The present invention affords a method and apparatus for autonomous fueling/refueling of numerous machinery operating at work sites such as an active fracking site. The system of the present invention includes a main fuel tank mounted on a frame and a plurality of fuel intake lines individually coupled to the main fuel tank. Pumps are connected to at least some, but not necessarily all, of the fuel intake lines. The pumps are coupled to hoses extending from the main fuel tank to the saddle tanks requiring fueling/refueling. The present invention further includes a refueling cap that is detachably connected to the hoses and configured to mate with the saddle tanks. This cap includes a pressure valve configured to open only in the presence of sufficient pressure input pressure from the hose, which prevents siphoning of fuel out of the saddle tank, for example if a hose becomes ruptured somewhere along its length. The refueling cap further includes a vent coupled to a fluid flow sensing valve and an electrical pass-through for a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is coupled to the refueling cap and intended to be disposed within a saddle tank to provide a signal indicative of the fuel level within the saddle tank. The pressure sensor is further electrically connected to a wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter provides signals to a controller for the pumps. In one methodology of the present invention fueling/refueling of individual saddle tanks is initiated when a first signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the saddle tank having been depleted to a first predetermined level and fueling/refueling is terminated when a another signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the saddle tank having been filled to a second predetermined level or if a signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the fluid flow sensor detecting fluid flow through the vent. In further accordance with the methodology of the present invention the controller records the duration of individual saddle tank fueling/refueling and the interval between fueling/refueling of the individual saddle tanks. A first alarm is generated by the controller if the duration of individual saddle tank fueling/refueling is longer than an average of fueling/refuelings for that individual saddle tank. A second alarm is generated by the controller if the interval between fueling/refueling for an individual saddle tank is longer than an average of the interval between fueling/refueling for that individual saddle tank.

The present invention affords a method and apparatus for autonomous fueling/refueling of numerous machinery operating at work sites such as an active fracking site. The system of the present invention includes a main fuel tank mounted on a frame and a plurality of fuel intake lines individually coupled to the main fuel tank. Pumps are connected to at least some, but not necessarily all, of the fuel intake lines. The pumps are coupled to hoses extending from the main fuel tank to the saddle tanks requiring fueling/refueling. The present invention further includes a refueling cap that is detachably connected to the hoses and configured to mate with the saddle tanks. This cap includes a pressure valve configured to open only in the presence of sufficient pressure input pressure from the hose, which prevents siphoning of fuel out of the saddle tank, for example if a hose becomes ruptured somewhere along its length. The refueling cap further includes a vent coupled to a fluid flow sensing valve and an electrical pass-through for a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is coupled to the refueling cap and intended to be disposed within a saddle tank to provide a signal indicative of the fuel level within the saddle tank. The pressure sensor is further electrically connected to a wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter provides signals to a controller for the pumps. In one methodology of the present invention fueling/refueling of individual saddle tanks is initiated when a first signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the saddle tank having been depleted to a first predetermined level and fueling/refueling is terminated when a another signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the saddle tank having been filled to a second predetermined level or if a signal is received from the wireless transmitter indicative of the fluid flow sensor detecting fluid flow through the vent. In further accordance with the methodology of the present invention the controller records the duration of individual saddle tank fueling/refueling and the interval between fueling/refueling of the individual saddle tanks. A first alarm is generated by the controller if the duration of individual saddle tank fueling/refueling is longer than an average of fueling/refuelings for that individual saddle tank. A second alarm is generated by the controller if the interval between fueling/refueling for an individual saddle tank is longer than an average of the interval between fueling/refueling for that individual saddle tank.

A grid independent operation control unit includes a load current estimator to estimate a load current supplied to stand-alone power system in accordance with an output current of the inverter and an output voltage, and a feedback controller configured to PWM control the inverter at a duty ratio feedback calculated to cause the inverter to output an output voltage command value in accordance with the output voltage and the load current. The feedback controller is configured to PWM control the inverter at a duty ratio feedback calculated for output of a normalized output voltage command value obtained by normalizing the output voltage command value with the DC bus voltage in accordance with normalized output voltage obtained by normalizing the output voltage with the DC bus voltage and normalized load current obtained by normalizing the load current with the DC bus voltage.

