New Perspectives on Modelling and Control for Next Generation Intelligent Transport Systems

This PhD thesis contains 3 major application areas all within an Intelligent Transportation System context. The first problem we discuss considers models that make beneficial use of the large amounts of data generated in the context of traffic systems. We use a Markov chain model to do this, where important data can be taken into account in an aggregate form. The Markovian model is simple and allows for fast computation, even on low end computers, while at the same time allowing meaningful insight into a variety of traffic system related issues. This allows us to both model and enable the control of aggregate, macroscopic features of traffic networks. We then discuss three application areas for this model: the modelling of congestion, emissions, and the dissipation of energy in electric vehicles. The second problem we discuss is the control of pollution emissions in eets of hybrid vehicles. We consider parallel hybrids that have two power units, an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. We propose a scheme in which we can in uence the mix of the two engines in each car based on simple broadcast signals from a central infrastructure. The infrastructure monitors pollution levels and can thus make the vehicles react to its changes. This leads to a context aware system that can be used to avoid pollution peaks, yet does not restrict drivers unnecessarily. In this context we also discuss technical constraints that have to be taken into account in the design of traffic control algorithms that are of a microscopic nature, i.e. they affect the operation of individual vehicles. We also investigate ideas on decentralised trading of emissions. The goal here is to allocate the rights to pollute fairly among the eet's vehicles. Lastly we discuss the usage of decentralised stochastic assignment strategies in traffic applications. Systems are considered in which reservation schemes can not reliably be provided or enforced and there is a signifficant delay between decisions and their effect. In particular, our approach facilitates taking into account the feedback induced into traffic systems by providing forecasts to large groups of users. This feedback can invalidate the predictions if not modelled carefully. At the same time our proposed strategies are simple rules that are easy to follow, easy to accept, and significantly improve the performance of the systems under study. We apply this approach to three application areas, the assignment of electric vehicles to charging stations, the assignment of vehicles to parking facilities, and the assignment of customers to bike sharing stations. All discussed approaches are analysed using mathematical tools and validated through extensive simulations

Steps Toward a Net-Zero Campus with Renewable Energy Resources

With the increasing attention and support behind plug in hybrid electric vehicles, research must be conducted to examine the impacts of vehicles on electric distribution and transmission systems. This research aims first to model the behavior of vehicle battery chargers during system disturbances and mitigate any impacts. A distribution test system example is modeled and several different vehicle charger topologies are added. Faults are applied to the distribution system with vehicle chargers connected and the results are examined. Based on these results, a control strategy to mitigate their negative impacts is suggested. Photovoltaic panels are then added to the system and the study is repeated. Several services that plug in hybrid electric vehicles are capable of providing to the electric system are presented in order to allow electric vehicles to be seen as an asset to electric systems rather than a burden. These services are particularly focused on an electric system such as might be found on a college campus, which in this case is represented by the Clemson University electric distribution system. The first service presented is dynamic phase balancing of a distribution system using vehicle charging. Distribution systems typically face problems with unbalance. At most large car parks, a three phase electric supply is expected even though current standardized chargers are single phase. By monitoring system unbalance and choosing which phase a vehicle is allowed to charge from, unbalance between phases is reduced in a distribution system. The second service presented is a decentralized vehicle to campus control algorithm based on time of use rates. Using time of use electricity prices, discharging vehicle batteries during high prices and recharging at low prices is explored. Battery degradation as well as limits placed by required vehicle range availability are included in the decision on whether to charge or discharge. Electric utilities will also benefit from a reduction of load at peak times if vehicles discharge back to the campus. A comparison with stationary battery energy storage is included

Topics in Electromobility and Related Applications

In this thesis, we mainly discuss four topics on Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the context of smart grid and smart transportation systems. The first topic focuses on investigating the impacts of different EV charging strategies on the grid. In Chapter 3, we present a mathematical framework for formulating different EV charging problems and investigate a range of typical EV charging strategies with respect to different actors in the power system. Using this framework, we compare the performances of all charging strategies on a common power system simulation testbed, highlighting in each case positive and negative characteristics. The second topic is concerned with the applications of EVs with Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capabilities. In Chapter 4, we apply certain ideas from cooperative control techniques to two V2G applications in different scenarios. In the first scenario, we harness the power of V2G technologies to reduce current imbalance in a three-phase power network. In the second scenario, we design a fair V2G programme to optimally determine the power dispatch from EVs in a microgrid scenario. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithms are verified through a variety of simulation studies. The third topic discusses an optimal distributed energy management strategy for power generation in a microgrid scenario. In Chapter 5, we adapt the synchronised version of the Additive-Increase-Multiplicative-Decrease (AIMD) algorithms to minimise a cost utility function related to the power generation costs of distributed resources. We investigate the AIMD based strategy through simulation studies and we illustrate that the performance of the proposed method is very close to the full communication centralised case. Finally, we show that this idea can be easily extended to another application including thermal balancing requirements. The last topic focuses on a new design of the Speed Advisory System (SAS) for optimising both conventional and electric vehicles networks. In Chapter 6, we demonstrate that, by using simple ideas, one can design an effective SAS for electric vehicles to minimise group energy consumption in a distributed and privacy-aware manner; Matlab simulation are give to illustrate the effectiveness of this approach. Further, we extend this idea to conventional vehicles in Chapter 7 and we show that by using some of the ideas introduced in Chapter 6, group emissions of conventional vehicles can also be minimised under the same SAS framework. SUMO simulation and Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) tests involving real vehicles are given to illustrate user acceptability and ease of deployment. Finally, note that many applications in this thesis are based on the theories of a class of nonlinear iterative feedback systems. For completeness, we present a rigorous proof on global convergence of consensus of such systems in Chapter 2

