Power Plant Control Unit for Local Load Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power plants face challenges in supplying power to their local load when disconnected from the grid due to grid faults, as all power engine units are typically disconnected, leaving no stable load sharing and resulting in unmet local power demands.
Innovation Solution
A control unit system that determines groups of power engine units connected through a local bus bar, allowing one unit to remain connected and supply power to the local load by sending and receiving status data via a data bus and making decisions based on predetermined criteria, such as identifier values or emission levels, to ensure uninterrupted power delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all power engine units are disconnected from the bus bar during grid problems, then the power plant is protected from grid faults, but the local load cannot receive stable power supply
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power engine units into different groups based on their electrical connection through the local bus bar. When grid problems occur, only certain groups are disconnected while others remain connected to supply local load, thereby segmenting the disconnection action to maintain local power supply stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different connection statuses to different power engine units based on their group affiliation. Units in groups with local load remain connected while others are disconnected, creating local quality differences in the system response to grid faults.
2Reliability
If power engine units remain connected to the bus bar during grid problems, then local load can receive power, but unstable load sharing occurs due to insufficient local load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments power engine units into groups and selectively maintains connection for groups containing local load. This segmentation ensures that only units with stable local load connections remain active, avoiding unstable load sharing across all units.
Solution Approach 2:
The control units exchange status data about generator breaker and bus bar breaker states through a data bus. This feedback mechanism allows the system to identify which groups have local load connections and make informed decisions about which units should remain connected to maintain stable operation.
3Reliability
If a control system selectively disconnects power engine units based on group identification, then stable power supply to local load is maintained, but system complexity increases due to data communication requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The control units perform multiple functions: they monitor their own generator breaker and bus bar breaker status, communicate with other control units via data bus, identify group affiliations, and execute disconnection decisions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components for each control task.
Solution Approach 2:
Each control unit independently determines its group affiliation by analyzing exchanged status data and makes its own disconnection decision based on predetermined criteria. This self-service approach eliminates the need for a centralized control system, reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides a control unit (8) for power engine unit (14, 15) of the power plant. The control unit comprises inputs (44, 45, 46) to receive status data from circuit breakers (5, 6, 7), and a data bus interface (47) to send and receive data between the control units connected to a data bus. The control unit (14, 15) is arranged to determine a group of power engine units which are electrically connected with each other through a local bus bar (2, 3, 4). In case of receiving the first status data indicating the grid breaker (5) being open the control unit (8) is arranged to decide whether to generate and send a control message to open the generator breaker (5) based on predetermined criteria for said determined group of power engine units (14, 15) in such a way that one power engine unit remains to be connected to the local bus bar (2, 3, 4).