Air Conditioner Power Control Device for Smooth Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing energy-saving control systems for electrical apparatuses cause inconvenience due to drastic fluctuations in power consumption, leading to insufficient leveling of power usage as the end of a time period approaches, resulting in inefficient energy management.
Innovation Solution
A control device that adjusts the target power consumption by adding or subtracting spare or surplus power calculated over shorter time periods to maintain a balanced power usage within predetermined limits, preventing drastic decreases in power consumption as the end of the time period nears.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the energy-saving control system conducts control causing power consumption to drastically decrease as the end of a time period draws closer, then the actual integrated value at the end of the time period is less than or equal to the set integrated value, but the user of an electrical apparatus is inconvenienced due to insufficient leveling of power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The control system divides the predetermined time period into multiple set time periods and performs control calculations for each segment. By calculating target values for each set time period separately and adjusting operation capacity incrementally, the system avoids drastic power consumption changes while still achieving the overall power reduction goal by the end of the full time period.
2Extent of automation
If the energy-saving control system predicts power consumption using present demand and change per time unit, then the system can determine when to reduce operation capacity, but the system conducts control causing power consumption to drastically decrease as the end of a time period draws closer
Solution Approach 1:
The control system calculates target values for each set time period in advance based on the power consumption pattern observed in the previous set time period. By determining the target value before each set time period begins and adjusting operation capacity progressively, the system maintains stable power consumption patterns while achieving the overall power reduction objective.
3Loss of energy
If the energy-saving control system reduces operation capacity of electrical apparatuses, then power consumption is suppressed, but the operation capacity fluctuates significantly as the end of a time period approaches
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts the target operation capacity for each set time period based on the actual power consumption pattern observed in the previous set time period. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to suppress overall power consumption while smoothing out fluctuations in operation capacity by making gradual, adaptive changes rather than abrupt reductions.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A spare power acquirer (121b) is configured to, each time a set time period shorter than a specified time period elapses, obtain an average power consumptions of an electrical apparatus (11) in the set time period, and obtain a spare power of the average power consumption with respect to a target power in the set time period based on the set power. Also, an updater (121c) is configured to, when the spare power obtained by the spare power acquirer (121b) is a positive value, update the target power in a next set time period to a power obtained by adding the spare power to the set power, and when the spare power obtained by the spare power acquirer (121b) is a negative value, update the target power in the next set time period to a power obtained by subtracting an absolute value of the spare power from the set power, and then report the updated target power to a controller (111) that controls an air conditioner (11).