Self-powered air conditioning system comprising thermal storage device

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-powered air conditioning system comprising a thermal storage device. A system includes an air conditioning system including: a first unit and a second unit coupled to the first unit by a fluid path; an energy storage device connected to at least one of the first unit and the second unit, the energy storage device configured to store electrical energy; and a thermal storage device connected to one of the first unit and the second unit, the thermal storage device configured to store thermal energy.

Description

Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 627,655, filed on January 31, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 665,757, filed on June 28, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0002] The embodiments described herein relate to air - conditioning systems.

[0003] Electric power drives a large number of devices and equipment in commercial, industrial, residential applications, and data centers. For example, electric power drives lights, motors, household appliances, medical equipment, computers, air - conditioning systems, electric vehicle charging stations, data center processing and cooling requirements, and many other electrical devices. In most regions, power utilities generate and distribute power (through an AC grid). Shortages and / or increased costs associated with factors such as the use of fossil fuels, the intermittency of renewable resources, power demand and supply variability, and increasing energy demands significantly affect the power cost and continuous availability for consumers and businesses. Generally, 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 available supply) may occur due to natural disasters or during extended periods of, for example, cloudiness (if power from the grid comes from solar energy) or wind variability (if power from the grid comes from wind turbines). For example, a hurricane or earthquake may damage the generators and / or the grid of a power utility, resulting in a significant loss of electrical power to commercial, industrial, and residential applications. Repair of 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 lost power, the sites may be unable to continue operating. In addition, an increasing number of data centers significantly increase the demand for energy from the grid.

[0004] Often, during peak demand times, electric power from the grid is more expensive. For example, power utilities may use low - cost generators during periods of minimum demand and further use high - cost generators during peak demand periods. Unfortunately, existing infrastructure does not adequately address these different costs associated with peak demand and minimum demand. Thus, commercial, industrial, data center, and residential applications typically draw power from the grid during peak demand times, regardless of the higher cost associated with its generation.

[0005] 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

[0006] According to an embodiment, a system includes an air conditioning system, the air conditioning system including: a first unit and a second unit coupled to the first unit through a fluid path; an energy storage device connected to at least one of the first unit and the second unit, the energy storage device configured to store electrical energy; and a thermal storage device connected to one of the first unit and the second unit, the thermal storage device configured to store thermal energy.

[0007] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the thermal storage device provides thermal energy to the energy storage device to maintain the energy storage device at a desired temperature.

[0008] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein components of the thermal storage device are powered by at least one of the energy storage device, an AC power grid, and the first unit.

[0009] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the thermal storage device includes a phase change material or a fluid that stores sensible heat.

[0010] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the thermal storage device is connected to the fluid path between the first unit and the second unit.

[0011] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the thermal storage device provides thermal energy to the second unit.

[0012] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the thermal storage device provides thermal energy to the first unit.

[0013] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the first unit provides thermal energy to the thermal storage device.

[0014] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the second unit provides thermal energy to the thermal storage device.

[0015] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the second unit includes a hot water heater, and the thermal storage device supplies heat to the hot water heater.

[0016] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: an auxiliary heat device configured to supply heat to the thermal storage device.

[0017] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the auxiliary heat device includes a solar thermal device or a photovoltaic device.

[0018] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein fluid circulates between the second unit and the thermal storage device to provide air conditioning to a building.

[0019] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: one or more auxiliary DC power sources.

[0020] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: a DC / DC converter connecting one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

[0021] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: a DC / AC converter connecting one or more auxiliary DC power sources to a connection to an AC grid.

[0022] In addition to, or as an alternative to, one or more of the features described herein, further embodiments may include: wherein the first unit is an outdoor unit and the second unit is an indoor unit.

[0023] The foregoing features and elements can be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless otherwise expressly indicated. Given the following description and drawings, these features and elements and their operation will become more apparent. However, it should be understood that the following description and drawings are illustrative and explanatory in nature and are non - limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and is not limited to the drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.

[0025] Figure 1 A system in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0026] Figure 2 A controller in an example embodiment is depicted.

[0027] Figure 3A Depicts the electrical architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0028] Figure 3B Depicts the electrical architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0029] Figure 4A Depicts the electrical architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0030] Figure 4B Depicts the electrical architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5A Depicts the electrical architecture of a constant speed compressor with a DC architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] Figure 5B Depicts the electrical architecture of a constant speed compressor with an AC architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0033] Figure 5C Depicts the electrical architecture of a variable speed compressor with a DC architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0034] Figure 5D Depicts the electrical architecture of a variable speed compressor with an AC architecture in an exemplary embodiment.

[0035] Figure 6 Depicts the electrical architecture of a compressor powered by a multilevel inverter in an exemplary embodiment.

[0036] Figure 7 Depicts a phase branch of a five-level multiphase inverter in an exemplary embodiment.

[0037] Figure 8 Depicts the communication between a controller, a thermostat, and a remote system in an exemplary embodiment.

[0038] Figure 9 Depicts the control process in an exemplary embodiment.

[0039] Figure 10 Depicts an air conditioning system including a heat storage device in an exemplary embodiment.

[0040] Figure 11 Depicts an air conditioning system including a heat storage device in an exemplary embodiment.

