Electric Power Control for Refrigerator Units and Showcases
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Solution Overview
Problem
In demand-based electric power contracts, controlling the operation of refrigerator units/condensers is challenging due to their indirect operation status, which can lead to increased energy consumption and potential food degradation when stopped abruptly, and existing demand control apparatuses struggle to manage their operation effectively.
Innovation Solution
An electric power amount control apparatus and method that predicts total electric power consumption for both directly and indirectly controlled devices, allowing for indirect control of refrigerator units/condensers by adjusting the set temperature after defrosting operations based on predicted consumption, thereby reducing energy usage and maintaining food quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the operation of refrigerator units/condensers is forcibly stopped to reduce electric power consumption, then the consumed electric power amount is reduced, but the food kept inside the refrigerator/freezer showcases may melt and degrade in quality
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus performs preliminary actions by predicting future electric power consumption amounts and determining appropriate operation status changes in advance. It calculates predicted consumed electric power amounts for different operation scenarios and selects changes that prevent exceeding the contracted electric power amount while maintaining food safety, rather than forcibly stopping operations when limits are approached.
Solution Approach 2:
The control apparatus changes operational parameters such as the operation status of refrigerator units/condensers and air conditioners based on predicted consumption. It adjusts these parameters proactively to stay within contracted limits while avoiding complete shutdowns that would compromise food quality, using nuanced parameter adjustments rather than binary on/off decisions.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the operation of refrigerator units/condensers is stopped and restarted, then the amount of electric power consumed during restart (pull-down operation) increases, but continuous operation maintains higher baseline consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus predicts future electric power consumption amounts and identifies potential restart energy peaks in advance. By calculating predicted consumption for different operation status changes, it can prevent unnecessary shutdowns and restarts that would create energy peaks, while still managing overall consumption to stay within contracted limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The control apparatus continuously monitors actual electric power consumption, compares it with predicted amounts, and adjusts operation status accordingly. This feedback mechanism allows it to learn from actual consumption patterns and improve its predictions, optimizing the balance between continuous operation and necessary shutdowns to minimize restart energy peaks.
3Use of energy by moving object
If air conditioners are stopped to reduce power consumption, then the consumed electric power amount is reduced, but the conditions inside the store deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus changes operational parameters of air conditioners and refrigerator units/condensers in a coordinated manner. Instead of simply stopping air conditioners, it adjusts their operation status and coordinates with refrigerator unit operations to maintain appropriate store conditions while reducing overall power consumption to stay within contracted limits.
4Use of energy by moving object
If the operation status of refrigerator units/condensers is controlled directly, then the consumed electric power amount is reduced, but their indirect operation status according to refrigerator/freezer showcases cannot be managed
Solution Approach 1:
The control apparatus merges the control of refrigerator units/condensers with the control of air conditioners into a unified system. It predicts and controls their combined electric power consumption together, allowing coordinated operation status changes that respect the indirect operation relationship between refrigerator units and refrigerator/freezer showcases while achieving overall power management goals.
Data Source
AI summary
An electric power amount control apparatus controls, as its control target devices, a plurality of showcases for cooling food and a plurality of refrigerators, among others. When the predicted consumed electric power amount exceeds the contracted electric power amount, the refrigerators corresponding to the showcases whose current interior temperatures deviate little from the set interior temperature are selected, and the set temperature for all the showcases connected to those refrigerators is changed to a temperature higher than a predetermined value. This makes it possible to shorten the duration of pull-down operation and thereby reduce the electric power consumption by the refrigerators while preventing the food inside the showcases from melting and degrading in quality.