Abstract: In a multiphase electrical power construction and assignment, a processor: determines a phase and voltage configuration for bi-directional power device pairs; determines a given bi-directional power device pair is to be coupled to a given phase connection based on the configuration; determines whether the given bi-directional power devices in the given bi-directional power device pair are to be coupled to each other; confirms that the given bi-directional power device pair is not coupled to any of the plurality of phase connections; couples the given bi-directional power device pair to the given phase connections, where power signals of the given bi-directional power device pair are synchronized with a power signal of the given phase connection; and in response to determining that the given bi-directional power devices are to be coupled to each other, couples each of the bi-directional power devices to a short bus.

Abstract: A system and method of dynamically estimating the short circuit current availability (SCCA) at a node in an alternating current electrical distribution system by examining the spectral composition of current drawn by a direct current charging circuit connected to the node. A correlative relationship between the total harmonic current distortion (THDi) in the current drawn by the charging circuit and the SCCA at the node is established for a particular charging circuit. An estimation of the SCCA at the node is accomplished by taking current measurements of current drawn by the charging circuit, analyzing those current measurements to determine the THDi, and estimating a corresponding value of SCCA based on the determined THDi. A method is also provided for calibrating a particular charging circuit to have a reactance and resistance suitable for use in estimating SCCA.

Abstract: A power control device includes a priority setting section capable of setting a use priority of a home appliance connected wirelessly or via cable or an adapter connected to the home appliance. The home appliance or the adaptor connected to the home appliance operates within the usable power of a result of the inquiry to the power control device. When there is no excess in usable power over the required power in the inquiry, the power control device reduces the power of a device having a lower priority than the device which has transmitted the inquiry in order to use the device with the higher priority.

Abstract: A system includes an excitation system configured to regulate one or more outputs of a power generating system. The excitation system includes data processing circuitry configured to obtain an electrical voltage measurement and an electrical current measurement associated with the power generating system, a transformer failure detection system configured to detect an abnormality associated with the electrical voltage and electrical current measurements as an indication of a possible transformer failure, and a failure detection deactivation system configured to deactivate the transformer failure detection system based at least in part on whether the abnormality comprises one of a first condition or a second condition.

Abstract: An exemplary method and apparatus are provided for operating a power grid that has decentralized control elements. The decentralized control elements are adapted to interact with each other, in particular by communication. At least a part of the power grid, a control element or the interaction between control elements, in particular the communication between control elements, is monitored. When a problem in at least a part of the power grid, the control element or the interaction between control elements, in particular a communication breakdown, is detected, a control element affected by the problem is triggered to work autonomously.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a power transmission line includes at least one monitoring device located along the power transmission line configured to provide power transmission line data. A wide area situational awareness module is configured to receive the power transmission line data and an adaptation module is configured to receive output from the wide area situational awareness module and further configured to calculate control actions for the power transmission line based on the power transmission line data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for monitoring or controlling a small to medium solar or wind power production system to provide improved safety and reliability of the system, wherein the monitoring or control system provides one or more of firmware, hardware, software logic, or monitoring circuits in a system designed to increase its safety or to improve its reliability that includes: a circuit combined with one or more of hardware or software logic that provide a means for monitoring said power production system to check for over load or under load measurements at a plurality of power switches of said power production system.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus include a clustered charge distribution and prioritized charge distribution system for electric vehicles (EVs). Distributed processing units (DPUs) receive member information about an EV or EV user. A power distribution manager (PDM) is coupled to each of the DPUs. The PDM includes a prioritizer. The prioritizer determines a prioritization for charging the EVs based on the member information received by each of the DPUs. A method includes providing clustered charge distribution and charge prioritization for electric vehicles. The method includes sensing whether power is requested by any one of a plurality of EVs within a cluster, generating individual EV-specific information for the EVs using the DPUs, transmitting the EV-specific information to the PDM, and selecting and applying a prioritization algorithm based at least in part on the transmitted information.

