Campus Energy Manager for Microgrid Load Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems lack effective methods for managing electric power supply in collections of buildings or microgrids, failing to adequately respond to pricing events, demand response, and carbon reduction initiatives.
Innovation Solution
A campus energy manager system that interfaces with field devices and external information sources to manage electrical loads, local generation, and environmental variables, utilizing bidirectional interface modules to translate data and issue commands, and configure the electric infrastructure to respond to market pricing, demand response, and carbon reduction events.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a campus energy manager system is implemented to manage electrical loads and respond to pricing events, demand response, and carbon reduction events, then the ability to manage electric power supply is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into functional modules including field devices for sensing, interface modules for data translation, processing and storage units for decision-making, and control modules for issuing commands. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, making the overall complex system more manageable and easier to implement.
Solution Approach 2:
The campus energy manager system performs multiple functions through a unified platform: managing electrical loads, responding to pricing events, implementing demand response strategies, reducing carbon emissions, and coordinating with local generation. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into one integrated solution.
2Ease of operation
If field devices and interface modules are added to interface with campus loads and local generation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Interface modules serve as intermediaries between field devices and the central processing system. These modules translate data from various field devices into a common format, enabling standardized communication and simplifying the control logic in the processing and storage units while expanding the system's ability to interface with diverse equipment.
3Productivity
If the system processes and stores information from multiple field devices and external sources, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing and storage unit performs preliminary actions by pre-processing data from field devices and external sources, organizing it into structured formats, and preparing decision-making outputs in advance. This preliminary processing reduces the computational burden during real-time decision-making and improves the overall productivity of the energy management system.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy management system serves an arbitrary collection of loads via interfacing with related field devices and external information sources and responding to events including pricing events, demand response events, and carbon reduction events by managing the loads and local generation.