Phase Identification via Smart Meter Power Consumption Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for phase identification in electricity grids are expensive, require manual intervention, or are impractical, leading to inefficiencies and increased energy losses due to unbalanced phases, which affect power quality and consumer prices.
Innovation Solution
A tomography-based approach using mathematical programming techniques analyzes time-series power measurements from smart meters and transformers to determine phase connectivity, employing mixed integer programming and relaxations to efficiently identify phase assignments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional methods for phase identification are used, then manual intervention and high costs are avoided, but phase identification accuracy and efficiency remain insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic phase identification by having demand electricity grid devices self-report their phase information through smart meters to a central server, eliminating the need for manual field visits and transformer-based measurement systems. The automated collection and processing of meter readings achieves both high productivity and full automation.
2Loss of energy
If manual phase identification methods are used, then operational costs are reduced, but energy losses due to unbalanced phases increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously collects feedback from smart meters at demand nodes and processes this information to automatically identify and report phase imbalances. This real-time feedback mechanism enables continuous monitoring and correction of phase balancing, reducing energy losses while maintaining cost-effectiveness through automated processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement and field-based phase identification with automated electronic measurement systems. Smart meters electronically measure power consumption and communicate phase information digitally to a central server, eliminating manual intervention while enabling continuous, real-time phase monitoring that reduces energy losses.
3Measurement precision
If transformer-based phase measurement systems are used, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts phase identification capability from complex transformer-based measurement systems and relocates it to simple smart meters at demand nodes. By removing the need for sophisticated transformer equipment and using only basic meter readings, the system achieves accurate phase measurement with significantly reduced device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary that processes phase identification calculations. Instead of requiring complex local measurement systems at transformers, the server receives simple power consumption data from smart meters and performs the complex phase analysis centrally, simplifying end-device requirements while maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for phase determination in an electricity grid. An aspect provides for determining phase for at least one electric grid device via receiving power consumption measurements derived from electricity grid devices connected in the electricity grid, comparing, over a series of time intervals, a total power consumed; and determining a phase for at least one electricity grid device.