Abstract: A power distribution system is provided, including at least one capacitor bank with a capacitor bank controller, a transformer, at least one voltage regulating device with a voltage regulating device controller, and a controller. The capacitor bank is selectively connected to the feeder and a capacitor bank controller. The capacitor bank controller controls a switch for selectively connecting the capacitor bank to the feeder. The transformer delivers power to the power distribution system through the feeder. The transformer converts a transmission or a sub-transmission voltage into a distribution voltage. The controller is in communication with the capacitor bank controller, the voltage regulating device, and the transformer. The controller selectively switches the at least one capacitor bank to adjust voltage in the feeder. The controller selectively sends commands to the voltage regulating device to change a source voltage.

Abstract: There is provided a power management device including a load current control unit configured to set an upper limit on a load current supplied from a connected feeding device and to control the load current on the basis of the upper limit, and a determination unit configured to, when the load current control unit has reset the upper limit to a higher value, determine if the upper limit has exceeded a current capacity of the feeding device on the basis of a voltage drop level of an input voltage. The load current control unit may reset the upper limit in increments or decrements of a predetermined value, and the load current control unit may, when the determination unit has determined that the upper limit had exceeded the current capacity of the feeding device, control the load current by resetting the upper limit to a value not exceeding the current capacity.

Abstract: A method and system for programming and implementing automated fault isolation and restoration of high-speed fault detection of circuits in power distribution networks using sequential logic and peer-to-peer communication is provided. High-speed fault detection of circuits in power distribution networks uses protective relay devices (14) segmenting a distribution line (11) having Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED) (22) associated with switching devices (20) communicating peer-to-peer via a communication system (30) to provide fast and accurate fault location information in distribution systems with sequential logic.

Abstract: A fault interrupt device is tripped by a fault in a power distribution network. A distributed automation controller (DAC) determines a location of and isolates the fault. Power is restored upstream of the fault and downstream power requirement vs. power availability from a secondary source(s) is assessed. The secondary source(s) is connected to the downstream portion if power available is sufficient or after nodes are deactivated to bring power requirements below power available. If a second fault occurs, it is also located and isolated, such as by communication between affected partition DACs of the power distribution network.

Abstract: Centralized coordination of setting and adjusting trip settings of electronic circuit breakers in an electrical distribution system by monitoring short circuit current availability (SCCA) and adjusting trip settings based on received SCCA estimates from SCCA monitoring devices installed at main, feeder, and branch nodes of the distribution system. The SCCA monitoring devices are capable of automatically estimating the SCCA in the circuit or node at which the SCCA device is installed and transmitting SCCA estimates to a controller, which uses the SCCA estimates to coordinate adjustments to trip settings for the various circuit breakers. Depending on the node position of the circuit breaker and the corresponding SCCA at that node, the controller adjusts in real-time the short-circuit trip settings for the circuit breakers so that they are below the SCCA value. Optional user-inputted settings can affect the trip setting adjustments, such as transient loading conditions that can influence the SCCA estimates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for high-speed fault detection of circuits in power distribution networks utilizing protective relay devices (14) segmenting a distribution line (11) having Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED) (22) associated with switching devices (20) communicating peer-to-peer via a communication system (30) to provide fast and accurate fault location information in distribution systems.

Abstract: Controlling localized load conditions to extend electrical distribution system component life includes forming a load-dependent time-to-failure estimate for at least one of the components, creating an operating load to be experienced by the at least one of the components, and generating an instruction that causes power to be diverted away from the at least one of the components when a required power through the at least one of the components exceeds the operating load.

Abstract: The invention provides a power supply system for a data storage system, the power supply system comprising: a first power supply unit for supplying power to the storage system; a second power supply unit independent from the first power supply unit for supplying power to the storage system; an auxiliary power supply; a power redundancy controller, arranged to monitor the region of an efficiency curve within which the first and/or second power supplies are operating in and control the first and second power supplies accordingly such that the either or both of the first and second power supplies are providing power at any one time, wherein in the event of failure of a power supply unit when only one of the power supply units is operating, the power redundancy controller is arranged to provide power supply to the data storage system from the auxiliary power supply.

