An electricity demand limiting system for limiting the electricity consumption of at least one resistive load device. The demand limiting system includes a consumption controller associated with the resistive load device that is operable to infinitely vary the amount of electricity being consumed by the load device. The consumption control device is in operative communication with a load controller such that the load controller can generate a control signal to affect the operation of the consumption control circuit. Preferably, the consumption control circuit is a triac-based circuit that receives the control signal from the load controller and limits the amount of electricity consumed by the resistive load device. The load controller can receive input signals from sensors monitoring the electricity delivery system or from the premise electricity meter. Further, the load controller can receive external inputs from a third party that determine the operation of the load controller in limiting the electricity demands of the resistive load device.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 a schematic illustration of the communication between the time and condition based controller, the consumption control circuit, the load appliance and input sources.
Claims
1. An electricity demand limiting system for limiting the electricity consumption of at least one resistive load device from an electricity delivery system, the demand limiting system comprising:
a consumption control circuit positioned between the electricity delivery system and the resistive load device; anda load controller in operative communication with the consumption control circuit to provide a control signal to the consumption control circuit such that the consumption control circuit limits the electricity consumption of the resistive load device based upon the control signal.
2. The demand limiting system of claim 1 wherein the consumption control circuit is a triac-based circuit operable to infinitely regulate the electricity consumption of the resistive load device.
3. The demand limiting system of claim 1 wherein the load controller generates the control signal based upon an internal timing device contained within the load controller.
4. The demand limiting system of claim 1 further comprising:
a voltage monitoring device operable to detect the voltage on the electricity delivery system and communicate the detected voltage to the load controller,wherein the control signal is based upon the detected voltage.
5. The demand limiting system of claim 1 further comprising:
a frequency monitoring device operable to detect the frequency of the electricity delivery system and communicate the detected frequency to the load controller,wherein the control signal is based upon the detected frequency.
6. The demand limiting system of claim 1 further comprising:
a premise electricity meter operable to determine the total electricity consumption by a premise including the resistive load device, the premise electricity meter being in communication with the load controller,wherein the load controller generates the control signal to the consumption control circuit based upon the total electricity demand and/or consumption by the premise.
7. The demand limiting system of claim 1 further comprising an input device coupled to the load controller, the input device being operable to receive control parameters from the user, wherein the load controller generates the control signal based upon the control parameters.
8. The demand limiting system of claim 1 wherein the consumption control circuit and the load controller are contained within the resistive load device.
9. The demand limiting system of claim 7 wherein the control parameters include demand limits based upon the total cost of electricity consumed.
10. The demand limiting system of claim 1 wherein the load controller is operable to determine the thermodynamic gain characteristics of the resistive load device and historical run and recovery time and consumption and/or demand data of the resistive load device, wherein the load controller generates the control signal to operate the consumption control circuit to achieve a desired thermal recovery.
11. The demand limiting system of claim 1 wherein the resistive load device is a heating and cooking appliance, wherein the load controller communicates with the heating and cooking appliance to insure the appliance limits it energy demand while operating to achieve the desired temperature setpoint result.
12. An electricity demand limiting system for limiting the electricity consumption of a plurality of resistive load devices within a premise from an electricity delivery system, the demand limiting system comprising:
a plurality of consumption control circuits each positioned between the electricity delivery system and one of the resistive load devices; andat least one load controller in operative communication with the consumption control circuits for the resistive load devices to provide a control signal to the consumption control circuits,wherein the at least one load controller is operable to limit the electricity demand of the premise.
13. The demand limiting system of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of consumption control circuits is a triac-based circuit operable to infinitely regulate the electricity consumption of the resistive load device.
14. The demand limiting system of claim 13 wherein the regulation of the electricity consumption of the resistive load device is based upon the control signal from the load controller.
15. The demand limiting system of claim 12 wherein the electricity demand limiting system includes a plurality of load controllers each associated with one of the resistive load devices, each of the load controllers being in operative communication with the consumption control circuit for the resistive load device.
16. The demand limiting system of claim 15 wherein the consumption control circuit and the load controller are contained within each of the resistive load devices.
17. The demand limiting system of claim 15 further comprising a central controller in communication with each of the load controllers, wherein the central controller is operable to limit the electricity demand of each of the resistive load devices through the plurality of load controllers.
18. The demand limiting system of claim 17 wherein the central controller controls the demand of the plurality of load devices based upon a priority assigned to each of the load devices.
19. The demand limiting system of claim 12 further comprising an input device coupled to the load controller, the input device being operable to receive control parameters, wherein the load controller regulates the electricity demand of the plurality of resistive load devices based upon the control parameters.
20. The demand limiting system of claim 12 further comprising:
a premise electricity meter operable to determine the total electricity consumption by the premise including the plurality of resistive load devices, the premise electricity meter being in communication with the at least one load controller,wherein the load controller generates the control signals to the consumption control circuits based upon the total electricity demand and/or consumption by the premise.
21. A method of limiting the demand for electricity of at least one resistive load device from an electricity delivery system, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning a consumption control circuit between the electricity delivery system and the resistive load device;positioning a load controller in communication with the consumption control circuit;determining a need to limit the demand for electricity in the load controller;generating a control signal from the load controller to the consumption control circuit; andoperating the consumption control circuit to limit the demand for electricity by the resistive load device.
22. The method of claim 21 wherein the consumption control circuit is a triac-based circuit operable to infinitely regulate the electricity consumption of the resistive load device.
23. The method of claim 21 wherein the need to limit the demand for electricity is based upon an internal timing device contained within the load controller.
24. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:
monitoring an electrical characteristic of the electricity delivery system;determining whether the monitored characteristic varies from a standard parameter; andgenerating the control signal from the load controller to the consumption control circuit based upon the difference between the measured characteristic and the standard value.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the electrical characteristic is the voltage present on the electricity delivery system.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the electrical characteristic is the frequency of the electricity on the electricity delivery system.
27. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:
monitoring the total electricity demand and or consumption rate of the premise including the resistive load device; andgenerating the control signal from the load controller to the consumption control circuit to limit the total electricity demand and/or consumption for the premise.
28. The method of claim 21 further comprising the steps of:
receiving one or more control parameters within the load controller; andgenerating a control signal from the load controller based upon the control parameters.
Patent Application
20070213880
