Excess energy management for self-powered air conditioning systems

Abstract

The invention relates to excess energy management for a self-powered air conditioning system. An air conditioning system includes: a first unit including a compressor; a controller; and one or more auxiliary DC power sources; the controller is configured to determine whether the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond a load of the first unit; the controller supplies all power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are not generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 582,671, filed on September 14, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0002] Embodiments described herein relate to air conditioning systems.

[0003] Electric energy drives a large number of devices and equipment in commercial, industrial, residential applications and data centers. For example, electric energy drives lights, motors, household appliances, medical equipment, computers, air conditioning systems, electric vehicle charging stations, data center processing and cooling needs, and many other electrical devices. In most areas, power utilities generate electricity and distribute electricity (through AC power grids). Shortages and / or increased costs associated with factors such as the use of fossil fuels, the intermittent nature of renewable resources, power demand and supply variability, and increased energy demand have significantly affected the power cost and continuous availability to consumers and businesses. In general, shortages and / or increased costs often occur during peak demand times. Peak demand can occur based on the time of day, such as in the morning or in the evening. On a more random basis, peak demand (or demand greater than the available supply) may occur due to natural disasters, or during long periods of time such as cloudy (if the power from the grid comes from solar energy) or wind variability (if the power from the grid comes from wind turbines). For example, a hurricane or earthquake may damage the generator and / or grid of the power utility, resulting in a significant loss of electric power to commercial, industrial and residential applications. Repairs to these damaged lines and generators may take hours, days, or weeks. Various sites may also lose power from the grid for other reasons, including maintenance. During these times of power loss, the site may not be able to continue operating. In addition, the growing number of data centers has significantly increased the demand for energy from the grid.

[0004] Often, during times of peak demand, electrical energy from the grid is more expensive. For example, a power utility may employ low-cost generators during periods of minimum demand, and further employ high-cost generators during periods of peak demand. Unfortunately, existing infrastructure does not adequately address these different costs associated with peak demand and minimum demand. Therefore, commercial, industrial, data center, and residential applications typically draw power from the grid during times of peak demand, regardless of the higher costs associated with its generation. Some energy consumers (such as commercial, industrial, data center, and residential users) may be driven by factors other than cost, such as the desire to support sustainable energy options (as further described below). Summary of the invention

[0005] According to an embodiment, an air conditioning system includes: a first unit, the first unit including a compressor; a controller; and one or more auxiliary DC power sources; the controller is configured to determine whether the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit; when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are not generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit, the controller supplies all power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

[0006] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: an energy storage device, wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit, the controller determines whether the energy storage device has a charge above a threshold; wherein, when the energy storage device does not have the charge above the threshold, the controller supplies the excess power to the energy storage device.

[0007] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: connection to an AC grid; wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power that exceeds the load of the first unit and the energy storage device has the charge above the threshold, the controller determines whether exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permitted; wherein, when exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to the AC grid.

[0008] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein, a DC load; wherein, when the controller determines that exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is not permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to the DC load.

[0009] In addition or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the DC load comprises a component of the air conditioning system.

[0010] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the DC load includes at least one of the following loads: a strip heater of a fan coil unit, a heater of a hot water tank, a geothermal heat pump, and an indoor fan.

[0011] According to another embodiment, a method for operating an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprising a first unit, a controller, and one or more auxiliary DC power sources, the first unit comprising a compressor, the method comprising: determining whether the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power that exceeds the load of the first unit; wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are not generating excess power that exceeds the load of the first unit, the controller supplies all power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

[0012] In addition to or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit, the controller determines whether the energy storage device has a charge above a threshold; wherein, when the energy storage device does not have the charge above the threshold, the controller supplies the excess power to the energy storage device.

[0013] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power that exceeds the load of the first unit and the energy storage device has the charge above the threshold, the controller determines whether exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permitted; wherein, when exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to the AC grid.

[0014] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein when the controller determines that exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is not permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to a DC load.

[0015] In addition or alternatively to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the DC load comprises a component of the air conditioning system.

[0016] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the DC load includes at least one of the following loads: a strip heater of a fan coil unit, a heater of a hot water tank, a geothermal heat pump, and an indoor fan.

[0017] According to another embodiment, a computer program is embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program including instructions for causing a processor to implement a process of operating an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including a first unit, a controller, and one or more auxiliary DC power sources, the first unit including a compressor, the process including: determining whether the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power that exceeds the load of the first unit; wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are not generating excess power that exceeds the load of the first unit, the controller supplies all power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

[0018] According to another embodiment, an air conditioning system includes: a first unit, the first unit including a compressor; a controller; one or more auxiliary DC power sources; a connection to an AC power grid; an energy storage device; a DC load; wherein the controller is configured to dynamically allocate power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to one or more of the AC power grid, the energy storage device, and the DC load in response to one or more conditions.

[0019] In addition to or as an alternative to one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the one or more conditions include one or more of the following conditions: the charge state of the energy storage device, current weather, predicted weather, and the cost of power from the AC power grid.

[0020] The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without being exclusive, unless otherwise expressly indicated. These features and elements and their operation will become more apparent in view of the following description and drawings. However, it should be understood that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and are non-restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of examples and not limitation in the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements.

[0022] Figure 1 A system in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0023] Figure 2 A controller in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0024] Figure 3A An electrical architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0025] Figure 3B An electrical architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0026] Figure 4A An electrical architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0027] Figure 4B An electrical architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0028] Figure 5A An electrical architecture of a fixed speed compressor having a DC architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0029] Figure 5B An electrical architecture of a fixed speed compressor with an AC architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0030] Figure 5C An electrical architecture of a variable speed compressor having a DC architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0031] Figure 5D An electrical architecture of a variable speed compressor with an AC architecture in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0032] Figure 6 An electrical architecture of a compressor powered by a multi-level inverter in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0033] Figure 7 One phase leg of a five-level multiphase inverter in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0034] Figure 8 Depicted is communication between a controller, a thermostat, and a remote system in an example embodiment.

