Distributed Power Management Architecture for Heterogeneous Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Power and Energy Management Systems (PEMS) lack a generic and scalable solution to effectively manage power consumption across diverse and heterogeneous power networks, particularly in dynamic environments like aircraft, where varying demands and device criticality require adaptive power allocation.
Innovation Solution
A generic PEMS architecture comprising local supervisors with watchdog, status monitor, coordinator, and control action modules, connected via digital communication, to monitor and manage power consumption, adjust set points, and coordinate power distribution across multiple devices, enabling flexible and adaptive power management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized PEMS is used to manage power consumption, then power allocation can be enforced at the grid level, but the system complexity and difficulty of adapting to heterogeneous devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The PEMS architecture is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels: central supervisor, local supervisors, and field devices. Each level handles specific management functions, distributing the complexity while maintaining centralized coordination. Local supervisors manage subsets of devices independently, reducing the burden on the central supervisor and enabling modular scaling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic coordination strategies that adapt to varying power conditions and device states. The coordinator module adjusts power allocation in real-time based on grid status, device criticality, and operational requirements, enabling the system to respond flexibly to changing conditions without requiring complete reconfiguration.
2Productivity
If power management is customized for each specific application and device type, then optimization for that application is improved, but the system loses genericity and scalability
Solution Approach 1:
The PEMS architecture implements universal interfaces and communication protocols that enable a single system design to manage diverse device types across different applications. The standardized data models and coordination mechanisms allow the same architectural framework to be applied whether managing aircraft cabin devices, ground vehicles, or industrial equipment, while still permitting application-specific optimization through configurable parameters.
3Measurement precision
If real-time monitoring and control of all power devices is implemented, then power consumption accuracy is improved, but the communication overhead and system resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Monitoring functions are segmented and distributed to local supervisors that manage subsets of devices. Each local supervisor aggregates data from its controlled devices and communicates only summary information to the central supervisor, reducing overall communication overhead while maintaining precise local monitoring and control capabilities.
Data Source
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AI summary
A power and energy management system, PEMS, architecture for managing power consumed by a plurality of power devices on a network, the architecture comprising: one or more local supervisors (11, 12, 13) each arranged to be connected in digital communication with one or more of the power devices (10) on the network; each local supervisor comprising: an input (CONTROL ERROR) to receive a control error signal indicative of a difference between the power consumption of the one or more devices and power available on the network for those devices; a watchdog module (120) configured to receive the control error signal and to determine from the control error signal whether there is a need for PEMS action on the network; a status monitor (130) configured to obtain information as to the operating status of the one or more power devices; a coordinator module (150) configured to define a coordination strategy for operating selected devices of the one or more devices based on the determination from the watchdog module and the information obtained by the status module; and a control action module (160) arranged to provide a set point to selected devices of the one or more devices to operate according to the coordination strategy determined by the coordinator module.