Abstract: A power device may automatically disconnect a wired connection in response to received weather alert data based on a configuration file including one or more user preference settings. The power device may include an input to receive power from an external power source, and an output to provide the wired connection to an electronic device by providing the power received from the input to the electronic device. The power device may also include a receiver to receive the weather alert data. The power device may process the received weather alert data and disconnect the wired connection based on the one or more user preference settings. A timer function may define a time period that the power device monitors its receiver for weather alert data and automatically disconnects and reconnects the wired connection.

Abstract: In order to flexibly identify the current operating state of control elements which are used to control a process installation, the invention provides a method for identifying the operating state of at least one control element, which is designed for an active and a passive operating state, for a control apparatus, wherein, in the active operating state, the control element controls a process function of an area of a process installation, comprising the following steps: the control apparatus is connected to the process installation, the control element is functionally associated with the process function, and the operating state of the control element is identified as active on the basis of successful functional association of the control element with the process function.

Abstract: A remote lock-out, tag-out system for controlling multiple buckets in a motor control center employs a safety network providing serial communication between one or more remote lock-out, tag-out stations and individual buckets of the control center permitting remote disconnection of power without the need for protective gear.

Abstract: A substation instrument control system is disclosed. The substation instrument control system includes a plurality of transformers that generate a plurality of waveform signals representing electric properties of a substation instrument main body. A merging unit is communicatively coupled to the plurality of transformers and includes a signal processing unit and a control unit. The signal processing unit receives the plurality of waveform signals from the plurality of transformers and converts the plurality of waveform signals to a digital signal. The control unit controls operation of the signal processing unit using a setting data. An intelligent electronic device is communicatively coupled to the merging unit and receives the digital signal from the merging unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of electrical engineering and can be used for monitoring, protecting and controlling the operation of electrical substation equipment. The essence of the invention is that the device for monitoring, registering and controlling electrical substation equipment is in the form of a server cluster consisting of a plurality of computers connected to form a unified system. The server cluster is connected to a device that controls electrical substation equipment, disposed on an operator workstation. The server cluster is connected by a separate bus to devices that execute control commands, disposed on the electrical substation equipment, and to a remote access terminal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for providing impedance protection differentiating between in-zone and out-of-zone faults based on instantaneous, digitally derived operating and polarizing distance comparator signals. The method uses a pair of fast orthogonal filters to derive D and Q components of the input voltages and currents. Two sets of operating and polarizing signals are derived for better speed of response under varying fault moment with respect to the peaks and zero crossings of power signals. Three stages of comparison between the operating and polarizing impedance terms are used. These comparator stages use half a cycle averaging windows, and three-quarters-of-a-cycle windows. The first stage of comparison is based on energy comparator responding to both magnitude and phase information in the signals. Stages 2 and 3 are of phase comparison type, responding mostly at the phase information and neglecting the magnitude information for better immunity to noise and signal distortions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling electric power supplied to one or more electrical devices from a power source are disclosed. Measurements of the supplied electricity are detected. Estimated deviant voltage levels that the supplied electricity will not drop below or exceed as a result of varying electrical consumption by the one or more electrical devices is computed based on a predetermined confidence level and the detected measurements. A voltage level output of the electricity supplied to the electrical device is adjusted based on the computed deviant voltage level.

Abstract: A generator protection unit is provided including a central processing unit including at least one programmable device configured to utilize an Ethernet communication protocol. The central processing unit may be configured to synchronize a first signal generated by a generator electrically coupled to the generator protection unit to a second signal including an electrical power grid parameter of an electrical power grid, the first signal and the second signal having a phase offset. The generator protection unit may also include a plurality of multimeters, each electrically coupled to the electrical power grid and the central processing unit, and at least one display filter electrically coupled to the central processing unit and configured to separate a defined portion of a protection parameter signal, such that a remaining portion of the protection parameter signal is transmitted to the central processing unit.

Abstract: A power outage restoration system manages a power network including a plurality of switching devices. The power outage restoration system includes an outage management system having a network model of said power network. A plurality of local restoration controllers are in communication with the outage management system and each said local restoration controller includes a trimmed network model correlating to a respective area of responsibility.

