ES2524650A1 - Energy optimization system - Google Patents

Abstract

Energy optimization system. The present invention relates to an energy optimization system based on consumption and generation data provided by a set of nodes, which also allow to act, both with distributed or centralized intelligence, on elements of the electrical network or electrical devices that monitor or control, where each of the nodes is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 radio standard that allows the creation of personal area networks (WPAN) designed for devices with resource limitations (memory and CPU) and low consumption, such as the WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) and where the energy optimization system allows incorporating data from different technologies, including Zigbee, MODBUS and weather stations, in addition to understanding a database that includes data from external systems

Description

ENERGY OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 5

The present invention relates to an energy optimization system based on consumption and generation data provided by a set of nodes in a network, which also allow to act, both with distributed or centralized intelligence, on elements of the electrical network or devices electrical that monitor or control. 10

Each of the nodes is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 radio standard that allows the creation of personal area networks (WPAN) designed for devices with limited resources (memory and CPU) and low consumption, such as they are the WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks). Through this interface, the nodes use IPv6 communications following the 6LoWPAN standard defined by the IETF, which allows the use of IPv6 in sensor networks.

The energy optimization system of the present invention allows incorporating data from different technologies, including Zigbee, MODBUS and 20 weather stations, in addition to comprising a database that includes data from external systems for making decisions that may be associated with the price of energy, weather forecasts, user location, etc.

 25

All system information is added to a central server that allows access to the information and configuration of the nodes to external applications through an Application Interface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 30

Energy optimization systems for specific technologies are known in the state of the art, so there are times when it is not possible to implement such systems in other technologies, since not all of them follow the same standards. 35

The applicant is unaware of the existence of energy optimization systems with the ability to make decisions that may be associated with the price of energy, weather forecasts, user location, etc.

The energy optimization system of the present invention solves all the above 5 drawbacks acting with both distributed and centralized intelligence on elements of the electrical network or electrical devices that monitor or control.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 10

The present invention relates to an energy optimization system comprising a central server that is responsible for adding data from a set of databases of a series of system domains, authenticating system applications and processing messages from the system. Application interface to redirect them to a set of corresponding domains.

The system also comprises a HUB or main hub responsible for maintaining the connection with the central server, accepting and authenticating connections from a set of secondary HUBs of each domain, processing messages from the central server 20 and sending them, if necessary, to the secondary HUB corresponding, and add the data of the different secondary HUBs of each domain.

The system also comprises at least one secondary HUB responsible for adding a set of nodes of different technologies, in addition to processing the messages received from the main HUB through the Application Interface, processing a set of centralized logical rules and executing a set of Commands on the nodes.

In addition, the secondary HUB allows data from external systems to be aggregated and averages of values and statistics of consumption / generation values 30 and sensors.

In addition, the system also includes a set of nodes, each of which periodically reports data on the systems and electrical charges and the available sensors. 35

Each of the nodes also processes the messages of the secondary HUB where it is added to perform the following actions:

 Action on charges.

 Use of local logical rules. 5

 Modification of configuration parameters.

The present invention also relates to the subject of the dependent claims considered herein included by reference.

 10

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization thereof, an integral set of said description is attached, a set of Drawings where, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a block diagram of the network formed by the system of the present invention. twenty

Figure 2.- Shows a block diagram of the software architecture of a HUB of the system of the present invention.

Figure 3.- Shows a block diagram of the system domain communications of the present invention.

Figure 4.- Shows a block diagram of how to carry out the aggregation of data to the central server.

Figure 5.- Shows a block diagram of the message flow between the Application Interfaces.

Figure 6.- Shows a block diagram of the mapping of the elements in the database of a system HUB. 30

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures, the energy optimization system of the present invention is described in detail. 35

A HUB (1), main or secondary, is the element responsible for adding several controllers (40, 41, 42, 43) of communications technologies that are part of the energy optimization system (50) and a demonstrator thereof. The design of the software architecture of the HUB (1) has been carried out so that the logic that it integrates can be used independently of the network protocols and 5 communications, allowing the management and access to the information of the system network to be accessible by authorized applications based on application interfaces (2, 3, 4, 5).

