Method and apparatus for minimizing circulating currents in microgrids
AssigneeEnphase Energy, Inc.
InventorDonald Richard Zimmanck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for minimizing circulating currents on a power distribution line. In one embodiment, the method comprises dynamically adjusting a turns ratio of a tap changing transformer, the tap changing transformer coupled to a power grid distribution line that is also coupled to a plurality of microgrid branches wherein at least one microgrid branch of the plurality of microgrid branches comprises a distributed energy resource (DER), based on a reactive power measured locally to the tap changing transformer, to minimize current circulating on the power grid distribution line.
Claims20
A method for maximizing distribution efficiency of a power distribution line, comprising:
- operating a tap changing transformer to control an amount of circulating current in a microgrid resulting from at least one droop-controlled power conditioner compensating for a voltage drop on a distribution circuit in the microgrid, wherein the tap changing transformer is not operated to control the voltage drop.
Apparatus for maximizing distribution efficiency of a power distribution line, comprising:
- a controller, comprising at least one processor, for operating a tap changing transformer to control an amount of circulating current in a microgrid resulting from at least one droop-controlled power conditioner compensating for a voltage drop on a distribution circuit in the microgrid, wherein the tap changing transformer is not operated to control the voltage drop.
A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a program that, when executed by a processor, performs a method for maximizing distribution efficiency of a power distribution line, the method comprising:
- operating a tap changing transformer to control an amount of circulating current in a microgrid resulting from at least one droop-controlled power conditioner compensating for a voltage drop on a distribution circuit in the microgrid, wherein the tap changing transformer is not operated to control the voltage drop.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.