Integrated Appliance Battery and Bidirectional Converter for Peak Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current energy storage and distribution systems face limitations in providing peak power and efficient energy sharing across multiple appliances, especially during grid unavailability and peak demand periods, due to infrastructure constraints and the intermittency of renewable energy sources.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an intelligent energy management system that includes a battery module coupled with a bidirectional converter and a control unit, allowing for optimized charge and discharge schedules, enabling energy storage and sharing across appliances within a building or residential units, thereby bypassing traditional electrical infrastructure limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed installation battery system or generator is used for power storage and backup, then power availability during grid outages is improved, but device complexity and installation cost increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery module, bidirectional converter, control unit, and appliance into a single integrated system. The battery module is directly coupled to the appliance, eliminating the need for separate fixed installation battery systems or generators. This merging reduces installation complexity while maintaining power availability during grid outages.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated energy storage system serves multiple functions: it provides backup power during grid outages, optimizes charge and discharge schedules to reduce energy costs, enables energy sharing across multiple appliances, and enhances appliance performance during peak demand periods. This multi-functionality replaces the need for separate backup power systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If renewable energy sources are used for power generation, then environmental sustainability is improved, but power availability during high demand periods deteriorates due to intermittency
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit determines optimized charge schedules that charge the battery module during periods when renewable energy is abundant and costs are low, and discharge schedules that provide power during high demand periods when renewable energy availability is low. This preliminary charging action ensures power availability during high demand while maintaining environmental sustainability.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery module acts as an intermediary between renewable energy sources and the appliance. It stores energy when renewable sources are available and delivers energy when demand is high, bridging the intermittency gap and ensuring reliable power availability while maintaining environmental benefits.
3Use of energy by moving object
If energy is stored in a battery module for later use, then energy cost efficiency is improved, but the system complexity and initial investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module is integrated directly with the appliance, combining energy storage functionality with the appliance itself. This merging reduces system complexity compared to separate backup power systems while enabling optimized charge and discharge schedules that improve energy cost efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit automatically determines and executes optimized charge and discharge schedules based on energy costs, appliance usage patterns, and grid conditions. This self-service capability manages the battery module without requiring complex external control systems, improving energy cost efficiency while maintaining manageable system complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple appliances share a common electrical panel, then infrastructure cost is reduced, but peak power availability for individual appliances deteriorates due to shared capacity limitations
Solution Approach 1:
Each appliance is equipped with its own integrated battery module, segmenting the energy storage capacity from the shared electrical panel. This allows each appliance to have dedicated peak power availability from its own battery while still sharing the common electrical panel for normal operation, resolving the conflict between infrastructure cost and peak power availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a temporal dimension to power availability by using battery modules to store energy during low-demand periods and discharge during peak periods. This transforms the shared electrical panel from a single-point-in-time capacity constraint to a time-integrated energy management system, enabling peak power availability without increasing infrastructure capacity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides efficient energy distribution and backup power during peak demand and grid outages, enhances appliance performance by ensuring consistent power supply, and reduces energy costs by optimizing energy usage and storage.
Implementation Method 1
The bidirectional converter converts between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) and interfaces with a power infrastructure external to the appliance
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent energy system includes an energy-consuming appliance, a battery module coupled to the appliance, and a bidirectional converter coupled to the appliance and the battery module by a power bus. The battery module is configured to provide power to the appliance. The bidirectional converter converts between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) and interfaces with a power infrastructure external to the appliance. The system further includes a control unit communicatively coupled to the battery module, the bidirectional converter, and the appliance. The control unit is configured to determine a charge and discharge schedule for the battery module. The battery module coupled with the bidirectional converter provides uninterrupted power to the appliance, abstracts the power demands of the appliance from local power infrastructure, and allows for greater appliance peak power draw than would otherwise be practical or possible.