Control device and method for controlling a device connected to a power supply

Abstract

Control unit (14) for a device (3, 4), wherein the device comprises a consumer (20), and further comprising an interface (8, 9) to an administrative unit (1) and an interface (18) to a switch (21) for activating and deactivating the consumer (20) of the device (3, 4), wherein the control unit (14) activates or deactivates the consumer (20) of the device (3, 4) via the switch (21) depending on information about an energy supply transmitted by the administrative unit (1), characterized in that an interface (19) to an operating unit (17) for selecting an energy type is provided, wherein activation of the consumer (20) of the device (3, 4) via the switch (21) takes place when sufficient energy of the selected energy type is available.

Description

State of the art

[0001] The invention relates to a control device and a method for controlling a device connected to a power supply according to the preamble of the dependent claims.

[0002] From JP 2000 - 270 696 A, an automatic water sprinkler system powered by solar energy is already known, particularly from the abstract. An energy storage device is charged via a solar cell. The operation of the water sprinkler system is initiated upon detection of sunrise.

[0003] From DE 10 2005 020 519 A1 a household appliance with a control device and method for operating a household appliance is known.

[0004] A system for controlling electrical energy consumption is known from EP 0 099 043 B1.

[0005] From EP 0 072 598 A1 a method for adjusting the consumption of electrical energy to the generated electrical energy is disclosed. Disclosure of the invention Advantages of the invention

[0006] The control device according to the invention, with the features of the independent claim, has the advantage that an operating unit is provided via which a supplied energy type is selected. For example, a user can request, by means of an input via the operating unit, that when connected to a power grid, the device should only operate if sufficient energy from solar power generation is available.

[0007] An advantageous further development is characterized by the fact that an administrative unit of an energy supply network and a control unit for activating or deactivating a device can be arranged spatially separately, with the activation of the device depending on information about an energy supply. This makes it possible for the administrative unit to control a large number of devices at different locations and to provide these devices with information about an energy supply, possibly sequentially or according to a predefined schedule, so that different devices can be operated one after the other, for example, to ensure the most consistent base load possible on the one hand and to avoid peak loads on the other.The regulation ensured via the control unit and the connection of the control unit with the administrative unit makes it possible for the energy supply network to specifically influence the operation of the device, so that the supplied power and the power drawn can be adjusted to each other.

[0008] Furthermore, according to the inventive method for controlling a device connected to a power supply network, it is also advantageous that the energy demand is transmitted from the device to the management unit, so that the management unit can also ensure a corresponding adjustment of the supplied energy, if necessary also at a suitable time. If a certain amount of energy is requested by the device, the device can then be activated via the management unit and the control unit when this amount of energy is available in the desired energy type, selected by means of the operating unit, in a suitable form or at a suitable time. Overall, this makes it possible in a simple way to operate energy consumers when, for example, sufficient renewable energy, such as solar or wind energy, is available at a power supply unit.Furthermore, it is also possible to avoid activation during peak consumption times for energy consumers where an exact operating time is not important.

[0009] The measures listed in the dependent claims enable advantageous further developments and improvements of the device and method specified in the independent claims.

[0010] It is advantageous to use a data protocol to transmit the start time or duration of energy supply and / or energy demand. This allows the device to communicate to the supply unit by when, if necessary, a device must be supplied with energy to prevent its functionality from being compromised or a user request from being denied. This ensures that even if a suitable time for particularly favorable energy consumption is not available, the device can still be operated as desired. Furthermore, it enables appropriate adjustments to fluctuating peaks or supply situations, such as those that can occur particularly with renewable energy sources, without any disadvantages for the user.

[0011] The control unit can exchange information with the administrative unit in a particularly simple way via the connection to the energy supply network. This eliminates the need for an additional means of information transmission between the administrative unit and the control unit.

[0012] Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide a control unit through which a notification about energy demand can be selected.

[0013] Furthermore, it is also possible that the energy supply price depends on the energy supply. The administrative unit can provide relevant information about the current energy price. A price threshold for energy can be set via the control unit, so that the device is only switched on when this threshold is reached or undershot.

[0014] Furthermore, the control unit advantageously features a memory for storing an identification code, which is transmitted to the management unit when needed. This allows the device to identify itself to the management unit. This makes it possible, for example, for the management unit to bill energy consumption based on the energy requested by the device, the time of the request, or other parameters. Additionally, the management unit can maintain information about the priorities of individual devices and accordingly allocate energy to the appropriate devices according to these predefined priorities. This enables priority-based energy allocation, allowing, for example, devices with critical operating times to be signaled for energy supply more readily than other devices when energy is available.This allows these devices to be switched on earlier than other devices, where activation can also take place at a later time.

