Modeling and Grid Integration of Large Dish‐Stirling Solar Farm

Dustin Howard, Ronald G. Harley and Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Modeling and Grid Integration of Large Dish‐Stirling Solar FarmDish-Stirling systems are a form of concentrating solar power (CSP) emerging as an efficient and reliable source of renewable energy. Various technical hurdles are involved in the grid interconnection of dish-Stirling systems, particularly with issues related to power factor correction, low voltage ride-through capability, and reactive power planning. While there are no gridinterconnection requirements specific to dish-Stirling technology, the requirements currently established for wind farms are used as a starting point due to the similar design and operating characteristics between wind farms and dish-Stirling solar farms. A dish-Stirling solar farm requires external reactive power compensation to meet the power factor requirements presently set for wind farms.

Dynamic Performance Model for Wind Turbine Generators

Prajwal Gautam and  Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy

Wind turbine power curves are based on the industry standard IEC 61400-12-1. Power curves are used for planning purposes and estimating total wind power production. Wind velocity are collected and averaged over 10-minute periods.  Traditional methods do not explain varying characteristics in wind dynamics where multiple power productions are observed for same wind speed. When the input parameters such as wind speed and wind directions are known and the output parameter wind power are known for an installed wind turbine generation plant, a dynamic computational network such as neural network is used to develop operation model and estimate the wind power generation.

Modeling and Intelligent Control for an Electric Power Micro-Grid

Yi Deng, Ganesh Kumar Venaygamoorthy and Ronald G Harley

The micro-grid will be an important part of future power system. It contains the typical elements in present and future power systems and also contains some renewable energy sources, eg. wind power, photovoltaic energy, and energy storage. Power electronic devices/converters act as interface between the renewable energy sources and the power grid. An intelligent controller will be necessary to ensure stability of the micro-grid.

Gridable (Plug-in) Vehicles -Smart Grid Integration

Ahmed Y. Saber and Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Gridable (Plug-in) Vehicles -Smart Grid IntegrationSmart grid consists of conventional generations, wind, solar and gridable vehicles (GVs). Intelligent optimization methods result in reduction of cost of energy and emission. GVs operate in two modes: grid-to-vehicle (G2V, loads and storage), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G, sources). “Smartparks with GVs” are as virtual power plants consisting of several small portable power plants (vehicles).

Scalable Monitoring and DSOPF Control for Smart Grids

Karthikeyan Balasubramaniam and Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy

An adaptive, optimal, real-time controller based on adaptive critics design called dynamic stochastic optimal power flow (DSOPF) controller is proposed. Stochastic nature in power system can arise as a result of load and generation stochastic behaviors and due to random noise in PMU data which arises due to communication noise and measurement error. DSOPF controller can perform real-time control action but system wide information cannot be made available to DSOPF controller in real-time because of power system communication delays which can range from a few milliseconds to several seconds depending on distance and communication media.

If state variables can be predicted ahead of time, then communication delay can be compensated for. Hence, a scalable wide area monitoring system that can predict state variables ahead of time is developed. Scalability is achieved by using cellular architecture called cellular computational network (CCN). This module can effectively compensate for communication delays and hence can enable DSOPF controller to perform real-time control with system wide information.

Dynamic Stochastic Optimal Power Flow Control for Smart Grids

Jiaqi Liang, Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy and Ronald G Harley

High penetration of intermittent renewables adds uncertainty and variablity.  Static OPF cannot handle fast stochastic/dynamic events. Secondary frequency and voltage control cannot guarantee system-wide security. Coordinated AC power flow control solution replaces existing linear secondary frequency and voltage control, interacts with dynamics of load and local controllers. It simultaneously considers economy, stability, and security in real-time control. It also handles fast stochastic events (eg. wind variations, and contingencies).

DSOPF Control for Power Systems with High Variability

Jacqi Liang, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy and Ronald G. Harley

DSOPF Control for Power Systems with High VariabilityTo achieve a high penetration level of intermittent renewable energy, power system stability and security need to be ensured dynamically as the system operating condition continuously changes. A DSOPF control algorithm using adaptive critic designs (ACDs) is proposed as a solution to control the smart grid in an environment with high short-term uncertainty and variability.

Damping Electromechanical Oscillations in Large-Scale Power Systems Using Intelligent Aggregated Control

Diogenes Molina, Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy and Ronald G Harley

Poorly damped oscillations can constraint the safe operating region of power systems, prevent more economical operation, and increase the probability of wide-spread blackouts. Controllers capable of monitoring and injecting signals at multiple generating stations across the system can help mitigate these oscillations and improve overall performance. Methodologies for designing such controllers using approximate dynamic programming system aggregation techniques are proposed.