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
  • H02J3/38—Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
  • H02J3/381—Dispersed generators
• • 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
  • H02J13/00—Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• • 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
  • H02J13/00—Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
  • H02J13/00032—Systems characterised by the controlled or operated power network elements or equipment, the power network elements or equipment not otherwise provided for
  • H02J13/00034—Systems characterised by the controlled or operated power network elements or equipment, the power network elements or equipment not otherwise provided for the elements or equipment being or involving an electric power substation
• • 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
  • H02J3/28—Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy
  • H02J3/32—Arrangements for balancing of the load in a network by storage of energy using batteries with converting means
• • 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
  • H02J3/38—Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
  • H02J3/46—Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• • 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
  • H02J2300/00—Systems for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by decentralized, dispersed, or local generation
  • H02J2300/20—The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• • 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
  • H02J2300/00—Systems for supplying or distributing electric power characterised by decentralized, dispersed, or local generation
  • H02J2300/20—The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
  • H02J2300/22—The renewable source being solar energy
• • 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
  • H02J3/01—Arrangements for reducing harmonics or ripples
• • 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
• • 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
• • 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
  • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
  • Y02B90/00—Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02B90/20—Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings 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
  • 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
  • Y02E40/40—Arrangements for reducing harmonics
• • 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
  • 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
  • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• • 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
  • Y04S10/00—Systems supporting electrical power generation, transmission or distribution
  • Y04S10/12—Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation
  • Y04S10/123—Monitoring or controlling equipment for energy generation units, e.g. distributed energy generation [DER] or load-side generation the energy generation units being or involving renewable energy sources
• • 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
  • Y04S10/00—Systems supporting electrical power generation, transmission or distribution
  • Y04S10/14—Energy storage units
• • 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
  • Y04S10/00—Systems supporting electrical power generation, transmission or distribution
  • Y04S10/50—Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• • 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
  • Y04S20/12—Energy storage units, uninterruptible power supply [UPS] systems or standby or emergency generators, e.g. in the last power distribution stages
• • 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
  • Y04S20/221—General power management systems
• • 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 generally relates electrical power generation and distribution. Particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for solving the increasing power quality degradation of the present legacy electrical system because of evolving technology and legislative impacts, such as Distributed Energy Generation (DEG).
• DEG Distributed Energy Generation
• the present legacy electrical system and power quality being delivered to users is being degraded by a number of disruptive technology and legislative impacts, especially with the rapidly increasing myriad of privately owned and operated domestic and commercial Distributed Energy Generation (DEG) devices connected at any point across a low voltage LV power distribution network.
• DEG Distributed Energy Generation
• This increasing degradation in power quality being delivered to the end consumers especially voltage volatility, current and frequency aberrations, can negatively impact the performance or even damage electrical equipment, appliances, and electronic devices connected to the electrical power system in the user premises, and can even trip and disrupt wider area LV power distribution network, substation protective equipment, high voltage (HV) transmission grids, and even generators.
• HV high voltage
• the DEG interface control electronics disables the DEG interface, it does not only shut off any DEG energy recovery from the DEG installation but also eliminates any FIT recovery for the end consumers.
• the more DEG interfaces connect along a local distribution network, for example a neighborhood of domestic PV installations, as the distribution network voltages increase because of the amount of excess energy being delivered into the distribution network by the DEG installations, the more number of these DEG interfaces will be disabled by the DEG interface control electronics, with no energy recovery or FIT for the end consumers.
• Power quality is defined under the following specifications, the key parameters being consistent and stable voltage, harmonics, and frequency of the electrical power delivered to the user.
• these electronic devices With the advent of more and more electronic devices and equipment being connected to the electrical system which are complex electrical loads, especially with the increasing power demand being domestic and commercial, rather than industrial such as in the United States, these electronic devices, since they offer more complex loads to the electrical system, they can introduce electrical power instability, and these electronic devices are generally located in domestic and commercial premises with increasing power demands from the LV distribution networks, adding to the voltage instability with changing loads and power factors across the distribution networks.
• the legacy central generating utilities owned the complete equation of generation, transmission and distribution end to end, they agreed to, and could meet, the legislated tight power quality standards specified and enforced by government and regulatory bodies.