[0041] Figure 12 Depicts an air conditioning system including a heat storage device in an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Description

[0042] For current global electrification and decarbonization efforts, there is an encouragement to use efficient, optimized all-electric air conditioning systems that provide comfort and are dispatchable (on-off, adjustable, or variable) under different pricing conditions or after receiving a utility signal. By way of example, a utility signal can be received from an electrical AC grid and can include an Independent System Operator (ISO), which can include an independent, federally regulated entity established to coordinate regional transmission in a non-discriminatory manner and ensure the reliability and security of the power system; or a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO), which can operate most of the large electric power systems across a geographical area 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 the connected aggregation of distributed energy (DER) technologies that provide demand flexibility and renewable energy. References to a utility refer to one or more entities involved in power generation, transmission, and / or distribution.

[0043] The embodiments described herein relate to an air conditioning system that includes an electrical energy storage system (e.g., a battery, a supercapacitor) to provide the level of dispatchability required for grid interconnection.

[0044] Figure 1 System 100 in an example embodiment is depicted. 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, chilled water or fluid, air filtration, and other known air handling operations, or any combination of the operations described above. The air conditioning system can include known types of systems such as heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, chillers, split systems, packaged systems, single-zone systems, etc. 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 the (one or more) second units 250 can be separately located (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 the (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-mounted), the first unit 200 and the second unit 250 are co-located within a single footprint outside the building. In a chiller, the first unit 200 and the second unit 250 can be co-located (indoors or outdoors) or separately located. Some single-zone systems can have the first unit 200 and the second unit 250 co-located inside the building.

[0045] In Figure 1In the example shown, the first unit 200 can be an outdoor unit of a split system located on the ground plane next to the building 102, on the roof of the building 102, or at any other location. The (one or more) second units 250 can be located inside the building 102 (as is common for split systems). It should be understood that Figure 1 is an example, and the embodiments are not limited to split systems.

[0046] 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 the location shown. For example, the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, and the controller 220 can be separate from the first unit 200 that houses the compressor 242, the drive 244, the fan 246, and the (one or more) loads 248. The first unit 200 can 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 into 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 can be located in the first unit 200. One or more of the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, and the controller 220 can be located outside 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 can be located in the building 102.

[0047] The first unit 200 can include a heat exchanger (not shown) that serves as a condenser / gas cooler and / or serves as an evaporator as part of a vapor compression refrigeration cycle.

[0048] In the figures, the location of all components in the drawings is an example, and the embodiments include modifications to the location of the components shown in the drawings. For example, a component shown as connected to the first unit 200 can be a retrofit component added to an existing first unit 200. Although shown as separate boxes, elements can be incorporated into sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0049] The controller 220 can communicate with an air conditioning controller system controller and / or an energy storage device controller. In some embodiments, a single controller can implement all the 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 that are not shown in the drawings.

[0050] 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 solely by the AC grid, solely 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.

[0051] Figure 2 A controller 220 according to an 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 control 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 local computations, 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 computations.

[0052] The controller 220 includes a memory 226, which 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.).

[0053] In some embodiments, communication unit 228 may provide high-speed data communication through an existing wiring system and / or provide communication with newer devices having high-speed buses while maintaining communication with existing devices (e.g., having an RS-485 communication bus). In some embodiments, the HVAC device may include four lines for data communication: power supply, ground, data +, and data -. Among these lines, data + and data - are used to carry low-speed standard RS-485 data. The power supply line is used to power the wall control and comes from the second unit 250. This same power supply line is carried to the first unit 200, although it is generally not used. The ability to use the power supply line and the ground line of the four-wire system (referred to as "power line communication" (PLC) technology) allows digital / data signals to be sent through the power supply line. In some embodiments, PLC technology may allow data transmission at gigabit rates or near gigabit rates using standard two-wire cabling. This includes the two lines represented by the power supply and ground of the HVAC device. It should be appreciated that other data transmission speeds are possible. In some embodiments, the communication unit 228 of the present disclosure may be configured such that when PLC high-speed communication is occurring through the power supply line and the ground line of the four-wire system, low-speed RS-485 communication may also be occurring on the data + line and the 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)- or artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms. In some embodiments, high-speed and low-speed communication may occur approximately simultaneously (e.g., within a few milliseconds of each other). This may allow the standard HVAC line to communicate with both RS-485 controlled devices and HVAC devices containing additional PLC transceivers. This may be advantageous because both new high-speed HVAC devices and existing RS-485 HVAC devices can coexist on the existing wiring in a building.

[0054] Reference Figure 1 , the 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. The power converter 230 may include several power converters at different locations in the system 100. The (one or more) power converter 230 may operate in a bidirectional manner such that one or more power conversions are bidirectional. As Figure 1As shown, the power converter 230 is connected to an AC and / or DC power source and / or load. The power converter 230 can also supply power to loads in the building 102, including the second unit 250 (if in the building 102), the thermostat 260, and the load 270. In a conventional mode, the loads in the building 102 would receive AC power directly from the AC grid. The controller 220 can select whether the power will come from the AC grid or from the power converter 230. Example embodiments of the power converter 230 are described herein.