Abstract: A system and method that analyzes at least one aspect of the power grid for demand response in order to reduce feeder circuit losses is provided. The system and method may use a demand response model to select one or more factors for the demand response, such as selecting a subset of customers for demand response from a larger pool of available demand response customers. The demand response model may include a grid structure component, such as an indication of the particular customer's position in the grid, and a dynamic operation component, such as a real-time measurement of current in the feeder circuit. By using the demand response model, feeder circuit losses may thereby reduced.

Abstract: A method and system for workload balancing to assist in power grid load management. The method includes receiving a request to perform a task at a site powered by connection to an AC power grid, the task comprising either data processing or manufacturing an article; measuring an AC frequency of the AC power grid to obtain a current AC frequency; and performing or not performing the task at the site based on the current AC frequency.

Abstract: A power grid of renewable sources is stabilized. Inverters for connecting power sources, such as wind turbines, batteries, or photovoltaics, to a grid are used to damp grid oscillations. The damping is distributed to the inverters, but based on measurements for the grid rather than local measurements. The control of the damping is based on grid wide analysis, and the damping is performed proportionately by already existing inverters distributed throughout the grid.

Abstract: A building automation system including a controller, at least one outlet for providing electrical energy to one or more electrical devices, at least one sensor for detecting one or more characteristics of the electrical devices, and a communication link configured to allow communication between the controller and other components of the system, wherein the controller is configured to control (e.g., interrupt, change, adjust, terminate, increase, and/or meter) the supply of power to the at least one outlet based, in part, on one or more characteristics of the electrical device.

Abstract: A software abstraction layer for energy generation and/or storage systems. In one embodiment, a method is provided that can comprise receiving, by a site gateway, one or more standardized operating parameters for a physical component of an energy storage system, and translating, by the site gateway, the one or more standardized operating parameters into one or more vendor specific parameters, where the one or more vendor specific parameters are specific to a vendor-defined communication protocol supported by the physical component. The physical component can then be controlled using the one or more vendor specific parameters.

Abstract: A method of power system state estimation for accurately identifying topology errors, parameter errors and measurement value errors for power networks in real-time. The system divides measured data into a base set and a redundant set. The system status is calculated using the base set. A residual vector of the redundant set is computed based on the system status. A matrix is calculated utilizing these sets. A threshold is utilized to decide the abnormal residuals of the redundant set. Colinearity between the residual vector and columns in the matrix are used to decide if base set measurements corresponding to the columns in the matrix are potentially bad data. An iterative process replaces bad data in the base set with measurements in the redundant set having smaller residuals, terminating upon removal of bad data. Topology errors and parameter errors may then be identified using the bad data in the redundant set.

Abstract: A topology structure of a power system is acquired. At least one unification set in the power system is identified based on the topology structure. Devices belonging to the same unification set have the same outage state. The at least one unification set is recorded, so as to concurrently maintain devices belonging to the same unification set. Advantageously, one or more embodiments reduce number of outages caused by power system device maintenance.

Abstract: This invention relates to a PMU-based controlled system separation method to protect against a catastrophic blackout. The method includes the steps of performing an offline analysis of an electrical transmission network to partition generators into a number of coherent groups, performing online monitoring of the transmission network to determine a separation interface and frequencies and damping ratios of dominant inter-area modes, and estimating the risk of system separation to perform real-time control.

Abstract: A server and method detects a power transformer. The server reads power transformer data from a data converter and determines if work state of a power transformer needs to be changed from based on the power transformer data. An alert message is generated by the server and sent to an alarm computer in response to a determination that the work state of the power transformer needs to be changed. The server saves the power transformer data into a database system.

