Autonomous water heater control for load regulation on Smart Grids

The implementation of Smart Grids has been hindered in developing countries due to the cost of entry. A goal is therefore to design a system that can provide a similar service to a Smart Grid at a lower cost. An autonomous load controller can capitalize on the relationship between grid frequency and power imbalance to provide distributed demand response. Water heaters are controlled in this scheme and used as dispatchable loads when power needs to be consumed and defered loads when consumption needs to be limited. A mathematical model of a heater is developed through testing and a form of control is presented that uses a measurement of the grid frequency and water temperature to regulate power consumption while ensuring service delivery. A Monte Carlo type simulation shows the viability of the controller on a large scale with variations of the control parameters. Results indicate that usable water temperatures are maintained and a secondary effect of frequency regulation is observed.