[0055] The energy storage device 240 is configured to provide at least a portion of the power to operate one or more of the components of the air conditioning system, such as the first unit 200, the second unit(s) 250, along with the indoor load(s) 270 and any other loads, under certain circumstances. The energy storage device 240 can be implemented using devices for storing electrical energy, including, for example, one or more of batteries, battery modules, battery cells, supercapacitors, etc. The battery 240 can include several cells in a modular form or as a stand-alone multi-cell array. The battery 240 can be made of a single or multiple self-contained systems, battery modules, or individual cells. The battery 240 (such as a complete plug and play battery) can include a case, wires, cells, and modules. For example, the battery 240 can include a set 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.

[0056] The first unit 200 also includes components that serve as part of the air conditioning system and includes a compressor 242, one or more drives 244, a fan 246, and other loads 248, as well as 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.

[0057] 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. A variety of known second units can be used to implement the second unit 250, including variable air volume (VAV) units, liquid-cooled second units, fan coil units, furnaces, air handlers, etc., which typically include a heat exchanger. In other types of systems (e.g., packaged systems or chiller systems), the second unit(s) 250 can be located outdoors and include any form of heat exchanger, such as a cooling tower, etc.

[0058] 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 the respective zones of the system 100, and the like. The indoor load 270 may be supplied with electrical power by the first unit 200. The indoor load 270 includes various loads, such as appliances, lighting, electric vehicle chargers, and the like. The thermostat 260 is not necessary, and other techniques may be used for the control of the air conditioning system.

[0059] Figure 3A The electrical architecture in an example embodiment is depicted. Figure 3A The positions of the components in are an example, and any of the components may be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to an existing air conditioning system. Although shown as separate boxes, the elements may be incorporated into sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0060] As Figure 3A shown, the AC grid 302 is connected to the first unit 200 via 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 may also be powered by both the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240 in combination. The disconnect device 304 may 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).

[0061] The AC grid 302 is connected to an indoor AC load 308 (such as an air handler, or any fixture in a residential, commercial, industrial building, or data center). The AC grid 302 is also provided to an AC / AC converter 310, which supplies regulated AC power to the compressor drive 244A of the compressor 242 and the fan 246. The AC / AC converter 310 may control the amplitude, frequency, and equality of the AC power supplied to the compressor drive 244A of the compressor 242 and the fan 246.

[0062] The AC power grid 302 can 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, which may be located in the first unit 200. Under certain conditions, the DC power bus 313 supplies power to one or more components in 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 components in the components of the air conditioning system to operate independently of or in combination with the AC power grid 302. The bidirectional AC / DC converter 312 also allows the power from the DC bus 313 to be directed to the AC power grid 302.

[0063] 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 (the charger is 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 supply 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 DC / AC converter 347 can be used to couple the DC power bus 313 to the indoor AC load 308 (through the disconnecting device 348). In some operating modes, the energy storage device 240 is used to supply power to 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 DC / AC converter 347 can be Figure 1 implementations of the medium power converter 230. In some embodiments, the one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 are connected to the AC power bus 305 through 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 through an appropriate AC / AC converter or AC / DC converter.

[0064] 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.

[0065] An optional DC / DC converter 241 can provide power conversion between the energy storage device 240 and the DC power bus 313. The DC / DC converter 241 can be a bidirectional converter for boosting or reducing the DC voltage, such that the energy storage device 240 can power the DC power bus 313 and the DC power bus 313 can charge the energy storage device 240. The DC / DC converter 241 can be part of the energy storage device 240 or can be a component separate from the energy storage device 240.

[0066] Figure 3A The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the (one or more) second units 250) to 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 in combination. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls the 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 �14 can also power one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the (one or more) second units 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 price, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to Figure 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0067] Figure 3B depicts the electrical architecture in an example embodiment. Figure 3B The location of the components in is an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the (one or more) second units 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or the (one or more) second units 250. This allows components to be retrofitted into an existing air conditioning system. Although shown as separate boxes, elements can be incorporated into sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0068] Figure 3B Similar to Figure 3A, except that the AC / AC converter 310 is eliminated. The compressor 242 is powered 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.

[0069] The fan 246 is powered from the fan drive 244B. The fan drive 244B can 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 can be a power converter, such as an AC / AC converter or an AC / DC converter. The fan drive 244B can be controlled by the controller 220.

[0070] Figure 3B The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the one or more second units 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 one or more second units 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether the 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 rates, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to Figure 9 Example conditions are discussed.

[0071] Figure 4A An electrical architecture in another example embodiment is depicted. Figure 4AThe position of the components in the figure is an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows for retrofitting of components to an existing air conditioning system. Although shown as separate boxes, elements can be incorporated into sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0072] In Figure 4A , the compressor drive 244A and the fan 246 are DC-powered, and thus there is no need for an AC / AC converter 310. The bi-directional AC / DC converter 312 allows the energy storage device 240 to supply power to one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or feed power from the DC bus 313 to the AC grid 302 (under certain conditions). The bi-directional AC / DC converter 312 connects the AC power bus 305 and the DC power bus 313 through an interface.

[0073] The compressor drive 244A can 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 can be a power converter, such as a DC / AC converter or a DC / DC converter. The compressor drive 244A can be controlled by the controller 220.

[0074] Figure 4A The electrical architecture of 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 a combination of the energy storage device 240 and the AC grid 302. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can also supply power, either alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240, to one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or the second unit(s) 250) and / or other loads. 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 rates, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to Figure 9 discussed.