Abstract: A method for transmission network control, the transmission network being configured for use in providing electricity from a generator to an end user, the method including receiving a sensitivity parameter, identifying a switchable set of switches within the transmission network using the sensitivity parameter, determining a candidate switch from the switchable set to change a corresponding state, wherein the state can be changed from open to closed and closed to open, determining a proposed change of state of the candidate switch, updating an optimal power flow (OPF) problem as a function of the candidate switch and the proposed change of state, determining and storing in a memory a solution to the updated OPF problem, generating an updated sensitivity parameter based on the stored solution to the updated OPF problem, and determining, using the updated sensitivity parameter, if the stored solution to the updated OPF problem meets a predetermined criterion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a networked differential protection method for a distribution network based on overhauling of terminal equipment. The present invention comprises the steps of detecting in real time an operation state of a terminal equipment, and reconstructing a differential logic when there is a terminal equipment under an overhaul state so as to bring it into a state in which an overhaul mode and an operation mode are in parallel; for the operation mode in the state in which an overhaul mode and an operation mode are in parallel, only calculating data of all nodes in normal operation in an electrical element by a differential protection for the electrical element, while excluding data under the overhaul state in the electrical element from taking part in calculation. With the method of the present invention, the operation switch may be reliably switched off and failures may be isolated when they appear during an experiment of a scheduled test.

Abstract: A voltage control and conservation (VCC) system is provided, which includes three subsystems, including an energy delivery (ED) system, an energy control (EC) system and an energy regulation (ER) system. The VCC system is configured to monitor energy usage at the ED system and determine one or more energy delivery parameters at the EC system. The EC system may then provide the one or more energy delivery parameters to the ER system to adjust the energy delivered to a plurality of users for maximum energy conservation.

Abstract: An ECU operates a charging unit such that a power storage device is charged by an electric power from a power supply. When a vehicle moves while charging the unit charges the power storage device, the ECU stops charging the unit to discontinue the charging of the power storage device. The ECU diagnoses a state of the charging unit after the charging of the power storage device is stopped. The ECU determines whether the charging of the power storage device is able to be resumed based on the diagnostic result. When determining that the charging of the power storage device is able to be resumed, the ECU resumes the charging of the power storage device by resuming the operation of the charging unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus comprising an agent. The agent is configured to receive information from an electrical power grid. The agent is further configured to identify an event from the information. The agent is further configured to classify the event. The agent is further configured to determine whether to initiate an action based on a classification of the event. The agent is further configured to initiate the action in response to a determination to initiate the action.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide systems and methods for implementing and controlling local power line communication (PLC) networks. Some embodiments include a central controller communicationally coupled with a PLC power line, a sensor adaptor coupled between the PLC power line and a consumer product, with the sensor adaptor comprising a current detector that detects a current usage level passed through the sensor adaptor, a PLC interface through which the current usage level is communicated over the PLC power line to the central controller, and an adaptor switch that interrupts current flow to the consumer product in response to a command received over the PLC power line from the central controller when the current usage through the sensor adaptor has a predetermined relationship to a first threshold.

Abstract: A system stabilizing device disposed in a micro grid incorporates a self-supporting control unit (200). The self-supporting control unit (200) allows a dq transforming unit (201) to determine an effective system voltage Vsd and an ineffective system voltage Vsq from a system voltage Vs. A fluctuation detecting unit (202) has differential characteristics and first-order lag characteristics, and determines the fluctuation component of the effective system voltage Vsd. This fluctuation component is multiplied by a gain in a proportional computing unit (203) to determine an ineffective current command Irefq. A fluctuation detecting unit (204) does not have differential characteristics, but has first-order lag characteristics, and determines the fluctuation component of the ineffective system voltage Vsq. This fluctuation component is multiplied by a gain in a proportional computing unit (205) to determine an effective current command Irefd.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of power distribution control output channels operatively coupled to at least one power source, and comprising an access control input from an access control device, and a control output for a controlled device. A controller receives an access control input signal for each power distribution control output channel and provides a control signal to each power distribution control output channel such that each power distribution control output channel provides a control output signal according to requirements of a corresponding controlled device. The controller can individually isolate one or more power distribution control output channels from the at least one power source such that the control output signal is removed from the corresponding controlled device, while any other power distribution control output channels coupled to the same power source continues to operate without interruption.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for monitoring and controlling an electric power delivery system to mitigate against voltage instability. According to various embodiments, one or more stability thresholds may be compared to one or more stability estimates. Stability estimates may be generated based on electrical conditions in an electric power delivery system. Upon the occurrence of the contingency, one or more control actions specified by a contingency index may be executed in order to mitigate against voltage instability. A plurality of stability estimates may be generated, each of which may be compared to a respective stability threshold. According to various embodiments, stability estimates and stability thresholds may be based on a reactive power to voltage margin, an incremental reactive power cost, an incremental load cost, and a power import margin.

