) changing one or more temporal response characteristics of the at least one device; changing operation of the device to provide only high-end response or low-end response; (d) selecting an alternative process to be executed by the at least one device. Beneficially, the loads 140 and their associated one or more power-consuming and/or power storing devices are adapted to operate around a neutral value from which at least one of high-end response and low-end response is possible in relation to changes of frequency and/or amplitude occurring in the network 130. The load 140 is operable to adjust energy stored and/or power consumed within itself to the neutral value when in its inactive mode of operation wherein the load 140 is substantially disabled from providing load response for stabilizing the network 130, and the load 140 is operable to provide a load response from the neutral value when the load 140 is switched from its inactive mode M0 of operation to its active mode Mn of operation, wherein n = 1 , 2, 3 wherein the load 140 is operable to provide the load response as a function of at least one physical variable, for example frequency and/or magnitude and/or a cost indicative signal, of electrical supply provided to the load 140 when the load 140 is in its active mode Mn of operation. Beneficially, the neutral value of operation is in a range of 20% and 80% between minimum and maximum power consumption and/or energy storage within the load 140. Optionally, the neutral value corresponds to a mid-value of stored energy in the load 140 in respect of maximum and minimum thresholds of stored energy allowable in the load 140, for example a hot water tank is maintained at the neutral value which lies approximately midway, for example within 35% to 75% of its operating temperature range, between its maximum and minimum allowable temperature limits Optionally, the neutral value corresponds to a long-term behavior of the load 140, for example a nominal adjustment temperature that users of the load 140 usually select manually.
The present invention also concerns a method of operating the responsive load 140 adapted to be connected via the electrical power network 130 to the power generator arrangement 120, wherein the load 140 is operable in its active mode of operation to provide load response by varying energy stored therein as a function of a physical variable, for example a frequency and/or a magnitude, of an electrical supply provided thereto from the power network 130, and wherein the load 140 is operable to exhibit discrete ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles during which an energy storage capacity of the load 140 is varied to provide the load response. The method beneficially includes using the control arrangement 110 associated with the responsive load 140 for monitoring a number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles executed by the load 140 from commencement of the active mode of operation, and for disabling the load response provided by the load 140 to an inactive mode of operation after the load has performed a predetermined number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change systems or similar.
Alternatively, the responsive load 140 includes a power-consuming device adapted to be connected via the electrical power network 130 to a power generator arrangement 120, and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement 110, wherein the control arrangement 110 is operable to send a control signal to the load 140 to control the load 140 for providing a demand ioad response depending upon at least one physical variable of the network 130, for example a frequency and/or a magnitude of electrical supply from the network 130, when the load 140 is operating in its active mode Mn; the active mode Mn has associated therewith a plurality of mutually different operating algorithms for controlling power consumption of the power-consuming device when providing load response, and wherein the control arrangement 110 is operable to select amongst one or more of the plurality of operating algorithms in response to changes of a physical variable of the power-consuming device and/or in response to the at least one physical variable, for example frequency and/or magnitude of electrical supply from the network 130 and/or in respect of time and/or in respect of cost of electricity supplied via the network 130. More optionally, the responsive load 140 is implemented so that the device includes an output S1 coupled via the communication arrangement to the control arrangement 110 indicative of whether or not the responsive load 140 is capable of being switched between its plurality of different operating algorithms. Beneficially, the operating algorithms are mutually related in a hierarchical manner. Optionally, a selection amongst the operating algorithms is dependent upon a history of one or more previous operating algorithm executed for controlling the responsive load 140.
Beneficially, the loads 140 of the system 100 are operable to function according to modes of operation which are determined by physical phenomena occurring within the loads 140. The system 100 therefore beneficially employs a method of operating the responsive load 140 including its associated power-consuming device adapted to be connected via the electrical power network 130 to the power generator arrangement 120, and is adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to the control arrangement 110. The control arrangement 110 is operable to control the load 140 to provide a load response depending upon at least one physical variable, for example a frequency and/or magnitude of electrical supply from the network 130, when the load 140 is operating in its active mode Mn. The method includes:
(a) arranging for the active mode Mn to have associated therewith a plurality of mutually different operating algorithms for controlling power consumption of the power-consuming device when providing ioad response to the network i30; and
(b) operating the control arrangement 110 to select between one or more of the plurality of operating algorithms in response to changes of a physical variable of the power-consuming device and/or in response to the at least one physical variable of electrical supply from the network 130 and/or in respect of time.
