Automatic Transfer Switch Load Shedding for Grid Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In power grids, maintaining voltage and frequency within predetermined ranges is challenging due to varying loads, requiring dynamic adjustment of energy sources, often necessitating the disconnection or connection of loads without centralized control, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
Implementing automatic transfer switches (ATS) with load control circuits that monitor electrical parameters and disconnect loads based on priority, allowing for predictable and controlled load management without centralized supervision, by starting a timer when a fault condition is detected and disconnecting loads after a predetermined time based on their priority.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If loads are disconnected or connected to maintain voltage and frequency within range, then grid stability is improved, but system complexity increases due to the need for centralized control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized control system into distributed automatic transfer switches (ATS) at each load location. Each ATS independently monitors local voltage and frequency conditions and autonomously disconnects its associated load when thresholds are exceeded, eliminating the need for complex centralized control while maintaining grid stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each ATS is equipped with local monitoring and control capabilities that enable it to autonomously detect voltage and frequency deviations and disconnect loads without external intervention. This self-service approach replaces centralized supervision with distributed autonomous decision-making at each ATS unit.
2Productivity
If centralized control is implemented to manage load disconnections, then load management effectiveness is improved, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ATS units are designed as self-contained autonomous devices with built-in voltage and frequency monitoring, decision logic, and execution mechanisms. Each unit independently manages its own load disconnection operations without requiring centralized control infrastructure, thereby reducing installation and maintenance costs while maintaining effective load management.
Solution Approach 2:
The ATS acts as an intermediary device between the power grid and the load, locally executing voltage and frequency monitoring and load disconnection decisions. This eliminates the need for expensive centralized control infrastructure while ensuring timely and effective load management responses.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for managing loads on a power grid are provided. The load control system includes one or more energy sources connected to a common bus and a first device connected in series between the common bus and a first load. The first device may be an automatic transfer switch. The first device may include switching hardware configured to connect and disconnect the first load from the common bus and a load control circuit configured to cause the first load to disconnect from the common bus after a pre-determined amount of time detecting a trigger.