DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN A FLEET OF PASSENGER TRANSPORT VEHICLES

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles, such as railway vehicles.

[0002] It also relates to a method for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles.

[0003] The invention applies in particular to fleets of rail transport vehicles such as trains, metros, trams, trolleybuses, etc., powered by an electrical network.

[0004] Passenger transport, and in particular rail transport, is one of the largest consumers of electricity produced by energy production centers and transported by an electrical network to electricity consumers.

[0005] Ideally, the electricity produced by power plants should equal the electricity consumed by all electricity consumers. To achieve this, energy consumption forecasts are made, for example, daily, particularly for large electricity consumers such as the transportation and steel industries. Based on these forecasts, the electricity grid operator plans the electricity production by power plants and manages any deviations from the forecasted consumption.

[0006] Passenger transport, and in particular rail transport, being one of the largest consumers of electricity, there is a need to optimize electricity consumption forecasts in order to better control its impact on the electricity grid.

[0007] In a passenger transport vehicle, such as a train, the air conditioning system is the second largest consumer of electrical energy after the vehicle's traction system. Since the electrical energy consumed by air conditioning varies according to the seasons and specific weather conditions, it is sometimes difficult to predict the electrical energy consumption for an entire fleet of vehicles. When the fleet consumes more energy than anticipated, the company chartering the fleet is penalized by the electricity grid operator, particularly when the consumption occurs during critical periods, such as peak demand periods.

[0008] FR3011912 A1 discloses a system to reduce the consumption of stationary railway vehicles.

[0009] The present invention aims to improve the management of electrical energy used by a fleet of vehicles, such as railway vehicles, without affecting passenger comfort.

[0010] To this end, the invention aims, according to a first aspect, at a device for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles.

[0011] According to the invention, the management device comprises: means of receiving to receive a set of consumption information representative of the electrical energy consumed at a given time by the vehicles of the set, means of determining to determine an overall consumption at a given time, from the set of consumption information received, and means of generating to generate a set of commands intended respectively for a subset of vehicles selected from among the vehicles of the set according to their state of service, the commands being generated to modify the operation of at least one air conditioning system of the vehicles of the subset so as to reduce the value of the overall consumption determined to a predefined value.

[0012] Thus, the centralized management system generates commands for air conditioning for all vehicles in a fleet, taking into account their state or service status, i.e., considering whether the vehicle is in service or not, and if it is in service, considering whether it is in passive service (waiting, without passengers on board, for example in parking mode) or in active service (with passengers on board).

[0013] A vehicle is considered to be in service when it is powered on, that is to say, when it is consuming electrical energy from the electrical grid, with the on-board systems being powered by the electrical grid.

[0014] Furthermore, a vehicle is considered not to be in service when it is switched off, that is to say, when it is not consuming electrical energy, as the equipment on board is not being powered by the electrical network.

[0015] Indeed, commands are generated to modify, if possible, the operation of the air conditioning systems of certain vehicles in the fleet in order to reduce the overall electricity consumption of the fleet in real time to a predefined value, this predefined value being established by the company managing the electricity network.

[0016] The orders generated by the generation means are only intended for vehicles in a subset of vehicles corresponding to vehicles eligible for demand response or likely to reduce their electrical energy consumption without impacting fleet operations.

[0017] It should be noted that, as is well known, an air conditioning system includes control mechanisms configured to maintain the passenger compartment temperature at a setpoint, whether for heating or cooling. Generally, temperature sensors measure the passenger compartment temperature. This measured temperature is then compared to the setpoint temperature to activate or deactivate, depending on the result, the air conditioning system's actuators, allowing it to heat or cool the passenger compartment, as appropriate, until it reaches the setpoint temperature.

[0018] Therefore, the actuators (or switches) of the air conditioning system are activated for a duration corresponding to the actuator's activation period. The actuator period can be defined as the time elapsed between two consecutive activations of the actuator.

[0019] The duty cycle of an air conditioning system actuator can thus be defined as the duration for which the actuator is activated, as a percentage of the duration of an actuator activation period.

[0020] When an air conditioning system actuator is activated according to a specific duty cycle, the actuator is said to be activated according to a specific activation profile.

