A reliable micro-grid with seamless transition between grid connected and islanded mode for residential community with enhanced power quality

This paper presents a reliable micro-grid for residential community with modified control techniques to achieve enhanced operation during grid connected, islanded and resynchronization mode. The proposed micro-grid is a combination of solar photo-voltaic (PV), battery storage system and locally distributed DG systems with residential local loads. A modified power control technique is developed such that, local load reactive power demand, harmonic currents and load unbalance is compensated by respective residential local DG. However, active power demand of all local residential load is shared between the micro-grid and respective local DG. This control technique also achieves constant active power loading on the micro-grid by supporting additional active power local load demand of respective residential DG. Hence, proposed modified power control technique achieves transient free operation of the micro-grid during residential load disturbances. An additional modified control technique is also developed to achieve seamless transition of micro-grid between grid connected mode and islanded mode. The dynamic performance of this micro-grid during grid connected, islanded and re-synchronization mode under linear and non-linear load variations is verified using real time simulator (RTS)

Optimal load shedding for microgrids with unlimited DGs

Recent years, increasing trends on electrical supply demand, make us to search for the new alternative in supplying the electrical power. A study in micro grid system with embedded Distribution Generations (DGs) to the system is rapidly increasing. Micro grid system basically is design either operate in islanding mode or interconnect with the main grid system. In any condition, the system must have reliable power supply and operating at low transmission power loss. During the emergency state such as outages of power due to electrical or mechanical faults in the system, it is important for the system to shed any load in order to maintain the system stability and security. In order to reduce the transmission loss, it is very important to calculate best size of the DGs as well as to find the best positions in locating the DG itself.. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been applied to find and calculate the load shedding priorities based on decision alternatives which have been made. The main objective of this project is to optimize the load shedding in the micro grid system with unlimited DG’s by applied optimization technique Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA). The technique is used to optimize the placement and sizing of DGs, as well as to optimal the load shedding. Several load shedding schemes have been proposed and studied in this project such as load shedding with fixed priority index, without priority index and with dynamic priority index. The proposed technique was tested on the IEEE 69 Test Bus Distribution system

Stability enhancement of a hybrid micro-grid system in grid fault condition

Low voltage ride through capability augmentation of a hybrid micro-grid system is presented in this paper which reflects enhanced reliability in the system. The control scheme involves parallel connected multiple ac-dc bidirectional converters. When the micro-grid system is subjected to a severe voltage dip by any transient fault single power converter may not be able to provide necessary reactive power to overcome the severe voltage dip. This paper discusses the control strategy of additional power converter connected in parallel with main converter to support extra reactive power to withstand the severe voltage dip. During transient fault, when the terminal voltage crosses 90% of its pre-fault value, additional converter comes into operation. With the help of additional power converter, the micro-grid system withstands the severe voltage fulfilling the grid code requirements. This multiple converter scheme provides the micro-grid system the capability of low voltage ride through which makes the system more reliable and stable.peer-reviewe

PFC Topologies for AC to DC Converters in DC Micro-Grid

With increasing dominance of renewable energy resources and DC household appliances, the novelty of DC micro grid is attracting significant attention. The key interface between the main supply grid and DC micro grid is AC to DC converter. The conventional AC to DC converter with large output capacitor introduces undesirable power quality problems in the main supply current. It reduces system efficiency due to low power factor and high harmonic distortion. Power Factor Correction (PFC) circuits are used to make supply currents sinusoidal and in-phase with supply voltages. This paper presents different PFC topologies for single phase AC to DC converters which are analyzed for power factor (PF), total harmonic distortion (THD) and system efficiency by varying output power. Two-quadrant shunt active filter topology attains a power factor of 0.999, 3.03% THD and 98% system efficiency. Output voltage regulation of the presented active PFC topologies is simulated by applying a step load. Two-quadrant shunt active filter achieves better output voltage regulation compared to other topologies and can be used as grid interface

A new method to energy saving in a micro grid

Optimization of energy production systems is a relevant issue that must be considered in order to follow the fossil fuels consumption reduction policies and CO2 emission regulation. Increasing electricity production from renewable resources (e.g., photovoltaic systems and wind farms) is desirable but its unpredictability is a cause of problems for the main grid stability. A system with multiple energy sources represents an efficient solution, by realizing an interface among renewable energy sources, energy storage systems, and conventional power generators. Direct consequences of multi-energy systems are a wider energy flexibility and benefits for the electric grid, the purpose of this paper is to propose the best technology combination for electricity generation from a mix of renewable energy resources to satisfy the electrical needs. The paper identifies the optimal off-grid option and compares this with conventional grid extension, through the use of HOMER software. The solution obtained shows that a hybrid combination of renewable energy generators at an off-grid location can be a cost-effective alternative to grid extension and it is sustainable, techno-economically viable, and environmentally sound. The results show how this innovative energetic approach can provide a cost reduction in power supply and energy fees of 40% and 25%, respectively, and CO2 emission decrease attained around 18%. Furthermore, the multi-energy system taken as the case study has been optimized through the utilization of three different type of energy storage (Pb-Ac batteries, flywheels, and micro—Compressed Air Energy Storage (C.A.E.S.)

Evaluating the robustness of an active network management function in an operational environment

This paper presents the integration process of a distribution network Active Network Management (ANM) function within an operational environment in the form of a Micro-Grid Laboratory. This enables emulation of a real power network and enables investigation into the effects of data uncertainty on an online and automatic ANM algorithm's control decisions. The algorithm implemented within the operational environment is a Power Flow Management (PFM) approach based around the Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP). This paper show the impact of increasing uncertainty, in the input data available for an ANM scheme in terms of the variation in control actions. The inclusion of a State Estimator (SE), with known tolerances is shown to improve the ANM performance

A Distributed Machine Learning Approach for the Secondary Voltage Control of an Islanded Micro-Grid

Balancing the active and the reactive power in a stand-alone micro-grid is a critical task. A micro-grid without energy storage capability is even more vulnerable to stability issues. This paper investigates a distributed secondary control to maintain the rated voltage in a stand-alone micro-grid. Here multiple machine learning algorithms have been implemented to provide the secondary control where a primary control scheme is insufficient to maintain a stable voltage after a sudden change in the load. The performance of the secondary control is monitored by a centralized system and in most of the cases it does not interfere. Based on different contingencies the proposed method would suggest different machine learning algorithms which are previously trained with similar data. The contingencies are based on an imbalance either in the active or in the reactive power in the system. It is considered that the distributed generators such as the wind and solar plants as well as the residential loads have some degree of randomness. The secondary control is invoked only in the events when primary droop control is insufficient to address the stability issue and maintain a desired voltage in the system

Power Talk in DC Micro Grids: Constellation Design and Error Probability Performance

Power talk is a novel concept for communication among units in a Micro Grid (MG), where information is sent by using power electronics as modems and the common bus of the MG as a communication medium. The technique is implemented by modifying the droop control parameters from the primary control level. In this paper, we consider power talk in a DC MG and introduce a channel model based on Thevenin equivalent. The result is a channel whose state that can be estimated by both the transmitter and the receiver. Using this model, we present design of symbol constellations of arbitrary order and analyze the error probability performance. Finally, we also show how to design adaptive modulation in the proposed communication framework, which leads to significant performance benefits.Comment: IEEE SmartGridComm 201