초록 ▼

The present disclosure is directed to energy storage and supply management system. The system may include one or more of a control unit, which is in communication with the power grid, and an energy storage unit that stores power for use at a later time. The system may be used with traditional utilit

The present disclosure is directed to energy storage and supply management system. The system may include one or more of a control unit, which is in communication with the power grid, and an energy storage unit that stores power for use at a later time. The system may be used with traditional utility provided power as well as locally generated solar, wind, and any other types of power generation technology. In some embodiments, the energy storage unit and the control unit are housed in the same chassis. In other embodiments, the energy storage unit and the control unit are separate. In another embodiment, the energy storage unit is integrated into the chassis of an appliance itself.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A plug-in smart energy storage unit for receiving energy from and supplying energy to an electrical circuit of a local, nano-electric grid servicing a room of a facility, the room having at least one electrical outlet connected to the electrical circuit, the plug-in smart energy storage unit comp

1. A plug-in smart energy storage unit for receiving energy from and supplying energy to an electrical circuit of a local, nano-electric grid servicing a room of a facility, the room having at least one electrical outlet connected to the electrical circuit, the plug-in smart energy storage unit comprising; a housing defined by one or more walls, the housing containing within the one or more walls: an input associated with the smart energy storage unit, for receiving AC energy from the electrical circuit of the local, nano-electric grid via the at least one electrical outlet and the electrical circuit, the input comprising a plug for being plugged into the electrical outlet;a first inverter electrically coupled to the input for receiving a first amount of AC energy from the local, nano-electric grid and converting the first amount of AC energy to a first amount of DC energy suitable for storage;a plurality of energy storage cells electrically coupled to the first inverter for receiving the first amount of DC energy and converting the first amount of DC energy to chemical energy for storage so as to charge the smart energy storage unit, and for converting a second amount of chemical energy to a second amount of DC energy for release to the grid so as to discharge the smart energy storage unit;a second inverter electrically coupled to the plurality of energy cells for receiving the second amount of DC energy from the plurality of energy storage cells and for converting the second amount of DC energy in to a second amount of AC energy for supply to the grid;an output having an electrical plug for supplying AC energy to the electrical circuit of the local, nano-electric grid, when the electrical plug is coupled to the electrical outlet of the electrical circuit;a battery management system coupled to the one or more of the plurality of energy storage cells for monitoring the storing of energy in and the releasing of energy from the plurality of energy storage cells in accordance with energy management system instructions;a first control unit coupled to the battery management system for generating energy management system instructions for controlling the battery management system in accordance with a first set of received instructions;a second control unit coupled to the first and second inverters for controlling the inverters in accordance with a second set of received instructions;a smart asset monitoring sensor capable of being coupled to the local, nano-electric grid for sensing a condition of the local, nano-electric grid, for determining a load condition of the local, nano-electric grid, and to monitor the energy provided to the nano-electric grid from the battery management system to thereby produce monitored data;a master controller coupled to the smart asset monitoring sensor and the first and second control units for generating and communicating first and second instructions to the first and second control units so as to control the receiving of energy from and the supplying of energy to the electrical circuit of the local, nano-electric grid and thereby controlling the charging and discharging of the plug-in smart energy storage unit in accordance with the sensed local, nano-electrical grid condition; anda control mechanism that determines a peak energy time period and an off-peak energy time period, the control mechanism for controlling receiving of energy to the plurality of energy storage cells from the local, nano-electrical grid during the off-peak energy time period, and supply of energy from the plurality of energy storage cells to the local, nano-electrical grid during the peak energy time period;wherein the plug-in smart energy storage unit is integrated within an electrical appliance. 2. The smart energy storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the input comprises the output. 3. The smart energy storage unit according to claim 2, wherein the first inverter comprises the second inverter. 4. The smart energy storage unit according to claim 3, wherein the local, nano-electric grid comprises one or more of a pico-grid and a fento-grid. 5. The smart energy storage unit according to claim 3, wherein the inverter is further configured for converting the first DC energy to a second DC energy, and the output is configured for supplying DC energy. 6. The smart energy storage unit according to claim 1, wherein the master controller includes a memory for storing user use commands. 7. The smart energy storage unit according to claim 6, wherein the plug-in smart energy storage unit includes a communications module coupled to the master controller, and the communications module includes a communication interface for communicating with a remote server via a communications network. 8. A system for receiving energy from and supplying energy to an electrical circuit of a local, nano-electric grid, the electrical circuit having an electrical outlet, the system comprising; a smart asset monitor capable of being coupled to the local, nano-electric grid, for monitoring and/or sensing an electric grid condition, for determining a load condition of the local, nano-electric grid, and to monitor the energy provided to the local, nano-electric grid from a plug-in smart asset battery to thereby produce monitored data, and to communicate the monitored data to the plug-in smart asset battery;a plug-in smart asset battery communicably coupled to the smart asset monitor and further capable of being coupled to the local, nano-electric grid for receiving energy from and supplying energy to the local, nano-electric grid in response to one or more of the sensed conditions, the plug-in smart asset battery comprising: an input and an output associated with the plug-in smart asset battery and operably capable of being coupled to the electrical circuit of the local, nano-electric grid, the input and output comprising a plug for being plugged into the electrical outlet of the electrical circuit for receiving energy from and supplying auxiliary energy to the local, nano-electric grid;a housing defined by one or more walls, the housing containing: a plurality of energy storage cells coupled to the input and output for storing and supplying the energy from and to the local, nano-electric grid;a grid flexible converter (GFC) coupled to the input and output and the plurality of energy storage cells for performing a first converting operation for converting AC energy to DC energy prior to storage, and for performing a second converting operation for converting DC energy to AC energy prior to supplying energy to the local, nano-electric grid, the grid flexible converter including: a control unit, for controlling the converting operations of the grid flexible converter;a communications module communicably coupled to both the smart asset monitor and a master controller, the communications module for receiving sensed conditions from the smart asset monitor and communicating the same to the master controller;a master controller coupled to the grid flexible converter and the communications module for controlling the control unit of the grid flexible converter in response to communications received from the smart asset monitor conveyed to the master controller by the communications module, the master controller for controlling the receiving and supplying of energy to the electric grid;a control mechanism that determines a peak energy time period and an off-peak energy time period, the control mechanism for controlling receiving of energy to the plurality of energy storage cells from the local, nano-electrical grid during the off-peak energy time period, and supply of energy from the plurality of energy storage cells to the local, nano-electrical grid during the peak energy time period; andwherein the plug-in smart asset battery is integrated within an electrical appliance. 9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the local, nano-electric grid comprises one or more of a pico-grid and a fentogrid. 10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the GFC is further configured for converting a first DC energy to a second DC energy. 11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the master controller includes a memory for storing user use commands. 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the communications module includes a communication interface for communicating with a remote server via a communications network. 13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the smart asset battery comprises the smart asset monitor.