Conic Optimization Theory: Convexification Techniques and Numerical Algorithms

Optimization is at the core of control theory and appears in several areas of this field, such as optimal control, distributed control, system identification, robust control, state estimation, model predictive control and dynamic programming. The recent advances in various topics of modern optimization have also been revamping the area of machine learning. Motivated by the crucial role of optimization theory in the design, analysis, control and operation of real-world systems, this tutorial paper offers a detailed overview of some major advances in this area, namely conic optimization and its emerging applications. First, we discuss the importance of conic optimization in different areas. Then, we explain seminal results on the design of hierarchies of convex relaxations for a wide range of nonconvex problems. Finally, we study different numerical algorithms for large-scale conic optimization problems.Comment: 18 page

Robust Hybrid Linear State Estimator Utilizing SCADA and PMU Measurements

This paper intends to improve the accuracy of power system State Estimation (SE) by introducing a hybrid linear robust state estimator. To this end, automatic bad data rejection is accomplished through an M-estimator, i.e. a Schweppe-type estimator with Huber loss function. The method of Iteratively Reweighted Least Squares (IRLS) is used to maximize the likelihood function in the M-estimator. Leverage measurements are also treated by a simple yet effective formulation. To run the algorithm for real-world large-scale grids, cumbersome construction of the Jacobian matrix at each iteration is avoided. In addition, convergence to the local minima faced in the large-scale Gauss-Newton algorithm is not a concern as the proposed formulation is linear with no approximation. As observability and redundancy considerations mandate SE to take advantage of traditional SCADA measurements along with available PMU measurements, the linearity of the proposed SE formulation is guaranteed regardless of whether PMU-only, SCADA-only or hybrid SCADA/PMU measurements are utilized. In this regard, covariance matrix for measurements weights is derived for both types of measurements. Thanks to the linear formulation and therefore swiftness of the proposed algorithm, SE could be run for different power systems with a few up to thousands of buses

An exact relaxation of AC-OPF problem for battery-integrated power grids

Renewable energy resources and power electronics-interfaced loads introduce fast dynamics in distribution networks. These dynamics cannot be regulated by slow conventional solutions and require fast controllable energy resources such as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs). To compensate for the high costs associated to BESSs, their energy and power management should be optimized. In this paper, a convex iterative optimization approach is developed to find the optimal active and reactive power setpoints of BESSs in active distribution networks. The objective is to minimize the total cost of energy purchase from the grid. Round-trip and life-time characteristics of BESSs are modelled accurately and integrated into a relaxed and exact formulation of the AC power flow, resulting into a Modified Augmented Relaxed Optimal Power Flow (MAROP) problem. The feasibility and optimality of the solution under the grid security limits and technical constraints of BESSs is proven analytically. A 32-bus IEEE test benchmark is used to illustrate the performance of the developed approach in comparison to the alternative approaches existing in the literature

Optimal Control of Two-Player Systems with Output Feedback

In this article, we consider a fundamental decentralized optimal control problem, which we call the two-player problem. Two subsystems are interconnected in a nested information pattern, and output feedback controllers must be designed for each subsystem. Several special cases of this architecture have previously been solved, such as the state-feedback case or the case where the dynamics of both systems are decoupled. In this paper, we present a detailed solution to the general case. The structure of the optimal decentralized controller is reminiscent of that of the optimal centralized controller; each player must estimate the state of the system given their available information and apply static control policies to these estimates to compute the optimal controller. The previously solved cases benefit from a separation between estimation and control which allows one to compute the control and estimation gains separately. This feature is not present in general, and some of the gains must be solved for simultaneously. We show that computing the required coupled estimation and control gains amounts to solving a small system of linear equations