[0015] Accordingly, it is also possible to deactivate a device if the corresponding energy can no longer be provided, for example, if the current generation of renewable energies is no longer sufficient to supply all the devices connected to the energy supply network that are intended for this purpose. Brief description of the drawings

[0016] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description.

[0017] They show Fig. 1 an energy supply network with two devices according to the invention connected to the energy supply network and an administrative unit, Fig. 2 a device with a control unit according to the invention, Fig. 3 an embodiment of a process sequence according to the invention. Embodiments of the invention

[0018] The control device according to the invention can be used for any device connected to various types of energy supply networks. These can be, for example, hot water supply networks, gas supply networks, or other supply networks in which an energy carrier in gaseous or liquid form is supplied to a device. However, the use of a control device according to the invention is particularly advantageous for devices connected to an energy supply network in the form of an electricity grid. Since intermediate storage of electrical energy is particularly complex and lossy or only possible to a limited extent, adapting the operation of a device to an energy supply allows for particularly efficient power generation and use.Therefore, the present invention is explained below using the example of a device that has a control unit according to the invention and that is connected to a power supply network in the form of a power grid.

[0019] In the Fig. Figure 1 shows an administrative unit 1 used to manage an electrical network 2 to which a first device 3 and a second device 4 are connected. The electrical network 2 can be a domestic electrical network supplying devices with electrical energy in a local area. Alternatively, the administrative unit can be located in a distribution station of a power supply company, and the devices 3 and 4 can be located in potentially different houses and at different connection points of an electrical network that, for example, supplies a specific district. The devices 3 and 4 each have connections 5 and 6 through which they are connected to the electrical network 2.

[0020] Administrative unit 1 can access various energy generation units 11, 12, and 13. For example, the first energy generation unit 11 is a photovoltaic system. The second energy generation unit 12 is a wind turbine. The third energy generation unit 13 is a combustion power plant.

[0021] The administrative unit 1 has a processing unit 10 which, depending on the power drawn by the energy generation units 11, 12, 13 and / or the power supplied via the power supply network 2, possibly also via other consumers not shown in the figure, transmits information about energy supply to at least the two devices 3, 4 connected to the power supply network 2. Corresponding information can also be transmitted to other devices not shown in the figure but also connected to the power supply network 2. Furthermore, it is also possible that other devices are connected to the power supply network 2 to which no information about energy supply is or can be transmitted.

[0022] In a first embodiment, an additional data connection 7 is provided, through which information about a power supply is transmitted to ports 8, 9 of the devices 3, 4. The additional data connection 7 can be, for example, a telephone connection or a data network connection, such as a data network like the Internet. In a further embodiment, it is also possible to use the lines of the power supply network 2 for transmitting the information about a power supply.

[0023] The functioning of a control device according to the invention can be explained by the Fig. 2 shown. In the Fig. Figure 2 shows the device 3 in detail. The device 3 has a consumer 20. The consumer 20 uses the transmitted electrical energy and is, for example, a washing machine, an electric storage heater, or a freezer. Other electrical devices are also conceivable. It is particularly advantageous to designate such devices as a consumer 20, where power must be regularly drawn from the power grid 2, but the exact time of power consumption is not essential.

[0024] An electrical switching unit 21 is provided between the consumer 20 and the connection 5 to the power grid. This switching unit is controlled by a control device 14 according to the invention. The control device 14 controls the electrical switching unit 21 via an interface 18 and can, by controlling the switch 21, enable or disable the energy supply from the connection 5 to the power grid 2 to the electrical consumer 20. This allows the consumer 20 to be activated or deactivated by controlling the switch 21. For this purpose, the control device 14 according to the invention has a processing unit 15 that processes signals provided by the management unit 1 via the data input 8.If the control unit 14 receives a signal indicating that energy is being supplied, the control unit 14 activates the consumer 20 by controlling the switch 21, so that the device 3 can be activated automatically without the need for a user to perform a separate activation.

[0025] In another embodiment, the data interface 8 can also be bidirectional, allowing a request for energy supply to be transmitted from the control unit 14 to the management unit 1 via the data interface 8. The management unit 1 then knows that a device requests energy supply and can communicate this to the device at a suitable time via the data interface 8.