[0075] Figure 4B depicts an electrical architecture in another exemplary embodiment. Figure 4B The positions of the components in [FIGURE] are an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows components to be retrofitted to an existing air conditioning system. Although shown as separate boxes, elements can be incorporated into sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0076] Figure 4B Similar to Figure 4A , except that the fan 246 includes a fan drive 244B. The fan drive 244B can be a switch that connects the fan 246 to the DC power bus 313, such as a contactor or a relay. In other embodiments, the fan drive 244B can be a power converter, such as a DC / AC converter or a DC / DC converter. The fan drive 244B can be controlled by the controller 220.

[0077] Figure 4B The electrical architecture of [FIGURE] 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 a combination of 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 rates, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to Figure 9 discusses exemplary conditions.

[0078] Figure 5A depicts the DC electrical architecture of the constant speed first unit 200 in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 5AThe position of the components in the middle is an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted into an existing air conditioning system. Although shown as separate boxes, the elements can be added to the sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0079] 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 (via a DC bus) to the energy storage device 240 to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240. As Figure 5A shown, 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. Since the compressor 242 is a constant speed compressor, the compressor drive 244A can be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay.

[0080] 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 a 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 supply 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 supply power to the AC grid 302 and charge from the AC grid 302.

[0081] The controller 220, the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, the DC / DC converters 320 and 316, and the DC / AC converter 347 and the DC / DC converter 241 can be retrofitted into the 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 operate under the power from both the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240. It also allows the auxiliary power source to be added in a modular manner.

[0082] Figure 5A The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or one or more second units 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 one or more second units 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 price, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to Figure 9 discusses example conditions.

[0083] Figure 5B depicts the AC electrical architecture of the constant speed first unit 200 in an example embodiment. Figure 5B The location of the components in is an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of one or more second units 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or one or more second units 250. This allows components to be retrofitted to existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements can be added to sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0084] 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 (via a DC bus) to the energy storage device 240 to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240.

[0085] In Figure 5BIn [the system], the power converter 230 includes a DC / DC converter 241 coupled to an energy storage device 240 and an AC / DC converter 370. The AC / DC converter 370 can be bidirectional to allow the energy storage device 240 to supply power to the AC grid 302 and to charge from the AC grid 302. Since the compressor 242 is a constant speed compressor, the compressor drive 244A can be a switch, such as a contactor or a relay.

[0086] The controller 220, the power converter 230, and the energy storage device 240 can be retrofitted to the 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.

[0087] Figure 5B The electrical architecture [of the system] allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or one or more second units 250) to 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 in combination. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls the 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, alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240, one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or one or more second units 250) and / or other loads. 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 rates, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to Figure 9 Example conditions are discussed below with reference to

[0088] Figure 5C depicts the DC electrical architecture of the variable speed first unit 200 in an example embodiment. Figure 5C The location of the components in [the figure] is an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of one or more second units 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or one or more second units 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted to an existing air conditioning system. Although shown as separate boxes, the elements can be incorporated into sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0089] Figure 5C Similar to ​ , 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.

[0090] The controller 220, the power converter 230, the energy storage device 240, and the DC / DC converter 241 may 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.

[0091] For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the first unit 200 are shown. The power converter 230 may be used in combination with the embodiments described above or other embodiments. For example, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be connected (via a DC bus) to the energy storage device 240 to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240.

[0092] ​ The electrical architecture of... allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or one or more second units 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 may 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 may 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 one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may also power, alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240, one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or one or more second units 250) and / or other loads. 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 rates, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to ​ Example conditions are discussed.

[0093] ​ Depicts the DC electrical architecture of the variable speed first unit 200 in an example embodiment. ​The position of the components in the middle is an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows the components to be retrofitted into an existing air conditioning system. Although shown as separate boxes, the elements can be added to sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0094] ​ Similar to ​ , 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.

[0095] 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 (via a DC bus) to the energy storage device 240 to supplement the power from the energy storage device 240.

[0096] The controller 220, the power converter 230, and the energy storage device 240 can be retrofitted into the 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 operate under power from both the AC grid and the energy storage device 240.

[0097] ​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 either 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 rates, the state of the energy storage device 240, consumer preferences, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to ​ Example conditions are discussed.

[0098] ​ An electrical architecture with a variable speed compressor drive in an example embodiment is depicted, which includes a multilevel inverter. For ease of illustration and explanation, not all components of the first unit 200 are shown. ​ The location of the components in is an example, and any of the components can be positioned as part of the first unit 200, part of the second unit(s) 250, or positioned separately from the first unit 200 or the second unit(s) 250. This allows components to be retrofitted into existing air conditioning systems. Although shown as separate boxes, elements can be incorporated into sub-assemblies and assemblies anywhere in the system (indoors or outdoors) without departing from the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0099] As ​ shown in, the 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 multilevel inverter 382. The output of the multilevel inverter 382 is provided to the compressor 242. The output of the multilevel inverter 382 can be a multi-phase multilevel waveform configured to drive the multi-phase motor of the compressor 242. In an example embodiment, the multilevel inverter 382 is a five-level three-phase inverter. In another example embodiment, the multilevel inverter 382 is a three-level three-phase inverter.

