Controlled Electrical Service Restart via Staggered Load Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power outages often result in a sudden spike in energy demand when service is restored simultaneously to many customers, potentially exceeding the utility's peak power supply, leading to the use of costly contingency reserves and risking grid damage.
Innovation Solution
A controlled restart method using a central controller and active load management system that randomly schedules the restoration of electrical service to service points, avoiding simultaneous restarts and utilizing customer profiles and service point characteristics to prioritize power restoration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If power is restored simultaneously to many service points after an outage, then customer service recovery is improved, but a power spike occurs that may exceed the utility's peak power supply capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The utility service area is divided into multiple zones or groups of service points. Instead of restoring power to all service points simultaneously, the system segments the restoration process into multiple batches, with each batch receiving power restoration at different time intervals. This segmentation approach maintains high overall productivity while preventing a single large power spike from exceeding utility capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Power restoration is implemented as a periodic process rather than a single simultaneous event. The system uses timed intervals to sequentially restore power to different groups of service points, creating a periodic pattern of power restoration that spreads the peak demand over time. This periodic action ensures continuous service recovery while keeping instantaneous power demands within utility capacity limits.
2Loss of time
If power is restored to all service points simultaneously, then total restoration time is reduced, but operating reserves must be used to accommodate the power spike
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-planning and pre-coordinating the sequential restoration schedule before power outages occur. Service points are pre-assigned to restoration groups and time slots, so that when an outage ends, the controller can immediately execute the pre-planned sequential restoration without delays. This preliminary preparation reduces overall restoration time while avoiding the need to use operating reserves for simultaneous restoration.
3Device complexity
If simultaneous power restoration is implemented, then operational complexity is minimized, but the risk of grid damage from power spikes increases
Solution Approach 1:
A central controller acts as an intermediary between the utility's power distribution system and the service points. This intermediary device manages the sequential restoration process by automatically assigning service points to different restoration groups and controlling the timing of power restoration. The intermediary simplifies the overall control complexity while effectively preventing power spikes that could damage the grid, as the controller coordinates all restoration actions centrally.
Data Source
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AI summary
An active load management system (ALMS) controllably restarts electrical service to service points in a utility service area after a power outage. The ALMS includes client devices installed at the service points and a central controller. In one embodiment, the controller associates numbers with the service points and stores the associations. Each service point may be associated with a unique number or a group of service points may share a number. After receiving notification that power is available, the controller determines a number and communicates the number to one or more of the client devices. Where the number was determined randomly, the client devices associated with the number may restart electrical service upon receipt of the number. Where the number was determined sequentially, a client device may determine its own random number and compare it to the received number. If a match occurs, electrical service can be restarted.