| 摘要 |
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling the consumption of electrical energy in an alternating current (AC) electrical generation and distribution system. The system (1) comprises a local electrical energy distribution circuit (6), an electrical energy micro-generation system (4), one or more electrical energy consumers (8 and 18) including a switchable energy consumer (18), and an electrical energy consumption control circuit (14). The local distribution circuit is operatively connected to receive electrical energy from the micro-generation system, to receive electrical energy from or to provide electrical energy to a public electrical energy distribution network (2), and to provide electrical energy to the one or more electrical energy consumers. The consumption control circuit is operatively connected to control the electrical energy provided to the switchable energy consumer from the local distribution circuit, and the consumption control circuit is arranged to carry out the method steps of generating a first signal representative of the current flowing between the local distribution circuit and the public distribution network (16); generating a second signal representative of the voltage in the local distribution circuit; using the second signal to gate the first signal, the gated signal being representative of the direction of the net flow of electrical energy between the local distribution circuit and the public distribution network; generating a switching signal from the gated signal; and using the switching signal to activate switching means, such that when the direction of the net flow of electrical energy is from the local distribution circuit to the public distribution network, the switching means permits electrical energy to be provided to the switchable energy consumer, and when the direction of the net flow of electrical energy is from the public distribution network to the local distribution circuit, the switching means prevents electrical energy being provided to the switchable energy consumer. |
