Smart Meter Time Delay for Controlled Power Reconnection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional smart electricity meters with built-in disconnection/reconnection switches face issues with power surges during grid restoration after outages, leading to overloading and equipment failures, and customer-site generators may desynchronize with the grid frequency and phase, causing disturbances.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an electricity meter with a processor, memory, communications module, and service disconnect switch that implements a time delay for controlled power reconnection and synchronization with the grid frequency and phase, allowing for sequential or staggered reconnection of loads and generators, minimizing power surges and maintaining grid integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If immediate power reconnection is implemented after grid restoration, then power is restored quickly to customers, but power surges occur causing overloading and equipment failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting power availability and initiating a time-delayed reconnection sequence before full power restoration. The smart meter detects when power becomes available on the grid, then waits for a predetermined time delay period before closing the service disconnect switch, allowing the grid to stabilize and preventing immediate surge-related equipment failures.
2Ease of operation
If immediate power reconnection is implemented, then customer convenience is maintained, but power surges cause distribution grid overloading
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of power availability and implements a time-delayed reconnection sequence. The smart meter detects when power becomes available, then waits for a predetermined time delay before reconnecting the customer load, allowing the distribution grid to stabilize and preventing overloading while maintaining automated customer service.
3Productivity
If customer-site generators are reconnected immediately after grid restoration, then generator availability is maintained, but frequency and phase desynchronization causes grid disturbances
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary synchronization detection before generator reconnection. The smart meter detects when the customer-site generator's frequency and phase are synchronized with the grid, then initiates reconnection after a time delay, ensuring grid stability while maintaining generator availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring grid frequency and phase parameters and comparing them with generator output. The smart meter adjusts the reconnection timing based on detected synchronization status, ensuring that generators are only reconnected when they are properly synchronized with the grid, thus preventing disturbances.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical power system having an electricity meter connected to power lines on one side and a load on the other side, the electricity meter having a processor and memory, a communications module, a sensor, and a service disconnect switch. The system has a communications and control system adapted to send information to the electricity meter and receive information from the electricity meter. The service disconnect switch is locally operable based on a preprogrammed time delay stored in the memory of the electricity meter to restore power in a controlled fashion following a power outage. Electricity meters and electricity reconnection methods are described, as are other aspects