Granted Patent B2

US 9,721,312 · App. 13/546,342 · Granted Aug 1, 2017

Inventors: Steven Y. Goldsmith (Rochester, MN); David G. Wilson (Tijeras, NM); Rush D. Robinett, III (Tijeras, NM)

G06Q50/06H02J3/32H02J2003/007

Abstract

Claims (33)

1. A method, comprising: receiving at least one parameter for a source of electric power into a computer-readable model of a proposed microgrid;

receiving at least one parameter for a variable load that consumes electric power into the computer-readable model of the proposed microgrid;

responsive to receiving the at least one parameter for the source of electric power and the at least one parameter for the variable load, the computer-readable model computing at least one parameter for at least one electric power storage device having a customized profile that is to be placed in the proposed microgrid, the electric power storage device configured to retain electric power generated by the source of electric power and discharge electric power requested by the variable load, the at least one parameter for the at least one electric power storage device computed based at least in part upon the at least one parameter for the source of electric power and the at least one parameter for the variable load, and wherein the at least one parameter for the at least one electric power storage device conforms to a stability constraint for the microgrid;

wherein the at least one parameter of the at least one electric power storage device is one of electric power storage capacity, charge rate, or discharge rate; and

wherein the customized profile conforms to one or more stability constraints; and

dynamically controlling and installing an electric power storage device with the customized profile comprising the at least one parameter of the electric power storage device into an operating microgrid;

wherein the customized profile is indicative of the at least one parameter of the electric power storage device that is to be included in the microgrid that satisfies the stability constraint.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter for the source of electric power and the at least one parameter for the variable load are received in the computer-readable model of the proposed microgrid, the computer-readable model of the proposed microgrid comprising a representation of a direct current bus, wherein electric power generated by the source of electric power is directed to the direct current bus, and wherein electric power consumed by the variable load is retrieved from the direct current bus.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source of electric power is a variable source of electric power.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the variable source of electric power is at least one of a photovoltaic power system, a wind turbine, a geothermal power system, a solar power tower, or a hydro pump.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proposed microgrid is modeled as a plurality of boost converters that are fed by respective voltage sources, and further comprising computing duty cycles for the plurality of boost converters such that the proposed microgrid is stable.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising computing control parameters for controlling power electronics in the proposed microgrid, wherein the control parameters facilitate control of flow of electric power into and out of the electric power storage device, wherein the control parameters comprise at least one duty cycle command for a boost converter in the proposed microgrid.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter for the at least one electric power storage device indicates that the at least one electric power storage device is desirably a rechargeable battery or a capacitor bank.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter for the at least one electric power storage device indicates that the at least one electric power storage device is desirably a flywheel.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a library of selectable entities, wherein selection of an entity in the library of selectable entities causes the entity to be placed in the proposed microgrid;

receiving a selection of the electric power source from the library of selectable entities; and

receiving a selection of the variable load from the library of selectable entities.

10. A system, comprising:

a receiver component that receives an indication that a customized profile for an electric power storage device that is to be included in a proposed microgrid is desirably generated, wherein the proposed microgrid comprises:

an electric power source that generates electric power;

a variable load that consumes electric power;

the electric power storage device, wherein the electric power storage device is configured to supplement the source of electric power when demand of the variable load exceeds supply of electric power produced by the source of electric power, wherein the electric power storage device is configured to supplement the variable load when supply of electric power produced by the source of electric power exceeds demand of the variable load, wherein the source of electric power has parameters that are descriptive thereof, and wherein the variable load has parameters that are descriptive thereof; and

a profile calculator component that, responsive to the receiver component receiving the indication, uses a microgrid model to generate the customized profile for the electric power storage device based at least in part upon the parameters that are descriptive of the source of electric power and the parameters that are descriptive of the variable load;

wherein the customized profile conforms to one or more stability constraints; and

wherein the customized profile is implemented in the at least one electric power storage device in a collective microgrid represented by the microgrid model; and

dynamically controlling the electric power storage device with the customized profile within the one or more stability constraints.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the source of electric power is a variable source of electric power.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the source of electric power is one of a photovoltaic power system, a wind turbine, a geothermal power system, a solar power tower, or a hydro pump.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the microgrid comprises a direct current bus, wherein the electric power storage device emits electric power to the direct current bus, and wherein the variable load consumes power from the direct current bus.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the customized profile for the storage device conforms to a collection of batteries.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the customized profile for the storage device conforms to a flywheel.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the customized profile for the storage device conforms to a capacitor bank.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (10)