[0100] The multilevel inverter 382 synthesizes a sinusoidal current waveform to operate and control the compressor 242. Conventionally, this has been accomplished by a two-level inverter. Integration with the energy storage device 240 allows for a natural progression to higher-order inverters. Three-level and five-level inverters require separate power supplies to set the voltage levels. In ​ the embodiment of, the energy storage device 240 can set the voltage levels. The energy storage device 240 can include internally connected battery modules in series. The multilevel inverter 382 directly uses the battery modules for each required voltage level, thus enabling the benefits of a multilevel inverter. The multilevel inverter 382 benefits from lower harmonic output and lower dv / dt device stress. The multilevel inverter 382 increases reliability by the ability to reconfigure to a lower number of levels (by the integration of relays or back-to-back switches to connect or disconnect the battery modules) after a fault has occurred.

[0101] ​ A phase leg of a five-level multiphase inverter in one embodiment of the 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 the battery modules 240A, 240B, 240C, and 240D and the neutral point n provides five voltage levels for creating a sinusoidal output waveform on one phase. Generally, using N battery module voltages provides an N + 1 level output waveform for each phase. The switches S1 - S4 and S1' - S4' are controlled by the controller 220 to generate a sine wave as known in the art. By the integration of relays or back-to-back switches to connect or disconnect the battery modules, the multilevel inverter 382 can be reconfigured to fewer levels.

[0102] The voltage levels used in the multilevel inverter 382 do not need to be supplied by separate battery modules. The voltage levels for creating the sinusoidal output waveform can be created using one battery module (by splitting the battery voltage by, for example, a capacitor).

[0103] Reference ​, both the AC / DC converter 380 and the multilevel inverter 382 operate under the control of the controller 220. Between the AC / DC converter 380 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 supply 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 supply power to the AC grid and to charge from the AC grid.

[0104] ​ The electrical architecture allows one or more components of the air conditioning system (the first unit 200 and / or one or more second units 250) to 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 in combination. The power supplied by the AC grid 302 can be limited by the controller 220 that controls the 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 one or more second units 250) and / or other loads alone or in combination with the AC grid 302 and / or the energy storage device 240. Whether the 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 the utility status, the utility electricity price, the state of the energy storage device 240, the consumer preference, etc. Example conditions are discussed below with reference to ​ are discussed.

[0105] In the above embodiments, one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can be used to provide DC power. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can include sources such as solar DC power, wind DC power, geothermal DC power, fuel cells, etc.

[0106] ​Depicts the communication between the controller 220, the thermostat 260, and the remote system 410 in an example embodiment. As noted above, the controller 220 can be integrated as part of an air conditioning controller and / or a battery controller, or be standalone and communicate with an air conditioning controller and / or an energy storage controller. The controller 220 communicates with the thermostat 260 via a local link 400. The local link 400 can 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 can 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 can also provide occupancy, past performance, and weather information to the controller 220.

[0107] One or both of the controller 220 and the thermostat 260 can communicate with the remote system 410 via a network 406. The network 406 can be a long-distance network and can be implemented via various communication protocols. The network 406 can be implemented via one or more networks, such as but not limited to one or more of the following networks: WiMax, local area network (LAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), personal area network (PAN), campus area network (CAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), wireless wide area network (WWAN), or any broadband network, and is further capable of implementing the following technologies, such as (by way of example): Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Personal Communication Service (PCS), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Matter, fixed wireless data, 2G, 2.5G, 3G (e.g., 3G network based on UMTS / WCDMA), 4G, IMT-Advanced, pre-4G, LTE-Advanced, 5G, 6G, Mobile WiMax, WiMax2, Wireless MAN Advanced Network, Enhanced Data Rate 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), etc., Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol (IMPP), instant messaging, USSD, IRC, or any other wireless data network, broadband network, or messaging protocol.

[0108] The remote system 410 can be embodied as any type of processor-based computing or computer device capable of performing the functions described herein, including but not limited to computers, servers, workstations, desktop computers, laptop computers, notebook computers, tablet computers, mobile computing devices, wearable computing devices, network devices, web devices, distributed computing systems (such as cloud computing), processor-based systems, and / or consumer electronic devices. The remote system 410 provides information used by the controller 220 and / or the thermostat 260 to implement energy management routines that control 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 can include utility pricing (which indicates the cost of electricity on the AC grid 302) and weather information (which can be used to predict future utility pricing and the usage of the one or more components of the air conditioning system). Utility pricing and weather can be pushed to or pulled by the remote system 410 using known networking techniques. Utility pricing and / or weather can be determined in real time or be a forecast of future conditions.

[0109] 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 figures). 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 converters 310, 312, DC / AC converter 347, DC / DC converters 320, 316, 241, AC / DC converter 370, DC / AC converter 372, AC / DC converter 380, and / or multilevel inverter 382, AC disconnect 304, etc.) to route power to one or more components of the air conditioning system, such as the first unit 200, the second unit(s) 250, along with the indoor load(s) 270 and any other load.

[0110] ​Depicts the energy management process in an example embodiment. This process may 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 are any other communication signals, such as a change in energy pricing, or an incentive. A utility provider may request a reduction in energy usage during a specific time period to avoid service disruptions (e.g., brownout) or other penalties or incentives, such as a change in pricing. A request to reduce energy usage may be accompanied by an incentive (e.g., a $5 credit on the next energy bill). The request for reduction may also originate from an energy consumer, such as a data center, where the data center needs to maintain its processing and / or cooling load and encourages other users to reduce their consumption to ensure energy availability.