[0026] In one embodiment, the control unit 14 has a storage unit 16 in which a unique identification code of the electrical device 3 or the control unit 14 is stored. If this identification code is transmitted to the management unit 1, it is possible, for example, to determine the power consumption of the electrical device 3 or the consumer 20, so that this can be taken into account when providing information about energy supply. Furthermore, it is also possible, via the unique identification, to send information about energy supply not to a large number of devices connected to the power grid 2, but to address the electrical device 3 specifically.

[0027] Furthermore, it is advantageous to connect the control unit 14 to an operating unit 17 via an interface 19. The operating unit 17 allows, for example, the pre-selection of a time until which the electrical device should operate for a specified period. For instance, it can be specified that an electric storage heater should be supplied with electrical energy for at least two hours until 7:00 a.m. the following morning. If this input is made, for example, at 6:00 p.m. the evening before, the control unit 1 can select a suitable time for energy supply during the night. However, activation must occur no later than 5:00 a.m. to ensure that the storage heater can be activated for the desired minimum period.The administrative unit can then either select a period during the night in which, for example, low power consumption by consumers is expected, or in which, for example, a particularly high proportion of available energy is provided or expected to be provided by, for example, wind generating unit 12.

[0028] In another embodiment, it is also possible to preselect a desired energy source via the control unit 17. For example, it can be preselected that a device, such as a washing machine, should be activated when sufficient electrical energy from solar power generation is available via the solar energy generation unit 11. A corresponding request for a desired energy source can be transmitted from the control unit 14 to the management unit 1 via the data interface 8. The management unit 1 checks when a sufficient energy supply from the solar energy generation unit 11 is available and then sends corresponding energy supply information to the control unit 14 so that the consumer 20, for example a washing machine, can be activated.

[0029] In another embodiment, it is also possible to provide an electricity price limit via the control unit 17. If the electricity price is variable and depends, for example, on the current consumption of all participants or on the availability of natural energy resources, particularly via the solar energy generation unit 11 or the wind energy generation unit 12, corresponding price information about the currently available energy price can be transmitted from the management unit 1 to the devices 3, 4 connected to the energy supply network. The device is then activated when the price falls below the level specified via the control unit 17.

[0030] In a first embodiment, the management unit 1 analyzes the amount of energy provided by the individual energy supply units 11, 12, 13. In a preferred embodiment, a breakdown by the types of energy provided can also be performed. In a further embodiment, in addition to the currently available energy, a forecast can also be used, for example, weather conditions for the provision of solar or wind energy. Furthermore, information about the consumers can be used. This could, for example, be patterns in the distribution of peak loads over a typical daily period. The corresponding information is processed by the computing unit 10 of the management unit 1.If sufficient energy is available, information can be sent, for example, to activate devices that typically do not require a precise activation time, such as night storage heaters. In another embodiment, however, the management unit 1 can also store information in a storage unit 22 about which devices are connected to the power supply network 2. Activation can then be carried out selectively by transmitting information to the corresponding device. Furthermore, it is also possible for information about a request for energy supply to be temporarily stored in the storage unit 22, so that individual devices can be activated either according to a specified time or other predefined priority sequence.

[0031] In a further embodiment, it is also possible that, in the event of increased consumption being detected and / or a decrease in the energy supplied by the power supply units 11, 12 and / or 13, the management unit 1 deactivates devices connected to the power grid 2. This can, for example, prevent a cooling process of a cooling device from being initiated or continued at a time of particularly high consumption, if the corresponding cooling process can also be carried out a short time later, e.g., 30 minutes later.

[0032] In another embodiment, instead of a device that consumes electricity, a user can also connect a device that supplies energy to the power grid, such as a domestic photovoltaic system, to the power grid 2. In this case, the device can be treated as an energy supply unit.

[0033] When an administrative body decides whether to provide energy, information about the location of energy generation and consumption can also be taken into account. This makes it possible, for example, to connect energy consumers and energy generation units in such a way that the distance between the energy generation unit and the point of consumption is minimized. This allows losses incurred during energy transmission to be considered. In addition to spatial distance, the design of a power grid can also consider how often voltage transformations are required between the energy generator and the consumption unit, as these transformations are particularly prone to high losses.Furthermore, the voltage at which energy is transported can also be weighted in the transmission line, since line losses are lower in the high-voltage range than in low-voltage transmission. In addition to temporal adjustment, spatial adjustment can thus also be achieved. The locations of energy consumption are preferably assigned in storage 22 to the individual identification codes of the devices connected to the power grid 2.