[0035] Fig. 9 A control process in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0036] Fig.10 An electrical architecture for an air conditioning system providing excess energy management in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0037] Fig.11 A switch for distributing power in an air conditioning system in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0038] Fig.12 A control process for managing excess energy in an air conditioning system in an example embodiment is depicted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] For current global electrification and decarbonization efforts, there is an incentive to use efficient, optimized all-electric air conditioning systems that provide comfort while being dispatchable (on / off, modulated, or variable) under different pricing conditions or upon receipt of a utility signal. By way of example, the utility signal may be received from an electrical AC grid and may include an Independent System Operator (ISO), which may include an independent, federally regulated entity established to coordinate regional transmission in a non-discriminatory manner and ensure the reliability and security of the electric power system; or a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO), which may operate a large portion of a large electric power system across a geographic region and is generally an independent, membership-based, non-profit organization that ensures reliability and optimizes supply and demand bids for wholesale electric power or from a virtual power plant, which is generally considered to include a connected aggregation of integrated distributed energy resource (DER) technologies that provide demand flexibility and renewable energy. References to utilities refer to one or more entities involved in the generation, transmission, and / or distribution of electricity.

[0040] Embodiments described herein relate to an air conditioning system that includes an electrical energy storage system (eg, batteries, supercapacitors) to provide the level of dispatchability required for interconnection with an electrical grid.

[0041] Figure 1 A system 100 in an example embodiment is depicted. The system 100 includes components of an air conditioning system. The phrase "air conditioning" is intended to include one or more of heating, cooling, ventilation, humidification, dehumidification, refrigeration, hot water heating, cooling water or fluid, air filtration, and other known air handling operations, or a combination of any of the operations above. The air conditioning system may include known types of systems, such as heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, chillers, split systems, packaged systems, integrated systems, and the like. The air conditioning system 100 includes a first unit 200 and one or more second units 250. Depending on the nature of the air conditioning system, the first unit 200 and (one or more) second units 250 may be located separately (indoors or outdoors) or co-located (indoors or outdoors). For example, in a split system, the first unit 200 is an outdoor unit (e.g., a compressor and a heat exchanger), and (one or more) second units 250 are indoor units (e.g., an expansion mechanism, a heat exchanger). In a packaged system (e.g., rooftop or ground), the first unit 200 and the second unit 250 are co-located in a single footprint outside the building. In the chiller, the first unit 200 and the second unit 250 may be co-located (indoors or outdoors) or separately located.Some all-in-one systems may have the first unit 200 and the second unit 250 co-located inside a building.

[0042] exist Figure 1In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the first unit 200 may be an outdoor unit of a split system located at ground level next to the building 102, on the roof of the building 102, or at any other location. The second unit(s) 250 may be located inside the building 102 (as is common for split systems). It should be understood that Figure 1 is an example, and embodiments are not limited to split systems.

[0043] The system 100 includes a controller 220 , a power converter 230 , and an energy storage device (ESD) 240 . Figure 1 is an example embodiment, and the location of the components is not limited to Figure 1 240 . For example, the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, and the controller 220 may be separate from the first unit 200 that houses the compressor 242, the drive 244, the fan 246, and the load(s) 248. The first unit 200 may include a control unit (not shown) for controlling the operation of the first unit 200. This allows the components of the described embodiments to be retrofitted to an existing first unit 200 of an air conditioning system and / or an existing second unit 250 of an air conditioning system. One or more of the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, and the controller 220 may be located in the first unit 200. One or more of the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, and the controller 220 may be located outside of the first unit 200 or adjacent to the first unit 200. One or more of the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, and the controller 220 may be located in the building 102.

[0044] The first unit 200 may contain a heat exchanger (not shown) that will act as a condenser / gas cooler and / or as an evaporator as part of a vapor compression refrigeration cycle.

[0045] In the figures, the positions of all components in the drawings are examples, and the embodiments include modifications to the positions of the components shown in the drawings. For example, the components illustrated as being connected to the first unit 200 may be retrofit components added to the existing first unit 200. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0046] The controller 220 can communicate with the air conditioning controller system controller and / or the energy storage device controller. In some embodiments, a single controller can implement all functions of the controller 220, the air conditioning controller, and the energy storage device controller. The controller 220 communicates with the components of the described system using wired and / or wireless connections, which are not illustrated in the drawings.

[0047] Figure 1 The system and its embodiments described herein allow one or more components of the air conditioning system and other loads not associated with the air conditioning system to be powered only by the AC grid, only by the energy storage device 240, and by a combination of the AC grid and the energy storage device 240. The one or more components of the air conditioning system include components in the first unit 200 and components in the second unit 250.

[0048] Figure 2 A controller 220 according to one embodiment is depicted. The controller 220 includes a sensor interface 222, which can obtain operating parameters of the air conditioning system, such as pressure, temperature, etc. As is known in the art, the controller 220 can adjust the operation of the air conditioning system based on the sensed operating parameters. The controller 220 includes a processor 224 that controls the operation of the system 100. The processor 224 can be implemented using a general-purpose microprocessor that executes a computer program stored on a storage medium to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, the processor 224 can be implemented in hardware (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) or in a combination of hardware / software. The processor 224 allows the controller 220 to perform calculations locally, also known as edge computing. The processor 224 can send commands to other components of the air conditioning system 100 based on the results of the local calculations.

[0049] The controller 220 includes a memory 226 that can store computer programs, reference data, sensor data, etc. that can be executed by the processor 224. The memory 226 can be implemented using known devices, such as random access memory. The controller 220 includes a communication unit 228 that allows the controller 220 to communicate with other components of the system 100, such as the first unit 200, the second unit 250, and the thermostat 260. The communication unit 228 can be implemented using a wired connection (e.g., LAN, Ethernet, twisted pair, etc.) and / or a wireless connection (e.g., Wi-Fi, near field communication ("NFC"), Bluetooth, etc.).

[0050] In some embodiments, the communication unit 228 can provide high-speed data communication through the existing wiring system and / or provide communication with newer equipment with a high-speed bus while maintaining communication with existing equipment (e.g., with an RS-485 communication bus). In some embodiments, the HVAC equipment can include 4 lines for data communication: power, ground, data +, and data -. Of these lines, data + and data - are used to carry low-speed standard RS-485 data. The power line is used to power the wall control and comes from the second unit 250. This same power line is carried to the first unit 200, although it is generally not used. The ability to utilize the power and ground lines of the 4-wire system (referred to as "power line communication" (PLC) technology) allows digital / data signals to be sent through the power line. In some embodiments, PLC technology can allow data transmission at or near gigabit rates using standard 2-conductor wiring. This includes 2 lines represented by the power and ground of the HVAC equipment. It should be appreciated that other data transmission speeds are possible. In some embodiments, the communication unit 228 of the present disclosure can be configured so that when PLC high-speed communication is occurring over the power and ground lines of the 4-wire system, low-speed RS-485 communication can also be occurring on the data+ line and data- line. In some embodiments, the ability to use high-speed communication or a combination of high-speed and low-speed communication enables the controller 220 to utilize machine learning (ML)-based or artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms. In some embodiments, high-speed and low-speed communications can occur approximately simultaneously (e.g., within a few milliseconds of each other). This can allow standard HVAC lines to communicate with both RS-485 controlled devices and HVAC devices containing additional PLC transceivers. This can be advantageous because both new high-speed HVAC equipment and existing RS-485 HVAC equipment can coexist on the existing wiring of a building.