The software modules that are part of the HUB are the following: 10

1. Controllers (40, 41, 42, 43). The controllers are the different software modules that translate the different technologies used into standard system messages (6). In total, there are 4 controllers for the following supported technologies:

o 6LoWPAN - Default technology of the nodes (60), which allows the use of IPv6 in networks based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard.

o Zigbee - Technology promoted by the Zigbee Alliance to standardize the messages (6) of applications in different environments (e.g. Home Automation or Smart Energy)

o Mobus-TCP - Communications standard used in industrial environments and SCADA systems. MODBUS devices with TCP support or over TCP gateways are used for the system network.

o Oregon-ws - Equipment of the manufacturer of OREGON weather stations that allow obtaining real-time environmental parameters. 25

2. Database (30). Each HUB (1) has a local database (30) with the information of each type of node (60), sensors and storage or generation of electrical energy devices associated with the nodes (60).

3. Information aggregation module. Within the system network (50), the different data of the HUBs (1) within the same domain or environment, will be added in a HUB (1) that will perform the functions of coordinator of different HUBs (1), allowing control of all nodes (60) within a domain even if there are different HUBs (60).

4. Application Interfaces (APIs) (2, 3, 4).

 35

Each node (60) is responsible for adding the information from the nodes associated to the HUB (1) that are part of the network using the different supported communications technologies associated with the controllers (40, 41, 42, 43), which They have been described above.

 5

The data provided by the different nodes (60) that make up the network include sensor data installed in the nodes (60) and / or associated weather stations (temperature, light, UV radiation, user presence, etc.), as well as data of consumption and power generation. This information, together with weather forecast data, user location, energy prices and configuration of 10 logical rules of the system to optimize energy consumption, is added in a database (30) of each HUB (1).

The system logic can be performed centrally or distributed:

 fifteen

1. In centralized logic, the periodic processing of the information provided in each HUB (1) will result in the generation of different actions to be carried out on the different loads (or inverting, accumulation equipment, etc.). These actions allow acting on the nodes (60) via the transmission of messages (6) where the actions are defined. twenty

2. In distributed logic, node (60) has stored certain rules of action on the load that it controls based on logical rules constructed from information received locally or by its neighboring nodes (60).

The configuration of distributed logic is made from the HUB (1), responsible for transmitting in a message (6) the logical rules that a node (60) must process locally. Once the node (60) has been configured, it does not need the intervention of the HUB (60) to carry out the actions.

The HUB architecture design has the following characteristics: 30

 It is independent of communications technology. For each communications technology there is a generic software module or controller that allows receiving and transmitting the messages (6) of the system through any type of technology.

 It is extensible to new technologies. Following the format of the controller, it is possible to add new technologies without changing the architecture.

 Information and logic processing are separated. The functions to be carried out through the system logic are defined by the exchange of messages (6) between the HUB (1) and the nodes (60), totally independent of how this information is obtained or transmitted depending on the technology .

 The logic execution is carried out through the Application Interfaces (APIs) (2, 3, 4), that is, the execution of the actions, or what is the same, the sending of messages (6) to the Nodes (60) are carried out through 10 applications that use the Application Interfaces (APIs) (2, 3, 4) defined for the control of the HUB (1).

Figure 2 shows how the control of a HUB (1) is performed by means of an access device (32) and a processing device (33) to the database (30) 15 of the nodes (60) associated with the HUB (1) and the use of APIs Application Interfaces (2, 3, 4) for the execution of the different messages to the nodes (60) through a transmission and reception line (34) preceded by a device data aggregation (35).

 twenty

The system (50) comprises three API Application Interfaces (2, 3, 4) that use TCP ("Transmission Control Protocol") connections for the exchange of messages (6):

 An Application Interface (2) for node (60) that allows the sending of 25 messages (6) to the nodes that ((60) are connected in the HUB (1). Accepts connections only from local applications.

 An Application Interface (3) for the controllers (40, 41, 42, 43) that allows the control of the different network controllers (40, 41, 42, 43) of the technologies described above. Accepts connections from only 30 local applications, and

 An Application Interface (4) for each HUB (1) that allows communication between HUBs (1) and the reception of messages (6) from another Global Application Interface (5) that is used by applications that have access to the system network (50). 35

The connection of the Application Interface (4) for each HUB (1) is made from the HUB itself (1) to a central server (70) or to the HUB controller, depending on the role of each HUB (1) within the system (50).

Figure 3 shows how the HUB control (1) is performed by accessing the database (BBDD) (30) of the nodes (60) associated with the HUB (1) and using the Interfaces of application (APIs) (2, 3, 4) for the execution of the different messages (6) to the nodes (60).