[0034] To facilitate the transfer of information between the administrative unit and the control units of devices connected to the power grid, a standardized data protocol is preferably established. This protocol records, at various points within a data record, when electrical power is requested, for how long, and, if applicable, the likely total power consumption. Additional information can be included in the protocol as needed. A standardized data protocol enables particularly efficient and reliable data transmission. If supplementary information, such as details about the type of energy or a desired price, is added later, it can be appended to the existing data record.The data protocol can also transmit relevant information regarding the priority of an energy consumer. This can prevent particularly important energy consumers, or those whose operation is currently in a critical phase, from being switched off. For example, in the case of a washing machine, it can be ensured that once the washing program has been activated, it can be completed even if sufficient energy is no longer available at a later time, and the appliance will not be deactivated. Conversely, it would be possible, for example, to interrupt a two-hour heating cycle of a storage heater after, say, one hour, without causing any disadvantage to the user.

[0035] In addition to the energy supply units listed as examples, such as solar energy, wind energy or the combustion of a fuel, it is also possible to include other energy producers, such as nuclear power plants or hydroelectric power plants, as energy supply facilities.

[0036] Furthermore, it is possible to set up several administrative facilities decentrally in the power grid or to maintain corresponding administrative facilities only at central nodes or switching points of a power supply network.

[0037] In the Fig.Figure 3 shows a process sequence according to the invention. Starting from an initial step 30 initiated by a user, for example, switching on an electrical appliance, the process is started. In a first test step 31, the control unit queries whether corresponding, positive energy supply information is available from the management unit 1. If so, the process branches to an operating step 32, in which the device connected to the power grid is operated. Otherwise, the process branches to a request step 33, in which an energy requirement is requested by the control unit 14 from the management unit 1. In a second test step 34, it is checked whether a user wishes to operate the device even without explicit information about an energy supply.This can be ensured by a user, for example, by setting a time limit or by another suitable input, such as pressing a button to override power supply information from management unit 1. If a corresponding override exists, the system also branches to operating step 32. If a corresponding override does not exist, the system branches back to the first check step 31 and waits for corresponding power supply information to be transmitted by management unit 1 so that the device can be switched on.

Claims

[1] Control device (14) for a device (3, 4), wherein the device comprises a consumer (20), and further comprising an interface (8, 9) to an administrative device (1) and an interface (18) to a switch (21) for activating and deactivating the consumer (20) of the device (3, 4), wherein the control device (14) activates or deactivates the consumer (20) of the device (3, 4) via the switch (21) depending on information about a power supply transmitted by the administrative device (1), characterized by , that an interface (19) to an operating unit (17) is designed for selecting an energy type, wherein activation of the consumer (20) of the device (3, 4) takes place via the switch (21) when sufficient energy of the selected energy type is available. [2] Control device according to claim 1, characterized by, that the control unit (14) is connected to the management unit (1) for transmitting a current energy demand of the consumer (20) of the device (3, 4) to the management unit (1). [3] Control device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a data protocol for the transmission of a time start and / or duration of an energy supply and / or an energy demand is agreed between the control unit (14) and the management unit (1). [4] Control device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control device (14) has a connection (5) to an energy supply network (2) and that a transmission of an energy supply or an energy demand takes place via the connection (5, 6) to the energy supply network (2). [5] Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interface (19) is designed to communicate an energy requirement to the administrative device (1). [6] Control device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a memory (16) for storing an identification code of the device (3, 4) for transmitting the identification code to the administrative unit (1). [7] Method for controlling a device (3, 4) connected to an energy supply network (2) wherein an energy demand and / or an energy supply is transmitted between an administrative unit (1) of the energy supply network (2) and the device (3, 4) connected to the energy supply network (2) and wherein the device (3, 4) is activated or deactivated by the administrative unit (1) depending on the energy available via the energy supply network (2) and / or the energy demand of the device (3, 4) and the sufficient energy supply of the desired type of energy, which was selected by means of an operating unit (17) via an interface (19). [8] Method according to claim 7, characterized by , that between the administrative unit (1) and the device (3, 4) a start and / or duration of an energy supply and / or an energy demand is transmitted. [9] Method according to any one of claims 7 to 8, characterized by, that information about a desired and / or provided energy type is transmitted between the administrative unit (1) and the device (3, 4). [10] Method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by , that data transmission takes place between the administrative unit (1) and the electrical device (3, 4) via the power supply network (2). [11] Method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by , that in addition to the currently available energy, a forecast for the provision of energy is determined and used.

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