Optionally, the power-consuming device and/or its associated load 140 includes the output S1 coupled via the communication arrangement to the control arrangement 110 indicative of whether or not the responsive load 140 is capable of being switched between its plurality of different operating algorithms. Beneficially, the operating algorithms are mutually related in a hierarchical manner, for example as will be described in greater detail later. Optionally, in operation, a selection amongst the operating algorithms is dependent upon a history of one or more previous operating algorithm executed for controlling the responsive load 140.
Some example of loads 140 implemented pursuant to the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. In FIG. 4, an example of the load 140 is a ceramic kiln arrangement of a ceramics factory. The kiln arrangement is indicated by 200 and includes first, second and third kilns 210, 220, 230 in sequence with a conveyor arrangement 240 running therethrough. The kilns 210, 220, 230 are equipped with electrical heaters 250, 260, 270 respectively for maintaining the kilns 210, 220, 230 at temperatures of T1 , T2, T3 respectively. The electrical heaters 250, 260, 270 are coupled via a power control unit 300 to the network 130 as aforementioned. The control unit 300 is coupled via an output S1 and an input S2 as aforementioned to the external control arrangement 110. The control arrangement 110 is operable to oversee operation of responsive loads 140 coupled to the network 130. The control unit 300 optionally provides autonomous control via the input S2 of the kilns 210, 220, 230, optionally pursuant to some general directions provided from the control arrangement 110. The general directions via the input S2 from the control arrangement 110 beneficially include information regarding anticipated future load on the network 130, emergency situations arising from partial failure of the network 130 requiring a total load on the network 130 to be reduced rapidly to avoid network 130 collapse, a cost of electrical supply provided via the network 130, a future projected cost of electrical supply provided via the network 130, and rate of change of a physical variable of the network 130, and rate of change of cost of electrical supply to the network 130 and similar general management information. Moreover, for monitoring and financial compensation to the operator of the kiln arrangement 200, the control arrangement 110 collates information sent via the output S1 from the control unit 300 of the kiln arrangement 200 regarding a temporal record of its modes M of operation of the kiln arrangement 200 and hence an indication of response load service that the kiln arrangement 200 has provided to the network 130 to assist to maintain its operating stability to match power supply from the generator arrangement 120 to the network 130 in a first part, to total load 140 applied to the network 130 in a second part.
The kiln arrangement 200 is operable to manufacture a range of ceramic products involving mutually different manufacturing processes in which the kilns 210, 220, 230 are operated within various different temperature ranges depending upon the type of ceramic product being manufactured, with corresponding varying amounts of power being consumed by the heaters 250, 260, 270 of the kilns 210, 220, 230 respectively. Certain processes occurring within the kilns 210, 220, 230 for manufacturing certain types of ceramic products require associated temperatures T1 , T2, T3 to be tightly controlled within relatively narrow temperature limits, whereas other processes for other types of products can be implemented with relatively wider temperature limits. Clearly, an ability of the kiln arrangement 200 to provide a responsive load service to the network 130 is a function of processes being executed at any given time within the arrangement 200. Whereas narrower temperature limits provide for relatively little responsive load service, wider temperature limits provide for a corresponding wider range of power consumption by the heaters 250, 260, 270 and hence more responsive load capacity. Temperature ranges adopted for the kilns 210, 220, 230 can potentially influence a quality of products being manufactured by the kiln arrangement 200 such that the proprietor thereof may potentially on occasions have to weigh up whether more money can be earned from providing responsive load service to the network 130 than losses due to inferior quality of produced ceramic products, or whether loss of quality of the ceramic products and associated therewith lower selling price is more costly than earnings from providing responsive load services. Such a computation is beneficially performed within the control unit 300 which then communicates its decision regarding magnitude and quality of load responsive service via the output S1 to the control arrangement 110. Thus, a process P occurring within the kiln arrangement 200 determines a potential magnitude of responsive load that is susceptible to being provided by the kiln arrangement 200, functioning as a responsive load 140, to the network 130. When the ovens 210, 