At the smallest granularity level, the system network consists of the 10 nodes (60), which group all the data in the HUBs (1) where they are associated. In the system network architecture (1) defined, the different data of the HUBs (1) that are in the same area with the same domain are added to a main HUB (10) (see Figure 3). This main HUB (10) has in its database (30), all the information of the system domain (50) that 15 maintains, through the HUB Application Interface (4), which will allow it to perform the relevant actions between the different HUBs (1).

Similarly, the different main HUBs (10) will send the aggregated data to the central server (70), as shown in Figure 4. It is the central server 20 (70) that will allow access to the different applications through of the Application Interface (4), distributing the requests of the Application Interface (4) to the specific main HUBs (10) and offering the applications the system information (1) stored in a global database (31) , which aggregates all the information of the distributed databases (30) of each of the HUBs (1). 25

The system establishes, through the System Application Interface (5) and the HUB Application Interface (4) a message transmission (6), preferably of JSON type (JavaScript Object Annotation) to perform the various functions of action and configuration of the system network. Each request for the transmission of 30 JSON messages made must wait for the response JSON message with the results of the action or the information requested by the applications. Figure 5 shows the different message flows (6) depending on the type of JSON message processed, since it will not always result in a message (6) direct to the node (60).

 35

Each HUB (1) has a SQL (Structured Query Language) database, specifically MySQL, to store all the information of the nodes (60) controlled by this HUB (1).

The information of the elements of the system network is related to the location of its main elements, the nodes (60). In the case of a building (20), this one (20) is divided into floors (21), which (21) are divided into rooms (22). It is in these rooms (22) that the nodes (60) of the system are mapped (see Figure 6).

Each building (20), floor (21) and room (22) are identified by a field of 2 10 bytes, which is known by the HUB (1), which can control nodes (60) of several buildings (20), where a building (20) can have several HUBs (1).

The nodes (60) associated with the HUB (1) have associated generic parameters for all nodes (60) plus specific parameters associated with each type of node (60). Within the generics we have:

 1-byte identifier that indicates the type of node, these are:

or 0x01: 6LoWPAN

or 0x02: ZIGBEE

or 0x03: MODBUS-TCP 20

or 0x04: OREGON-WS

 2-byte node identifier, with a total of 65536 nodes.

 2-byte load identifier that identifies the load associated with each node (60).

 2-byte identifier of the room (22) where the node 25 (60) is installed.

In addition to these generic fields, each type of node (60) has different attributes as well as configuration parameters that are also stored in the database (30). 30

Any element that is controlled by a node (60) is a load (23), which can vary from a simple lighting lamp to an inverter system or an electric car.

 35

The load information (23) includes the associated node (60), as well as the type of energy associated with it and whether it is a power generator.

The consumption and power generation of the loads (23) is transmitted periodically by the nodes (60) and entered into the database (30). 5

The following list shows the types of loads (23) associated with a HUB (1).

Lighting

 Electronic devices

 Ventilation and air conditioning 10

 Investor

 Electric vehicle charger

 Energy store (batteries)

 Switch

 Electric meter 15

Home appliance

The system (50) comprises a set of sensors (24) whose information is stored in the database (30). This information is transported by the messages (6) of the system (1). twenty

Below are the types of sensors (24) supported

 Temperature (ºC)

Humidity (%)

CO2 (ppm) 25

 Wind speed (m / s)

 Wind direction (º)

 UV index

GPS latitude

GPS length 30

GPS altitude

 Acceleration X axis

 Y axis acceleration

 Z axis acceleration

 Sound pressure level 35

 Battery level (%)

Presence (boolean)

 Pressure (hPa)

 Wind gusts (m / s)

Rain (mm / hr) 5

In the HUB (1) there are two large datasets or data sets with all the information obtained by the system (50), whose processing will allow to perform the functions of optimization and management of energy consumption. These data are the data of generation and consumption of electrical energy of the different elements of the system and of the data obtained by the sensors (24) of the system.

The generation and consumption of energy are stored in real time in a table. Each entry includes information on the amount of energy consumed or generated (depending on the type of generation), as well as a time stamp indicating the 15th moment of the generation. The processing of the data saved in this table, allows to obtain the global values of energy consumption and generation, as well as different time series of data that can be correlated by external context values to evaluate the different energy saving policies.

 twenty

The types of loads (23) contemplated are:

 Energy consumption.

