Apparatus and method for controlling a microgrid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10135251-B2
Application number	US-201315108901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2013
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

Aspects and embodiments described herein are directed to power interface devices and methods. In one aspect, a method for controlling a microgrid is provided. The microgrid includes a power interface device coupled to one or more microgrid elements comprising power sources and loads. The method includes determining, by the power interface device, a mode of operation of the microgrid, determining a power load of the one or more microgrid elements, and based on the mode of operation of the microgrid and the power load of the one or more microgrid elements, adjusting, by the power interface device, a frequency of a voltage of the power interface device to control the one or more microgrid elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a microgrid comprising a power interface device coupled to a plurality of microgrid elements comprising power sources and loads, the method comprising:
determining, by the power interface device, a mode of operation of the microgrid;
determining a power load of the plurality of microgrid elements; and
based on the mode of operation of the microgrid and the power load of the plurality of microgrid elements, adjusting, by the power interface device, a frequency of a voltage of the power interface device to communicate one or more instructions to at least one microgrid element of the plurality of microgrid elements.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the plurality of microgrid elements, the voltage; and
based on the frequency, adjusting an input or output power of the plurality of microgrid elements.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the frequency of the voltage of the power interface device comprises increasing the frequency of the voltage over a first threshold;
wherein receiving the voltage comprises receiving the voltage by a load of the plurality of microgrid elements; and
wherein adjusting the input or output power comprises increasing the input power of the load.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the frequency of the voltage of the power interface device comprises increasing the frequency of the voltage over a second threshold;
wherein receiving the voltage comprises receiving the voltage by a power source of the plurality of microgrid elements; and
wherein adjusting the input or output power comprises decreasing the output power of the power source.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the frequency of the voltage of the power interface device comprises decreasing the frequency of the voltage below a third threshold;
wherein receiving the voltage comprises receiving the voltage by a power source of the plurality of microgrid elements; and
wherein the adjusting the input or output power comprises increasing the output power of the power source.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein adjusting the frequency of the voltage of the power interface device comprises decreasing the frequency of the voltage below a fourth threshold;
wherein receiving the voltage comprises receiving the voltage by a load of the plurality of microgrid elements; and
wherein adjusting the input or output power comprises decreasing the input power of the load.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring upper and lower thresholds for the plurality of microgrid elements based on a type of the microgrid elements.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power interface device is coupled to an energy storage system, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving by the energy storage system, the voltage; and
based on the frequency of the voltage, adjusting an input or output power of the energy storage system.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the power interface device is coupled to a generator, and wherein the method further comprises:
receiving by the generator, the voltage; and
based on the frequency of the voltage, adjusting an output power of the generator.

10. A control system for a microgrid having a plurality of microgrid elements comprising:
a power interface device including:
a first power interface configured to couple to an electric utility;
a second power interface configured to couple to the microgrid;
a power conversion circuit coupled to the first power interface and the second power interface; and
a controller coupled to the power conversion circuit, the controller configured to:
determine a mode of operation of the microgrid;
detect an output power from the plurality of microgrid elements; and
based on the mode of operation of the microgrid and the output power from the plurality of microgrid elements, adjust a frequency of a voltage at the second power interface to communicate one or more instructions to at least one of the plurality of microgrid elements.

11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
based on the frequency of the voltage, adjust an input or output power of the plurality of microgrid elements.

12. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
adjust the frequency of the voltage of the output power by increasing the frequency of the voltage over a first threshold; and
in response to increasing the frequency, increase the input power of a load coupled to the microgrid.

13. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
adjust the frequency of the voltage of the output power by increasing the frequency of the voltage over a second threshold; and
in response to increasing the frequency, decrease the output power of a power source of the microgrid.

14. The control system of claim 13 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
adjust the frequency of the voltage of the output power by decreasing the frequency of the voltage below a third threshold; and
in response to decreasing the frequency, increase the output power of the power source.

15. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the control system is further configured to:
adjust the frequency of the voltage of the output power by decreasing the frequency of the voltage below a fourth threshold; and
in response to decreasing the frequency, decrease the input power of the load.

16. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the control system is further configured to configure upper and lower thresholds for the plurality of microgrid elements based on a type of at least one microgrid element of the plurality of microgrid elements.

17. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the microgrid includes an energy storage system, and wherein the control system is further configured to:
based on the frequency of the voltage, adjust an input or output power of the energy storage system.

18. The control system of claim 17 , wherein the microgrid includes a generator, and wherein the control system is further configured to:
based on the frequency of the voltage, adjust an output power of the generator.

19. A microgrid comprising:
a plurality of microgrid elements comprising a power source and a load; and
a power interface device comprising:
a first power interface configured to couple to an electric utility;
a second power interface configured to couple to the plurality of microgrid elements;
a power conversion circuit coupled to the first power interface and the second power interface; and
a controller coupled to the power conversion circuit, the controller configured to:
determine a mode of operation of the microgrid; and
based on the mode of operation of the microgrid, adjust a frequency of a voltage provided by the power interface device to communicate one or more instructions to at least one of the plurality of microgrid elements.

20. The microgrid of claim 19 , wherein the load is configured to receive the voltage and based on the frequency adjust a power draw of the load, and wherein the power source is configured to receive the voltage, and based on the voltage adjust a power output level of the power source.

Assignees

• Schneider Electric It Corp

Inventors

• Berard Olivier

Classifications

• Y02E70/30

  Systems combining energy storage with energy generation of non-fossil origin · CPC title

• H02J9/066

  characterised by the use of dynamo-electric machines (H02J9/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J3/381

  Dispersed generators · CPC title

• H02M5/04

  by static converters (controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, e.g. by tap changing H02P13/00) · CPC title

• H02J2101/28

  Wind energy · CPC title