Decentralized Controller for Modular Electrical Energy Supply Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical energy supply systems, such as island microgrids, face challenges including high procurement costs, limited flexibility, and reliability issues, with central controllers requiring reprogramming for extensions and being prone to failure if a critical component fails, and batteries often having different states of charge, making them unsuitable for widespread, cost-effective use.
Innovation Solution
A controller for electrical energy supply units that determines nominal alternating voltage based on energy store filling levels, allowing for decentralized operation and network expansion without central control, using microcontrollers to regulate and synchronize voltage across interconnected units, ensuring reliable energy supply and flexible expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a central controller is used to manage island microgrid systems, then system control and coordination are achieved, but the system becomes vulnerable to single-point failures and requires expensive reprogramming for extensions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the central controller into multiple distributed controllers, each managing a modular energy supply unit. This segmentation eliminates single-point failures since each unit operates independently, and allows easy system expansion by adding new modular units without reprogramming existing controllers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the control function from a centralized architecture and distributes it to individual energy supply units. Each unit contains its own controller that can autonomously determine operating parameters like nominal alternating voltage based on local energy store filling levels, removing the dependency on a central controller.
2Adaptability or versatility
If island microgrid systems are designed with fixed configurations, then initial system stability is achieved, but flexibility and capability for extension are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability where each energy supply unit can autonomously adjust its operating parameters based on real-time conditions. The controller determines nominal alternating voltage dynamically based on energy store filling levels, and the system can easily expand by adding new modular units without fixed configuration constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs universal modular energy supply units that can function independently or be combined in various configurations. Each unit has standardized interfaces and control logic that allows them to serve multiple functions and be integrated into different system sizes, from single units to large networks, without requiring custom design for each configuration.
3Ease of operation
If batteries in island systems are operated independently, then individual unit autonomy is maintained, but state of charge imbalance occurs across the system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where controllers continuously monitor energy store filling levels and use this information to adjust operating parameters. The nominal alternating voltage is determined based on feedback from filling level sensors, ensuring that energy production and consumption are balanced across the system while maintaining unit autonomy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates equipotential conditions across distributed energy supply units by synchronizing their operating parameters. All units operate at coordinated nominal alternating voltages determined by their respective filling levels, ensuring balanced energy distribution and preventing state of charge imbalance while maintaining individual unit independence.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a control for an electrical energy supply unit, comprising a first filling level input, to which a first filling level of a first energy store of the electrical energy supply unit can be transmitted. In addition, the control comprises a further filling level input, to which a further filling level of an optional further energy store of a further electrical energy supply unit can be transmitted. Furthermore, the control comprises a nominal alternating voltage determiner which is designed to determine a nominal alternating voltage while taking into account the first filling level and/or the further filling level. In addition, the control comprises a nominal alternating voltage output, from which the nominal alternating voltage can be transmitted to an alternating voltage generator of the electrical energy supply unit. An electrical energy supply unit comprises a control according to the invention, a first energy store and an alternating voltage generator having a first and a second terminal. The first terminal of the alternating voltage generator is connected to the first energy store in an electrically conductive manner. The alternating voltage generator is designed to generate at the second terminal an alternating voltage that corresponds to a nominal alternating voltage. An electrical energy supply system comprises an electrical energy supply unit according to the invention and at least one additional electrical energy supply unit according to the invention, which are connected to one another in an electrically conductive manner.