220, 230 are switched off, namely not in an active state in mode M0 for load response purposes, the control unit 300 is operable to communicate such inactive state information M0 via the output S1 to the control arrangement 110. Optionally, a decision by the control unit 300 whether or not to start a given manufacturing process P within the kiln arrangement 200 is beneficially made in the control unit 300 on a basis of information provided from the control arrangement 110; for example, in an event that the control arrangement 110 informs the kiln arrangement 200 via the input S2 that electric supply to the kiln arrangement 200 from the network 130 is likely to be variable and not necessarily guaranteed, for example due to unpredictable weather conditions affecting output on a given day from wind farms forming a part of the generator arrangement 120, the control unit 300 beneficially selects a manufacturing process P for the kiln arrangement 200 which is more tolerant to fluctuations of an instantaneous cost of electrical supply, a projected future cost of electrical supply, a frequency and/or magnitude of electrical supply from the network 130 and which is capable of providing an enhanced degree of responsive load to the network 130 to assist to keep its operation stable despite unpredictable supply of electrical power thereto from, for example, the aforementioned wind farms. Optionally, certain processes P occurring within the kiln arrangement 200 are halted and ceramic items placed temporarily in storage in order to enable the kiln arrangement 200 to provide an enhanced degree of responsive load to the network 130. Optionally, the control unit 300 is operable to adjust power distribution and a time of power consumption occurring within the kiln arrangement 200 to provide a preferred response load profile to the network 130. Thus, the entire kiln arrangement 200 can be considered to be a responsive load 140, and includes multiple power consuming devices, namely the kilns 210, 230, 240, which can to a limited extent be controlled mutually independently. Depending upon a selection of manufacturing process P to be employed within the kiln arrangement 200, the kiln arrangement 200 is operable to exhibit a plurality of mutually different operating modes M, one of which is shutdown of the ovens 210, 220, 230 of the kiln arrangement 200 rendering it temporarily incapable of providing responsive load services to balance the network 130. Optionally, the kiln arrangement 200 includes other types of electric load, for example cooling fans and heating water tanks for supplying hot water for ceramic washing purposes, which can also optionally be controlled from the control unit 300 for providing response load services to the network 130.
Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a data server arrangement indicated generally by 500. The server arrangement 500 is coupled to receive electrical power from the aforementioned network 130 which is itself coupled to the aforesaid generator arrangement 120. The server arrangement 500 includes a power control unit 510 which is coupled to the aforementioned control arrangement 110 which is also operable to control operation of the network 130 and/or the generator arrangement 120. Within the server arrangement 500 is housed an array of data servers 550 for hosting Internet functions, for example web-sites, Internet television and search engines. The data servers 550 consume considerable power when in operation and periodically require cooling by selective use of a plurality of cooling fans 520, 530, 540. However, the servers 550 have considerable thermal mass and their temperature changes gradually as a function of time. The plurality of cooling fans includes a small fan 520, a medium fan 530 and a large fan 540. In operation, the small fan 520 can be brought rapidly into action to provide cooling for the servers 550 and also quickly returned to a stationary state where the fan 520 does not provide significant cooling. In contradistinction, the large fan 540 is sluggish to start and requires considerable in-rush current to start its rotor in movement. The medium fan 530 has an intermediate operating characteristic between the small fan 520 and the large fan 540. In operation, the fans 520, 530, 540 dissipate power when executing their cooling function. The dissipation within the fans 520, 530, 540 can be beneficially employed selectively for providing load response services for providing load balancing services to the network 130. Moreover, operation of the fans 520, 530, 540 is controlled by the power control unit 510 depending upon instantaneous load on the network 130 as well as instantaneous power dissipation occurring within the servers 550. The control unit 510 is coupled to the control arrangement 110 for receiving generally network management information therefrom via the input S2, and for communicating information via the output S1 to the control arrangement 110 to indicate whether or not the fans 520, 530, 540 can be used to provide load response, and optionally also information regarding a mode of operation M of the fans 520, 530, 540 so that the control