A crossover protection system including a product transport vehicle having a tank compartment for containing a liquid product, a fluid property sensor positioned to contact liquid product stored in the tank compartment, a system controller, and a valve coupled to the tank compartment. The valve regulates a flow of liquid product from the tank compartment and has a normally locked state. The system controller may compare a received transported liquid type signal from the fuel property sensor indicative of the type of liquid product in the tank compartment and compare the type of liquid product to a stored liquid product type. If the two types match, the crossover protection controller transitions the valve to an unlocked state to allow the liquid product to unload from the tank compartment. If the two types do not match, the crossover protection controller will disable the valve from transitioning to the unlocked state.

A communication apparatus comprises a first communication unit configured to receive, from an external server, an output suppression message instructing output suppression of a dispersed power source; and a second communication unit configured to perform communication of a predetermined message having a predetermined format with a power management apparatus that manages power of an equipment installed in a consumer's facility. The output suppression of the dispersed power source is performed in accordance with the output suppression message by a conversion apparatus that converts DC power output from the dispersed power source to AC power. The predetermined format includes an information element capable of storing at least one of first information and second information, the first information being related to a communication status with the conversion apparatus, the second information being related to an acquisition status of the output suppression message. The second communication unit is configured to transmit, to the power management apparatus, the predetermined message including at least one of the first information and the second information as an information element.

A method for dispatching buildings in a demand response program event including generating data sets for each of the buildings, each set having energy consumption values along with corresponding time and outside temperature values, where the energy consumption values within each set are shifted by one of a plurality of lag values relative to the corresponding time and outside temperature values, and where each of the plurality of lag values is different from other ones of the plurality of lag values; performing a non-linear parabolic analysis on each set to yield machine learning model parameters and a residual; determining a least valued residual from all residuals yielded, the least valued residual indicating a corresponding energy lag for the each of the buildings; and using energy lags for all of the buildings to generate a dispatch schedule for the demand response program event according to a prioritization of the energy lags.

A method for dispatching buildings in a demand response program event including generating data sets for each of the buildings, each set having energy consumption values along with corresponding time and outside temperature values, where the energy consumption values within each set are shifted by one of a plurality of lag values relative to the corresponding time and outside temperature values, and where each of the plurality of lag values is different from other ones of the plurality of lag values; performing a machine learning model analysis on each set to yield machine learning model parameters and a residual; determining a least valued residual from all residuals yielded, the least valued residual indicating a corresponding energy lag for the each of the buildings; and using energy lags for all of the buildings to generate a dispatch schedule for the demand response program event according to a prioritization of the energy lags.

An intelligent user-side power management device (PMD) that has an optional energy storage unit and can interface with a utility grid or microgrid to eliminate power theft and efficiently provide clean energy to the users of the grid while helping the grid to do smart demand response management, particularly for renewable energy based grids that need to efficiently manage the slack due to the large variability in power generation through these energy sources.

A microgrid controller includes a database in communication with a processor. The processor is operable to receive at least one microgrid input, to determine a first plurality of optimal power characteristic levels at a corresponding one of a plurality of first time intervals for a first time period, and to determine a second plurality of optimal power characteristic levels of a device determined at a corresponding one of a plurality of second time intervals for a second time period. The first time intervals are found at a first frequency different than a second frequency of the second time intervals. One of the second plurality of optimal power characteristic level corresponds to one of the first plurality of optimal power characteristic levels at each first time interval. The processor is configured to control a device optimal power characteristic level in response to the second plurality of optimal power characteristic levels.

A method for dispatching buildings in a demand response program event including generating data sets for each of the buildings, each set having energy consumption values along with corresponding time and outside temperature values, where the energy consumption values within each set are shifted by one of a plurality of lag values relative to the corresponding time and outside temperature values, and where each of the plurality of lag values is different from other ones of the plurality of lag values; performing a non-linear parabolic analysis on each set to yield non-linear parabolic model parameters and a residual; determining a least valued residual from all residuals yielded, the least valued residual indicating a corresponding energy lag for the each of the buildings; and using energy lags for all of the buildings to generate a dispatch schedule for the demand response program event according to a prioritization of the energy lags.