[0021] Therefore, modifying the operation of an air conditioning system to reduce a vehicle's fuel consumption involves reducing the actuator's activation profile or the actuator's duty cycle. Indeed, if the duration for which the actuator is activated is decreased, the air conditioning system's fuel consumption, and consequently the vehicle's overall consumption, is reduced.

[0022] Thus, in order to reduce the consumption of a group of vehicles, without reducing the comfort of the vehicle passengers, the activation profile of the air conditioning system actuators of each vehicle in the group is reduced or not, depending on the state of service of each vehicle.

[0023] According to one feature, the management device also includes means of transmission to send a request to reduce the consumption of electrical energy to the vehicles of the group, the consumption information being received in response to the transmission of the reduction request.

[0024] Thus, the management system sends a request to reduce electricity consumption to the vehicles of the group, for example in response to a request for reduction of consumption or for demand response from the company managing the production and delivery of electricity to the electricity consumer.

[0025] Fleet vehicles receiving this request send consumption information at a given moment to the control device, allowing it to determine the overall consumption of the vehicle fleet at a given moment.

[0026] In one embodiment, the consumption information comes, as will be described below, from a set of local control devices associated respectively with a set of air conditioning systems on board the fleet vehicles.

[0027] Indeed, the management system, receiving consumption data from each vehicle and knowing the service status of each vehicle, can estimate the potential reduction in energy consumption for each vehicle in the fleet to reach the predefined electricity consumption target. The control system then generates the corresponding commands accordingly.

[0028] According to a characteristic, the vehicle subset includes vehicles that are in passive service or in active service.

[0029] Thus, vehicles eligible for load shedding or able to participate in reducing fleet consumption are vehicles in service, whether this service is passive (i.e. the vehicle is waiting and without passengers on board, for example being in the parking lot), or active (i.e. with passengers on board).

[0030] According to one feature, the management device is further configured to select vehicles from the subset based on information relating to the temperature of at least one vehicle interior.

[0031] Therefore, the vehicles to which the orders are addressed are selected taking into account not only the vehicles' service condition but also the temperature of at least one vehicle's interior. This ensures greater passenger comfort.

[0032] According to some embodiments, information relating to the temperature of at least one passenger compartment may include a temperature measured in said at least one passenger compartment or a parameter indicating that a setpoint temperature has been reached in said at least one passenger compartment.

[0033] According to one characteristic, the management system further includes means of identification to identify, among the subset of selected vehicles, a first group of vehicles comprising vehicles in passive service condition and a second group of vehicles comprising vehicles in active service condition and in which the information relating to the temperature of at least one passenger compartment indicates that the set temperature has been reached.

[0034] According to one characteristic, the generation means are configured to generate a first group of commands for reducing the activation profile of the air conditioning system intended for the first group of vehicles such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a regulation temperature has a first predefined value, and a second group of commands for reducing the activation profile of the air conditioning system intended for the second group of vehicles such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a regulation temperature has a second predefined value, the second predefined value being lower than the first predefined value.

[0035] Thus, when the set temperature is reached in the passenger compartment of a vehicle in active use, i.e., carrying passengers, the activation profile of the air conditioning system actuators can be reduced by a few percent, for example, by 5%. In other words, the activation profile is moderately reduced to achieve a small difference between the passenger compartment temperature and the set temperature, for example, on the order of 1 to 2 degrees Celsius.

[0036] Furthermore, if the vehicle is in passive service, i.e., parked or empty, the activation profile of the air conditioning system actuators can be reduced by a few percent, for example, between 20 and 30%. In other words, the activation profile is significantly reduced to achieve a large difference between the cabin temperature and the set temperature, for example, around 5 degrees Celsius.

[0037] It should be noted that by reducing the activation profile, the duty cycle of the activation period of the air conditioning system actuators is reduced.

[0038] Thus, as the electrical energy consumption of the vehicles in the subset is reduced, the electrical energy consumption of the vehicle fleet is reduced.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the management device is placed on the ground.

[0040] In other embodiments, the management device is placed in one of the vehicles of the set.

[0041] The management system includes means of communication to communicate not only with the vehicles of the group, but also with servers of a company managing the production and delivery of electrical energy.

[0042] The present invention relates, according to a second aspect, to a system for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles.

