Off-Grid Microgrid Load Control Using Battery State of Charge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power outages, often caused by weather, fires, or public factors, disrupt critical infrastructure and daily life, particularly in remote areas where main grid infrastructure is damaged, necessitating reliable off-grid power solutions like mini-microgrids with automated energy management to meet basic energy needs.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for managing off-grid power supplies that involve acquiring data from connected loads, modeling their behavior, estimating the state of charge of energy storage devices, and determining operational statuses to control load usage effectively, prioritizing must-run loads while deferring or interrupting less critical loads to maintain power within supply limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If off-grid power supply is deployed to meet basic energy needs during grid outages, then reliability of power supply is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for automated energy management systems
Solution Approach 1:
The energy management system is segmented into multiple functional modules: a controller for acquiring load data and determining operational status, an energy storage device for power supply, and communication modules for data transmission. This modular segmentation reduces overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The automated energy management system performs self-service by automatically acquiring load data, modeling load behavior, estimating state of charge, determining operational status, and controlling loads without requiring manual intervention. This automation improves reliability while the systematic approach keeps complexity manageable.
2Productivity
If automated energy management is implemented to optimize power distribution, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously acquires data from loads, monitors energy storage device state of charge, and adjusts load control decisions based on this feedback. This closed-loop feedback mechanism optimizes energy management efficiency while following a systematic control architecture that manages complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual energy management operations are replaced with an automated electronic control system that uses data acquisition, modeling, and algorithmic decision-making. This substitution improves management efficiency while the electronic system's integrated design keeps complexity manageable.
3Duration of action of moving object
If load control is implemented to maintain power within supply limits, then energy supply duration is extended, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically determining operational status of each load based on state of charge and load category, then automatically controlling loads to maintain power within supply limits. This extends power supply duration while eliminating the need for manual load management operations.
4Measurement precision
If data acquisition and modeling is performed for each load, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Manual data collection and analysis for each load is replaced with an automated controller that acquires data, models load behavior, and determines operational status electronically. This substitution improves measurement precision while the automated processing reduces time loss compared to manual methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and device for managing off-grid power supply are provided. The method includes acquiring data from one or more loads. The one or more loads are connected to the off-grid power supply. The method further includes modeling the one or more loads based on the acquired data, estimating a state of charge of an energy storage device (ESD) associated with the off-grid power supply, and determining an operational status of each of the one or more loads. The operational status is based on at least the state of charge of the ESD and a category of each of the one or more loads. Each load is controlled based on the operational status.