Appliance Cycle Scheduling Around Off-Peak Rate Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power providers face challenges in meeting peak electricity demand, and consumers must manually operate appliances during off-peak hours to reduce costs, which is inconvenient and requires manual time tracking.
Innovation Solution
An energy management system that receives and stores schedules of off-peak and on-peak times, determines the current time, and initiates appliance operations during off-peak hours to minimize energy consumption during peak times, allowing for automatic operation and optimal energy usage based on utility rate schedules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If consumers manually operate appliances during off-peak hours to reduce electricity costs, then energy consumption during peak times is reduced, but consumer convenience deteriorates and manual time tracking is required
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance control system automatically monitors the utility rate schedule and determines optimal operation times without consumer intervention. The system self-manages the scheduling of appliance operations during off-peak hours, eliminating the need for consumers to manually track time or operate appliances at specific moments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual consumer action with an automated electronic control system that uses a microprocessor to monitor rate schedules and control appliance operation timing, substituting mechanical/manual time tracking with electronic automation.
2Loss of energy
If appliance operations are stopped during on-peak hours and restarted during off-peak hours, then electricity costs are reduced, but operational reliability deteriorates for operations that cannot be interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts appliance operation based on real-time rate schedule conditions and operation characteristics. For operations that can tolerate interruption, the system schedules them during off-peak hours; for operations requiring continuity, the system maintains operation during on-peak hours despite higher costs, optimizing the balance between cost savings and operational reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (start time, duration, intensity) based on the appliance type and rate schedule. Different appliances receive different scheduling treatments - some are deferred to off-peak hours while others continue operating during on-peak hours, with the system adjusting parameters to maintain acceptable performance while reducing costs.
3Productivity
If the system schedules operations during off-peak hours, then peak load on generating plants is reduced, but the system complexity increases due to schedule management
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed to work with multiple appliance types and various utility rate schedules using a standardized interface. The same microprocessor-based controller can manage different appliances (dishwashers, washing machines, dryers) and adapt to different rate structures, reducing overall system complexity through universal design.
Solution Approach 2:
The microprocessor-based control system acts as an intermediary between the utility company's rate schedule and the appliance operations. It translates rate schedule information into optimized operation schedules, mediating between the utility's peak demand reduction goals and the appliance's operational requirements without requiring direct complex interaction between utilities and consumers.
4Loss of energy
If consumers are required to track current time to determine off-peak and on-peak hours, then energy cost savings are achieved, but time management burden increases
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance control system automatically receives and processes rate schedule information from the utility company, eliminating the need for consumers to track time or determine off-peak hours. The system self-manages the entire scheduling process, including monitoring rate changes and adjusting operations accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system receives feedback from the utility company regarding rate schedule changes and automatically adjusts appliance operations in response. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the system continuously operates optimally without requiring consumer intervention or time tracking.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy management system for an appliance comprising an interface to receive a schedule having an off-peak time segment and an on-peak time segment; a control to determine an operation to be performed by the appliance; a mode selecting device to select between an energy management mode and an immediate start mode; and a controller connected to the interface, the control, and the mode selecting device. The controller is arranged such that upon selection of the energy management mode, the controller initiates the operation when a majority of the energy consumption of the operation is within the off-peak time segment; and upon selection of the immediate start mode, the controller initiates the operation immediately.