Power Control Device Using Evaluation Functions for Real-Time Demand Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current demand control methods for power consumption systems struggle to effectively manage power usage in large-scale environments with numerous devices, particularly in real-time, due to the difficulty in accounting for fluctuations in power usage by uncontrollable devices, leading to inefficient power-saving measures that may disrupt comfort and operations.
Innovation Solution
A power control device that classifies devices into controllable and uncontrollable categories, using an information acquisition unit to gather power usage data and a demand control unit to manage power based on evaluation functions and differential equations, ensuring real-time control within set upper limits by prioritizing device operations and optimizing load balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If demand control is carried out by preliminarily planning device stoppage to satisfy upper limit power, then power-saving target is achieved, but device complexity increases and real-time adaptability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control by continuously monitoring actual power consumption and adjusting device operation in real-time based on differential equations, rather than relying on static preliminary plans. This allows the system to adapt to changing conditions while maintaining power-saving goals.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where actual power consumption data is continuously fed back to the control unit, which then adjusts device operation accordingly. This closed-loop control enables real-time optimization without requiring complex preliminary planning.
2Reliability
If maximum power estimation is used for uncontrollable devices to ensure safety, then reliability increases, but power-saving efficiency decreases due to excessive margin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter estimation approach from using maximum power values to using actual measured power consumption values. This parameter change allows for more accurate and less conservative control decisions, improving power-saving efficiency while maintaining reliability through continuous monitoring.
3Loss of energy
If real-time control is implemented for all devices, then power-saving efficiency improves, but device complexity and computational requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments devices into controllable and uncontrollable categories, applying different control strategies to each group. This segmentation reduces the complexity of real-time control by focusing computational resources only on devices that can be actively controlled.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes from controlling individual devices to controlling aggregated power consumption parameters. By focusing on total power usage and using differential equations to model system behavior, the complexity of tracking and controlling each individual device is reduced.
4Ease of operation
If preliminary control plans are made without considering actual device power usage, then ease of operation improves, but measurement precision and control accuracy decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from actual power consumption measurements to continuously refine and adjust control decisions. This feedback mechanism maintains ease of operation while significantly improving measurement precision and control accuracy by basing decisions on real data rather than estimates.
Data Source
AI summary
On receiving a request to reduce power consumption such as a request for power conservation, a power control device controls power used in a power consumption system including a plurality of devices so that a user can use enough consumable power while saving power in the most comfortable manner possible. The plurality of devices is classified into controllable devices and control-difficult devices. An information acquisition unit acquires amounts of power used by the controllable devices and an amount of most recently measured power of the entire power consumption system. When an amount of an upper limit power is set for the entire power consumption system, a demand control unit controls the amounts of power used by the controllable devices based on evaluation functions set for the respective controllable devices and differential equations set for the respective controllable devices.