Integration of Large-Scale Electric Vehicles into Utility Grid: An Efficient Approach for Impact Analysis and Power Quality Assessment

Electric vehicles (EVs) have received massive consideration in the automotive industries due to their improved performance, efficiency and capability to minimize global warming and carbon emission impacts. The utilization of EVs has several potential benefits, such as increased use of renewable energy, less dependency on fossil-fuel-based power generations and energy-storage capability. Although EVs can significantly mitigate global carbon emissions, it is challenging to maintain power balance during charging on-peak hours. Thus, it mandates a comprehensive impact analysis of high-level electric vehicle penetration in utility grids. This paper investigates the impacts of large-scale EV penetration on low voltage distribution, considering the charging time, charging method and characteristics. Several charging scenarios are considered for EVs’ integration into the utility grid regarding power demand, voltage profile, power quality and system adequacy. A lookup-table-based charging approach for EVs is proposed for impact analysis, while considering a large-scale integration. It is observed that the bus voltage and line current are affected during high-level charging and discharging of the EVs. The residential grid voltage sag increases by about 1.96% to 1.77%, 2.21%, 1.96 to 1.521% and 1.93% in four EV-charging profiles, respectively. The finding of this work can be adopted in designing optimal charging/discharging of EVs to minimize the impacts on bus voltage and line current

Optimal behavior of a PEV parking lot in renewable-based power systems

There have been a lot of developments in terms of Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) regarding many different subjects, and with some variations between authors. On this basis, it is intended to sum up a lot of contents being approached, and help understanding them. Followed by the development and analysis of a model in order to better understand the functionality of these new developments. First a state of the art is presented where the new development are presented, these will include management of the PEV’s, uncontrolled or controlled (i.e. aggregated) and their capability of using V2G and G2V technologies are analyzed. Afterwards, electricity markets are approached where real world applications are shown and different market types are categorized in order to a better understanding of the subject. The interaction of the PEVs with some renewable energy resources (e.g. solar, wind and biomass) is presented. To finalize, models of PEVs are categorized and multiple types of modules, the related variables, applied methods, and the considered parameters are presented. For a case analysis, a model that includes a parking lot of PEVs will be studied, which includes renewable energy resources, wind and solar. The objective is to analyze the impact of these on the market participation of the parking lot and also on the distribution grid. These analyses will be made on size variations, grid placement and also constraint variations of the model.Tem havido muitos desenvolvimentos em relação a veículos elétricos com tecnologia Plug-in (PEVs), sendo um tema abrangente com bastantes tópicos a serem estudados, sendo que existem também diferentes abordagens do tema por diferentes autores. Tendo isto em consideração, o objetivo inicial será a recolha de informação relativo a esta área e a sua sumarização de modo a possibilitar uma maior compreensão sobre a área. De seguida, o modelo desenvolvido será efetuada a sua análise, tendo em consideração alguns destes desenvolvimentos mencionados previamente. Primeiramente um estado da arte será apresentado onde os recentes desenvolvimentos na área serão apresentados. Estes desenvolvimentos incluem a possibilidade de gestão e manuseamento dos veículos, controlados ou descontrolados (i.e. agregador), e a possibilidade da utilização das tecnologias veiculo para a rede (V2G) e rede para o veículo (G2V) é analisada. De seguida, são analisado os mercados de energia onde serão apresentados casos reais e diferentes tipos de Mercado serão descriminados. A interação dos PEVs com algumas energias renováveis (e.g. Solar, Vento e biomassa) é apresentada. Finalizando modelos de PEVs serão categorizados fazendo distinção entre eles, entre tipo de modelos, variáveis, métodos aplicados, e os parâmetros considerados por estes mesmos. Como caso de estudo é apresentada a análise de um modelo que conta com um parqueamento de PEV, inclui energias renováveis. O objetivo é o de analisar os efeitos das energias renováveis na participação do mercado do parqueamento e o impacte na rede de distribuição. Esta análise será feita pela variação na potência instalada das renováveis, localização na rede do parqueamento e variação nas limitações do modelo