Mehrdad Kazerani

Trends in Microgrid Control

The increasing interest in integrating intermittent renewable energy sources into microgrids presents major challenges from the viewpoints of reliable operation and control. In this paper, the major issues and challenges in microgrid control are discussed, and a review of state-of-the-art control strategies and trends is presented; a general overview of the main control principles (e.g., droop control, model predictive control, multi-agent systems) is also included. The paper classifies microgrid control strategies into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary, where primary and secondary levels are associated with the operation of the microgrid itself, and tertiary level pertains to the coordinated operation of the microgrid and the host grid. Each control level is discussed in detail in view of the relevant existing technical literature.

A Comparative Study of Fuel-Cell–Battery, Fuel-Cell–Ultracapacitor, and Fuel-Cell–Battery–Ultracapacitor Vehicles

Although many researchers have investigated the use of different powertrain topologies, component sizes, and control strategies in fuel-cell vehicles, a detailed parametric study of the vehicle types must be conducted before a fair comparison of fuel-cell vehicle types can be performed. This paper compares the near-optimal configurations for three topologies of vehicles: fuel-cell-battery, fuel-cell-ultracapacitor, and fuel-cell-battery-ultracapacitor. The objective function includes performance, fuel economy, and powertrain cost. The vehicle models, including detailed dc/dc converter models, are programmed in Matlab/Simulink for the customized parametric study. A controller variable for each vehicle type is varied in the optimization.

Investigation of Methods for Reduction of Power Fluctuations Generated From Large Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are presently allowed to inject into the grid all the power they can generate. However, in the near future, utilities are expected to impose additional regulations and restrictions on the power being injected by large centralized PV systems because of their possible adverse impacts. One of the main issues associated with large PV systems is the fluctuation of their output power. These fluctuations can negatively impact the performance of the electric networks to which these systems are connected, especially if the penetration levels of these systems are high. Moreover, the fluctuations in the power of PV systems make it difficult to predict their output, and thus, to consider them when scheduling the generating units in the network. The main objective of this paper is to investigate some methods that can be used to reduce the fluctuations in the power generated from a large customer-owned PV system, in the order of megawatts. This paper focuses on three methods: 1) the use of battery storage systems; 2) the use of dump loads; and 3) curtailment of the generated power by operating the power-conditioning unit of the PV system below the maximum power point. The emphasis in the analysis presented in this paper is on investigating the impacts of implementing these methods on the economical benefits that the PV system owner gains. To estimate the maximum revenues gained by the system owner, an linear programming optimization problem is formulated and solved. Moreover, the effect of varying different parameters of the problem is investigated through sensitivity analysis.

Maximum Power Tracking Control for a Wind Turbine System Including a Matrix Converter

This paper focuses on maximum wind power extraction for a wind energy conversion system composed of a wind turbine, a squirrel-cage induction generator, and a matrix converter. At a given wind velocity, the mechanical power available from a wind turbine is a function of its shaft speed. In order to track maximum power, the matrix converter (MC) adjusts the induction generator terminal frequency, and thus, the turbine shaft speed. The MC also adjusts the reactive power transfer at the grid interface towards voltage regulation or power factor correction. A Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm is included in the control system. Conclusions about the effectiveness of the proposed scheme are supported by analysis and simulation results.

A Centralized Energy Management System for Isolated Microgrids

This paper presents the mathematical formulation of the microgrids energy management problem and its implementation in a centralized Energy Management System (EMS) for isolated microgrids. Using the model predictive control technique, the optimal operation of the microgrid is determined using an extended horizon of evaluation and recourse, which allows a proper dispatch of the energy storage units. The energy management problem is decomposed into Unit Commitment (UC) and Optimal Power Flow (OPF) problems in order to avoid a mixed-integer non-linear formulation. The microgrid is modeled as a three-phase unbalanced system with presence of both dispatchable and non-dispatchable distributed generation. The proposed EMS is tested in an isolated microgrid based on a CIGRE medium-voltage benchmark system. Results justify the need for detailed three-phase models of the microgrid in order to properly account for voltage limits and procure reactive power support.

