Broadcasting Control of Intelligent Air Conditioners Using Power-Line-Carrier Technology

This paper proposes a broadcasting control system of intelligent air conditioners using the narrow-band power line carrier (PLC) (NPLC) technology. The communication protocol of Smart Energy Profile SEP 1.0 is implemented for the master station to issue commands to air conditioners over the power line. The function of demand response (DR) can also be executed via the proposed system. To verify the communication performance of control signal using the PLC technology, the field tests of NPLC over power lines and across transformers are executed. By integrating the PLC with the existing optical fiber network of the Distribution Automation System in the Taiwan Power Company, the Hybrid Communication System for Smart Grid applications is built and tested to support the control of air conditioners and the DR programs. It is found that the energy conservation by reducing the system peak load can be achieved when the proposed system is applied for the remote thermostat settings of air conditioners in the commercial section. The power consumption of various types of loads can also be collected and reported to the control center using the two-way communication provided by the proposed system.