[0043] According to the invention, the management system comprises a management device according to the invention as well as local control devices associated respectively with air conditioning systems on board passenger transport vehicles, each local control device being configured to measure and send to the management device consumption information representative of the electrical energy consumed at a given time by the associated air conditioning system.

[0044] Local control devices determine the electrical energy consumption related to the associated air conditioning system and send this determined energy consumption data to the energy consumption management system. The management system then receives consumption information for each vehicle, enabling it to determine the overall energy consumption of the vehicle fleet.

[0045] The present invention relates, according to a third aspect, to a method for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles.

[0046] According to the invention, the management process comprises the following steps implemented in a management device: receiving a set of consumption information representative of the electrical energy consumed at a given time by the vehicles in the set, determining an overall consumption at a given time, from the set of consumption information received, and generating a set of commands intended respectively for a subset of vehicles selected from among the vehicles in the set according to their state of service, said commands being generated to modify the operation of the air conditioning system of the vehicles in the subset, so as to reduce the value of the overall consumption determined to a predefined value.

[0047] The generated commands are intended for vehicles in the subset, these vehicles corresponding to vehicles eligible for demand response or likely to reduce their electrical energy consumption.

[0048] According to one characteristic, the management process involves transmitting a request to reduce electrical energy consumption to the vehicles in the set, with the step of receiving the set of consumption information being implemented in response to the transmission of the reduction request.

[0049] Based on a characteristic, the selected subset of vehicles includes vehicles that are in passive service or in active service.

[0050] According to one characteristic, the vehicles in the subset of vehicles are further selected based on information relating to the temperature of at least one passenger compartment of the vehicles in the set.

[0051] According to one characteristic, the management process further includes the identification, among the subset of selected vehicles, of a first group of vehicles comprising vehicles in passive service condition and a second group of vehicles comprising vehicles in active service condition and in which the information relating to the temperature of at least one passenger compartment indicates that the set temperature has been reached.

[0052] According to one characteristic, the generation step includes the generation of a first group of commands for reducing the activation profile of the air conditioning system intended for the first group of vehicles such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a setpoint temperature has a first predefined value, and a second group of commands for reducing the activation profile of the air conditioning system intended for the second group of vehicles such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a setpoint temperature has a second predefined value, the second predefined value being lower than the first predefined value.

[0053] The present invention relates, according to a fourth aspect, to a set of passenger transport vehicles, each vehicle comprising at least one air conditioning system and an associated local control device, the electrical consumption of said set of vehicles being managed by a management device according to the invention and implementing a management method according to the invention.

[0054] The electrical energy consumption management process, the electrical energy consumption management system and the set of passenger transport vehicles have characteristics and advantages similar to those described previously in relation to the electrical energy consumption management device.

[0055] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the description below.

[0056] The attached drawings are given as non-exhaustive examples: [ Fig. 1 ] there figure 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the context of use of the electrical energy consumption management device conforming to an embodiment, [ Fig. 2 ] there figure 2 illustrates steps in a management process conforming to an embodiment of the invention, and [ Fig. 3 ] there figure 3 schematically illustrates a management system according to a method of implementation.

[0057] The invention finds application in the field of passenger transport vehicles powered by an electrical network, in particular in railway transport vehicles, whether they are dedicated to traveling long or short distances, such as urban railway transport vehicles, such as metros and trams.

[0058] The invention applies in particular to a fleet or group of passenger transport vehicles, each vehicle having at least one air conditioning system.

[0059] Generally, a passenger transport vehicle such as a railway is equipped with multiple air conditioning systems. The climate conditions in each passenger compartment of the vehicle are regulated by a separate air conditioning system. For example, in a railway vehicle, each carriage has its own air conditioning system that regulates its own climate. In other examples, a single air conditioning system may regulate the climate conditions in several vehicles.

[0060] For the sake of simplicity, this text assumes that each passenger vehicle in a fleet has a single air conditioning system. However, as mentioned above, a vehicle may have multiple air conditioning systems. For example, a vehicle could have as many air conditioning systems as it has passenger compartments.

[0061] Therefore, in what follows, a vehicle's air conditioning system refers to an air conditioning system associated with at least one passenger compartment of the vehicle. Furthermore, a vehicle's temperature refers to the temperature of at least one passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0062] There figure 1 represents the context of use of an electrical energy consumption management device 10 of a fleet or group of passenger transport vehicles 20.