Optimal Photovoltaic Array Reconfiguration to Reduce Partial Shading Losses

Partial shading of a photovoltaic array is the condition under which different modules in the array experience different irradiance levels due to shading. This difference causes mismatch between the modules, leading to undesirable effects such as reduction in generated power and hot spots. The severity of these effects can be considerably reduced by photovoltaic array reconfiguration. This paper proposes a novel mathematical formulation for the optimal reconfiguration of photovoltaic arrays to minimize partial shading losses. The paper formulates the reconfiguration problem as a mixed integer quadratic programming problem and finds the optimal solution using a branch and bound algorithm. The proposed formulation can be used for an equal or nonequal number of modules per row. Moreover, it can be used for fully reconfigurable or partially reconfigurable arrays. The improvement resulting from the reconfiguration with respect to the existing photovoltaic interconnections is demonstrated by extensive simulation results.

Dynamic Modeling and Performance Analysis of a Grid-Connected Current-Source Inverter-Based Photovoltaic System

Voltage-source inverter (VSI) topology is widely used for grid interfacing of distributed generation (DG) systems. However, when employed as the power conditioning unit in photovoltaic (PV) systems, VSI normally requires another power electronic converter stage to step up the voltage, thus adding to the cost and complexity of the system. To make the proliferation of grid-connected PV systems a successful business option, the cost, performance, and life expectancy of the power electronic interface need to be improved. The current-source inverter (CSI) offers advantages over VSI in terms of inherent boosting and short-circuit protection capabilities, direct output current controllability, and ac-side simpler filter structure. Research on CSI-based DG is still in its infancy. This paper focuses on modeling, control, and steady-state and transient performances of a PV system based on CSI. It also performs a comparative performance evaluation of VSI-based and CSI-based PV systems under transient and fault conditions. Analytical expectations are verified using simulations in the Power System Computer Aided Design/Electromagnetic Transient Including DC (PSCAD/EMTDC) environment, based on a detailed system model.

A centralized optimal energy management system for microgrids

The issue of controlled and reliable integration of distributed energy resources into microgrids and large power grids has recently gained considerable attention. The microgrid concept, which basically corresponds to the coordinated operation of a cluster of loads, distributed generators and energy storage systems, is quite appealing due to its flexibility, controllability and energy management capabilities. In order to provide uninterruptible power supply to the loads, microgrids are expected to operate in both grid-connected and stand-alone modes, and economically meet the demand on an instantaneous basis. The problem of optimal management of the resources in a microgrid is being widely investigated and recent studies have proposed the application of both centralized and distributed control schemes by using multi-agent systems, heuristic methods and optimization algorithms. This paper elaborates on the conceptual design of a centralized energy management system (EMS) and its desirable attributes for a microgrid in stand-alone mode of operation. A number of test protocols are proposed to analyze the performance of the system, as well as the impacts of relevant parameters.

Modeling, control and implementation of three-phase PWM converters

Three-phase voltage- and current-source converters are the building blocks of a great number of power electronic systems. The origin of difficulties in the control of the above converters is in their nonlinear nature. In this paper, a novel modeling technique is introduced to derive the linear models of the converters from the nonlinear transformations of the conventional nonlinear models. Then, based on the derived linear models, a high-performance linear controller with satisfactory performances is designed. The bold feature of the new model is the independence of the controller design from the operating point. A DSP-based control system has been built in the lab to verify the performance of the new models and the control algorithm. The simulation and experimental results are in close agreement. The results show that the DC term and the AC-side reactive power can be controlled independently in less than one cycle.

Mid-point siting of FACTS devices in transmission lines

Many controllers of flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), such as the STATCOM, the unified power flow controller (UPFC), the PWM asynchronous DC link, the thyristor-controlled series capacitor (TCSC) and the PWM series static VAr compensator have stabilized AC voltage support. Thus, they can be sited at the mid-point of the transmission line, which has been proven by the late E.W. Kimbark, as the optimum location for shunt capacitor compensation. This paper points out that the ability to double the power transfer of the uncompensated line applies also to the aforementioned FACTS devices. The mid-point siting also facilitates the independent control of reactive power at both ends of the transmission line.