Probabilistic Reliability Analysis of Electric Power Systems with Smart Grid Technologies and Water Distribution Networks: Modeling, Assessment, and Comparison

With the rapid growth of population, the modern human society is becoming more and more dependent on the proper operation of critical infrastructures - the interconnected electrical power system, the drinking water distribution and supply system, the natural gas transmission and distribution system, and so forth. It has become an important issue to maintain reliable functions of these critical systems. As a result, comprehensive reliability evaluation is highly needed to quantify their reliability in an objective manner. Conventionally, deterministic criteria were used in reliability evaluations. However, it lacked the ability to model and quantify the stochastic nature of system behaviors such as component failures. In light of these facts, this thesis deploys probabilistic methodologies for conducting quantitative reliability modeling and assessment for nation’s critical infrastructures including electrical power networks incorporating smart grid technologies and water distribution networks. Power system operators are faced with the increasingly complicated operating conditions in bulk power systems. Yet due to the huge investment needed to build new power delivery facilities, cost-effective solutions such as new operational strategies are becoming more attractive and viable in recent years. Optimal transmission switching (OTS) and dynamic thermal rating (DTR) are two such technologies which offer a potential solution to improving the power system reliability by more fully utilizing the existing power delivery assets. In this thesis, these two technologies are first discussed, which are then incorporated into the power system reliability evaluation procedure. Case studies are conducted on modified RTS-79 and RTS-96 systems using MATLAB and IBM CPLEX. The obtained simulation results have shown that with the enforcement of either OTS or DTR technology, the overall system reliability can be improved, and system reliability can be further improved if both technologies are enforced. The growing urban population has brought great stress to the aging drinking water distribution systems. It is becoming more challenging to maintain a reliable drinking water distribution system so as to meet the growing water demand. Thus, a comprehensive reliability evaluation of the aging water delivery infrastructure is of critical importance to enable informed decision-making in asset management of the potable water sector. This thesis also proposes a probabilistic reliability evaluation methodology for water distribution systems based on Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) that takes into account both mechanical failures and hydraulic failures. Additionally, a C++ based software tool is developed to implement the proposed method. Case studies based on two representative water distribution systems are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. A comparison is made between the reliability analysis of electrical power systems and that of water distribution systems. As interconnected capacitated networks, both systems share similarities in certain aspects such as component modeling and adequacy constraints. However, the specific features of the target systems should also be taken into consideration in the reliability modeling and evaluation in order to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate estimation of the actual system reliability

The Automatic Observation Management System of the GWAC Network. I. System Architecture and Workflow

International audienceThe Ground Wide Angle Camera Network (GWAC-N) is a network of robotic multi-aperture, multiple field-of-view (FoV) optical telescopes. The main contingent of GWAC-N instruments are provided by the Ground Wide Angle Cameras Array (GWAC-A), and additional, narrower FoV telescopes are utilized to provide fast multi-band follow-up capabilities. The primary scientific goal of the GWAC-N is to search for optical counterparts of gamma-ray bursts that will be detected by the Space Variable Object Monitor (SVOM) satellite. The GWAC-N performs many additional observing tasks including follow-up of Target of Opportunities (ToO) targets and the detection (and monitoring) of variable objects and optical transients. To handle these use cases (and to allow for extensibility), we have designed ten observation modes and 175 observation strategies, including a joint strategy with multiple GWAC-N telescopes for the follow-up of gravitational wave (GW) events. To perform these observations, we develop an Automatic Observation Management (AOM) system capable of performing object management, dynamic scheduling, automatic broadcasting across the network, and image handling. The AOM system combines the individual telescopes which comprise the GWAC-N into a network and smoothly organizes all associated operations, completely meeting the requirements dictated by GWAC-N. With its modular design, the AOM is scientifically and technically viable for other general-purpose telescope networks. As the GWAC-N extends and evolves, the AOM will greatly enhance its discovery potential. In this first paper of a series, we present the scientific goals of the GWAC-N and detail the hardware, software, and workflow developed to achieve these goals. The structure, technical design, implementation, and performance of the AOM system are also described in detail. We conclude with a summary of the current status of the GWAC-N and our near-future development plan