[0063] In the embodiment shown, the electrical energy consumption management device 10 is placed on the ground. In other embodiments, the management device can be mounted in a passenger transport vehicle from the vehicle fleet.

[0064] The consumption management system 10 comprises one or more servers including the means necessary for implementing the electrical energy management process which will be described below with reference to the figure 2 .

[0065] The electrical energy consumption management system 10 includes means of communication to communicate with servers of the managing company 30 of the electricity network 40, as well as with the passenger transport vehicles of the fleet 20.

[0066] In certain situations, for example when the electricity consumption of all electricity consumers 50 is higher than forecast for a given time, the electricity network management company 30 40 issues a request for load shedding or curtailment intended for the electricity consumers 50.

[0067] In particular, the managing company 30 requires each electricity consumer 50 to have energy consumption present a predefined value.

[0068] The electricity consumption management device 10, receiving this request from the management company 30, implements an electricity consumption management process to implement, if possible, the requested reduction.

[0069] In the case of a fleet of passenger transport vehicles, the electricity network management company 30 asks the company operating the vehicle fleet 20 to reduce the fleet's consumption to a predefined consumption value.

[0070] In one embodiment, local control devices are placed on board passenger transport vehicles. These local control devices are associated with air conditioning systems (not shown). Each local control device is configured to measure the electrical consumption of the associated air conditioning system and send this information to the management device 10.

[0071] These local control devices include conventional means of measuring electrical energy consumption and do not need to be described here.

[0072] For example, electrical energy consumption is measured by monitoring the activation cycles of the actuators (or contactors) in the air conditioning system. Since the power consumed by the actuators, such as heating elements, fans, or compressors, is known, the electrical energy consumption can be determined by monitoring their activation cycles. As a non-limiting example, a heating element with a nominal power of 10 kW and a 30% activation cycle consumes an average of 3 kW.

[0073] In this embodiment, the electrical energy consumption management device 10 and the local control devices form an electrical energy consumption management system for a set of passenger transport vehicles 20.

[0074] There figure 2 illustrates the process of managing electrical energy consumption according to one embodiment.

[0075] The management process is implemented within management system 10. A method for implementing management system 10 will be described with reference to the figure 3 .

[0076] When the management device 10 receives a request or demand for removal from the managing company 30 of the electrical network 40, during a reception step E0, it transmits, during a transmission step E1, a request to reduce the consumption of electrical energy to the vehicles of the set 20.

[0077] In response, the management device 10 receives from the vehicles 20, during a reception step E2, a set of consumption information representative of the electrical energy consumed, at a given moment, by the vehicles of the set 20. The management device 10 thus knows the electrical consumption of each vehicle of the set 20.

[0078] The management device 10 can thus determine, during a determination step E3, an overall consumption, at a given moment, from the set of consumption information received.

[0079] The management device 10, knowing the requested load reduction, or in other words, the predefined consumption value requested by the electricity grid management company 30, as well as the overall consumption of the vehicle fleet 20, determines the load reduction to be requested from the fleet. As will be understood from the description below, the load reduction requested from the vehicles in the fleet 20 depends on the service status of the vehicles 20. Thus, the management device 10 generates, during generation steps E61 and E62, a set of commands intended respectively for a subset of vehicles selected from among the vehicles in the fleet based on their service status.

[0080] The generated commands are intended to modify the operation of the air conditioning system of the vehicles in the subset, in order to reduce the value of the overall consumption determined to a predefined consumption value.

[0081] Note that management device 10 only requires modifying the operation of the air conditioning system in vehicles belonging to the subset. The selection of vehicles forming part of the subset will be explained below.

[0082] Modification of the operation of the air conditioning system means modifying the activation profile or the activation time of the air conditioning system actuators.

[0083] When an activation profile is reduced, or the activation time is reduced, power consumption is reduced.

[0084] It should be noted that when the activation profile is reduced, the temperature of a vehicle's interior may not reach the set temperature or the time to reach it may be longer.

[0085] Furthermore, the more the activation profile is reduced, the greater the difference between the cabin temperature and the setpoint temperature.