arrangement 110 is able to monitor a degree of load balancing being provided by the server arrangement 500 when in operation. The network management information beneficially includes an indication of cost of electrical supply and/or provides information regarding at least physical parameter of the network 130, for example its operating frequency or total instantaneous power load. The control unit 510 is operable, autonomously from the control arrangement 110, to select which of the fans 520, 530, 540 are switched to provide load balancing services, whilst simultaneously ensuring that the servers 550 are maintained within acceptable operating temperature limits, as well as deciding a temporal sequence in which the fans 520, 530, 540 are switched on and off to provide load response. For example, the control unit 510 is operable to stagger starting of the fans 520, 530, 540, with the smaller fan 520 being energized first, and with the second fan 530 following shortly thereafter, for controlling an overall temporal profile of responsive load balancing provided by the server arrangement 500. In extreme circumstances, the control unit 510 can momentarily stop all of the fans 520, 530, 540 or, alternatively, switch all of them on, even if the servers 550 do not require such fan action, in order provide a maximum degree of load response when the network 130 is in a severely overloaded state or a severely underloaded state, namely as signaled to the control unit 510 via the input S2 from the control arrangement 110 and/or as determined by the control unit 510 itself based upon measurement of at least physical variable of the network 130, for example an electrical supply frequency and/or amplitude from the network 130. Optionally, the control arrangement 110 supports concurrently other power consuming arrangements which are also coupled to the network 130 in order to allow for a degree of operating mode M coordination between different responsive loads 140 coupled to the network 130.
The present invention is beneficially implemented using adapted hardwired digital and/or analogue electronic circuits, or using computing hardware adapted to execute corresponding software products. The software products are beneficially recorded on machine-readable data storage media, for example solid-state data memory, optical data storage media, magnetic data storage media or similar. The software products are thus executable upon computing hardware for implement one or more methods of operating the system 100 as described in the foregoing. The loads 140 beneficially include one or more power-consuming devices, wherein the one or more devices to be controlled optionally include one or more of:
(a) domestic heating, for example resistive heaters, heat pumps, water circulation pumps, fans, hot water cylinder immersion heaters;
(b) swimming pools; (c) breweries, bakeries, food processing ovens, food processing lines including, for example, refrigeration functions and/or food processing heating operations (for example microwave heating);
(d) lighting, for example domestic lights, flood lights, street lighting, advertising displays; (e) grain drying ovens, fruit storage buildings, pottery kilns;
(f) battery chargers (e.g. for electric or hybrid vehicles), control of home power supply (e.g. PV solar cells), air conditioning equipment, domestic heating, domestic refrigerators, industrial refrigerators, cooling and/or ventilation fans. Modifications to embodiments of the invention described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as "including", "comprising", "incorporating", "consisting of, "have", "is" used to describe and claim the present invention are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural. Numerals included within parentheses in the accompanying claims are intended to assist understanding of the claims and should not be construed in any way to limit subject matter claimed by these claims.

Claims

1. A responsive load (140) including at least one power-consuming device (210, 220, 230) adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement (110), wherein the responsive load (140) is operable to provide a load response depending upon at least one physical parameter describing operating characteristics of the electrical power network, characterized in that the responsive load (140) is operable to provide a load response whose characteristics are determined by one or more control signals received at the responsive load (140) which determines a manner of operation of the responsive load (140), and/or to provide a load response depending upon one or more processes which have been previously executed by the responsive load (140).
2. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the one or more control signals include an ancillary signal, for example including information regarding one or more of: a cost of electricity via the network, a frequency of electrical supply from the network, a reference frequency, a time reference, a magnitude of electrical supply from the network, a load on the network, instructions to load shed, instructions to increase load, a black-out restart, a brown-out restart.
3. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the responsive load is implemented so that the control arrangement includes a communication arrangement for receiving the one or more external control signals indicative of the at least one physical parameter describing operating characteristics of the electrical power network for controlling operation of the responsive load to provide load response, wherein the at least one physical parameter describes at least one of:
(a) a cost of energy being provided to the electrical power network;
(b) a rate of change of the at least one physical parameter; and
(c) a control signal providing instruction to the responsive load to operate in a predefined manner.
4. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the control arrangement (110) includes frequency detecting means for detecting an electrical supply frequency of an electrical supply provided from the electrical power network (130) to the responsive load (140) and/or detecting frequency deviations of the electrical supply for controlling operation of the responsive load (140) to provide load response.
5. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said communication arrangement is adapted to supply values representative of one or more physical variables and/or operational variables from said device (210, 220, 230) to the control arrangement ( 10) for controlling the load response.
6. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said device (210, 220, 230) is operable to maintain one or more physical control variables or parameters within controlled threshold limits; and variables supplied by the communication arrangement to the control arrangement (110) include said physical control variables or parameters together with said controlled threshold limits.
7. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 6 wherein said physical variables include the power consumption status of the device (210, 220, 230).
8. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said responsive load (140) is operable to switch between a plurality of different operating modes M, wherein selection between the different modes M is determined by at least one of:
(a) a physical condition of the responsive load (140) and/or a process being executed by the responsive load (140);
(b) at least one physical variable describing a characteristic of electrical supply provided to the responsive load (140); (c) the one or more control signals provided to the responsive load (140); and
(d) one or more instructions generated by the control arrangement regarding operation of the responsive load (140).
9. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 8, wherein said plurality of different modes M includes an inactive mode of operation M0 in which said responsive load (140) is inhibited from providing demand load response for assisting to stabilize operation of the electrical power network (130), and at least one active mode Mn in which said responsive load is enabled to provide load response for assisting to stabilize operation of the electrical power network (130).
10. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 3, wherein said communication arrangement includes at least one of:
(a) interconnections wherein the control arrangement is implemented by at least one circuit board incorporated into or in close spatial proximity to the device;
(b) a general data communication network providing for data communication over an extensive geographical area; and
(c) a wireless data communication network.
11. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the responsive load (140) includes an output (S1) coupled via the communication arrangement to the control arrangement (110) indicative of whether or not the responsive load (140) is capable of operating in any mode other than the inactive mode M0.
12. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said control arrangement (110) is at least partially spatially remote from said device (210, 220, 230), and that said communication arrangement includes a communication network.
13. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said control arrangement (110) is spatially local to the device, and said communication arrangement is either externally wired or linked in software.
14. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control arrangement (110) includes an operator of the electrical power network (130) and/or an operator of the generation arrangement (120).
15. A method of operating a responsive load (140) including at least one power- consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement (110), characterized in that said method includes one or more steps of:
(a) providing a load response whose characteristics are determined by a control signal received at the responsive load (140) which determines a manner of operation of the responsive load (140); and (b) providing a load response depending upon one or more processes which have been previously executed by the responsive load (140).
16. A responsive load (140) adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), characterized in that said responsive load (140) is operable to adjust energy stored and/or power consumed within itself to a neutral value when in its inactive mode of operation M0 wherein said responsive load is disabled from providing load response for stabilizing the network; and said responsive load (140) is operable to provide a load response from said neutral value when said load is switched from its inactive mode of operation M0 to its active mode of operation Mn, wherein said responsive load is operable to provide said load response as a function of at least one physical variable of an electrical supply from the network (130) provided to said responsive load (140) when said responsive load (140) is in its active mode of operation Mn.
17. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 16, wherein said neutral value of operation is in a range of 20% and 80% between minimum and maximum power consumption of the responsive load (140) or energy storage within the responsive load (140).
18. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 17, wherein said neutral value corresponds to a mid-value of stored energy in said responsive load in respect of maximum and minimum thresholds of stored energy allowable in said responsive load.
19. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 16, wherein said neutral value corresponds to a long-term behavior of the responsive load (140).