 Energy production from wind turbines

 Solar production.

 Generation through biomass. 25

Similarly to the main core of the energy consumption / generation data, the data provided by the sensors (24) of the nodes (60) of the system (50) are stored in a table that includes the sensor value and the generation time stamp of the data. In this way, the processing of the information of the sensors 30 (24) allows to obtain statistical values and to group data by the different zones of the system (50).

Claims (9)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S 1. Energy optimization system (1) characterized in that it comprises:  a central server (70) to aggregate data from a set of databases (30, 31) from a series of system domains and / or authenticate the 5 system applications, and / or process messages (6) from an application interface (5) to redirect them to the corresponding domain,  a main HUB (10) to maintain the connection with the central server (70), accept and authenticate connections from a set of secondary HUBs (1) of each domain, and / or process messages (6) from the central server (70 ) and send them, if necessary, to the corresponding secondary HUB (1), and / or add the data of the different secondary HUBs (1) of each domain,  where at least one secondary HUB (1) comprises a set of nodes (60) of different technologies, to process the messages (6) received from the main HUB (10) through the Application Interface (5), process a set of 15 centralized logical rules and execute a set of commands on the nodes (60), add the data of some external systems and / or perform averages of values and statistics of the consumption / generation values and of some sensors (24),  where the set of nodes (60) allows to periodically report data of the 20 systems and of some electrical charges (23) and of the available sensors (24) and / or to process the messages (6) of the secondary HUB where it is added to act on the loads (23) and / or use local logical rules and / or modify the configuration parameters.  25 2. Energy optimization system according to claim 1 characterized in that at least one HUB, main (10) or secondary (1), comprises a set of software modules comprising:  at least one controller (40, 41, 42, 43) responsible for translating the technologies used to standard system messages (6), 30  a local database (30) for each HUB with information on each type of node (60), sensors (24) and loads (23) / electric power generators associated with nodes (60),  a HUB coordinator to control nodes (60) within the same domain, 35  Application interfaces (APIs) (2, 3, 4, 5) comprising at least the Global Application Interface (5). 3. Energy optimization system according to claim 2 characterized in that the set of technologies comprises:  a default node technology, which allows the use of IPv6 in networks based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard,  a technology to standardize the messages (6) of applications in different environments,  a communications standard used in industrial environments and 10 SCADA systems. MODBUS devices with TCP support or over TCP gateways are used for the system network,  equipment that allows obtaining environmental parameters in real time.  fifteen 4. Energy optimization system according to claim 2 characterized in that the Application Interfaces (2, 3, 4, 5) further comprise:  a node application interface (2) for sending messages (6) to nodes (60) that are connected in the HUB (1),  a controller application interface (3) to control the different 20 network controllers of the system technologies,  a HUB application interface (4) for carrying out communication between system HUBs and receiving messages (6) from the Global Application Interface,  25 5. Energy optimization system according to claim 1 characterized in that the nodes (60) associated with the HUB (1) have associated generic parameters common to all nodes (60) plus specific parameters associated with each type of node (60).  30 6. Energy optimization system according to claim 5 characterized in that the generic parameters are:  a 1-byte identifier that indicates the type of node,  a 2-byte node identifier, with a total of 65536 nodes,  a 2-byte load identifier that identifies the load associated with each node,  a 2-byte identifier of an enclosure where the node is installed. 7. Energy optimization system according to claim 6 characterized in that each node (60) controls a load (23) from one of the following:  a lighting device,  electronic devices,  a ventilation and air conditioning device,  an investor, 10  an electric vehicle charger,  an energy store,  a switch,  an electric meter,  an appliance. fifteen 8. Energy optimization system according to claim 2 characterized in that each node (60) controls a set of sensors (24), wherein the sensors are at least one of the following types:  Temperature (ºC) 20 Humidity (%) CO2 (ppm)  Wind speed (m / s)  Wind direction (º)  UV index 25 GPS latitude GPS length GPS altitude  Acceleration X axis  Y axis acceleration 30  Z axis acceleration  Sound pressure level  Battery level (%) Presence  Pressure (hPa) 35  Wind gusts (m / s) Rain (mm / hr) 9. Energy optimization system according to claim 8, characterized in that the databases (30, 31) receive data on consumption and generation of energy, weather forecast data, user location, energy prices and configuration of system logic rules to optimize the energy consumption of external systems.