[0086] In one embodiment, the management device 10 checks which vehicles in the fleet 20 are active. In other words, for each vehicle in the fleet 20, it checks, during a first verification step E41, whether the vehicle 20 is in service. In particular, during this first verification step E41, it checks whether the vehicle is powered on.

[0087] If the vehicle is not powered on, i.e., not in service, it does not belong to the subset of vehicles for which a command to modify the operation of the air conditioning system is generated.

[0088] If the vehicle is powered on, or in other words, in operation, it belongs to the subset of vehicles for which a command to modify the operation of the air conditioning system is generated. For vehicles belonging to this subset, a second verification step, E42, is implemented to check whether the vehicle is in passive or active service mode.

[0089] As stated above, a passenger transport vehicle is in passive service if it is parked and / or not carrying passengers. A passenger transport vehicle is in active service when it is carrying passengers.

[0090] In one embodiment, if the vehicle is in active service, it is checked, during a temperature check step E5, whether the temperature of at least one passenger compartment of the vehicle has reached the set temperature.

[0091] It should be noted that the setpoint temperature is the temperature at which said at least one passenger compartment must be maintained by the air conditioning system.

[0092] When the passenger compartment temperature has not reached the set temperature—that is, when the difference between the passenger compartment temperature and the set temperature is typically more than 2 degrees Celsius—the vehicle is excluded from the subset of vehicles. In other words, vehicles in active service in which the temperature of at least one passenger compartment has not reached the set temperature do not belong to the subset of vehicles. This step helps improve passenger comfort.

[0093] In summary, the vehicle subset includes vehicles in passive service as well as vehicles in active service in which the temperature of at least one passenger compartment has reached the setpoint or regulation temperature.

[0094] Thus, among the subset of vehicles, a first group of vehicles and a second group of vehicles are identified by the management device 10. The first group of vehicles includes vehicles in passive service condition and the second group of vehicles includes vehicles in active service condition in which the temperature of at least one passenger compartment has reached the setpoint temperature or regulation temperature.

[0095] The commands generated during generation steps E61, E62 for vehicles in the first group of vehicles are different from those generated for the second group of vehicles.

[0096] For the purpose of identifying vehicle groups, or in other words, to determine which vehicle group each vehicle in the fleet 20 belongs to, the management device 10 receives information from the vehicles regarding the temperature of at least one passenger compartment. This information regarding the temperature of at least one passenger compartment may include, in some embodiments, a temperature measured in at least one passenger compartment of the vehicle, or a parameter indicating that a setpoint temperature has been reached in at least one passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0097] In one embodiment, temperature information is obtained from local control devices associated respectively with air conditioning systems on board passenger transport vehicles 20. These local control devices measure the consumption of the air conditioning systems in real time and send temperature information in response to the receipt of a suppression request.

[0098] Once the control device 10 determines whether the vehicle belongs to the first or second group of vehicles, it generates, during generation step E61, E62, a command to modify the operation of the air conditioning system in order to reduce the overall consumption of the fleet 20 to the predefined consumption value (this value being a function of the demand response requested by the managing company 30 of the electricity grid 40). In other words, it generates a command to reduce the activation profile of the air conditioning system.

[0099] If the command is generated for a vehicle in the first vehicle group, meaning the vehicle is in passive service, the activation profile reduction command is generated during a second generation step (E62) such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a set temperature has a predefined value. This predefined difference is relatively high, for example, on the order of 5 degrees Celsius.

[0100] In some cases, the activation profile is so reduced that the air conditioning system is disabled.

[0101] If the command is generated for a vehicle in the second vehicle group—that is, the vehicle is in active service and the setpoint temperature has been reached in at least one of the vehicle's interiors—the activation profile reduction command is generated, during a first generation step E61, such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a regulated temperature has a second predefined value. This second predefined value is lower than the first predefined value.

[0102] This second predefined value of difference has a relatively low value, for example on the order of 1 to 2 degrees Celsius.

[0103] Thus, when the vehicle belongs to the first vehicle group, the command is generated in such a way as to significantly reduce the activation profile. Conversely, when the vehicle belongs to the second vehicle group, the command is generated in such a way as to moderately reduce the activation profile.

