Patents Assigned to Pacificorp
  • Publication number: 20070219755
    Abstract: A self-healing power grid control system includes a power grid having a plurality of network islands with a plurality of linear and non-linear loads. A plurality of control sensors communicate with the power grid to monitor the electrical characteristics of the power grid. A plurality of controlled relays are in electrical communication with the plurality of non-linear loads. A battery energy storage system (ESS) is in electrical communication with a main power source and a network island. A first restoration controller is in electrical communication with the control sensors, the controlled relays, and with the battery ESS. The first restoration controller receives control signals from the control sensors, and in response to detecting an irregularity in the power grid, automatically actuates the battery ESS to stabilize power to the linear loads, and disconnects selected controlled relays to disconnect power to a calculated percentage of the non-linear loads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicants: VRB Power Systems Inc., PacifiCorp
    Inventors: Bradley R. Williams, Timothy David John Hennessy
  • Patent number: 6588499
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and device for deterring the freezing within a condenser by preventing critical pressure differentials from building up between the exhaust steam header and the air ejector systemy. The means for regulating pressure in the air ejector system prevents the pressure difference between the turbine exhaust and the air ejector system from being great enough to carry condensate through a condensing tube into an air ejector system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Pacificorp
    Inventor: Paul M. Fahlsing
  • Patent number: 6128905
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method and device for increasing the energy efficiency of a power plant. The invention comprises monitoring the power consumption of a power plant subsystem. The subsystem being monitored should be a subsystem that directly influences a measurable condition that is related to generator output. The generator output of the power plant generator is monitored as a function of the measurable condition. The power consumption of the subsystem influencing the measurable condition is compared to generator. The subsystem power consumption can then be adjusted output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Pacificorp
    Inventor: Paul M. Fahlsing
  • Patent number: 5973899
    Abstract: A feeder restoration method starts in response to an overcurrent fault on a feeder (22) that causes a circuit breaker (42) to trip open, reclose once, trip again, and attempt to reclose again. During the time period between the first and second reclosings, any remote sectionalizing switches (46) on the faulty feeder are opened if they have also sensed the overcurrent fault, and a substation processor (50) evaluates the status of the faulty feeder and an alternate feeder (32, 34). After the second trip of the circuit breaker, the processor verifies whether the remote sectionalizing switch was closed and a remote tie switch (40) to the alternate feeder was open. If the circuit breaker locks open, the substation processor determines whether the remote sectionalizing switch did not sense the overcurrent condition (which indicates that the fault is between the circuit breaker and the sectionalizing switch) or simply failed to open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: PacifiCorp
    Inventors: Bradley R. Williams, C. Thomas Eyford, III, Dean H. Miller