[0111] If there is a request to reduce energy usage, the process proceeds to 602, where the user (e.g., a customer of the utility) may approve or reject the request to reduce energy usage. The approval or rejection determination may 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 the terms. The user may wish to never reduce energy consumption regardless of the terms. The user may wish to reduce energy consumption only when the utility offers an incentive. The approval or rejection determination at 602 may also be real-time, where the user inputs approval or rejection of the reduction in energy consumption via the thermostat 260 or via a mobile device.

[0112] If the user approves of reducing energy usage at 602, the process 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., the power from the AC grid 302 is zero), and only using the energy storage device 240 to power one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads. Operating one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads may also include using both the AC grid 302 and the energy storage device 240 in combination 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, DC / AC converter 347, DC / DC converter 320, DC / DC converter 316, DC / DC converter 241, AC / DC converter 370, DC / DC converter 372, AC / DC converter 380, and / or multilevel 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 of the air conditioning system and / or one or more loads.

[0113] 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 over a 2-hour period). 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, DC / AC converter 347, DC / DC converter 320, DC / DC converter 316, DC / DC converter 241, AC / DC converter 370, DC / DC converter 372, AC / DC converter 380, and / or multilevel 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, and the other loads include the (one or more) indoor loads 270, which may include the (one or more) indoor DC loads 318 and / or the (one or more) indoor AC loads 308. The process returns to 600.

[0114] At some point, the energy storage device 240 will lack sufficient charge such that one or more components of the air conditioning system will need to be powered only 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 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, then 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.

[0115] 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 where the system 100 should use power from the energy storage device 240 occurs when the utility power is at peak price, near grid capacity, or at least one of in 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 price does not necessarily require the price of electricity to be at a maximum, but is generally known in the art as a period with a higher than average energy cost. Whether the utility is at 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 locally stored in the controller 220. If the utility is at peak price, near grid capacity, or at least one of in grid capacity, the process proceeds to 604 where one or more components of the air conditioning system and the load 270 (including the indoor AC load 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 various power converters 230 in the system. When determining that the system should use power from the energy storage device 240, peak price and grid capacity of the utility power are not the only factors that can be relied upon.

[0116] Regarding grid capacity, information about grid capacity and the current grid load can be obtained from a remote system such as the source of utility pricing. If the AC grid 302 is at grid capacity or near grid capacity (e.g., within a threshold range of grid capacity and optionally increasing), it may be prudent to use power from the energy storage device 240 to avoid a power outage.

[0117] Another example of a situation where the system should use power from the energy storage device 240 occurs when the user requests a reduction in energy usage. The user can use the thermostat 260 to put the system 100 into a reduced energy usage mode (e.g., an eco-friendly mode), which causes the system to use power from the energy storage device 240 to power one or more components of the air conditioning system.

[0118] 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 can use power from the energy storage device 240 based on machine learning (ML) and / or artificial intelligence (AI) control algorithms implemented by the controller 220.

[0119] 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 uses the AC grid 302 to charge. At 610, the controller 220 determines whether the battery state is within acceptable limits, including the state of charge (SOC), state of health (SoH), temperature, voltage, or a state that exceeds 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 health state, operating range, temperature range, voltage, capacity, etc. of the battery are within valid limits.

[0120] It should be noted that the energy storage device 240 can be charged even when the utility power is at peak price. This may include failure modes, test modes, etc. Therefore, charging the energy storage device 240 is not limited to off-peak utility power price times.

[0121] If, at 610, the energy storage device has a state 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).

[0122] Although ​ involves operating one or more components of the air conditioning system and / or other loads to reduce power consumption, other techniques can also be used to reduce power consumption, such as using a variable speed drive to reduce the compressor speed, changing the thermostat set point, etc. In other embodiments, the utility can request an increase in energy usage. The request can be a real-time request or a future request based on predicted conditions. Increasing energy usage can include charging the energy storage device 240.

[0123] If the thermostat 260 is equipped with a processor 261, then ​One or more operations of the process may be performed by thermostat 260. 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, processor 261 may be implemented in hardware (e.g., ASIC, FPGA) or in a combination of hardware / software. Controller 220 and the thermostat may perform all or some of the operations in ​ the operation.

[0124] In other embodiments, controller 220 and / or thermostat 260 perform system enhancement routines to improve the performance of the overall air conditioning system based on optimization (including model predictive control) or machine learning techniques, considering carbon impact, energy performance, energy cost, life cycle cost, impact on the life of the equipment, reliability. The system enhancement routines may operate with or without information on weather, occupancy, historical usage, customer preferences, equipment performance maps (HVAC, battery), likelihood of energy outages, etc. Machine learning techniques regarding customer preferences, usage, flexibility in temperature decisions, cost, environmental issues, etc. may be used to improve control logic and optimization. Other control strategies with advantages in terms of cost, performance, efficiency, environment, comfort, reliability (such as pre-cooling and pre-heating) may be implemented by controller 220 and / or thermostat 260.