[0104] It should be noted that in some cases, despite the commands to modify the operation of the air conditioning systems, the demand reduction requested by the managing company 30 of the electrical grid 40 is not achieved. Nevertheless, a reduction in the fuel consumption of the vehicle fleet is, in the majority of cases, obtained.

[0105] In one embodiment, the management device 10 is configured to send notifications to the power grid operator 30 of the electricity network 40 to inform it of the success of the load shedding procedure and / or the level of load shedding achieved. Of course, if no load shedding is possible, the management device 10 informs the power grid operator 30 of the electricity network 40.

[0106] There figure 3 schematically represents a device for managing electrical energy consumption according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0107] The electrical energy consumption management device 10 is, for example, one or more servers incorporating the means necessary to implement the process of managing the consumption of a fleet of vehicles 20 in accordance with the invention.

[0108] The management device 10 includes a communication bus 100 to which the following are connected: a processing unit 11, named in the figure CPU (for "Central Processing Unit") and which may include one or more processors; a non-volatile memory 12, for example ROM (for "Read Only Memory"), EEPROM (for "Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory") or Flash memory; a random access memory 13 or RAM (for "Random Access Memory"); an input / output interface 14, named in the figure I / O (for "Input / Output"), for example a screen, a keyboard, a mouse or another pointing device such as a touch screen or a remote control allowing a user to interact with the management device via a graphical interface; and a communication interface or means of communication 15, named COM in the figure, adapted to communicate, via a network, with servers of the managing company 30 of the electrical network 40 and with the passenger transport vehicles of the fleet 20.

[0109] According to one embodiment, the communication means 15 of the management device 10 include means for receiving data from the electricity network operator 30 and from passenger transport vehicles. This data may be, for example, consumption information representative of the electrical energy consumed by the vehicles in the system, demand response requests from the electricity network operator 30, or information relating to the temperature of at least one passenger compartment of the vehicle.

[0110] In addition, the communication means 15 of the management device 10 include transmission means for sending a request for reduction of electrical energy consumption intended for the vehicles of the group.

[0111] The random access memory 13 includes registers adapted for storing variables and parameters created and modified during the execution of a computer program comprising instructions for implementing a management method according to the invention. The program instruction codes stored in non-volatile memory 12 are loaded into RAM 13 for execution by the CPU 11.

[0112] The non-volatile memory 12 is for example a rewritable memory of the EEPROM or Flash memory type which can constitute a medium within the meaning of the invention, that is to say, which can include a computer program comprising instructions for the implementation of the management process.

[0113] The electrical energy consumption management device 10 further includes means of determination configured to determine an overall consumption at a given time, from the set of consumption information received, and means of generation configured to generate a set of commands intended respectively for a subset of vehicles selected from the vehicles of the set 20.

[0114] The management system 10 also includes means of selecting vehicles from among the vehicles in the fleet 20, based on their state of service and / or based on information relating to the temperature of at least one passenger compartment.

[0115] In addition, the management device 10 includes identification means configured to identify, among the selected subset of vehicles, a first group of vehicles comprising vehicles in passive service condition and a second group of vehicles comprising vehicles in active service condition and in which the temperature of at least one passenger compartment has reached the set temperature.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the generation means are configured to generate a first and a second group of activation profile reduction commands. The commands in each group are generated according to the vehicle group for which the commands are intended.

[0117] Thus, the generation means are configured to generate a first group of commands to reduce the activation profile of the air conditioning system intended for the first group of vehicles such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a regulation temperature has a first predefined value, and a second group of commands to reduce the activation profile of the air conditioning system intended for the second group of vehicles such that the difference between the vehicle temperature and a regulation temperature has a second predefined value, the second predefined value being lower than the first predefined value.

[0118] Thus, thanks to the means described above, the management system 10 can implement the process of managing electrical energy consumption. By implementing this process, the air conditioning system of all vehicles in a fleet is controlled taking into account the condition or service status of the vehicles, so as to reduce the overall electrical consumption of the fleet in real time in response to a demand response request from the electricity grid operator.

Claims

1. Management device for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles (20), said management device (10) being characterized in that it comprises: - reception means (15) for receiving a set of consumption information representing the electrical energy consumed at a given instant by the vehicles of the set (20), - determining means (11) for determining an overall consumption at a given instant, from the set of consumption information received, and - generation means for (11) generating a set of commands respectively provided for a subset of vehicles selected from the set of vehicles (20) according to their state of use, said commands being generated to modify the operation of at least one air conditioning system of the vehicles of the subset so as to reduce the value of the determined overall consumption to a predefined value.

