Air Conditioning Power Offset Using Energy Storage and Mode Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems do not adequately address the varying costs associated with peak and minimum power demands, leading to higher costs during peak demand times and inefficiencies in energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system with an energy storage device and a controller that dynamically switches between operating modes to optimize power consumption based on AC power grid conditions, using an energy storage device to offset power usage and reduce costs during peak demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air conditioning systems draw power from the AC power grid during peak demand times, then the system can operate without interruption, but the cost of electricity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by charging the energy storage device during off-peak hours when electricity costs are low. The controller monitors power demand signals and accumulates energy in advance before peak demand periods occur, allowing the AC system to operate during peak times using stored energy rather than expensive grid power.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy storage device acts as an intermediary between the AC power grid and the air conditioning system. It buffers the connection by absorbing excess power during low-demand periods and releasing power during high-demand periods, mediating the interaction between the grid and the AC load to optimize cost and reliability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If an energy storage device is added to the air conditioning system, then power consumption costs are reduced during peak demand, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The energy storage device is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both a power buffer during peak demand and a charge accumulator during off-peak demand. This universal component handles multiple roles within the system, reducing the need for separate dedicated devices for each function and thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
3Productivity
If the system uses multiple operating modes with charge and discharge limits, then energy efficiency is optimized, but the control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements dynamic operation by automatically switching between normal mode, charging mode, and discharging mode based on real-time power demand signals and system state. The charge and discharge limits are dynamically adjusted according to grid conditions and energy storage state, allowing the system to adapt optimally to changing conditions without requiring complex manual control.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A method for offsetting power used by an air conditioning system coupled to an alternating current, AC, power grid at a point of common coupling, PCC, the method including: receiving a PCC setpoint, a charge limit, a discharge limit and a power demand of a first unit (200); selecting an operating mode from the following operating modes: a normal mode during which a first unit of the air conditioning system is powered by only the AC power grid; a charging mode during which the first unit of the air conditioning system is powered by only the AC power grid and an energy storage device is charged, a discharging mode during which the first unit of the air conditioning system is powered by both the AC power grid and the energy storage device.