Solar Power Management Device Scheduling for Grid Voltage Constraints

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies fail to effectively utilize potential usable energy generated by solar power devices when the grid voltage exceeds a certain threshold, leading to surplus energy not being sold back to the power company, resulting in wasted energy.

Innovation Solution

A management device that calculates potential usable power by subtracting power consumption and feed-in amounts from the power output, determines a planned usage time, and creates an operation schedule for electrical appliances to utilize this energy efficiently, without requiring additional devices like storage batteries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the power control device supplies surplus energy to the power company's grid, then the energy can be sold back to the power company, but when the voltage setting of the grid exceeds a certain value, the surplus energy cannot be supplied to the grid and is wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurplus energy wasteVSAvoidgrid voltage adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The management device performs preliminary calculation of potential usable power before the appliance operates, determining in advance how much energy is available from the solar power device after excluding power consumption and feed-in amounts. This allows the system to proactively schedule appliance operations during periods when usable energy will be available, preventing energy waste before it occurs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors grid voltage settings and adjusts appliance operation scheduling based on real-time feedback. When grid voltage exceeds the threshold, the scheduler modifies operation times to coincide with periods when voltage is within acceptable ranges, ensuring energy can be effectively utilized rather than wasted.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the management device schedules appliance operations to use potential usable energy, then energy utilization is improved, but the system requires calculation and scheduling complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy utilization efficiencyVSAvoidscheduling system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The management device segments the power generation timeline into discrete time periods, calculating potential usable power for each segment separately. The scheduler then selects specific segments for appliance operation based on availability and user preferences. This segmentation approach simplifies the overall scheduling problem by breaking it into manageable, independent decisions rather than attempting to optimize the entire timeline simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If the system operates appliances immediately when potential usable energy is available, then energy is consumed, but if the user does not operate the appliance immediately, the potential usable energy is merely consumed without providing benefit to the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepotential usable energy wasteVSAvoiduser benefit timing

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The scheduler dynamically adjusts appliance operation timing based on real-time conditions including grid voltage levels, calculated potential usable power, and user-planned usage times. Rather than operating appliances on a fixed schedule or immediately when energy is available, the system flexibly determines optimal operation windows that simultaneously maximize energy utilization and align with user needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10601225B2Management device, management system, control method for management device, and control program

Publication Date: 2020.03.24 OMRON CORP

AI summary

A management device includes a potential usable power calculator that computes a measurement value or an estimated value for a potential usable power which is the amount of power available when the power consumption of an electrical appliance and a potential feed-in amount that can be sold are excluded from the power output from the solar power device; a planned usage determination unit that identifies a planned usage time that a user plans to use a designated appliance; an effective time determination unit that identifies a continuous effective time when a physical quantity representing a state that changes due to the designated appliance using the potential usable power is within a range that is effective for a user; and a scheduler that creates an operation schedule indicating at least an operation start time for the designated appliance on the basis of the planned usage time and the continuous effective time.