[0051] refer to Figure 1 , power converter 230 is used to perform any necessary power conversion, including one or more of AC-AC, AC-DC, DC-AC, and DC-DC. Power converter 230 may include several power converters at different locations in system 100. (One or more) power converters 230 may operate in a bidirectional manner, so that one or more power conversions are bidirectional. Figure 1, power converter 230 is connected to AC and / or DC power sources and / or loads. Power converter 230 can also provide power to loads in building 102, including second unit 250 (if in building 102), thermostat 260, and load 270. In normal mode, loads in building 102 will receive AC power directly from the AC grid. Controller 220 can select whether power will come from the AC grid or from power converter 230. Example embodiments of power converter 230 are described herein.

[0052] The energy storage device 240 is configured to provide at least a portion of the power under certain circumstances to operate one or more components of the components of the air conditioning system, such as the first unit 200, (one or more) second units 250, together with (one or more) indoor loads 270 and any other loads. The energy storage device 240 can be implemented using a device for storing electrical energy, including, for example, one or more of a battery, a battery module, a battery cell, a supercapacitor, etc. The battery 240 can include several cells in a modular form or as an independent multi-cell array. The battery 240 can be made of a single or multiple self-contained system, a battery module or a separate cell. The battery 240 (such as a complete plug and play battery) can include a box, a line, a cell and a module. For example, the battery 240 can include a group of cells configured as a self-contained mechanical and electrical unit. The energy storage device 240 can include other components (e.g., an ESD management system (ESDMS)), which is electrically coupled to the energy storage device 240 and can be adapted to communicate with the controller 220 directly or through the ESDMS.

[0053] The first unit 200 also includes components used as part of an air conditioning system and includes a compressor 242, one or more drives 244, a fan 246 and other loads 248, and a control unit (not shown). The heat exchanger (not shown) in the first unit 200 can act as an evaporator or a condenser / gas cooler. These components are described in more detail herein when relevant to the embodiments.

[0054] In a split system, inside the building 102, one or more second units 250 are positioned to condition one or more zones of the building 102. The second unit 250 may be employed using a variety of known second units, including variable air volume (VAV) units, liquid cooled second units, fan coil units, furnaces, (one or more) air handlers, etc., which typically include a heat exchanger. In other types of systems (e.g., packaged systems or chiller systems), the (one or more) second units 250 may be located outdoors and include any form of heat exchanger, such as a cooling tower, etc.

[0055] The optional thermostat 260 provides a user interface for the air conditioning system 100 and allows the user to input the operating mode of the air conditioning system 100, input set points for various zones of the system 100, etc. The indoor load 270 can be supplied with electrical power by the first unit 200. The indoor load 270 includes a variety of loads, such as appliances, lighting, electric vehicle chargers, etc. The thermostat 260 is not required, and other technologies can be used for control of the air conditioning system.

[0056] Figure 3A An electrical architecture in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 3A The locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0057] like Figure 3A As shown in FIG. 2 , the AC grid 302 is connected to the first unit 200 through a grid disconnect device 304 under the control of the controller 220. This allows the first unit 200 to be powered by the energy storage device 240 independently of the AC grid 302. The first unit 200 can also be powered by a combination of the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240. The disconnect device 304 can also be implemented as a mechanical switch (e.g., controlled by the controller 220) or implemented using software (by the controller 220 by controlling one or more power converters).

[0058] The AC grid 302 is connected to an indoor AC load 308 (such as an air handler, or any fixed device in a residential, commercial, industrial building, or data center). The AC grid 302 is also provided to an AC / AC converter 310, which supplies conditioned AC power to the compressor drive 244A of the compressor 242 and the fan 246. The AC / AC converter 310 can control the amplitude, frequency, and equality of the AC power provided to the compressor drive 244A of the compressor 242 and the fan 246.

[0059] The AC grid 302 may also be connected to one of the unidirectional or bidirectional AC / DC converters 312 that interface the AC power bus 305 with the DC power bus 313. The DC power bus 313 supplies power to the DC load 248 that may be located in the first unit 200. Under certain conditions, the DC power bus 313 supplies power to one or more of the components of the air conditioning system (e.g., the compressor 242 and the fan 246) through the bidirectional AC / DC converter 312 and the AC / AC converter 310. This allows one or more of the components of the air conditioning system to operate independently of the AC grid 302 or in combination with the AC grid 302. The bidirectional AC / DC converter 312 also allows power from the DC bus 313 to be directed to the AC grid 302.

[0060] The DC power bus 313 can be powered by the energy storage device 240. In the charging mode, the DC power bus 313 is used to charge the energy storage device 240 (charger not shown). The DC power bus 313 can also be powered by one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, such as solar DC power, wind DC power, geothermal DC power, fuel cells, etc. The DC / DC converter 316 can be used to couple the auxiliary DC source 314 to the DC power bus 313. The DC power bus 313 can provide power to the indoor DC load 318. The DC / DC converter 320 can be used to couple the indoor DC load 318 to the DC power bus 313. The AC / DC converter 347 can be used to couple the DC power bus 313 to the indoor AC load 308 (through the disconnect device 348). In some operating modes, the energy storage device 240 is used to power the indoor AC load 308. The AC / AC converter 310, the AC / DC converter 312, the DC / DC converter 320, the DC / DC converter 316, and the AC / DC converter 347 can be Figure 1 In some embodiments, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 are connected to the AC power bus 305 via a DC / AC converter (not shown). In other embodiments, the one or more auxiliary power sources provide AC power, which is connected to the AC bus 305 and / or the DC bus 313 via an appropriate AC / AC converter or AC / DC converter.

[0061] The compressor drive 244A can be implemented in various ways. In one embodiment, the compressor drive 244A is a switch, such as a contactor or a relay, that connects the compressor 242 to the output of the AC / AC converter 310. In other embodiments, the compressor drive 244A can be a power converter, such as an AC / AC converter or an AC / DC converter.

[0062] An optional DC / DC converter 241 may provide power conversion between the energy storage device 240 and the DC power bus 313. The DC / DC converter 241 may be a bidirectional converter for stepping up or down a DC voltage so that the energy storage device 240 may power the DC power bus 313 and the DC power bus 313 may charge the energy storage device 240. The DC / DC converter 241 may be part of the energy storage device 240 or may be a separate component from the energy storage device 240.

