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Protecting residential electrical infrastructure through advanced control: The first field results.

Number: 3138

Author(s) : PERGANTIS E.N., REYES PREMER L. D., LEE A. H., PRIYADARSHAN , LIU H., GROLL E. A., ZIVIANI D., KIRCHER K. J.

Summary

Electrifying vehicles and residential appliances can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in areas with clean electricity. However, the electrical infrastructure in most older houses, was not designed to accommodate peak current draws from large loads, such as space heating, water heating, and vehicle charging. Upgrading a house’s circuit breaker panel and/or electrical service (the wires that connect a home to the utility) can be a significant barrier to rapid electrification. This study develops a novel two-level control architecture that robustly maintains the total current draw in an all-electric home within the safe limits of existing panels and service. The control system adjusts the temperature set-points of an electric resistance water heater and an air-source heat pump. The high-level controller adjusts set-points over a receding forecast horizon, while the low-level controller monitors the real-time conditions and switches off appliances if necessary. The system is tested over 31 days in an occupied, 208 m2 house in a cold climate. Test conditions include outdoor temperatures as low as -20 ℃. The controller successfully maintains the whole-home current within the safe limits of electrical panels and service rated at 100 A, a common rating for older US homes. The potential value of this work is to allow older homes to safely electrify without upgrading electrical panels or service. If electrical codes permit, this could save a typical homeowner on the order of two to ten thousand dollars and eliminate significant delays.

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  • Original title: Protecting residential electrical infrastructure through advanced control: The first field results.
  • Record ID : 30032970
  • Languages: English
  • Source: 2024 Purdue Conferences. 8th International High Performance Buildings Conference at Purdue.
  • Publication date: 2024/07/15

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