[0125] ​ Illustrates system 800 in an exemplary embodiment. ​ Various components and the relative positions between the components are shown. It is understood that the positions of the components are examples and the components may be located in alternative positions. For example, energy storage device 240 may be located within first unit 804 or outside first unit 804. Regarding ​ this, it is understood that the positions of the components are examples and the components may be located in alternative positions. Embodiments include the elements shown regardless of position.

[0126] System 800 includes an air conditioning system that uses both an electrical energy storage device and a thermal energy storage device. The AC grid 302 is connected to a first unit 804 of the air conditioning system. The first unit 804 (e.g., outdoor unit) can be implemented using, for example, the first unit 200 described herein. One or more second units 806 (e.g., indoor units) of the air conditioning system are coupled to the first unit 804 to provide air conditioning to a building. The (one or more) second units 806 can be implemented using, for example, the second unit 250 described herein. A fluid such as refrigerant or water can circulate along a fluid path between the first unit 804 and the (one or more) second units 806, as is typical in an air conditioning system. The (one or more) second units 806 can circulate refrigerant, water, air, or other fluids to provide air conditioning to the building.

[0127] The energy storage device 240 is connected to the AC grid 302 and the first unit 804 and can be integrated with the first unit 804. The energy storage device 240 can be implemented using the configuration described herein ​ The thermal storage device 810 is connected to the fluid path 807 between the first unit 804 and the (one or more) second units 806. The thermal storage device 810 can be connected to the energy storage device 240.

[0128] The thermal storage device 810 may require power for components such as an internal controller. The thermal storage device 810 can be powered by one or more power sources. In one embodiment, the thermal storage device 810 is powered by the energy storage device 240 with DC power or AC power generated by a DC / AC converter. In another embodiment, the thermal storage device 810 is powered by the AC grid 302. In another embodiment, the thermal storage device 810 is powered by a DC link in the first unit 804 with DC power or AC power generated by a DC / AC converter. One or more of these power sources can be used in combination depending on conditions.

[0129] The thermal storage device 810 can be any system that can absorb or release thermal energy. Example thermal storage devices 810 include phase change materials (e.g., water), which can change from a liquid to a solid to release thermal energy and from a solid to a liquid to absorb thermal energy; the thermal energy storage device can include materials that change structure between different crystallographic solid phases with different potential energies. The thermal storage device 810 does not need to undergo a phase change, but can include a thermal mass for absorbing and releasing thermal energy, e.g., or a fluid that stores sensible heat, such as water at a high temperature (e.g., a hot water tank). The thermal storage device 810 can supply thermal energy (e.g., heating or cooling) to one or more first units 806. The first unit 804 can also supply thermal energy to the thermal storage device 810, e.g., cooling the thermal storage device 810 to store potential cooling energy (e.g., solidifying the phase change material or changing the structure between different crystallographic solid phases with different potential energies). The thermal storage device 810 can supply thermal energy to the first unit 804 to assist with heat exchange (e.g., condensing or evaporating a refrigerant) for supplementary cooling and / or heating, and / or defrosting the heat exchanger of the first unit 804.

[0130] The thermal storage device 810 can interact with an auxiliary heat device 812 (such as a solar thermal device or a photovoltaic device) to transfer heat to the thermal storage device 810, thereby optimizing energy utilization and maximizing the thermal storage capacity of the thermal storage device 810. In one embodiment, the (one or more) second units 806 include a hot water tank, and the thermal storage device 810 supplies heat to the hot water tank via a fluid path 807.

[0131] For various purposes, the thermal storage device 810 is connected to an energy storage device 240. The energy storage device 240 can supply electrical energy to components of the thermal storage device 810 (such as pumps, fans, controllers, etc.). The thermal storage device 810 can supply thermal energy to the energy storage device 240 to maintain the energy storage device 240 at a desired temperature. The thermal storage device 810 can also be directly or indirectly connected to the power grid without the need for the electrical energy storage device 240. The thermal storage device 810 can also be directly electrically connected to the first unit 804 or indirectly electrically connected to the first unit 804 via a DC link, and thermally connected to the first unit 804, e.g., in order to maintain thermal regulation of the power electronics subsystem in addition to the other functions described above.

[0132] System 800 may also include one or more auxiliary DC power sources 314 configured in a DC architecture. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may include sources such as solar DC power, wind DC power, geothermal DC power, fuel cells, fuel generators, etc. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be connected to the first unit 804 through one or more DC / DC converters 316. The energy storage device 240 may also power the first unit 804 through one or more DC / DC converters 316. In embodiments including an AC architecture, the one or more auxiliary DC power sources 314 may be coupled to the AC bus through a DC / AC converter. The DC / DC converter 316 may be directly integrated inside the first unit 804 or integrated externally to allow for retrofitting as well as new installations.

[0133] ​ illustrates a system 841 in an example embodiment. The elements of system 841 are similar to ​ the elements therein, and the description of these elements will not be repeated. As described above, it is understood that the positions of the components are examples and the components may be located in alternative positions. Embodiments include the illustrated elements regardless of position.

[0134] System 841 may also include one or more auxiliary DC power sources 314 configured in an AC architecture. In an AC architecture, this provides for retrofitting existing systems and not just providing new equipment. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may include sources such as solar DC power, wind DC power, geothermal DC power, fuel cells, fuel generators, etc. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be connected to the energy storage device 240 through one or more DC / DC converters 316. The one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 may be connected to the AC grid 302 through a DC / AC converter 315. The energy storage device 240 may be connected to the AC grid 302 through a bidirectional DC / AC converter 311. The DC / AC converters 315 and 311 may be directly integrated inside the first unit 804 or integrated externally to allow for retrofitting as well as new installations.