• Voltage magnitude problems can be:
• the DEG interface control electronics disables the DEG interface hence not only shuts off any DEG energy recovery from the DEG installation but also eliminates any FIT recovery for the user.
• the more DEG interfaces connected, for example domestic houses, along a local distribution network, for example a neighborhood of domestic PV installations as the distribution network voltages increase because of the amount of excess energy being delivered into the distribution network by the DEG installations, a significant number of these DEG interfaces will be disabled by the DEG interface control electronics, with no energy recovery or FIT for the users.
• the large renewable industrial PV, solar thermal, wind and hydro installation need large physical areas away from population centers, the power users, hence the large industrial installations need end to end HV Transmission over generally long distances, so these large installations can be owned and controlled by the utility generator, hence can meet and be responsible for the Transmission Operator regulated power quality standards.
• EPU devices are specifically designed to tolerant very wide ranges of voltage, current, and frequency variation - "dirty power" on the input, and processes the input "dirty power” to produce clean high quality power at the output delivered directly at the POU.
• the present invention then enables the LV distribution network in particular to handle the increasing number of connections of privately owned and operated domestic and commercial DEG devices while meeting the requirements of tightly regulated and legislated legacy electrical standards imposed on HV transmission operators. And because of the tightly controlled EPU output voltage, significant energy savings can also be realized.
• POU point of use
• a EPU can be installed at the end consumer POU, but not limited to directly at a switchboard in the end consumer's premises, electrical power connection service point, switch room, remotely at a single circuit connection to a single the end consumer's premises or load, in an adjacent location inside or outside of the end consumer's premises, or on an electric pole.
• a POU as defined in this document is where an EPU is installed, which can be between the end consumer's premises or load and the LV grid for a point-to-point connection, or any single circuit connection by a end consumer.
• end consumer includes that of a conventional electrical power consumer on an energy grid and an owner and/or operator of a DEG device connected to an energy grid.
• FIG. 1 depicts a logical diagram illustrating the electrical power generation and distribution networks during the late 1800's
• FIG. 2 depicts a logical diagram illustrating the electrical power generation and distribution networks during the 1900's
• FIG. 3 depicts a logical diagram illustrating the present day electrical power generation and distribution networks with DEG devices but without the present invention
• FIG. 4 depicts a logical diagram illustrating an electrical power generation and distribution network with DEG devices and EPU's in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram illustrating a configuration of en energy processing unit in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 6 depicts a logical diagram of an exemplary premises - a residential house, showing the electrical connections from the grid, smart meter, voltage regulating POU, house wiring, and electrical receptacles; and [0038] FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary graph showing voltages against POU and load current of the premises.
• One aspect of the present invention is a power distribution system that completely bypasses the critical and increasing problem of the myriad and types of privately owned and operated domestic and commercial DEG devices being installed and connected mainly to the LV distribution networks that were not initially designed, or even anticipated, for the recent DEG evolution coupled with the increasing addition of complex loads, changing loads and power factors across the distribution networks, creating high and excessive energy wasting voltages, and higher KW peak demand usage.
• the present invention transforms the tightly legislated and regulated legacy "electrical grid” into a sort of "open-source energy grid” with wide tolerance.
• an individual energy processing unity (EPU) device is installed at each end consumer's POU.
• These EPU devices are specifically designed to tolerant very wide ranges of voltage, current, and frequency variation - “dirty power” on the input, and processes the input “dirty power” to produce high quality "clear power” at the output delivered directly at the POU.
• the EPU can be simply installed at each POU without any changes to the LV distribution networks, with no limit of the quality and number of DEG devices that can be installed and connected, hence the present invention allows the recent evolution to the "electric grid” to evolve to an "open-source energy grid” with the EPU processing the "dirty power” to generate “clear power” directly at the POU and the customers' premises.
• the input to the EPU can be designed to accept voltage tolerance of +-25%, and deliver a voltage with an automatic voltage regulation (AVR) incorporated in the EPU, at its output, at POU of +-2%. Therefore, for example, the LV distribution network voltage tolerance can be relaxed to +-25%, transmission grid to +-10%, and also the DEG devices output Voltage to meet +-10%. So, with the EPU's installed, and the power quality tolerances widened to allow for distribution network and grid power quality volatility, and the EPU's delivering tightly regulated voltage (e.g. +-1% tolerance) at customers POU, the DEG revolution can continue with increased distribution and network stability and high level of power quality at POU, without limiting the numbers of DEG devices that can be connected to the LV distribution network.