[0063] Figure 3A The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0064] Figure 3B An electrical architecture in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 3B The locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0065] Figure 3B Similar to Figure 3A, except that the AC / AC converter 310 is eliminated. The compressor 242 is provided with power from the compressor drive 244A. The compressor drive 244A can be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay, that connects the compressor 242 to the AC power bus 305. In other embodiments, the compressor drive 244A can be a power converter, such as an AC / AC converter or an AC / DC converter. The compressor drive 244A can be controlled by the controller 220.

[0066] The fan 246 is provided with power from the fan drive 244B. The fan drive 244B may be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay, that connects the fan 246 to the AC power bus 305. In other embodiments, the fan drive 244B may be a power converter, such as an AC / AC converter or an AC / DC converter. The fan drive 244B may be controlled by the controller 220.

[0067] Figure 3B The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0068] Figure 4A An electrical architecture in another example embodiment is depicted. Figure 4A The locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0069] exist Figure 4A In the embodiment of the present invention, compressor drive 244A and fan 246 are DC powered, and therefore there is no need for AC / AC converter 310. Bidirectional AC / DC converter 312 allows energy storage device 240 to supply power to one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or feed power (under certain conditions) from DC bus 313 to AC grid 302. Bidirectional AC / DC converter 312 interfaces AC power bus 305 with DC power bus 313.

[0070] The compressor drive 244A may be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay, that connects the compressor 242 to the DC power bus 313. In other embodiments, the compressor drive 244A may be a power converter, such as a DC / AC converter or a DC / DC converter. The compressor drive 244A may be controlled by the controller 220.

[0071] Figure 4A The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0072] Figure 4B An electrical architecture in another example embodiment is depicted. Figure 4BThe locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0073] Figure 4B Similar to Figure 4A , except that fan 246 includes fan drive 244B. Fan drive 244B can be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay, that connects fan 246 to DC power bus 313. In other embodiments, fan drive 244B can be a power converter, such as a DC / AC converter or a DC / DC converter. Fan drive 244B can be controlled by controller 220.

[0074] Figure 4B The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0075] Figure 5A The DC electrical architecture of the constant speed first unit 200 in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 5AThe locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0076] For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the first unit 200 are shown. The power converter 230 can be used in conjunction with the embodiments described above or in conjunction with other embodiments. For example, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can be connected to the energy storage device 240 (via a DC bus) to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240. Figure 5A , AC power from the AC grid 302 is supplied to the power converter 230 through the grid disconnect device 304. The power converter 230 includes an AC / DC converter 370 and a DC / AC converter 372. The output of the DC / AC converter 372 is provided to the compressor 242 through the compressor drive 244A. Because the compressor 242 is fixed speed, the compressor drive 244A can be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay.

[0077] Both the AC / DC converter 370 and the DC / AC converter 372 operate under the control of the controller 220. Between the AC / DC converter 370 and the DC / AC converter 372 is a DC link 371, which is optionally connected to the energy storage device 240 through the DC / DC converter 241. Under this arrangement, the energy storage device 240 can be charged by the power converter 230. Alternatively, the energy storage device 240 can provide DC power to the DC link 371 to power the DC / AC converter 372 and the compressor 242. This allows the first unit 200 to operate independently of the AC grid 302 or in combination with the AC grid 302. The AC / DC converter 370 can be bidirectional to allow the energy storage device 240 to provide power to the AC grid 302 and to be charged from the AC grid 302.

[0078] Controller 220, power converter 230, energy storage device 240, DC\DC converters 320 and 316, and AC\DC converter 347 and DC / DC converter 241 can be retrofitted to an existing first unit 200. This allows energy storage device 240 to be added to an existing air conditioning system to enable first unit 200 to operate independently of AC grid 302, or to operate under power from both AC grid 302 and energy storage device 240. It also allows auxiliary power sources to be added in a modular manner.

[0079] Figure 5A The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0080] Figure 5B The AC electrical architecture of the constant speed first unit 200 in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 5B The locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0081] For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the first unit 200 are shown. The power converter 230 can be used in combination with the embodiments described above or other embodiments. For example, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can be connected to the energy storage device 240 (via a DC bus) to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240.

[0082] exist Figure 5B, power converter 230 includes a DC / DC converter 241 and an AC / DC converter 370 coupled to energy storage device 240. AC / DC converter 370 may be bidirectional to allow energy storage device 240 to provide power to and be charged from AC grid 302. Because compressor 242 is fixed speed, compressor drive 244A may be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay.

[0083] The controller 220, power converter 230, and energy storage device 240 can be retrofitted to an existing first unit 200. This allows the energy storage device 240 to be added to an existing air conditioning system to enable the first unit 200 to operate independently of the AC grid 302, or to operate under power from both the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240.

[0084] Figure 5B The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0085] Figure 5C The DC electrical architecture of the variable speed first unit 200 in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 5C The locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0086] Figure 5C Similar to Figure 5A , except that the compressor drive 244A provides variable speed operation of the compressor 242. Other loads 248 of the first unit 200 may be powered from the output of the DC / AC converter 372.

[0087] The controller 220, power converter 230, energy storage device 240, and DC / DC converter 241 can be retrofitted to an existing first unit 200. This allows the energy storage device 240 to be added to an existing air conditioning system to enable the first unit 200 to operate independently of the AC grid 302, or to operate under power from both the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240.

[0088] For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the first unit 200 are shown. The power converter 230 can be used in combination with the embodiments described above or other embodiments. For example, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can be connected to the energy storage device 240 (via a DC bus) to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240.

[0089] Figure 5C The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0090] Figure 5D The DC electrical architecture of the variable speed first unit 200 in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 5DThe locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0091] Figure 5D Similar to Figure 5B , except that the compressor drive 244A provides variable speed operation of the compressor 242. Other loads 248 of the first unit 200 can be powered from the AC power bus 305.

[0092] For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the first unit 200 are shown. The power converter 230 can be used in combination with the embodiments described above or other embodiments. For example, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can be connected to the energy storage device 240 (via a DC bus) to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240.

[0093] The controller 220, power converter 230, and energy storage device 240 can be retrofitted to an existing first unit 200. This allows the energy storage device 240 to be added to an existing air conditioning system to enable the first unit 200 to operate independently of the AC grid 302, or to operate under power from both the AC grid and the energy storage device 240.