20. A method of operating a responsive load (140) adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), characterized in that said method includes:
(a) operating said load to adjust energy stored within itself to a neutral value when in its inactive mode of operation M0 wherein said responsive load is disabled from providing load response for stabilizing the network; and
(b) operating said responsive load to provide response from said neutral value when said responsive load is switched from its inactive mode of operation to its active mode of operation Mn, wherein said responsive load is operabie to provide a load response as a function of at least one physical variable describing characteristics of electrical supply provided to said responsive load when said responsive load is in its active mode of operation Mn.
21. A responsive load (140) adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), wherein said responsive load (140) is operable in its active mode of operation Mn to provide a load response by varying energy stored therein as a function of at least one physical variable describing a physical variable of an electrical supply provided thereto from the power network (130), and wherein said responsive load (140) is operable to exhibit discrete ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles during which an amount of energy stored in said load is varied to provide said load response, characterized in that said responsive load (140) includes a control arrangement (110) for monitoring a number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles executed by said responsive load from commencement of said active mode of operation, and for disabling said load response provided by said responsive load to an inactive mode of operation after said responsive load has performed a predetermined number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles.
22. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 21 , wherein said responsive load is periodically reset from its inactive mode of operation back to its active mode of operation.
23. A method of operating a responsive load (140) adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), wherein said responsive load is operable in its active mode of operation to provide load response by varying energy stored therein as a function of at least one physical variable describing a characteristic of an electrical supply provided thereto from the power network (130), and wherein said responsive load (140) is operable to exhibit discrete ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles during which an energy storage capacity of said load is varied to provide said load response, characterized in that said method includes: using a control arrangement (100) of said responsive load (140) for monitoring a number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles executed by said responsive load from commencement of said active mode of operation, and for disabling said load response provided by said load to an inactive mode of operation after said responsive load has performed a predetermined number of ON/OFF cycles and/or ramp cycles and/or speed change cycles.
24. A responsive load (140) including a power-consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement, wherein said control arrangement is operable to control the responsive load to provide a demand load response depending upon at least physical variable describing a characteristic of an electrical supply from the network (130) when the responsive load (140) is operating in its active mode, characterized in that said active mode has associated therewith a plurality of mutually different operating algorithms for controlling power consumption of the power-consuming device when providing load response, and wherein the control arrangement is operable to select amongst one or more of the plurality of operating algorithms in response to changes of a physical variable of the power-consuming device and/or in response to the at least one physical variable of electrical supply from the network and/or in respect of time.
25. A responsive load (140) as claimed in claim 24, wherein the device includes an output coupled via the communication arrangement to the control arrangement indicative of whether or not the responsive load is capable of being switched between its plurality of different operating algorithms.
26. A responsive load as claimed in claim 24, wherein said operating algorithms are mutually related in a hierarchical manner.
27. A responsive load as claimed in claim 24, wherein selection amongst the operating algorithms is dependent upon a history of one or more previous operating algorithm executed for controlling the responsive load.
28. A method of operating a responsive load (140) including a power-consuming device adapted to be connected via an electrical power network (130) to a power generation arrangement (120), and adapted to be connected via a communication arrangement to a control arrangement (110), wherein said control arrangement (110) is operable to control the responsive load (140) to provide a load response depending upon at least physical variable describing a characteristic of electrical supply from the network (130) when the responsive load (140) is operating in its active mode, characterized in that said method includes:
(a) arranging for said active mode to have associated therewith a plurality of mutually different operating algorithms for controlling power consumption of the power-consuming device when providing load response; and
(b) operating the control arrangement to select between one or more of the plurality of operating algorithms in response to changes of a physical variable of the power-consuming device and/or in response to the at least one physical parameter describing characteristics of electrical supply from the network and/or in respect of time.
29. A system configuration of software products recorded on machine-readable data storage media, wherein said configuration of software products is executable upon computing hardware for implement a method as claimed in at least one of claims 14, 20, 23 and 28.
PCT/EP2011/006432 2010-12-21 2011-12-20 Responsive load system and method WO2012084196A2 (en)

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