• AVR automatic voltage regulation
• the output voltage of the EPU is regulated and held to tight nominal voltage and tolerance regardless and independent of the high distribution voltages at the input of the EPU, and also since the EPU is bidirectional, any excess energy connected to the output of the EPU is passed back to its input and onto the HV distribution network, regardless of the high voltages on the distribution network.
• the DEG interface control electronics only sees and senses the normal and nominal regulated EPU output, hence the DEG interface electronics will continue to operate normally with full energy recovery, and never trigger over voltage lock out (OVLO) of the DEG device.
• OVLO voltage lock out
• FIG. 4 shows the DEG 402 connection to the output of the EPU 401 , which is also connected to the actual premises POU. Since the EPU 401 operates as a series voltage regulator, basically "isolating" the DEG interface from the high distribution voltages, the DEG interface and energy recovery operates normally as the DEG control electronics only sees or senses the fixed and set nominal EPU regulated output voltage, and any excess DEG energy is passed back through the bidirectional EPU to the EPU input connected to the distribution network regardless of the high voltages on the distribution network, allowing normal FIT for the user, and the DEG device only sees the tightly regulated output of the EPU hence the DEG device never turns off triggered into OVLO.
• the EPU can be designed for maximum energy savings utilizing conservation voltage reduction (CVR), so the EPU can be configured with only a voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator in conjunction with a series bypass contactor for lower cost and additional energy savings under the condition of low voltage AC mains. So instead of the EPU utilizing a full AVR that will boost the voltage up to the set regulated output voltage but will lose the additional energy savings if just an EPU with a voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator is used in conjunction with a series bypass contactor.
• CVR conservation voltage reduction
• the present invention is related to optimizing energy savings of the EPU and also protecting the electrical loads from overvoltages and energy wasting high AC input voltages above an optimum energy savings level.
• the full AVR not only continues to use its internal power electronics to boost the low input AC voltage to the set regulated output AC voltage, the AVR would increase or boost the input AC mains voltage to the set optimum output energy savings voltage level, then the energy savings would not be optimized under low input mains AC voltage, as the input current hence the input power would increase as the full AVR increases or boosts the low mains input AC voltage.
• the voltage decreasing power electronics in the EPU are switched out to save the voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator internal power electronics usage, and the series bypass contactor is activated, so that the lower mains voltage is directly delivered to the electrical load, hence achieving even more energy savings than in the case if a full voltage increasing AVR is used in an alternate EPU configuration.
• the principles of the present invention are readily applicable to any poly-phase AC system, such as a single or 3 -phase electrical system.
• the final LV distribution voltages are generally either 110/120 VAC systems, or 220/230/240 VAC systems, although most of the world is standardizing to nominal 120 VAC or 230 VAC systems for LV distribution voltages. Also there are standardized and legislated electrical system specifications, and especially distribution voltage levels and tolerances to be delivered to the switchboards of domestic and commercial premises. For example in the United States the standard distribution voltage for domestic and commercial premises is 120 VAC (specified by FERC/NERC), and voltage tolerances of maximum of +5%, and minimum of -5%.
• VAC for a maximum voltage of +5% is 126 VAC, and a +10% overvoltage level of 132 VAC, and a minimum of -5% is 114 VAC, with an undervoltage of -10% of 108 VAC. It is generally accepted in the industry that the transmission and distribution operators in the United States will deliver the minimum voltage of 114 VAC to the premises switchboard, and allowing another 3.5% voltage drop estimated for a minimum of 110 VAC to the actual loads, such as appliances in domestic premises.
• the voltage range can be from 126 VAC or even higher, down to 114 VAC or even lower, for a nominal 120 VAC local power island distribution network.
• the voltage range can be from 253 VAC or even higher at the local power island substation, down to 216 VAC or even lower along the distribution network, for a nominal 230 VAC local power island distribution network, allowing for up to 5% voltage drop across internal facility or residential wiring.
