Patents by Inventor Reinhilde D'hulst

Reinhilde D'hulst has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10063052
    Abstract: Method and system for distributing and/or controlling an energy flow to a cluster of a plurality of nodes in an electricity network, wherein each node has an associated status, taking into account constraints relating to the energy delivered to the nodes and constraints relating to the electricity network, comprised of: allocating a local agent to each node of the cluster of a plurality of nodes, wherein the local agent receives a priority for energy to be delivered; allocating a regional concentrator agent to the regional network, comprising at least a part of the cluster, wherein a total of the at least one regional network forms the electricity network; receiving by the at least one regional concentrator agent, the priority for energy to be delivered among the nodes and determining an aggregate priority for energy to be delivered to the at least one regional network, depending on voltage limitations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignees: KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, VITO NV
    Inventors: Sam Weckx, Johan Driesen, Reinhilde D'Hulst, Bert Claessens
  • Patent number: 9506670
    Abstract: A method for buffering thermal energy comprises a thermal buffering medium contained by a thermal energy buffer. The volume of the thermal buffering medium is subdivided in one or more parts such that the different parts of the volume of the thermal buffering medium together form the total thermal buffering medium. The thermal energy buffer comprises a temperature sensor for each part. A controller has at least one signal representing at least one thermal energy value related to the thermal energy buffer. The thermal energy values comprise a predetermined minimum amount of thermal energy present in the thermal energy buffer. The controller controls a heater such that the amount of thermal energy present in the thermal energy buffer is higher than or equals the predetermined minimum amount of energy present in the thermal energy buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK (VITO)
    Inventors: Koen Vanthournout, Johan Van Bael, Bert Claessens, Reinhilde D'Hulst
  • Publication number: 20150280436
    Abstract: Method and system for distributing and/or controlling an energy flow to a cluster of a plurality of nodes in an electricity network, wherein each node has an associated status, taking into account constraints relating to the energy delivered to the nodes and constraints relating to the electricity network, comprised of: allocating a local agent to each node of the cluster of a plurality of nodes, wherein the local agent receives a priority for energy to be delivered; allocating a regional concentrator agent to the regional network, comprising at least a part of the cluster, wherein a total of the at least one regional network forms the electricity network; receiving by the at least one regional concentrator agent, the priority for energy to be delivered among the nodes and determining an aggregate priority for energy to be delivered to the at least one regional network, depending on voltage limitations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicants: VITO NV, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
    Inventors: Sam Weckx, Johan Driesen, Reinhilde D'Hulst, Bert Claessens
  • Publication number: 20150153071
    Abstract: A method for buffering thermal energy comprises a thermal buffering medium contained by a thermal energy buffer. The volume of the thermal buffering medium is subdivided in one or more parts such that the different parts of the volume of the thermal buffering medium together form the total thermal buffering medium. The thermal energy buffer comprises a temperature sensor for each part. A controller has at least one signal representing at least one thermal energy value related to the thermal energy buffer. The thermal energy values comprise a predetermined minimum amount of thermal energy present in the thermal energy buffer. The controller controls a heater such that the amount of thermal energy present in the thermal energy buffer is higher than or equals the predetermined minimum amount of energy present in the thermal energy buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK (VITO)
    Inventors: Koen VANTHOURNOUT, Johan VAN BAEL, Bert CLAESSENS, Reinhilde D'HULST
  • Publication number: 20140190680
    Abstract: A method for buffering thermal energy comprises a thermal buffering medium contained by a thermal energy buffer. The volume of the thermal buffering medium is subdivided in one or more parts such that the different parts of the volume of the thermal buffering medium together form the total thermal buffering medium. The thermal energy buffer comprises a temperature sensor for each part. A controller has at least one signal representing at least one thermal energy value related to the thermal energy buffer. The thermal energy values comprise a predetermined minimum amount of thermal energy present in the thermal energy buffer. The controller controls a heater such that the amount of thermal energy present in the thermal energy buffer is higher than or equals the predetermined minimum amount of energy present in the thermal energy buffer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: VLALAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK (VITO)
    Inventors: Koen Vanthournout, Johan Van Bael, Bert Claessens, Reinhilde D'hulst