Power Distribution System with Dynamic Controller for Peak Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power distribution systems often leave unused power due to conservative ratings of electrical devices and peak power demands, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs, while also facing challenges in managing power during utility faults and brown-outs.
Innovation Solution
A power distribution system that includes a DC bus, a conversion circuit to convert AC power to DC, a battery system for power supplementation, and a controller to manage the power flow between utility power and stored power, ensuring sufficient power delivery to loads while maintaining AC power conversion below predetermined levels, thus reducing peak ratings and handling faults effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power distribution systems are built conservatively to supply devices' rated currents, then device protection is improved, but power utilization efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts power distribution by transitioning from static conservative ratings to real-time demand-based allocation. The controller continuously monitors actual power consumption and adjusts the power supplied to each device, allowing the system to operate at optimal levels rather than fixed conservative ratings, thereby reducing wasted power while maintaining device protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the controller monitors actual power consumption of devices and uses this information to adjust power distribution. This closed-loop control allows the system to respond to changing demands, preventing both power waste during low-demand periods and ensuring adequate supply during high-demand periods, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and efficiency.
2Reliability
If UPS capacity is increased to handle peak power demands, then power availability during faults is improved, but system cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple power sources (utility power, generator power, and battery power) into a unified power distribution network. By combining these sources and using intelligent control to coordinate them, the system achieves the reliability of having large UPS capacity without actually installing oversized UPS equipment, thereby reducing system cost and complexity while maintaining power availability during faults.
Solution Approach 2:
The power distribution system is designed to perform multiple functions: normal power distribution, fault protection, peak demand management, and cost optimization. The same infrastructure serves all these purposes through intelligent control, eliminating the need for separate dedicated systems for each function and thereby reducing overall system complexity and cost.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple power branches are added to distribute power to more devices, then power distribution coverage is improved, but unused power increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the power distribution into multiple independent branches, each controlled individually by the controller. This allows precise power allocation to each branch based on actual demand, preventing power waste in branches with low or no demand while ensuring adequate supply to branches with high demand, thus resolving the contradiction between coverage and efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts power distribution across multiple branches based on real-time monitoring of actual device consumption. Rather than providing fixed power to each branch, the controller continuously optimizes power allocation, allowing the system to expand coverage to multiple branches without proportionally increasing unused power.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides stable power to data center loads during utility faults and reduces peak power ratings, leading to financial savings and improved utility provider agreements by efficiently managing power distribution and utilization.
Implementation Method 1
a battery system configured to provide DC power from a battery to the DC bus
Implementation Method 2
a conversion circuit configured to receive AC power and convert the received AC power to DC power
Data Source
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AI summary
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a power distribution system that includes a DC bus configured to deliver operating power to a DC load, a conversion circuit configured to receive AC power and convert the received AC power to DC power that is provided to the DC bus, and a battery system configured to provide DC power from a battery to the DC bus. A controller determines an amount of DC power to be provided to the DC bus by the conversion circuit, determines an amount of DC power to be provided to the DC bus by the battery system, and controls the conversion circuit and the battery system such that the conversion circuit provides the first amount of DC power to the DC bus and the battery system concurrently provides the second amount of DC power to the DC bus.