• Electrical and electronic equipment and appliances are specifically design to operate at the nominal specified standard voltages, such as 120 VAC in the United States, and other 120 VAC countries, and 230 VAC in Australia, UK, and other 230 VAC countries. Voltage over the nominal design standard voltage not only can damage the connected electrical and electronic equipment, but they also consume more energy than is necessary, motors and transformers can overheat, hence there is an optimum voltage in general that optimizes the performance and delivers the maximum energy savings. So for example, in an EPU optimized for maximum energy savings utilizing CVR, the optimum energy savings voltage is selected to be the nominal mains voltage -5% to achieve normal equipment performance, and maximize energy savings.
• energy savings set voltage could be 114 VAC for nominal 120 VAC systems, and 220 VAC for nominal 230 VAC systems, or other lower energy saving voltages could be selected, and this is just an example to clearly show the concept.
• the output voltage of the EPU could be set lower including the voltage drop allowed for in facility or residential wiring, from maximum 3% to 5% voltage drop depending upon the legislation country by country.
• a voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator is needed working in conjunction with a series bypass contactor, and the output voltage of the voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator is set at energy saving level of 114 VAC for nominal 120 VAC systems, and set at energy saving level of 220 VAC for 230 VAC systems, so under the conditions of extreme or overvoltages the voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator keeps the output voltage to the load at the selected set energy savings voltages.
• the control electronics will sense the low input AC mains voltage, switch off the voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator power electronics saving internal energy, and activate the series bypass contactor, hence the low main AC input voltage is now applied directly to the load, minimizing the voltage drop if the voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator stayed connected in the circuit, and additional energy savings is achieved by this low input mains AC voltage being applied directly to the load through the series bypass contactor.
• the series bypass contactor is switched out, and the voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator is activated to regulate the output AC voltage to the load at the energy savings voltage level, regardless of the higher and extreme overvoltages on the distribution network.
• a specific energy savings EPU with just the voltage decreasing AC voltage regulator working in conjunction with a series bypass contactor incorporates standard digital communications as designed in many "smart meters".
• the energy savings EPU utilizing CVR could be called an "energy saving meter” as it not only performs and reports as a “smart meter” in communicating over the various standard modes of "smart meter” digital communication, but it also can save energy, and report accurate billing power data.
• This invention is related to the ability to even set the EPU output voltage lower than the minimum legislated voltages, for example 114 VAC for nominal 120 VAC systems, and 220 VAC for nominal 230 VAC systems, by dynamically compensating for the internal wiring voltage drop across the facility or residential wiring.
• the EPU can be designed to work in a bi-directional digital communication network, which can be used to communicate to a central location the status of the EPU devices and the LV distribution network. This transmitted data can be used to modify the operation of the EPU devices to alleviate LV distribution network problems, and also the EPU power island can be isolated to operate as a "micro grid" (403 in FIG.
• the LV distribution network or micro grid can operate with much wider power quality volatility, while the EPU's process that "dirty power" to deliver "clean power” at the POU.
• the digital data can be used on much wider power island areas, to modify the overall interaction and operation of the generators, transmission grid, DEG's, and EPU's to maintain the stability of the power system, but with the wider power quality tolerances on the Power System, because of the installation of EPU's, it allows much easier overall system control with increased distribution power quality volatility, while the EPU's still deliver high power quality "clean power” at the POU.
• the EPU voltage regulation in accordance to the embodiments of the present invention is by series voltage regulation methods including, but not limited to, the series AC high frequency voltage regulator techniques disclosed in United States Patent No. 9, 148,058, United States Patent Application No. 14/565,444, and PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2015/070538.
• the series voltage regulation methods have major advantages over the shunt current regulation method.
• the shunt current regulation method requires significant current to be generated to change the voltage differential under the conditions where the AC line impedance is very low.
• the AC line impedance is typically much less than 1 ohm, and in many cases can be less than 0.1 ohm, and is also changing depending on line conditions.
• the shunt current regulation method is inefficient and limited in its ability to drive sufficient current into the low line impedances to regulate the voltage over a wide range, and in some cases, with a very low line impedance cannot generate or absorb sufficient current to correct to the required voltage.
• the series voltage regulation method as used in the present invention, is highly efficient, does not need an internal storage device such as an unreliable high voltage electrolytic capacitor necessary for the shunt configuration, and can regulate the AC output voltage over a very wide range of input AC voltages, is independent of line impedances, and can be operated independently as a standalone AC series voltage regulation AVR.
