Current Flow Controller Voltage Injection DC Regulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current DC power transmission networks face challenges in efficiently regulating current flow across multiple terminals, leading to imbalances and increased energy dissipation due to variations in conductor impedance, which can result in thermal rating issues and require additional energy sources or sinks.
Innovation Solution
A current flow controller with a current flow control module that includes auxiliary switching elements and an energy storage device, allowing for selective voltage injection into DC power transmission media to divert energy and regulate current flow, thereby balancing currents across multiple terminals without the need for additional energy sources or sinks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional energy sources or sinks are added to regulate current flow, then current regulation capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling DC power transmission media to regulate their own current flow through the injection of voltage drops. The current flow controller injects voltage drops into specific DC power transmission media, allowing them to autonomously adjust their current flow without requiring external energy sources or sinks. This eliminates the need for additional complex regulatory components while maintaining reliable current control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses voltage drops as an intermediary mechanism to regulate current flow. Instead of directly adding energy sources or sinks to each DC power transmission medium, the controller introduces voltage drops as a mediating element that indirectly controls current flow. This intermediary approach simplifies the system by using a universal control mechanism (voltage drop injection) rather than requiring different energy management components for each transmission medium.
2Loss of energy
If voltage drop injection is used to regulate current flow, then energy dissipation is reduced, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting voltage drop magnitudes injected into different DC power transmission media. The controller monitors current flow conditions and modifies the voltage drop parameters in real-time to optimize energy efficiency. By changing the voltage drop parameter rather than physically reconfiguring the system, the patent reduces energy dissipation while maintaining manageable control complexity through software-based parameter adjustment.
3Measurement precision
If multiple switching elements are used for energy diversion, then current flow control precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing a current flow controller that can serve multiple DC power transmission media simultaneously using a single controller unit. The controller is capable of injecting voltage drops into any number of DC power transmission media connected to it, making the switching elements and control logic multi-functional. This universal approach allows precise control of current flow across multiple media without requiring separate switching elements for each transmission medium, thereby reducing overall device complexity and cost.
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 enables dynamic and selective control of current flow, reducing energy dissipation and thermal risks while maintaining energy efficiency by transferring energy from one terminal to another, thus improving power transmission performance and reducing the complexity and cost of the system.
Implementation Method 1
at least one energy storage device, the or each auxiliary switching element and the or each energy storage device combining to selectively provide a voltage source
Data Source
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AI summary
A current flow controller (34) comprises: first and second terminals (36,38) being operatively connectable, in use, to first and second DC power transmission media (30,32) respectively; a third terminal (40) being operatively connectable, in use, to an electrical element, the third terminal (40) being electrically connected to each of the first and second terminals (36,38); a main switching element (Qs1,Qs2), the main switching element (Qs1,Qs2) being operatively connected between the first and third terminals (36,40), the main switching element (Qs1,Qs2) being switchable to turn on to permit flow of current between the third terminal (40) and the first terminal (36) and to turn off to inhibit flow of current between the third terminal (40) and the first terminal (36); a current flow control module (42) extending between the first and second terminals (36,38), the current flow control module (42) including at least one auxiliary switching element (Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4) and at least one energy storage device (C1), the or each auxiliary switching element (Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4) and the or each energy storage device (C1) combining to selectively provide a voltage source, the or each auxiliary switching element (Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4) being switchable to selectively switch the or each energy storage device (C1) into and out of circuit between the first and second terminals (36,38); and a control unit (44) configured to control switching of the main and auxiliary switching elements ((Qs1,Qs2,Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4) in an energy transfer mode, wherein the control unit (44) in the energy transfer mode turns off the main switching element (Qs1,Qs2) and switches the or each energy storage device (C1) into circuit between the first and second terminals (36,38) to inject a voltage drop, in use, in the first DC power transmission medium (30) so as to divert energy from one of the first and second DC power transmission media (30,32) into the other of the first and second DC power transmission media (30,32) via the current flow control module (42) and thereby carry out regulation of current flow in each DC power transmission medium (30,32).