Control Unit for Hybrid Power Plants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid electrical power plants face challenges in maintaining energy balance due to the inherent power fluctuations in renewable energy sources and the significant power draw and startup time of battery storage systems, which can adversely affect the overall power supply.
Innovation Solution
A control unit is introduced that receives instantaneous and predicted power output from energy conversion devices to determine the required power at future times, comparing it with threshold values to switch battery units on or off only when necessary, thereby optimizing energy management and reducing intrinsic energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If battery stores are operated continually to ensure power availability, then reliability of power supply is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The battery store operation transitions from static continuous operation to dynamic on-demand operation. The control unit dynamically switches battery units on or off based on real-time power requirements and predicted future power needs, optimizing the balance between reliability and energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by predicting future power requirements and proactively switching battery units on before they are needed. The control unit calculates future power needs based on predicted energy conversion device output and switches battery units in advance, accounting for the startup time delay, ensuring power availability while minimizing continuous operation.
2Reliability
If battery units are switched on in advance to account for startup time, then power availability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by switching on only the necessary number of battery units based on calculated power requirements, rather than keeping all battery units continuously operational. The control unit determines the minimum number of battery units needed to meet future power demands and switches only those units on, reducing overall energy consumption while ensuring sufficient power availability.
3Power
If multiple battery units are operated to meet peak power demands, then power capacity is improved, but intrinsic energy loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery store is segmented into multiple independent battery units that can be individually controlled. The control unit selectively activates only the necessary number of battery units based on current and predicted power requirements, rather than operating all units continuously. This segmentation enables precise matching of power output to actual needs, minimizing intrinsic energy losses from continuously operated battery units.
Data Source
AI summary
A control unit includes a power supply device with a battery store including at least one battery unit; a first energy conversion device that converts nonelectrical energy into electrical energy; and a connecting unit configured such that a summed energy for the electrical energy of the energy conversion device and battery store is deliverable. The control unit receives an instantaneous output power or a future output power requirement of the first energy conversion device and further receives a predicted power of the first energy conversion device for at least one future time. The instantaneous output power or the future output power requirement and the predicted power are used to ascertain a required power at the future time. At least one battery unit is switched on in response to the threshold value being exceeded by the required power.