Shu Yuen Ron Hui

Wireless power domino-resonator systems with noncoaxial axes and circular structures

In this paper, a general analysis on wireless power domino-resonator systems with noncoaxial axes is presented. The mathematical formulation established can in principle be used to analyze wireless resonator systems with various domino forms. In this study, it is used to analyze and evaluate wireless domino-resonator systems with circular structures because such structures have more than one main power flow paths and have not been analyzed previously. Based on the superposition method, individual power flow paths are analyzed and then their interactions are emerged and explained with vector diagrams. Unlike the resonator pair used by Tesla, it is demonstrated that optimization of the domino systems can be achieved under “nonresonance frequency” operation and optimal load conditions. The shift of the optimal frequency from the resonance frequency is due to the multiple power flow paths. The theoretical results have been favorably verified with practical measurements obtained from two circular systems.

Maximum Energy Efficiency Tracking for Wireless Power Transfer Systems

A method for automatic “maximum energy efficiency tracking” operation for wireless power transfer (WPT) systems is presented in this paper. Using the switched-mode converter in the receiver module to emulate the optimal load value, the proposed method follows the maximum energy efficiency operating points of a WPT system by searching for the minimum input power operating point for a given output power. Because the searching process is carried out on the transmitter side, the proposal does not require any wireless communication feedback from the receiver side. The control scheme has been successfully demonstrated in a two-coil system under both weak and strong magnetic coupling conditions. Experimental results are included to confirm its feasibility.

Reduction of Energy Storage Requirements in Future Smart Grid Using Electric Springs

The electric spring is an emerging technology proven to be effective in i) stabilizing smart grid with substantial penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources and ii) enabling load demand to follow power generation. The subtle change from output voltage control to input voltage control of a reactive power controller offers the electric spring new features suitable for future smart grid applications. In this project, the effects of such subtle control change are highlighted, and the use of the electric springs in reducing energy storage requirements in power grid is theoretically proven and practically demonstrated in an experimental setup of a 90 kVA power grid. Unlike traditional Statcom and Static Var Compensation technologies, the electric spring offers not only reactive power compensation but also automatic power variation in non-critical loads. Such an advantageous feature enables non-critical loads with embedded electric springs to be adaptive to future power grid. Consequently, the load demand can follow power generation, and the energy buffer and therefore energy storage requirements can be reduced.

Mitigating Voltage and Frequency Fluctuation in Microgrids Using Electric Springs

Voltage and frequency fluctuation associated with renewable integration have been well identified by power system operators and planners. At the microgrid level, a novel device for the implementation of dynamic load response, which is known as the electric springs (ES), has been developed for mitigating both active and reactive power imbalances. In this paper, a comprehensive control strategy is proposed for ES to participate in both voltage and frequency response control. It adopts the phase angle and amplitude control which respectively adjust the active power and the reactive power of the system. The proposed control strategy is validated using a model established with power system computer aided design/electro-magnetic transient in dc system. Results from the case studies show that with appropriate setting and operating strategy, ES can mitigate the voltage and frequency fluctuation caused by wind speed fluctuation, load fluctuation, and generator tripping wherever it is installed in the microgrid.

Distributed Voltage Control with Electric Springs: Comparison with STATCOM

The concept of electric spring (ES) has been proposed recently as an effective means of distributed voltage control. The idea is to regulate the voltage across the critical (C) loads while allowing the noncritical (NC) impedance-type loads (e.g., water heaters) to vary their power consumption and thus contribute to demand-side response. In this paper, a comparison is made between distributed voltage control using ES against the traditional single point control with STATic COMpensator (STATCOM). For a given range of supply voltage variation, the total reactive capacity required for each option to produce the desired voltage regulation at the point of connection is compared. A simple case study with a single ES and STATCOM is presented first to show that the ES and STATCOM require comparable reactive power to achieve similar voltage regulation. Comparison between a STATCOM and ES is further substantiated through similar case studies on the IEEE 13-bus test feeder system and also on a part of the distribution network in Sha Lo Wan Bay, Hong Kong. In both cases, it turns out that a group of ESs achieves better total voltage regulation than STATCOM with less overall reactive power capacity. Dependence of the ES capability on proportion of critical and NC load is also shown.

