Building Energy Supply Control for Peak Load Limiting

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to develop a method for controlling electrical energy consumption in buildings to match the availability of energy in the grid, reducing peak loads and minimizing energy storage hurdles, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of the power grid.

Innovation Solution

An energy supply system that includes an energy store, a communication device for receiving control signals, and a Smart Meter Gateway (SMGW) to manage energy distribution from a public power grid to multiple consumers, allowing for adjustable power limits and operating states based on forecasted energy availability, utilizing local energy producers and storage to optimize energy use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If energy is stored in an energy store to smooth out power peaks and valleys, then the grid utility is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional storage infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrid utilityVSAvoidstorage infrastructure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple energy consumers into a single controllable load unit that is collectively controlled by the energy supplier. This merging approach allows the system to manage energy consumption at the building level rather than requiring individual energy storage devices at each consumer premises, thereby improving grid utility while avoiding the complexity of distributed storage infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a communication device as an intermediary between the energy supplier and the controllable consumers. This mediator enables the transmission of control signals and consumption data without requiring physical energy storage infrastructure, allowing the system to smooth out power peaks and valleys through coordinated consumption control rather than physical storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If consumption is controlled according to grid availability to reduce peak loads, then the power grid stability is improved, but the loss of time increases due to delayed energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower grid stabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption timing
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic control of energy consumption where controllable consumers can adjust their operation based on real-time grid conditions and received control signals. This dynamic approach allows the system to respond flexibly to grid availability without fixed time delays, maintaining grid stability while minimizing disruption to energy consumption patterns through adaptive rather than static load management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs periodic control signals transmitted from the energy supplier to manage consumption patterns. By using periodic rather than continuous control, the system can stabilize the grid through rhythmic load management while allowing consumers to operate during acceptable time windows, thereby reducing the perceived loss of time compared to continuous or arbitrary interruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Use of energy by moving object

If a first limit value is specified to limit power consumption from the public power grid, then the network fee reduction is achieved, but the ease of operation decreases due to additional control requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork feeVSAvoidcontrol operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service control where the controllable consumers automatically adjust their operation based on control signals received from the energy supplier. The consumers independently monitor their consumption and respond to limit values without requiring manual intervention or complex user-side control systems, thereby achieving network fee reductions while maintaining ease of operation through automated rather than manual control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where consumption data is transmitted from controllable consumers to the energy supplier, and control signals are sent back based on this data. This automated feedback loop enables the system to respond to limit values and optimize energy usage without requiring active user management, achieving cost savings while maintaining operational simplicity through intelligent automation rather than complex user control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3561983B1Method for operating an energy supply system
Publication Date: 2023.09.06 VIESSMANN CLIMATE SOLUTIONS SE
  • EP3561983B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for operating an energy supply system (1) for supplying a plurality of electrical energy consumers (HH, WP, L) in a building. The energy supply system (1) comprises an energy storage device (BAT) for storing electrical energy, which is connected to the plurality of electrical energy consumers (HH, WP, L) via an internal power grid (4) of the building; a grid connection point (NAP) through which the internal power grid is connected to a public power grid (3), and through which electrical power can be drawn from and/or fed into the public power grid (3); a device (M) for determining the power currently being drawn from the public power grid (3); and a communication device for receiving control signals.According to the procedure, the power currently drawn from the public electricity grid (3) is determined; a first limit value (GW1), which specifies the maximum power to be drawn from the public electricity grid (3), is set; a control signal is received via the communication device; and the energy supply system (1) is operated in one of at least two operating states depending on the received control signal. In the first operating state, the multitude of energy consumers (HH, WP, L) are supplied with electrical energy from the public electricity grid (3) without any limit on the power drawn, and in the second operating state, the multitude of energy consumers (HH, WP, L) are supplied at least temporarily with electrical energy from the energy storage system (BAT), so that the average power drawn from the public electricity grid (3) over a defined time interval is less than the first limit value (GW1).