[0135] ​ illustrates a system 850 in an example embodiment. As described above, it is understood that the positions of the components are examples and the components may be located in alternative positions. Embodiments include the illustrated elements regardless of position.

[0136] The elements of system 850 are similar to ​ and ​ the elements therein, and the description of these elements will not be repeated. In ​In the embodiment shown, the thermal storage device 810 is fluidly coupled to the (one or more) second units 806 such that the thermal storage device 810 can supply thermal energy to the (one or more) second units 806. A fluid (such as refrigerant, water, air, etc.) can circulate between the (one or more) second units 806 and the thermal storage device 810 to provide air conditioning to a building. For example, in the cooling mode, the water used in the (one or more) second units 806 (e.g., fan coil units) can circulate through the thermal storage device 810 to cool the water, thereby reducing the cooling load and energy demand on the system 850.

[0137] The energy storage device 240 can be connected to the AC grid 302 via a bidirectional DC / AC converter 311. The energy storage device 240 can be connected to the first unit 804 via one or more DC / DC converters 316. Additionally, ​ and ​ one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 can be incorporated into the system 850, incorporated in a DC architecture or an AC architecture as disclosed with reference to ​ and ​ .

[0138] ​ The embodiments allow the energy storage device 240 and / or the thermal storage device 810 to be included in two newly installed systems and as a retrofit to an existing air conditioning system. The use of the DC / DC converters 316 and / or the DC / AC converters 311 and 315 allows the energy storage device 240 and / or one or more auxiliary DC sources 314 to be retrofitted into an existing air conditioning system. The thermal storage device 810 and the auxiliary thermal device 812 can be added as a retrofit to an existing air conditioning system. The additional components can be tightly integrated into a system or added in a modular manner.

[0139] ​ The air conditioning system can be implemented via a modular platform to allow for changes and additions to the configuration over time to accommodate improvements as conditions and equipment costs and availability evolve. The architecture can be selected based on the type of air conditioning (e.g., air - air, water - water, water - air), climate region, utility structure, etc. The energy management system can be implemented by the controller 220 to take into account utility prices, carbon content, available local energy, load, and weather forecasts (on the AC grid and at the building), customer preferences, equipment lifecycle considerations, and safety to determine the thermal and / or electrical energy flow, thereby ensuring energy / comfort availability and minimizing costs and / or carbon footprint for a particular customer and at the aggregate level. This modular approach allows for implementation in new air conditioning systems as well as retrofitting of already installed and operating air conditioning systems.

[0140] The management system not only considers current conditions / savings, but also strategies that provide optimal operating costs over an extended period of time through mechanisms such as preheating / precooling, peak regulation, load sharing, etc.

[0141] The embodiments described herein are intended for a wide variety of applications such as residential systems, commercial systems, data centers, regions, etc.

[0142] As described above, embodiments may take the form of processor-implemented processes and apparatus for practicing those processes (such as controller 220, thermostat 260, etc.). Embodiments may also take the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in a tangible medium, which is 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 embodiment. Embodiments may also take the form of computer program code that is, for example, stored in a storage medium, loaded into and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through some transmission medium, loaded into and / or executed by a computer, or transmitted through some transmission medium (such as through wires or cables, through 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 embodiment. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits.

[0143] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the 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 stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0144] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each having certain features in a particular embodiment, but the present disclosure is not limited thereby. On the contrary, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations, sub-combinations, or equivalent arrangements that were not previously described 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 only include some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure should not be regarded as being limited by the foregoing description, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system, comprising: An air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprising: A first unit; and A second unit coupled to the first unit via a fluid path; An energy storage device connected to at least one of the first unit and the second unit, the energy storage device configured to store electrical energy; and A thermal storage device connected to one of the first unit and the second unit, the thermal storage device configured to store thermal energy.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The thermal storage device supplies thermal energy to the energy storage device to maintain the energy storage device at a desired temperature.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein, Components of the thermal storage device are powered by at least one of the energy storage device, an AC power grid, and the first unit.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein The thermal storage device includes a phase change material or a fluid that stores sensible heat.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The thermal storage device is connected to the fluid path between the first unit and the second unit.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein, The thermal storage device supplies thermal energy to the second unit.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein The thermal storage device supplies thermal energy to the first unit.

8. The system according to claim 5, wherein The first unit supplies thermal energy to the thermal storage device.

9. The system according to claim 5, wherein, The second unit supplies thermal energy to the thermal storage device.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein, The second unit includes a water heater, and the thermal storage device supplies heat to the water heater.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary heat device configured to supply heat to the thermal storage device.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein, The auxiliary heat device includes a solar thermal device or a photovoltaic device.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein Fluid circulates between the second unit and the thermal storage device to provide air conditioning to a building.

14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more auxiliary DC power sources.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a DC / DC converter connecting the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to the first unit.

16. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a DC / AC converter connecting the one or more auxiliary DC power sources to a connection of the AC power grid.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein The first unit is an outdoor unit, and the second unit is an indoor unit.

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