[0094] Figure 5D The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0095] Figure 6 An electrical architecture having a variable speed compressor drive including a multi-level inverter in an example embodiment is depicted. For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the first unit 200 are shown. Figure 6 The locations of the components in are examples, and any of the components described may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separate from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements may be added to subassemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0096] like Figure 6 , AC power from the AC grid 302 is supplied to the power converter 230 through the grid disconnect device 304. The power converter 230 includes an AC / DC converter 380 and a multi-level inverter 382. The output of the multi-level inverter 382 is provided to the compressor 242. The output of the multi-level inverter 382 can be a multi-phase multi-level waveform configured to drive a multi-phase motor of the compressor 242. In an example embodiment, the multi-level inverter 382 is a five-level three-phase inverter. In another example embodiment, the multi-level inverter 382 is a three-level three-phase inverter.

[0097] The multi-level inverter 382 synthesizes a sinusoidal current waveform to operate and control the compressor 242. Traditionally, this is accomplished with a two-level inverter. Integration with the energy storage device 240 allows a natural progression to higher order inverters. Three-level and five-level inverters require independent power supplies to set the voltage levels. Figure 6 In an embodiment, the energy storage device 240 can set the voltage level. The energy storage device 240 can include internal battery modules connected in series. The multi-level inverter 382 directly uses the battery modules for each required voltage level, thereby enabling the benefits of a multi-level inverter. The multi-level inverter 382 benefits from lower harmonic output and lower dv / dt device stress. The multi-level inverter 382 increases reliability by the ability to reconfigure to a lower number of levels (connecting or disconnecting battery modules together through the integration of relays or back-to-back switches) after a fault has occurred.

[0098] Figure 7A phase branch of a five-level multiphase inverter in one embodiment of a multilevel inverter 382 is shown. The energy storage device 240 includes at least four battery modules 240A, 240B, 240C and 240D connected in series. The combination of battery modules 240A, 240B, 240C and 240D and a neutral point n provides five voltage levels for creating a sinusoidal output waveform on one phase. In general, N+1 levels of output waveform are provided for each phase using N battery module voltages. Switches S1-S4 and S1'-S4' are controlled by the controller 220 to generate a sine wave as known in the art. The multilevel inverter 382 can be reconfigured into fewer levels by integrating relays or back-to-back switches to connect or disconnect the battery modules together.

[0099] The voltage levels used in the multi-level inverter 382 do not need to be supplied by separate battery modules. The voltage levels used to create the sinusoidal output waveform can be created using one battery module (by splitting the battery voltage by capacitors, for example).

[0100] refer to Figure 6 , both the AC / DC converter 370 and the multilevel inverter 382 operate under the control of the controller 220. Between the AC / DC converter 370 and the multilevel inverter 382 is a DC link 381, which is connected to the energy storage device 240. Under this arrangement, the energy storage device 240 can be charged by the power converter 230. Alternatively, the energy storage device 240 can provide DC power to the DC link 381 to power the multilevel inverter 382 and the compressor 242. This allows the first unit 200 to operate independently of the AC grid 302, or to operate under power from both the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240. The AC / DC converter 380 can be bidirectional to allow the energy storage device 240 to provide power to the AC grid and to be charged from the AC grid.

[0101] Figure 6The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) to be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls various power converters. Other loads such as the indoor DC load 318 and the indoor AC load 308 can be powered only by the AC grid 302, only by the energy storage device 240, or by both the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether power is supplied from the AC grid 302, the energy storage device 240, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, or a combination thereof is based on various factors, such as utility status, utility electricity prices, the status of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Fig. 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0102] In the above embodiments, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be used to provide DC power. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may include sources such as solar DC power, wind DC power, geothermal DC power, fuel cells, etc.

[0103] Figure 8 Depicted is communication between the controller 220, the thermostat 260, and the remote system 410 in an example embodiment. As noted above, the controller 220 may be integrated as part of the air conditioning controller and / or the battery controller, or may be independent and communicate with the air conditioning controller and / or the energy storage controller. The controller 220 communicates with the thermostat 260 via a local link 400. The local link 400 may be a wired connection (e.g., twisted pair, four-wire, power line communication, Modbus, CAN bus, etc.) and / or a wireless connection (e.g., WiFi, radio or Bluetooth, NFC, etc.). The thermostat 260 may also be implemented using a software application operating on a user device (e.g., a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer). The thermostat 260 may also provide occupancy, past performance, and weather information to the controller 220.

[0104] One or both of the controller 220 and the thermostat 260 may communicate with the remote system 410 via a network 406. The network 406 may be a long-distance network and may be implemented via various communication protocols. The network 406 may be implemented via one or more networks, such as, but not limited to, one or more of the following: WiMax, a local area network (LAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a personal area network (PAN), a campus area network (CAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), or any broadband network, and further may be implemented with technologies such as (by way of example): Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Personal Communications Service (PCS), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Matter, fixed wireless data, 2G, 2.5G, 3G (e.g., 3G networks based on UMTS / WCDMA), 4G, IMT-Advanced, Pre-4G, LTE-Advanced, 5G, 6G, Mobile WiMax, WiMax2, WirelessMAN Advanced Network, Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced GPRS, iBurst, UMTS, HSPDA, HSUPA, HSPA, HSPA+, UMTS-TDD, 1xRTT, EV-DO, messaging protocols such as TCP / IP, SMS, MMS, Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP), Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP), instant messaging, USSD, IRC, or any other wireless data network, broadband network, or messaging protocol.

[0105] The remote system 410 may be embodied as any type of processor-based computing or computer device capable of performing the functions described herein, including but not limited to a computer, server, workstation, desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, mobile computing device, wearable computing device, network device, web device, distributed computing system (e.g., cloud computing), processor-based system, and / or consumer electronic device. The remote system 410 provides information used by the controller 220 and / or thermostat 260 to implement an energy management routine that controls how the one or more components of the air conditioning system and the load 270 consume power. The information provided by the remote system 410 may include utility pricing (which indicates the cost of electricity on the AC grid 302) and weather information (which may be used to predict future utility pricing and use of the one or more components of the air conditioning system). Utility pricing and weather may be pushed to or pulled by the remote system 410 using known networking technologies. Utility pricing and / or weather may be determined in real time, or as a forecast of future conditions.