Electric spring for power quality improvement

In this paper, we discuss the principles of operating the electric spring (ES) as a reactive power compensator and as a power factor corrector. The theory on electric springs with capacitors for voltage stabilization is reviewed to present a general idea on the behavior of ES. Further discussion focuses on the principle of ES with batteries to cover its eight possible operating modes and their usefulness in providing line current regulation. An input current control scheme is designed for ES with batteries to validate its capability in power factor correction. A low-voltage single-phase power system with different types of loads has been built for verifying the feasibility of proposed theory of ES with batteries. Experimental results show that the ES is capable of performing the eight operating modes when changing the power consumption of the non-critical load, and that with the proposed input current control, the ES can achieve power factor correction for both RL and RC loads.

Primary Frequency Control Contribution From Smart Loads Using Reactive Compensation

Frequency-dependent loads inherently contribute to primary frequency response. This paper describes additional contribution to primary frequency control based on voltage-dependent noncritical (NC) loads that can tolerate a wide variation of supply voltage. By using a series of reactive compensators to decouple the NC load from the mains to form a smart load (SL), the voltage, and hence the active power of the NC load, can be controlled to regulate the mains frequency. The scope of this paper focuses primarily on reactive compensators for which only the magnitude of the injected voltage could be controlled while maintaining the quadrature relationship between the current and voltage. New control guidelines are suggested. The effectiveness of the SLs in improving mains frequency regulation without considering frequency-dependent loads and with little relaxation in mains voltage tolerance is demonstrated in a case study on the IEEE 37 bus test distribution network. Sensitivity analysis is included to show the effectiveness and limitations of SLs for varying load power factors, proportion of SLs, and system strengths.

Smart Loads for Voltage Control in Distribution Networks

This paper shows that the smart loads (SLs) could be effective in mitigating voltage problems caused by photovoltaic (PV) generation and electric vehicle (EV) charging in low-voltage (LV) distribution networks. Limitations of the previously reported SL configuration with only series reactive compensator (SLQ) (one converter) is highlighted in this paper. To overcome these limitations, an additional shunt converter is used in back-to-back (B2B) configuration to support the active power exchanged by the series converter, which increases the flexibility of the SL without requiring any energy storage. Simulation results on a typical U.K. LV distribution network are presented to compare the effectiveness of an SL with B2B converters (SLBCs) against an SLQ in tackling under- and over-voltage problems caused by EV or PV. It is shown that SLBCs can regulate the main voltage more effectively than SLQs especially under over-voltage condition. Although two converters are required for each SLBC, it is shown that the apparent power capacity of each converter is required to be significantly less than that of an equivalent SLQ.

Basic Control Principles of Omnidirectional Wireless Power Transfer

This paper presents the basic control principles of omnidirectional wireless power transfer (WPT) based on the current amplitude control. The principles involve 1) an “omnidirectional” scanning process for detecting the power requirements in a 3-D space and 2) a “directional” power flow control for focusing the wireless power toward the targeted areas. Such principles apply to any WPT system comprising three orthogonal transmitter coils and multiple receivers with coil resonators. A current amplitude control method capable of generating a magnetic vector at a set of points evenly distributed on a spherical surface is explained. Based on the voltage and the current information in the transmitter circuit, the power involved in each vector over the spherical surface can be obtained. By scanning the vector over the spherical surface, the collective power flow requirements for the targeted loads can be determined. Based on the power requirements for the vectors over the spherical surface, a weighted time-sharing scheme is adopted to focus the wireless power toward the targeted areas. This method has been successfully applied to a hardware prototype. Both theoretical and experimental results are included to confirm these principles.

Distributed voltage control with electric springs: Comparison with STATCOM

Summary form only given. The concept of electric spring (ES) has been proposed recently as an effective means of distributed voltage control. The idea is to regulate the voltage across the critical (C) loads while allowing the noncritical (NC) impedance-type loads (e.g., water heaters) to vary their power consumption and thus contribute to demand-side response. In this paper, a comparison is made between distributed voltage control using ES against the traditional single point control with STATic COMpensator (STATCOM). For a given range of supply voltage variation, the total reactive capacity required for each option to produce the desired voltage regulation at the point of connection is compared. A simple case study with a single ES and STATCOM is presented first to show that the ES and STATCOM require comparable reactive power to achieve similar voltage regulation. Comparison between a STATCOM and ES is further substantiated through similar case studies on the IEEE 13-bus test feeder system and also on a part of the distribution network in Sha Lo Wan Bay, Hong Kong. In both cases, it turns out that a group of ESs achieves better total voltage regulation than STATCOM with less overall reactive power capacity. Dependence of the ES capability on proportion of critical and NC load is also shown.