Priority-Based Load Scheduling Under Utility Demand Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical load management systems fail to efficiently select and manage electrical loads to keep total load requests below demand thresholds, leading to unnecessary high energy charges from utility companies.
Innovation Solution
An electrical load management system that includes a local power generator, a main electrical service panel, a power meter, and a load management computer, which determines load priorities and energy charges to strategically energize or de-energize electrical loads based on demand thresholds and energy pricing, using controllable power switches to optimize energy usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If all electrical loads are energized simultaneously, then total power consumption is maximized, but demand threshold is exceeded resulting in high energy charges
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification and prioritization of electrical loads before peak demand periods occur. The load management computer pre-determines which loads have high, medium, or low priority based on their importance to operations, enabling proactive load management strategies to be implemented before demand thresholds are exceeded
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the energization state of electrical loads based on real-time demand conditions. During peak demand periods, the load management computer selectively de-energizes low-priority loads while maintaining high-priority loads, creating a dynamic response to changing utility company demand thresholds and pricing structures
2Reliability
If high-priority loads are maintained during peak demand, then operational requirements are met, but total load request may still exceed demand threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments electrical loads into distinct priority categories (high, medium, low) based on their operational importance. This segmentation allows the load management computer to selectively control which segments remain energized during peak demand, ensuring high-priority operational requirements are met while reducing overall load request by de-energizing lower-priority segments
3Loss of energy
If load management control is implemented, then energy costs are reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load management computer automatically performs load prioritization, selection, and control without requiring manual intervention. The system self-manages the complex task of identifying priority levels, comparing total load requests against demand thresholds, and dynamically adjusting load energization states, thereby reducing energy costs while minimizing the operational complexity burden on users
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical load management system for controlling first, second, and third electrical loads is provided. A load management computer determines a demand threshold indicating a threshold amount of demanded power from a utility company power grid. The computer determines whether a time interval has an associated non-peak energy charge. And if so, then the computer determines whether a first total load request from the first, second, and third electrical loads will exceed the demand threshold. And if so, then the computer determines whether a second total load request from the first and second electrical loads having high and medium load priorities, respectively, will exceed the demand threshold. And if not, then the computer commands the first and second electrical loads to be energized for the predetermined time interval.