[0106] In the embodiments described above, the controller 220 communicates with the components of the described system using wired and / or wireless connections (which are not illustrated in the figure). Depending on the power source used in the operating mode (e.g., one or more of AC grid power, energy storage device power, auxiliary power source, etc.), the controller 220 sends command signals to various system components (e.g., AC / DC converter 310, AC / DC converter 312, AC / DC converter 347, DC / DC converter 320, DC / DC converter 316, DC / DC converter 241, AC / DC converter 370, DC / AC converter 372, AC / DC converter 380 and / or multi-level inverter 382, ​​AC disconnect device 304, etc.) to route power to one or more components of the air conditioning system, such as the first unit 200, (one or more) second unit 250, together with (one or more) indoor loads 270 and any other loads.

[0107] Fig. 9 An energy management process in an example embodiment is depicted. The process can be performed by the controller 220 and / or by the thermostat 260. At 600, the controller 220 determines whether there is a request to reduce energy usage, or whether there is any other communication signal, such as a change in energy pricing, or an incentive. A utility provider may request to reduce energy usage during a specific time period to avoid a service explanation (e.g., brownout) or other penalty or incentive, such as a change in pricing. A request to reduce energy usage may be accompanied by an incentive (e.g., $5 off the next energy bill). Requests for reductions may also originate from energy consumers, such as data centers, where the data center needs to maintain its processing and / or cooling loads and encourages other users to reduce their consumption to ensure energy availability.

[0108] If there is a request to reduce energy usage, the process proceeds to 602, where the user (e.g., a customer of a utility) can approve or deny the request to reduce energy usage. The approval or denial determination can be pre-established by the user and pre-programmed into the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260. For example, the user may wish to always reduce energy consumption, regardless of terms. The user may wish to never reduce energy consumption, regardless of terms. The user may wish to reduce energy consumption only when the utility offers an incentive. The approval or denial determination at 602 can also be real-time, where the user enters the approval or denial of the reduction in energy consumption through the thermostat 260 or through a mobile device.

[0109] If the user approves of reducing energy usage at 602, the flow proceeds to 604, where one or more components of the air conditioning system (if needed) and / or other loads are at least partially powered by the energy storage device 240. This may involve opening the AC disconnect device 304 (e.g., zero power from the AC grid 302), and powering the one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads using only the energy storage device 240. Operating the one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads may also include using a combination of the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240 to power the one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads. The controller 220 can limit the amount of power drawn from the AC grid 302 by controlling various power converters 230 in the system (e.g., AC / AC converter 310, AC / DC converter 312, AC / DC converter 347, DC / DC converter 320, DC / DC converter 316, DC / DC converter 241, AC / DC converter 370, DC / AC converter 372, AC / DC converter 380, and / or multi-level inverter 382) to reduce the amount of AC power drawn from the AC grid. The energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302 are used in combination to power one or more components and / or one or more loads of the air conditioning system.

[0110] Using the energy storage device 240 to operate the one or more components of the air conditioning system may also include limiting the amount of power used from the AC grid 302 to a power limit (e.g., 1 kW during a 2-hour period). The controller 220 may limit the amount of power drawn from the AC grid 302 by controlling the various power converters 230 in the system (e.g., AC / AC converter 310, AC / DC converter 312, AC / DC converter 347, DC / DC converter 320, DC / DC converter 316, DC / DC converter 241, AC / DC converter 370, DC / AC converter 372, AC / DC converter 380, and / or multi-level inverter 382) to reduce the amount of AC power drawn from the AC grid 302. At 604, other loads may be powered by the energy storage device 240, including (one or more) indoor loads 270, which may include (one or more) indoor DC loads 318 and / or (one or more) indoor AC loads 308. The process returns to 600.

[0111] At some point, the energy storage device 240 will lack sufficient charge such that the one or more components of the air conditioning system will need to be powered solely by the AC grid 302. The controller 220 can detect when the state of the energy storage device 240 (such as state of charge (SOC), state of health (SoH), voltage, temperature, etc.) is not within acceptable limits for powering the one or more components of the air conditioning system or other loads. If the state of the energy storage device 240 is not within acceptable limits, the one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads need to be powered by the AC grid 302. This results in interrupting the discharge of the energy storage device 240 and / or initiating charging of the energy storage device 240.

[0112] If the utility or some other source has not requested a reduction in energy usage at 600, the process proceeds to 606, where the controller 220 determines whether the system 100 should use power from the energy storage device 240. An example of a situation in which the system 100 should use power from the energy storage device 240 occurs when the utility power is at least one of a peak price, close to grid capacity, or at grid capacity. This determination can be made in real time, or can be made in advance using a forecast and communicated from the utility to the air conditioning system. Peak prices do not necessarily require that the price of electricity is at a maximum, but are generally known in the art as periods of time above the average cost of energy. Whether the utility is at a peak price can be determined by utility pricing obtained from the remote system 410 or current or future weather information obtained from the remote system 410. This information can also be stored locally at the controller 220. If the utility is at least one of at peak price, near grid capacity, or at grid capacity, the flow proceeds to 604, where the one or more components of the air conditioning system and the loads 270 (including the indoor AC loads 308 and / or other loads) are powered by the energy storage device 240 alone or in combination with the AC grid 302. As noted above, the controller 220 can limit the amount of power drawn from the AC grid 302 by controlling the various power converters 230 in the system. Whether the utility power is at peak price and grid capacity are not the only factors that can be relied upon when determining that the system should use power from the energy storage device 240.

[0113] For grid capacity, information about grid capacity and current grid load may be obtained from a remote system (such as a source of utility pricing.) If AC grid 302 is at or near grid capacity (e.g., within a threshold range of grid capacity, and optionally increasing), it may be robust to use power from energy storage device 240 to avoid power interruptions.

[0114] Another example of a situation in which the system should use power from energy storage device 240 occurs when a user requests a reduction in energy usage. The user can use thermostat 260 to place system 100 in a reduced energy usage mode (e.g., an eco-friendly mode), which causes the system to use power from energy storage device 240 to power one or more components of the air conditioning system.

[0115] In another example, based on data from block 602 (e.g., user consent) or based on data from block 600 (e.g., a request to reduce energy usage), the system may use power from energy storage device 240 based on a machine learning (ML) and / or artificial intelligence (AI) control algorithm implemented by controller 220.

[0116] If at 606, the system should not use power from the energy storage device 240, the process proceeds to 608, where the energy storage device 240 is charged using the AC grid 302. At 610, the controller 220 determines whether the battery state is within acceptable limits, including state of charge (SOC), state of health (SoH), temperature, voltage, or a state outside of safety and / or operating limits. If so, the process returns to 600. At 610, the controller 220 can detect parameters of the energy storage device 240 to confirm that parameters such as the battery's state of health, operating range, temperature range, voltage, capacity, etc. are within valid limits.

