# US 2019/0378648 A1 · Transformer Power Management Controllers and Transformer Power Management Methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0378648 A1 - Document ID: US20190378648A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/001,465 - Filed: 2018-06-06 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-06 - Assignees: Battelle Memorial Institute - Applicants: Battelle Memorial Institute - Inventors: Richard M. Pratt; Michael CW Kintner-Meyer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190378648A1 ## CPC - H01F 27/402: {Association of measuring or protective means} - G05F 1/14: using tap transformers or tap changing inductors as final control devices - H02H 7/04: for transformers - H02P 13/06: by tap-changing; by rearranging interconnections of windings - H01F 27/406: {Temperature sensor or protection} - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - H02H: EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS (indicating or signalling undesired working conditions G01R, e.g. G01R31/00, G08B; locating faults along lines G01R31/08; emergency protective devices H01H) - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS ## Abstract Transformer power management controllers and transformer power management methods are described. According to one aspect, a transformer power management controller includes processing circuitry configured to monitor an electrical characteristic of electrical energy which is received from a secondary of a transformer of an electric power system, use the monitored electrical characteristic to determine transformer loading information which is indicative of an amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer to a plurality of loads which are coupled with the secondary of the transformer, and use the transformer loading information to adjust an amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to at least one of the loads which is coupled with the secondary of the transformer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transformer power management controller comprising: processing circuitry configured to: monitor an electrical characteristic of electrical energy which is received from a secondary of a transformer of an electric power system; use the monitored electrical characteristic to determine an amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer to a plurality of loads which are coupled with the secondary of the transformer; and use the determined amount of power to adjust an amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to at least one of the loads which is coupled with the secondary of the transformer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a reference value of the electrical characteristic of the electrical energy which corresponds to a known amount of power being supplied by the secondary of the transformer and to determine the amount of power using the reference value of the characteristic. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The transformer power management controller of claim 2 wherein the electrical characteristic is voltage, and the processing circuitry is configured to determine a plurality of additional values of the voltage at a plurality of moments in time and to select an extreme one of the additional values to determine the reference value of the characteristic. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The transformer power management controller of claim 3 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select the extreme one of the additional values which corresponds to a minimal amount of the power being supplied by the secondary of the transformer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the electrical characteristic is voltage, and the processing circuitry is configured to access a value of the electrical characteristic at a moment in time when the electrical energy is being supplied from the secondary of the transformer to the loads. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to adjust an amount of the electrical energy which is supplied to at least one of the loads to determine a relationship of the electrical characteristic with respect to the amount of power being supplied by the secondary of the transformer and to use the relationship to adjust the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein a primary of the transformer is configured to receive electrical energy from a distribution substation of a distribution network of the electric power system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to use information regarding the power requirements of the loads to select the at least one of the loads for the adjustment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to reduce the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer as a result of the determined amount of power exceeding a maximum power rating for the transformer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to access a maximum power rating of the transformer and to adjust the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to reduce the amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer below the maximum power rating for the transformer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to monitor the line voltage of the secondary of the transformer and to increase the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to at least one of the loads as a result of the monitoring of the line voltage. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the monitored electrical characteristic is voltage, and the processing circuitry is configured to access information regarding frequency of electrical energy being conducted using the electrical power system, and to use the information regarding frequency to adjust the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to at least one of the loads. ### Claim 13 A transformer power management controller comprising: processing circuitry configured to: access a reference value of an electrical characteristic of electrical energy which is received from a secondary of a transformer of an electric power system and which corresponds to a known amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer; access information regarding a relationship between the electrical characteristic and an amount of power being supplied by the secondary of the transformer; access another value of the electrical characteristic at a moment in time when the electrical energy is being supplied to at least one load which is coupled with the secondary of the transformer; and use the reference value, the information regarding the relationship, and the another value to adjust an amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to at least one of a plurality of loads which are coupled with the secondary of the transformer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The transformer power management controller of claim 13 wherein the electrical characteristic is a value of voltage of the electrical energy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The transformer power management controller of claim 13 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control an adjustment of loading of the secondary of the transformer to generate the information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The transformer power management controller of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to use values of the electrical characteristic before and after the adjustment of the loading of the secondary of the transformer to generate the information. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The transformer power management controller of claim 13 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a plurality of additional values of the electrical characteristic at a plurality of moments in time and to select an extreme one of the additional values of the characteristic as the reference value. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The transformer power management controller of claim 17 wherein the extreme one of the values corresponds to minimal loading of the secondary of the transformer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The transformer power management controller of claim 13 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine an amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer at the moment in time using the reference value of the electrical characteristic, the relationship information, and the another value of the electrical characteristic. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The transformer power management controller of claim 13 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to use a maximum power rating of the transformer to adjust the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer. ### Claim 21 A computer-implemented transformer power management method comprising: using a secondary of a transformer of an electrical power system, supplying electrical energy to a plurality of loads which are coupled with the secondary of the transformer; adjusting an amount of the electrical energy which is supplied to one of the loads to determine a relationship between a change in voltage of the electrical energy being supplied by the secondary of the transformer and a change in power being supplied by the secondary of the transformer; monitoring the voltage of the electrical energy being supplied by the secondary of the transformer to determine a reference value of the voltage of the electrical energy being supplied and which corresponds to a known amount of power being supplied by the secondary of the transformer; monitoring the voltage of the electrical energy to determine another value of the voltage at a moment in time while the secondary of the transformer is supplying the electrical energy to at least one of the loads; using the relationship between the change in voltage and the change in power, the reference value and the another value, determining an amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer to the at least one of the loads at the moment in time; and using the determined amount of power, reducing the amount of electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to the at least one of the loads. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer-implemented transformer power management method of claim 21 further comprising accessing a maximum power rating of the transformer, and wherein the reducing comprises reducing the amount of power which is being supplied by the secondary of the transformer to an amount which is below the maximum power rating for the transformer. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The transformer power management controller of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate a control signal which is configured to modulate the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to the at least one of the loads to adjust the amount of the electrical energy which is supplied by the secondary of the transformer to the at least one of the loads. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The transformer power management controller of claim 23 wherein the at least one load is an electrical vehicle charging station and the control signal reduces the rate of charging of an electrical vehicle by the electrical vehicle charging station to a decreased non-zero rate.