Grid Interface Control for Compliant Bi-Directional Power Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power sources such as electric vehicles and energy storage devices often fail to comply with the nuanced and ever-changing requirements of electric power grids, leading to restrictions on providing power back to the grid and limitations on drawing power from it.
Innovation Solution
A grid interface device (GID) is introduced to couple power sources with the grid, monitoring and adjusting output parameters like voltage, frequency, and harmonic distortion to ensure compliance with grid regulations, enabling power exchange while preventing non-compliant sources from feeding back into the grid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If power sources directly connect to the grid without a GID, then device complexity is reduced, but compliance with grid regulations cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a grid interface device (GID) as an intermediary component between the power source and the power grid. The GID includes a controller that monitors power output parameters and adjusts them to comply with grid regulations, thereby ensuring reliability without requiring the power source itself to be complex
2Reliability
If the GID monitors and adjusts all power output parameters, then grid regulation compliance is ensured, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The GID is segmented into distinct functional modules: a monitoring component that measures power output parameters, a controller that processes the measurements and determines compliance, and an adjustment component that modifies output parameters when needed. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function efficiently without unnecessary complexity
3Reliability
If the power source output parameters are continuously adjusted to meet grid requirements, then grid regulation compliance is improved, but energy loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The GID implements a feedback control system where the controller continuously monitors power output parameters, compares them against grid regulation thresholds, and only adjusts parameters when compliance violations are detected. This selective adjustment approach minimizes unnecessary energy conversion operations and reduces associated energy losses
Data Source
AI summary
A grid interface device may be coupled between power source terminals and grid terminals. The grid interface device may be configured to continuously monitor power provided by the power source and selectively connect the power source to the grid and enable power provision to the grid if the power provided is in compliance with grid requirements. The grid interface device may command the power source to adjust a characteristic of the power output in order to comply with grid requirements, and in some cases may take independent corrective action in order to provide grid-compliant power.