[0117] It should be noted that energy storage device 240 may be charged even when utility power is at peak prices. This may include fault modes, test modes, etc. Thus, charging energy storage device 240 is not limited to off-peak utility power price times.

[0118] If at 610, the energy storage device has a status that is not within acceptable limits, the process proceeds to 612, where the energy storage device 240 can be charged (if the SoC is low) or can be completely disconnected (if the energy storage device 240 is not operating within safety and / or operating limits).

[0119] Although Fig. 9 Involving operating one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads to reduce power consumption, although other techniques may be used to reduce power consumption, such as using a variable speed drive to reduce compressor speed, changing thermostat set points, etc. In other embodiments, the utility may request an increase in energy usage. The request may be a real-time request or a future request based on predicted conditions. Increasing energy usage may include charging the energy storage device 240.

[0120] If the thermostat 260 is equipped with a processor 261, then Fig. 9One or more operations of the process may be performed by the thermostat 260. The processor 261 may be implemented using a general-purpose microprocessor that executes a computer program stored on a storage medium to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, the processor 261 may be implemented in hardware (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) or in a combination of hardware / software. The controller 220 and the thermostat may be implemented in conjunction or separately. Fig. 9 All or some of the operations in the operation.

[0121] In other embodiments, the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260 perform system enhancement routines to improve the performance of the entire air conditioning system based on optimization (including model predictive control) or machine learning techniques, taking into account carbon impact, energy performance, energy cost, life cycle cost, impact on the life of the equipment, and reliability. The system enhancement routine can operate with or without information about weather, occupancy, historical usage, customer preferences, equipment performance maps (HVAC, battery), the possibility of energy outages, etc. Machine learning techniques about customer preferences, usage, flexibility in decisions about temperature, cost, environmental issues, etc. can be used to improve control logic and optimization. Other control strategies (such as pre-cooling and pre-heating) with advantages in terms of cost, performance, efficiency, environment, comfort, and reliability can be implemented by the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260.

[0122] If the thermostat 260 is equipped with a processor 261, then Fig. 9 One or more operations of the process may be performed by the thermostat 260. The processor 261 may be implemented using a general-purpose microprocessor that executes a computer program stored on a storage medium to perform the operations described herein. Alternatively, the processor 261 may be implemented in hardware (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) or in a combination of hardware / software. The controller 220 and the thermostat may be implemented in conjunction or separately. Fig. 9 All or some of the operations in the operation.

[0123] In other embodiments, the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260 perform system enhancement routines to improve the performance of the entire air conditioning system 100 based on optimization (including model predictive control) or machine learning techniques, taking into account carbon impact, energy performance, energy cost, life cycle cost, impact on the life of the equipment, reliability. The system enhancement routine can operate with or without information about weather, occupancy, historical usage, customer preferences, equipment performance maps (HVAC, battery), the possibility of energy outages, etc. Machine learning techniques about customer preferences, usage, flexibility of decisions about temperature, cost, environmental issues, etc. can be used to improve control logic and optimization. Other control strategies (such as pre-cooling and pre-heating) with advantages about cost, performance, efficiency, environment, comfort, reliability can be implemented by the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260.

[0124] Fig.10 The electrical architecture of an air conditioning system 800 providing excess energy management in an example embodiment is depicted. The air conditioning system 800 includes an AC power bus 305 connected to an AC grid 302 (e.g., through a switch or circuit breaker). The first unit 200 (e.g., an outdoor unit) includes a compressor 242 and a drive, the drive including an AC / DC converter 370 and a DC / AC converter 372. The output of the DC / AC converter 372 is provided to the compressor 242. Both the AC / DC converter 370 and the DC / AC converter 372 operate under the control of the controller 220. Between the AC / DC converter 370 and the DC / AC converter 372 is a DC link 371 connected to the energy storage device 240. Under this arrangement, the energy storage device 240 can be charged by the AC grid 302 through the AC / DC converter 370. Alternatively, the energy storage device 240 can provide DC power to the DC link 371 to power the DC / AC converter 372 and the first unit 200 including the compressor 242. This allows the first unit 200 to operate independently of the AC grid 302. The AC / DC converter 370 may be configurable to operate bidirectionally, responsive to commands from the controller 220, to allow the first unit 200 to feed power from the energy storage device 240 to the AC power bus 305 and the AC grid 302.

[0125] The DC link 371 may also be powered by one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, such as solar DC power, wind DC power, geothermal DC power, fuel cells, and the like. A DC / DC converter 316 may be used to couple the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to the DC link 371. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be used to power the first unit 200 including the compressor 242, to charge the energy storage device 240, to power the DC load 810, and to feed power to the AC grid 302. The DC load 810 may include a DC load that forms part of the air conditioning system 800, including one or more of a strip heater of a fan coil, a heater of a hot water tank, a geothermal heat pump, and an indoor fan (e.g., an air handler). Other DC loads may be powered by the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, and embodiments are not limited to Fig.10 Elements shown in .

[0126] The switch 806 is positioned on the DC link 371 and is configured to connect the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to at least one of the first unit 200 including the compressor 242 , the energy storage device 240 , the DC load 810 , and the AC grid 302 .

[0127] Fig.11 A switch 806 is depicted for distributing power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to various components of the air conditioning system 800. The switch 806 is operated under the control of the controller 220. The switch 806 may be a multi-pole single-throw switch that may connect the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to one of the first unit 200 including the compressor 242, the energy storage device 240, the DC load 810, and the AC grid 302. The switch 806 may include multiple throws to connect the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to multiple of the first unit 200 including the compressor 242, the energy storage device 240, the DC load 810, and the AC grid 302.

[0128] Fig.12 A control process for managing excess energy in an air conditioning system 800 in an example embodiment is depicted. Excess energy refers to energy that exceeds the requirements of the first unit 200, including the compressor 242. Excess energy from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is distributed throughout the air conditioning system 800 in an efficient and optimized manner.

[0129] The process starts at 900 and flows to 902, where the controller 220 determines whether the auxiliary power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is greater than the current load of the first unit 200 including the compressor 242. The controller 220 can determine the amount of auxiliary power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314, for example, using current and / or voltage sensors. The controller 220 can determine the load of the first unit 200 including the compressor 242, for example, using current and / or voltage sensors.

[0130] If the auxiliary power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is not greater than the current load of the first unit 200 including the compressor 242, the process proceeds to 904, where all the auxiliary power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is used to power the first unit 200 including the compressor 242. In this case, there is no excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314. Excess power refers to the ability of the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to power components other than the first unit 200 including the compressor 242. From 904, the process can return to 902.