• the series voltage regulator in each of the energy processing units being a series alternate current high frequency voltage regulator defined in United States Patent No. 9,148,058, United States Patent Application No. 14/565,444, or PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2015/070538.
• Various embodiments of the aforesaid series voltage regulators are further characterized by:
• first and third independently controllable switches are driven by a first pulse width modulation (PWM) signal;
• PWM pulse width modulation
• the first and third active rectifiers are controlled (if applicable) by a signal derived from the first PWM signal;
• the second and fourth active rectifiers are controlled (if applicable) by a signal derived from second PWM signal;
• first and second PWM signals are either non- overlapping with an adjustable dead time between the first and second PWM signals or overlapping with an adjustable overlap time between the first and second PWM signals;
• first and second PWM signals are controlled based on cycle-by-cycle average value feedback, or cycle-by-cycle RMS value feedback.
• FIG. 5 shows the configuration of an EPU in accordance to one embodiment of the present invention and the following table lists its operating parameters in addressing the aforesaid power qualify problems.
• control electronics grid interface operates distribution nominal
• the voltage at one or more of the mains receptacle can transmit its voltage reading continuously, such that as the loads change in the house wiring, the output voltage of the EPU dynamically changes to allow the minimum voltage across the house wiring.
• the remote mains receptacle voltage can now be set at say 110 VAC, lower, and the remote sensing and communication of that voltage changes the output of the EPU dynamically to maintain the voltage 110 VAC, or lower, at the mains receptacle for maximum energy savings.
• FIG. 7 shows the linear (but could be any shaped) voltage change vs. load, the voltage adjustments of maximum 3% and 5% for full load.
• a small rechargeable battery is added, not for back up storage, but specifically designed only as small as possible and only enough capacity to only reduce further the peak demand and hence customer billing.
• a small rechargeable battery of less than 1 KWHr or 2 KWHr so specifically not large enough for, and not aimed at, back up storage, but very limited in capacity, and only incorporated into the EPU, either internally or externally, to eliminate or significantly reduce the peak demand, to only reduce customer billing peak demand tariff.
• the grid voltage can be increased with lower EPU output voltages due to lower KW and KVAR or total KVA demand from the grid since lower power consumption by the load connected at the point of load output of each EPU, or the grid voltage can be decreased with higher EPU output voltages due to higher KW and KVAR or total KVA demand from the grid by the load connected at the point of load of the EPU outputs. Therefore, with an array of remotely controlled (via a digital communication network) EPU's across or along a distribution network, it is possible to control and change the grid voltage, due to the changing power demand from the grid, by changing the EPU's output voltages.
• the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented using general purpose or specialized computing devices, computer processors, or electronic circuitries including but not limited to digital signal processors (DSP), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and other programmable logic devices configured or programmed according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
• DSP digital signal processors
• ASIC application specific integrated circuits
• FPGA field programmable gate arrays
• Computer instructions or software codes running in the general purpose or specialized computing devices, computer processors, or programmable logic devices can readily be prepared by practitioners skilled in the software or electronic art based on the teachings of the present disclosure.
• the present invention includes computer storage media having computer instructions or software codes stored therein which can be used to program computers or microprocessors to perform any of the processes of the present invention.
• the storage media can include, but are not limited to, floppy disks, optical discs, Blu-ray Disc, DVD, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, flash memory devices, or any type of media or devices suitable for storing instructions, codes, and/or data.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Supply And Distribution Of Alternating Current (AREA)
• Remote Monitoring And Control Of Power-Distribution Networks (AREA)

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• 2017
  • 2017-10-16 CN CN201780063769.XA patent/CN109863660A/zh active Pending
  • 2017-10-16 AU AU2017345388A patent/AU2017345388A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2017-10-16 EP EP17863224.6A patent/EP3526872A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2017-10-16 JP JP2019519723A patent/JP2019536402A/ja active Pending
  • 2017-10-16 WO PCT/IB2017/056399 patent/WO2018073719A1/en active Application Filing
• 2019
  • 2019-04-16 PH PH12019500840A patent/PH12019500840A1/en unknown

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