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A system for controlling electrical load shedding and restoring operations includes a microprocessor system, a power measuring circuit, and a plurality of load switching relays controlled by the microprocessor system to electrically connect controlled loads of a residence to, and electrically discon

A system for controlling electrical load shedding and restoring operations includes a microprocessor system, a power measuring circuit, and a plurality of load switching relays controlled by the microprocessor system to electrically connect controlled loads of a residence to, and electrically disconnect the controlled loads from, a power line in accordance with priorities associated with the controlled loads. The system is operated to electrically disconnect or shed, in order of increasing priority, as many of the controlled loads as is necessary to cause the total power delivered to the residence to be less than a selected power limit, to compute power availability numbers which represent amounts of power which can be additionally consumed by the residence without exceeding the selected power limit, to restore, in order of decreasing priority, as many previously shed controlled loads as possible without exceeding the selected power limit, and to shed, in order of increasing priority, as many controlled loads presently electrically connected to the power line as is necessary to allow restoring of higher priority, previously shed controlled loads. The selected power limit is manually settable by means of a switch which is read by the microprocessor system.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for controlling delivery of electrical energy from a power line to an establishment having a plurality of electrical loads in order to maintain the total power delivered to the electrical loads below a selected power limit, the electrical loads including a plurality of controlled loads whic

A method for controlling delivery of electrical energy from a power line to an establishment having a plurality of electrical loads in order to maintain the total power delivered to the electrical loads below a selected power limit, the electrical loads including a plurality of controlled loads which can be electrically connected to and disconnected from the power line in accordance with priorities of the controlled loads by means of a control system, the control system including a plurality of load switching means for controllably connecting the controlled loads to and disconnecting the controlled loads from the power line the control system also including power measuring means for measuring power delivered from the power line to the electrical loads, said method comprising operating a processor to effect the steps of: (a) computing and storing a power consumption number for any one of the controlled loads when that controlled load is electrically disconnected from the power line; (b) comparing the selected power limit to the total power consumed by the electrical loads and, if the total power consumed by the electrical loads exceeds the selected power limit, electrically disconnecting a sufficient number of the controlled loads, in order of increasing priority, to reduce the total power consumed by the electrical loads to a level which is lower than the selected power limit; (c) computing a first power availability number representing an amount of power which additionally can be consumed by the electrical loads without causing the selected power limit to be exceeded; (d) comparing a stored power consumption number of a first highest-priority one of the controlled loads not presently electrically connected to the power line with said first power availability number and electrically connecting said first controlled load to the power line of said electrical connecting of said first controlled load will not cause the selected power limit to be exceeded; and (e) electrically disconnecting a second, lowest-priority one of the controlled loads presently electrically connected to the power line from the power line if said stored power consumption number of said first controlled load is greater than said first power available number and the priority of said second controlled load is lower than the priority of said first controlled load.