[0131] If the auxiliary power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is greater than the current load of the first unit 200 including the compressor 242, the process proceeds to 906. In this case, excess power is available. At 906, the controller 220 determines whether the energy storage device 240 is charged above a threshold (e.g., 95% of a full charge). The controller 220 can, for example, use (one or more) voltage sensors to determine the charge of the energy storage device 240. If the energy storage device 240 is not charged above the threshold, the process proceeds to 908, where the excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is used to charge the energy storage device 240. From 908, the process can return to 902.

[0132] In an alternative embodiment, the system 800 can direct power in a dynamic manner based on one or more conditions. For example, at 906, the controller 220 can direct power based on other conditions such as the monetary cost of utility grid power during a given period, weather conditions (e.g., potential energy may be available for export during sunny periods, so that export power during cloudy or severe weather conditions will be delayed), rather than having a binary choice based on whether the energy storage device 240 is charged above a threshold. In another example, when excess energy is available from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 and the energy storage device 240 is not charged above a threshold, the controller 220 can direct power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to the DC load 810 at the current time based on a prediction that more power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 will be available later to charge the energy storage device 240. The prediction can be based on predicted weather conditions (e.g., a period of sunny weather will increase the available auxiliary DC power from the solar panels). Directing power dynamically can increase energy savings by reducing energy usage of the AC grid 302.

[0133] In an alternative embodiment, the controller 220 may determine when to export excess energy based on other sensors present in the auxiliary DC source. For example, the controller 220 may export excess energy based on feedback from a temperature sensor or a pressure sensor that may communicate with a DC load such as a hot water heater or boiler system. In another example, the controller 220 may act as the primary decision maker regarding when to export to one or more auxiliary loads, or may receive an export request from a supervisory controller or a higher-level energy management controller.

[0134] If at 906, the controller 220 determines that the energy storage device 240 is charged above the threshold, the process proceeds to 910, where the controller 220 determines whether exporting excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to the AC grid 302 is permitted. In some locations, exporting excess power to the AC grid 302 is not permitted to prevent grid instability. If at 910, exporting excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to the AC grid 302 is permitted, the process proceeds to 912, where excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is supplied to the AC grid 302. This can include the controller 220 configuring the AC / DC converter 370 to a bidirectional mode so that excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is converted to AC power before being supplied to the AC grid 302. From 912, the process can return to 902.

[0135] If at 910, exporting excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to the AC grid 302 is not permitted, the flow proceeds to 914, where excess power from the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 is supplied to the DC load 810. As noted above, the DC load may include a DC load that forms part of the air conditioning system 800, including one or more of a strip heater of a fan coil, a heater of a hot water tank, a geothermal heat pump, and an indoor fan. From 914, the process may return to 902.

[0136] The air conditioning system 800 allows for the export of excess energy to systems other than the AC grid 302. This creates an ecosystem inside the building that allows for the most energy efficient local power generation and direct use of the local power generation to reduce energy bills and reduce carbon emissions.

[0137] As described above, embodiments may take the form of processor-implemented processes and apparatus for practicing those processes (such as controller 220 and / or thermostat 260). Embodiments may also take the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in a tangible medium such as a network cloud storage device, SD card, flash drive, floppy disk, CD ROM, hard drive, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the embodiments. Embodiments may also take the form of computer program code, such as stored in a storage medium, loaded into and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through a transmission medium, loaded into and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through a transmission medium (such as by wire or cable, by optical fiber, or via electromagnetic radiation), wherein when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the embodiments. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.

[0138] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises and / or comprising" when used in this specification specify the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components and / or groups thereof.

[0139] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each example embodiment having certain features in a particular embodiment, but the present disclosure is not therefore limited. On the contrary, the present disclosure may be modified to incorporate any number of changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements that have not been described heretofore but are commensurate with the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be considered to be limited by the foregoing description, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, comprising: a first unit, the first unit comprising a compressor; Controller; as well as one or more auxiliary DC power sources; wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit; Wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are not generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit, the controller supplies all power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

2. The air conditioning system of claim 1, further comprising an energy storage device; in, the controller determining whether the energy storage device has a charge above a threshold when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power over the load of the first unit; Wherein, when the energy storage device does not have the charge above the threshold, the controller supplies the excess power to the energy storage device.

3. The air conditioning system of claim 2, further comprising a connection to an AC power grid; in, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit and the energy storage device has the charge above the threshold, the controller determining whether exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permissible; Wherein, when exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to the AC grid.

4. The air conditioning system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a DC load; in, When the controller determines that exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is not permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to the DC load.

5. The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein: The DC loads include components of the air conditioning system.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 5, wherein: The DC load includes at least one of the following loads: a strip heater of a fan coil unit, a heater of a hot water tank, a geothermal heat pump, and an indoor fan.

7. A method of operating an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprising a first unit, a controller, and one or more auxiliary DC power sources, the first unit comprising a compressor, the method comprising: determining whether the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit; Wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are not generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit, the controller supplies all power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: in, the controller determining whether an energy storage device has a charge above a threshold when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power over the load of the first unit; Wherein, when the energy storage device does not have the charge above the threshold, the controller supplies the excess power to the energy storage device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: in, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit and the energy storage device has the charge above the threshold, the controller determining whether exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permissible; Wherein, when exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to the AC grid.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: in, When the controller determines that exporting the excess energy to the AC grid is not permitted, the controller supplies the excess power to a DC load.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein: The DC loads include components of the air conditioning system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein: The DC load includes at least one of the following loads: a strip heater of a fan coil unit, a heater of a hot water tank, a geothermal heat pump, and an indoor fan.

13. A computer program embodied on a computer readable storage medium, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a processor to implement a process of operating an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprising a first unit, a controller, and one or more auxiliary DC power sources, the first unit comprising a compressor, the process comprising: determining whether the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit; Wherein, when the one or more auxiliary DC power sources are not generating excess power beyond the load of the first unit, the controller supplies all power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

14. An air conditioning system, comprising: a first unit, the first unit comprising a compressor; Controller; one or more auxiliary DC power sources; connection to the AC grid; Energy storage devices; DC load; Wherein the controller is configured to dynamically allocate power from the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to one or more of the AC grid, the energy storage device, and the DC load in response to one or more conditions.

15. The air conditioning system according to claim 14, wherein: The one or more conditions include one or more of the following conditions: a state of charge of the energy storage device, current weather, forecasted weather, and a cost of power from the AC grid.

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