Cooling Devices in Demand Response: A Comparison of Control Methods

Demand response plays an important role in the development of the smart grid, which can effectively manage society's energy consumption. Cooling devices, such as refrigerators and freezers, are ideal devices for demand-response programs because their energy states can be controlled without reducing the lifestyle and comfort of the residents. Conversely, managing air conditioning and space heating would affect a resident's comfort level. Direct compressor control and thermostat control methods have been proposed in the past for controlling cooling devices but they are never studied concurrently. This paper proposes a new control mechanism and compares the effectiveness of the three control mechanisms for cooling devices in demand response. In addition, this paper illustrates the need for a damping strategy to mitigate demand oscillations that occur from synchronous fleet control.