Abstract: Techniques for providing localized power infrastructure and data infrastructure are disclosed. A transportable system for providing localized power infrastructure and data infrastructure can include: a data network service engine configured to function as a local data network service provider; a power generation engine configured to function as a local power service provider that generates and distributes power locally; a deployment engine configured to assist in deploying one or more components of the transportable system; and a maintenance engine configured to maintain operation and security of the transportable system. In some embodiments, multiple transportable systems can be deployed and then centrally monitored or controlled as a single, utility system and/or a single data delivery infrastructure.

Abstract: A motor control center comprises a plurality of bays in which switchgear components, circuit protective components, automation components and power electronic components are disposed for driving motors and other loads. Network optical conductors are routed through one or more wireways adjacent to the bays. Distribution nodes are coupled to the conductors and are interconnected with respective network terminals within the bays. Components within individual bays for which EtherNet and/or Internet connectivity is desired are coupled to the network terminals. The conductors may comprise plastic optical fibers and may be designed to operate in the relatively high voltage environment of the motor control center bays.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product. A described apparatus includes a receiver circuit configured to receive data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system configured to transport electric power from one place to another. The apparatus includes an analysis circuit configured to assess a potential operational risk to a portion of the power transmission system at least partially based on the received data. The apparatus includes a planning circuit configured to schedule a traverse by a mobile device over a transmission line of the power transmission system at least partially based upon the assessed potential operational risk.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for generating a current differential protection supernode based on an electrical topology of a regional distribution network, which belongs to the fields of automation of electrical power systems and relay protection. The present invention generates several supernode differential protection elements, i.e., differential protection objects, and backup differential protection elements by circularly using a depth-first search method according to the inputted branch-node associative data table reflecting the electrical topology of the distribution network. the present invention can accurately located and quickly isolate the faults in the distribution network system, reduce the probability of power cut in the non-fault lines, reduce the coverage of power cut, quickly reconstruct and self-heal the distribution network, and solve the effect of the distributed access system on the distribution network protection.

Abstract: There is provided a device for monitoring an operation of a nuclear plant, including: a functional integration VDU having a regular-use-system VDU that monitors the operation of the plant under normal conditions, and a security-system VDU that leads to a safe state when the plant is in an abnormal state; and a security-system VDU that leads to a safe state when the plant is in an abnormal state. The functional integration VDU is mounted to a first operating console, the security-system VDU is mounted to a second operating console, and thereby an increase in the size of the operating consoles in the nuclear plant is suppressed, and increased ease of operation is enabled.

Abstract: A method for assigning transmission line of electric network, which is used to select an optimal transmission assignment from a plurality of transmission assignment, is disclosed. The steps of the method includes: assigning a transmission line between a source and a relay node and another transmission line between the relay node and a sink to form one of the transmission assignments, and the states of the two transmission line are different; computing a network reliability of each transmission assignment; executing an algorithm to generate two offspring transmission assignments for replacing two of the transmission assignments, and the network reliabilities of the two of the transmission assignments are minimum; computing the network reliabilities for the two offspring transmission assignments; and selecting one of the transmission assignments with the maximal network reliability being the optimal transmission assignment.

Abstract: A method of converting a direct voltage generated by a decentralized power supply system into three-phase alternating voltage by means of a plurality of single-phase inverters (WR1-WR3), said alternating voltage being provided for supplying an electric mains, is intended to avoid inadmissible load unbalances using single-phase inverters. This is achieved in that, upon failure of one inverter (WR1-WR3), an asymmetrical power supply distribution is reduced by limiting the output of the other inverters. The method makes it possible to simplify three-phase voltage monitoring.