Method and system for limiting consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building management systems face challenges in balancing energy savings with maintaining thermal comfort, as reducing energy consumption can lead to occupant discomfort, and there is a need for methods to cap the aggregated power load of climate control appliances while minimizing deviation from target environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involve setting a cap for total power consumption, measuring climate parameters, predicting the impact of appliance activation on these parameters, and dynamically deciding which appliances to activate or deactivate to maintain comfort within the cap, using a projection-based decision mechanism and centralized orchestration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the thermostat setting is reduced to save energy, then energy consumption is reduced, but the percentage of dissatisfied building inhabitants increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of climate appliances by continuously monitoring both energy consumption levels and thermal comfort parameters. The system adjusts appliance operation in real-time based on changing conditions, allowing it to respond to both energy savings opportunities and comfort requirements rather than using fixed thermostat settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms by monitoring thermal comfort parameters and energy consumption simultaneously. This feedback loop enables the control system to detect when energy reduction begins to impact comfort and adjust appliance operation accordingly, ensuring both energy efficiency and occupant satisfaction are maintained.
2Loss of energy
If the aggregated power load of climate control appliances is capped, then energy consumption is limited, but the ability to maintain target environmental conditions is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic load management by continuously adjusting the operation of climate control appliances based on real-time monitoring of both power consumption caps and thermal comfort parameters. The system can flexibly switch between different appliance configurations to maintain comfort within the power cap constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the climate control function across multiple appliances and can selectively activate or deactivate individual appliances based on current conditions. This segmentation allows the system to distribute the thermal control task across available appliances while staying within the aggregated power cap, maintaining reliability through distributed control.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If climate control appliances are activated to maintain thermal comfort, then occupant comfort is improved, but energy waste increases due to unnecessary activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial action by activating only the necessary subset of climate control appliances required to maintain thermal comfort, rather than running all appliances continuously. The system calculates the minimum required operation level and activates appliances proportionally, avoiding excessive energy consumption while maintaining adequate comfort levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables climate control appliances to make autonomous decisions about their operation based on local sensor data and system-wide constraints. Each appliance can assess its own activation need based on local thermal conditions and power cap status, reducing unnecessary activation while maintaining overall comfort.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to methods and systems for limiting consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide arrangements in which the aggregated power load of a plurality of appliances is capped to a selected value (which may be arbitrary, or may be dictated by conditions) while seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building through a combination of distributed decision making by the appliances themselves and centralized orchestration, which may be informed by real-time sensor readings and/or known properties of the building. The distributed decision-making by individual devices may be based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity but with a central controller which determines which devices should be switched on.