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US 12,710,184 B2Granted
Energy management systems
OwnerTanner Janeskyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems are provided for capturing and utilizing excess electrical current. In some embodiments, a thermal management system converts excess current (from, for example, a solar power installation) to thermal energy that is then employed by the facility or stored for later use using one or more of a heat storage tank and a cold storage tank.
Claims11
A system for managing energy in a facility, comprising:
- an electrical energy measurement circuitry, comprising:
- one or more ammeters and one or more voltmeters configured to measure an amount of electrical power supplied to the facility and an amount of electrical power demand by the facility;
- a controller circuitry configured to calculate an amount of available excess electrical power from the measured amounts;
- and
- a current regulator configured to regulate the available excess current within an electrical power system of the facility;
- a thermal energy management system, comprising:
- a heat pump in electrical communication with the current regulator and configured such that its operation is regulated by the current regulator;
- a heat storage tank, thermally coupled to the heat pump;
- and
- a cold storage tank, thermally coupled to the heat pump;
- wherein the heat pump further comprises:
- a compressor;
- a first heat exchanger that couples the heat pump to the heat storage tank;
- a reversing valve;
- a second heat exchanger that couples the heat pump to the cold storage tank;
- one or more metering devices;
- and
- a third heat exchanger that couples the heat pump to the environment external to the facility;
- wherein refrigerant in the heat pump heats a glycol solution via the first heat exchanger to provide heat to one or more of the heat storage tank, a hot water tank, and a facility heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) system via a first glycol pump;
- and
- wherein refrigerant in the heat pump cools a second glycol solution via the second heat exchanger to provide cooling to the cold storage tank and the facility HVAC system via a second glycol pump;
- a thermal state assessment circuitry, configured to:
- receive a desired ambient temperature range input;
- receive an ambient temperature measurement;
- receive a signal from the current regulator indicative of the amount of available excess current;
- compare the desired ambient temperature input and the ambient temperature measurement to determine whether to activate the heat pump;
- send instructions to the current regulator to, if the available excess current exceeds a threshold:
- activate the heat pump and activate the first glycol pump to provide heat to the facility HVAC system when the ambient temperature is below the desired ambient temperature range;
- and
- activate the heat pump and activate the second glycol pump to provide cooling to the facility HVAC system when the ambient temperature is above the desired ambient temperature range.
27 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.