Cooking Appliance Power Sharing for Peak Demand Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooking appliances with electromechanical surface heating elements consume high peak power during peak demand periods, leading to increased energy costs for utility companies, and existing solutions lack effective control mechanisms to reduce power usage without complex and costly electronic systems.
Innovation Solution
A power sharing system that uses a controller to switch the oven heating element between a high voltage and low voltage power supply based on utility demand signals, allowing the oven to operate at full power when surface heating elements are not in use and reducing power when they are, thereby minimizing peak and average power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the oven operates at full power during peak demand periods, then cooking performance is maintained, but peak power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the oven power level based on real-time surface element usage status. When surface elements are detected to be in use, the oven automatically reduces its power consumption; when surface elements are idle, the oven operates at full power. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making power consumption flexible rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module continuously monitors the operational state of surface heating elements and uses this feedback to adjust oven power output. The system receives feedback about surface element usage and accordingly modulates oven power, creating a closed-loop control system that balances cooking performance with peak power reduction goals.
2Power
If power switching is implemented to reduce peak consumption, then power demand is reduced, but control capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The control module acts as an intermediary between the surface elements and oven, coordinating their power usage. Rather than simple on/off switching, the control module intelligently manages the interaction between different heating elements, allowing for nuanced power management that maintains cooking control while reducing peak demand.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically manages power distribution without requiring user intervention. The control module autonomously monitors surface element usage and adjusts oven power accordingly, eliminating the need for users to manually switch powers or manage complex control settings while still achieving peak power reduction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If electronic control systems are added to manage power, then power management capability improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control module performs multiple functions: it monitors surface element usage, determines power management decisions, and controls oven power output. By making the control module multi-functional, the system achieves sophisticated power management without adding separate dedicated components for each function, thereby limiting complexity growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing control infrastructure of the cooking appliance and extends its functionality through software logic rather than adding entirely new hardware control systems. This approach leverages the existing control module's capabilities, avoiding the need for complex additional electronic systems while still achieving intelligent power management.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces peak power consumption by up to 40% during peak demand periods without requiring extensive modifications to existing appliances or expensive electronic controls, while maintaining performance by adjusting power usage dynamically in response to utility demand signals.
Implementation Method 1
a switch responsive to the controller, switchable between a first state and a second state for selectively coupling the oven heating element to a first relatively high voltage power supply and a second relatively low voltage power supply
Data Source
AI summary
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a system for reducing peak power consumption in an electromechanically controlled cooking appliance is provided. The system comprises a surface heating unit comprising at least one duty cycle controlled surface heating element, a temperature controlled oven heating element, a controller configured to receive and process utility state signals indicative of the operating state of an associated utility, and a switch responsive to the controller, switchable between a first state and a second state for selectively coupling the oven heating element to a first relatively high voltage power supply and a second relatively low voltage power supply respectively. The controller is configured to switch the switch to the first and second states as a function of the utility state signal.