Node Element Architecture for Self-Healing Power Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current power delivery systems lack the sophisticated architecture necessary to support advanced features like self-healing, secure communication, market-based pricing, and real-time interactions between power generation and consumption points, limiting the deployment of smart appliances and efficient power management.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Node Element with global and inward ports, data stores, and multiple planes of interaction (power analysis, data, and control planes) facilitates advanced communications and interactions within the power network, enabling peer-to-peer communications, distributed computing, and real-time control across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If advanced networking and communication components are embedded within the power distribution grid to enable self-healing and real-time interactions, then the system reliability and functionality are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels (generation sites, transmission, distribution, and end-points) with standardized Node Elements at each level. This segmentation allows complex self-healing functionality to be distributed across many simple, identical nodes rather than concentrated in a few complex components, improving reliability through redundancy while managing complexity through standardization.
Solution Approach 2:
A universal Node Element architecture is defined that can be deployed at all levels of the power network from generation to consumption. This multi-functional node provides standardized communication, data processing, and control capabilities that can be configured for different applications, reducing overall system complexity through reuse while enabling advanced reliability features.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a universal Node Element architecture is deployed across all power network levels to enable flexibility and standardization, then the adaptability is improved, but the ease of manufacture may worsen due to configuration complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The Node Element architecture uses configurable parameters and standardized interfaces that can be adjusted to meet specific application requirements at different network levels. By changing software configurations and parameter settings rather than hardware designs, the system achieves high adaptability while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through standardized hardware components.
Solution Approach 2:
The Node Element is pre-configured with standardized communication protocols, data structures, and interaction planes during manufacturing. This preliminary configuration reduces deployment complexity by eliminating the need for complex custom configurations at installation, while still allowing post-deployment adaptability through configured parameter changes.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment of this invention, identical communicating node elements are constructed and placed throughout a power delivery network. Each of these node elements supplies features and options that facilitate peer-to-peer communications, data and service aggregation, propagated interfaces and distributed computational power. The network of interacting node elements, built with a common architecture, gives the power delivery network advanced capabilities for utilities and customers. These advanced capabilities include self-healing, highly secure communications, real-time interactions between any devices, and so on.