US 2021/0175744 A1 · AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES SYSTEM PARAMETERS

Abstract

A method determines the topology of a DERs system having a plurality of assets, where at least one of the assets is a controllable asset. The method injects a power signal at a given frequency from a controllable asset into the DERs system. The voltage at each of the plurality of assets is measured, and the magnitude of perturbation of the voltage at the given frequency is determined for each of the plurality of assets. The method then constructs the topology of the DERs system as a function of the differences of the magnitude of perturbations of each of the plurality of assets.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of estimating a physical characteristic of a network element in a distributed energy resource system having a plurality of assets electrically connected by a plurality of network elements, the method comprising:

injecting a small power or current signal at a given frequency from a given controllable asset into a given branch between two nodes in the DERs system;
measuring the voltage perturbation:
i) magnitude, or
ii) magnitude and phase at the given frequency,
at both of the nodes;
calculating the voltage drop across the network element at the given frequency as a result of the injected signal;
estimating a physical characteristic of the network element as a function of the calculated voltage drop and the injected small power or current signal.

4 more elements

A computer program product for use on a computer system for distributing power from a DERs system having a plurality of assets, the computer program product comprising a tangible, non-transient computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for communicating with a plurality of asset managers to manage the assets, each asset including a local dedicated asset manager separate from the other asset managers, each asset manager having an interface to receive asset information relating to its asset;
program code for causing the asset to inject a power signal at a given frequency into a given network element between two assets in the DERs system;
program code for causing the voltmeter to measure the change in voltage across the given network element between the assets;
and
program code for causing the physical characteristic analysis engine to determine a physical characteristic of the network element as a function of the power signal and the measured voltage change.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic detection of distributed energy resources system parameters

Life of this patent

Automatic detection of distributed energy resources system parameters

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20