Energy control device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy control systems fail to rapidly respond to energy suppression requests from suppliers while maintaining user comfort, as they do not consider the operating status of equipment and may impair user comfort during energy adjustments.

Innovation Solution

An energy control device with a receiving unit, basic adjustable amount calculation unit, and control instruction generation unit that calculates and adjusts energy suppression based on equipment operating status, allowing for quick response to energy suppression requests without compromising user comfort, and includes additional units for difference calculation, distribution, and comfort/discomfort consideration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If energy suppression is implemented without considering equipment operating status, then energy suppression request can be responded to, but the adjustment cannot be carried out immediately and response speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse speed to energy suppression requestVSAvoidability to carry out energy adjustment
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and stores the basic adjustable amount of energy for each equipment based on its operating status before an energy suppression request is received. This preliminary preparation allows the system to immediately respond to suppression requests by distributing the requested amount based on pre-analyzed equipment capabilities, eliminating the need to analyze operating status in real-time and thus maintaining both rapid response and reliable adjustment execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If energy suppression is implemented without considering operating status, then energy suppression can be attempted, but user comfort is significantly impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy suppression capabilityVSAvoiduser comfort impairment
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different suppression strategies to different equipment based on their individual operating statuses and characteristics. By calculating the basic adjustable amount for each equipment independently according to its specific operating conditions, the system ensures that suppression is applied locally and appropriately to each device, achieving overall energy suppression goals while preventing excessive or inappropriate suppression that would harm user comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If requested suppressed amount is directly distributed to equipment, then energy suppression target can be met, but precision and accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of energy suppressionVSAvoidenergy suppression efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the energy suppression task by first calculating the basic adjustable amount for each equipment independently based on its operating status, then distributing the requested suppressed amount across multiple equipment units. This segmentation approach allows for precise control of each individual equipment's suppression contribution while collectively achieving the overall suppression target, thereby improving both precision and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2803919B1Energy control device
Publication Date: 2019.05.08 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP2803919B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2803919B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2803919B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides an energy control device that can rapidly respond to an energy suppression request provided from an energy supplier and can satisfy user comfort. An energy control device (30) adjusts an amount of energy of a plurality of air conditioners placed at properties and comprises a receiving unit (36e), a basic adjustable amount calculation unit (36f), and a control instruction generation unit (36i). The receiving unit receives the energy suppression request including information about a requested suppressed amount of energy to be suppressed at the property. The basic adjustable amount calculation unit calculates, upon receipt of the energy suppression request, a basic adjustable amount of energy for each air conditioner independently of the requested suppressed amount of energy on the basis of an operating status of the air conditioner at the time when the energy suppression request is received. The control instruction generation unit instructs the air conditioners to perform energy amount adjustment control so that a total of suppressed amounts of energy at the property becomes equal to the requested suppressed amount of energy on the basis of the basic adjustable amount of energy.