US 12,444,940 B2
Grid-tied variable frequency facility
Paul W. Donahue, Newport Beach, CA (US); Ryan Paul Donahue, Newport Beach, CA (US); and Jeffrey Alan Dankworth, Reno, NV (US)
Assigned to NEWORLD.ENERGY LLC, Reno, NV (US)
Filed by NEWORLD.ENERGY LLC, Reno, NV (US)
Filed on Jun. 4, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/733,671.
Application 18/733,671 is a continuation of application No. 18/474,935, filed on Sep. 26, 2023, abandoned.
Application 18/474,935 is a continuation of application No. 17/811,641, filed on Jul. 11, 2022, granted, now 11,777,311, issued on Oct. 3, 2023.
Application 17/811,641 is a continuation of application No. 17/647,099, filed on Jan. 5, 2022, granted, now 11,502,514, issued on Nov. 15, 2022.
Application 17/647,099 is a continuation of application No. 17/444,221, filed on Aug. 2, 2021, granted, now 11,251,613, issued on Feb. 15, 2022.
Application 17/444,221 is a continuation of application No. 17/183,677, filed on Feb. 24, 2021, granted, now 11,114,853, issued on Sep. 7, 2021.
Application 17/183,677 is a continuation of application No. 16/843,163, filed on Apr. 8, 2020, granted, now 10,951,036, issued on Mar. 16, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/968,523, filed on Jan. 31, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/941,173, filed on Nov. 27, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/870,543, filed on Jul. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2025/0125614 A1, Apr. 17, 2025
Int. Cl. H02J 3/00 (2006.01); B60L 53/53 (2019.01); G01R 19/165 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); H02J 3/32 (2006.01); H02J 3/38 (2006.01); H02J 4/00 (2006.01); H02J 9/06 (2006.01); H02J 13/00 (2006.01); H02M 5/40 (2006.01)
CPC H02J 3/001 (2020.01) [B60L 53/53 (2019.02); G01R 19/16547 (2013.01); G05B 19/042 (2013.01); H02J 3/32 (2013.01); H02J 3/381 (2013.01); H02J 4/00 (2013.01); H02J 9/06 (2013.01); H02J 13/00002 (2020.01); H02J 13/00006 (2020.01); H02M 5/40 (2013.01); G05B 2219/2639 (2013.01); H02J 13/00036 (2020.01); H02J 2300/24 (2020.01); H02J 2300/28 (2020.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microgrid system to control a microgrid, the microgrid system comprising:
an adapter in communication with an electric grid, the adapter comprising a grid side plug, a facility side plug, a first meter socket, and a second meter socket, the adapter further configured to:
connect to an electric grid via the grid side plug, electrical loads of a facility via the facility side plug, and an electrical meter via the first meter socket and the second meter socket; and
connect electrically the electric grid and the electrical loads of the facility, the electric grid and the electrical loads of the facility being electrically connected when the electrical meter is electrically connected to the electric grid and the electrical loads of the facility;
a connection switch and a safety switch in a first housing, the connection switch and the safety switch in communication with the adapter, and the connection switch configured to connect and disconnect a connection between the microgrid and the electric grid that supplies a grid AC signal, the safety switch configured to send a connection status, wherein the connection switch and the safety switch are mechanically linked to cause the connection switch and the safety switch operate together;
a power controller in a second housing, the power controller in communication with the safety switch, the power controller comprising:
frequency and/or voltage variable AC power electronics in communication with the electrical loads of the facility via a breaker panel, the frequency and/or voltage variable AC power electronics configured to convert, responsive to one or more control signals, a combined DC signal into a second AC signal having variable frequency and/or variable voltage, and to provide the second AC signal to the electrical loads of the facility; and
a processor and memory configured to store instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to
receive the connection status from the safety switch to confirm the connection between the electric grid and the electrical loads of the facility; and
receive sensed characteristics and provide, based at least in part on the sensed characteristics, the one or more control signals to the frequency/voltage variable AC power electronics, wherein the frequency and/or voltage variable AC power electronics control the variable frequency and/or variable voltage of the second AC signal based at least in part on the one or more control signals; and
one or more sensors in communication with the processor, the one or more sensors configured to sense characteristics of the second AC signal being supplied to the electrical loads of the facility and supply the sensed characteristics to the processor.