2. Management device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises transmission means (15) for sending a request for reduction of the electrical energy consumption to the vehicles of the set (20), the consumption information being received in response to the transmission of said reduction request.

3. Management device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the selected subset of vehicles comprises vehicles in passive use or in active use.

4. Management device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that It is furthermore configured to select the vehicles of said subset of vehicles according to information on the temperature of at least one cabin of the vehicles.

5. Management device according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises identification means (11)for identifying, from among the subset of selected vehicles, a first group of vehicles comprising vehicles in a passive state of use and a second group of vehicles comprising vehicles in an active state of use and in which the information on the temperature of at least one cabin indicates that the setpoint temperature has been reached.

6. Management device according to claim 5, characterized in that said generation means (11) are configured to generate a first group of commands for reduction of the activation profile of the air conditioning system provided for the first group of vehicles such that the gap between the temperature of the vehicle and a setpoint temperature has a first predefined value, and a second group of commands for reduction of the activation profile of the air conditioning system provided for the second group of vehicles, such that the gap between the temperature of the vehicle and a setpoint temperature has a second predefined value, the second predefined value being less than the first predefined value.

7. Management device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said information on the temperature of at least one cabin comprises a temperature measured in said at least one cabin or a parameter indicating that a setpoint temperature has been reached in said at least one cabin.

8. Management device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is placed on the ground.

9. Management system for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles (20), characterized in that: it comprises a management device according to one of claims 1 to 8 as well as local control devices respectively associated with air conditioning systems on board the passenger transport vehicles (20), each local control device being configured to measure and send consumption information to the management device (10) that represents the electrical energy consumed at a given instant by the associated air conditioning system.

10. Management method for managing the electrical energy consumption of a set of passenger transport vehicles (20), said management method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps implemented in a management device (10): - receiving (S2) a set of consumption information representing the electrical energy consumed at a given instant by the vehicles of the set (20), - determining (S3) an overall consumption at a given instant, from the set of consumption information received, and - generating (S61, S62) a set of commands provided respectively for a subset of vehicles selected from the vehicles of the set (20) according to their state of use, said commands being generated to modify the operation of the air conditioning system of the vehicles of the subset, so as to reduce the determined overall consumption value to a predefined value.

11. Management method according to claim 10, characterized in that it comprises transmitting (S1) to the vehicles of the set a request for reducing the electrical energy consumption, the step of receiving (S2) the set of consumption information being implemented in response to said transmission (S1) of said reduction request.

12. Management method according to one of claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the vehicles of the subset are selected if the vehicle is in passive use or in active use.

13. Management method according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the vehicles of the subset of vehicles are selected furthermore according to information on the temperature of at least one cabin of the vehicles of the set.

14. Management method according to claim 13, characterized in that it further comprises identifying (S41, S42, S5) from among the subset of selected vehicles, a first group of vehicles comprising vehicles in a passive state of use and a second group of vehicles comprising vehicles in an active state of use and in which the information on the temperature of at least one cabin indicates that the setpoint temperature has been reached.

15. Management method according to claim 14, characterized in that said generating step (S61, S62) comprises the generation of a first group of commands for reduction of the activation profile of the air conditioning system provided for the first group of vehicles such that the gap between the temperature of the vehicle and a setpoint temperature has a first predefined value, and a second group of commands for reduction of the activation profile of the air conditioning system provided for the second group of vehicles, such that the gap between the temperature of the vehicle and a setpoint temperature has a second predefined value, the second predefined value being less than the first predefined value.

16. Management method according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that said information on the temperature of at least one cabin comprises a temperature measured in at least one cabin of the vehicles of the set (20), or a parameter indicating that a setpoint temperature has been reached in at least one cabin of the vehicles of the set (20).

17. Set of passenger transport vehicles, characterized in that each vehicle comprises at least one air conditioning system and an associated local control device, and in that the electricity consumption of said set of vehicles is managed by a management Device (10) in accordance with one of claims 1 to 8 implementing a management method in accordance with one of claims 10 to 16.