Method of operating a power distribution system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025219417-A1
Application number	US-202318848038-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2023
Priority date	Mar 25, 2022
Publication date	Jul 3, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Method of operating an electrical power distribution system ( 1 ), said power distribution system ( 1 ) comprising: —at least one electrical power generator ( 3, 5 ) with uncontrollable variable supply; —at least one electrical power consuming resource ( 13 ) with controllable demand and subject to at least one state constraint, said electrical power consuming resource ( 13 ) with controllable demand being arranged to be controlled by an internal controller ( 17 ); —a system controller ( 15 ) adapted to send requests to said internal controller ( 17 ) to request variation in said controllable demand; —an electrical power distribution network ( 9 ) arranged to transmit electrical power from said at least one electrical power generator ( 3, 5 ) to said at least one electrical power consuming resource ( 13 ) with controllable demand. A virtual battery model ( 19 ) of the electrical power consuming resource ( 13 ) with controllable demand is created, and is used to generate a set of feasible power consumption requests that the electrical power consuming resource ( 13 ) with controllable demand can fulfil on the basis of the virtual battery model ( 19 )

First claim

1 . Method of operating an electrical power distribution system, said power distribution system comprising:
at least one electrical power generator with uncontrollable variable supply; at least one electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand and subject to at least one state constraint, said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand being arranged to be controlled by an internal controller; a system controller adapted to send requests to said internal controller to request variation in said controllable demand; an electrical power distribution network arranged to transmit electrical power from said at least one electrical power generator to said at least one electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand;
said method comprising steps of:
determining a virtual battery model of said at least one electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand,
determining a set of feasible power consumption requests that said at least one electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand can fulfil, on the basis of said virtual battery model in function of the current state of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand and external conditions; and
sending requests from said system controller to said internal controller of said electrical power consuming resource with variable demand to increase or decrease its power consumption on the basis of power available on said electrical power distribution network and said set of feasible power consumption requests,

wherein said virtual battery model comprises:
a first block which receives a current state of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand, and current external conditions, said first block determining a state change of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand due to nominal behaviour of said internal controller, said first block being active only when said system controller does not request said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand to consume more or less power;
a second block which receives said current request, current external conditions and a prediction of said external conditions at a time in the future, said second block being active only when said system controller requests that said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand consume more or less power, said second block outputting a state change of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand due to predicted changes in external conditions;
a third block which receives the current request and determines a state change of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand incurred by said current request,

said state changes being combined such that said virtual battery model outputs a predicted state of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand at said time in the future on the basis of a current state of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand, of said current external conditions, of said prediction of said external conditions at said time in the future, and of said current request.

2 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said step of determining a set of feasible power consumption requests is carried out by a flexibility forecasting system on the basis of:
the current state of said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand; current external conditions; predictions of external conditions at least one time in the future; a confidence level of the ability that said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand can fulfil a request; uncertainty in said set of feasible power consumption requests;
said flexibility forecasting system outputting a maximum and minimum power consumption request that can be fulfilled at said at least one time in the future.

3 . Method according to claim 2 , wherein said uncertainty in said set of feasible power consumption requests exploits a coherent risk measure such as the Conditional Value at Risk.

4 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said virtual battery model comprises parameters determined by the steps of:
operating said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand under nominal conditions while collecting measurements relating to said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand and of corresponding external conditions; generating a first set of state values on the basis of said measurements and said external conditions; operating said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand during periods in which increased power consumption is requested and during periods in which decreased power consumption is requested while collecting measurements relating to said electrical power consuming resource with controllable demand and of corresponding external conditions; generating a second set of state values on the basis of said measurements and said external conditions obtained during periods in which increased power consumption is requested and during periods in which decreased power consumption is requested; and determining said parameters on the basis of said first and second set of state values and said corresponding external conditions.

5 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein said virtual battery model is expressed as

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Assignees

• Csem Ct Suisse Delectronique Microtechnique Sa Rech Developpement

Inventors

• Scharnhorst Paul
• Jones Colin
• Schubnel Baptiste
• Carrillo Rangel Rafael Eduardo
• Alet Pierre-Jean

Classifications

• H02J2105/53

  for partial power limitation, e.g. entering degraded or current limitation modes · CPC title

• H02J2105/52

  for limitation of the power consumption in the networks or in one section of the networks, e.g. load shedding or peak shaving · CPC title

• H02J2103/30

  Simulating, planning, modelling, reliability check or computer assisted design [CAD] of electric power networks · CPC title

• H02J2101/28

  Wind energy · CPC title

• H02J2101/24

  Photovoltaics · CPC title