A Power Allocation Management System Using an Algorithm for the Knapsack Problem

In this paper, the authors discuss a power allocation management system to maximize user´s Quality-of-Life, keeping total power consumption within a limited amount of available power, which is implemented utilizing smart outlets, a controller and a power allocation algorithm. We can treat power allocation for energy-saving and reducing peak load as the knapsack problem, regarding that an appliance as an item, importance of the appliance for user´s life as the profit of the item, power consumption of the appliance as size of the item, a power source as a knapsack, and an available power amount of the power source as capacity of the knapsack. We describe a prototype implementation and evaluation of a power allocation management system utilizing an algorithm for the knapsack problem implemented on a controller and smart outlets, which are power strips with functions of power measurement, power control and communication.