Method and apparatus for control of intelligent loads in microgrids

Abstract

A method and apparatus for autonomous control of a microgrid load. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining, by a load controller that comprises a processor and is part of a load in a microgrid, a primary control response based on at least one grid parameter measured locally with respect to the load; and modifying, by the load controller, operation of the load based on the primary control response.

1 . A method for autonomous control of a microgrid load, comprising:
 determining, by a load controller that comprises a processor and is part of a load in a microgrid, a primary control response based on at least one grid parameter measured locally with respect to the load; and   modifying, by the load controller, operation of the load based on the primary control response.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the load is modified to achieve a response on the grid that is opposite to that of the primary control response. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the primary control response is determined using a droop control technique. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the droop control technique is a cross-coupled volt-VAr-frequency-watt droop technique. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the operation of the load is further based on at least one parameter pertaining to operation of the load. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one at least one parameter pertaining to operation of the load comprises one or more of present load operating state, amount of current drawn by the load, load criticality, a required operating range for the load, one or more thresholds for increasing current drawn by the load, and one or more thresholds for decreasing current drawn by the load. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein modifying operation of the load is further based on a hysteresis loop for operating the load. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for autonomous control of a microgrid load, comprising:
 a load controller that comprises a processor and is part of a load in a microgrid, wherein the load controller (i) determines a primary control response based on at least one grid parameter measured locally with respect to the load; and (ii) modifies operation of the load based on the primary control response.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the load is modified to achieve a response on the grid that is opposite to that of the primary control response. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the primary control response is determined using a droop control technique. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the droop control technique is a cross-coupled volt-VAr-frequency-watt droop technique. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein modifying the operation of the load is further based on at least one parameter pertaining to operation of the load. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one at least one parameter pertaining to operation of the load comprises one or more of present load operating state, amount of current drawn by the load, load criticality, a required operating range for the load, one or more thresholds for increasing current drawn by the load, and one or more thresholds for decreasing current drawn by the load. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein modifying operation of the load is further based on a hysteresis loop for operating the load. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor to perform a method for autonomous control of a microgrid load, the method comprising:
 determining, by a load controller that comprises a processor and is part of a load in a microgrid, a primary control response based on at least one grid parameter measured locally with respect to the load; and   modifying, by the load controller, operation of the load based on the primary control response.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the load is modified to achieve a response on the grid that is opposite to that of the primary control response. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the primary control response is determined using a droop control technique. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the droop control technique is a cross-coupled volt-VAr-frequency-watt droop technique. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein modifying the operation of the load is further based on at least one parameter pertaining to operation of the load. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein wherein modifying operation of the load is further based on a hysteresis loop for operating the load.