Optimal Operation and Maximal Hosting Capacity of High-Renewable Islanded Microgrids

With the advancement of technology, renewable power generators such as solar photovoltaics and wind turbines have become cost-effective and competitive compared to traditional generators. On the other hand, carbon emission issues have been globally focused, promoting development of renewable energy. Meanwhile, microgrids have been widely constructed with increasing installation of distributed generators including microturbines and renewable power generators. Challenges from intermittent and uncertain renewable sources, low operating efficiency as well as system stability in the islanded mode still exist for microgrid operation and renewable hosting capacity assessment. To address these unsolved issues, it is worth developing advanced optimal operation and hosting capacity maximization approaches for high-renewable microgrids, which are presented in this thesis. For microgrid operation, economic efficiency, solution robustness and system stability are major concerns to be addressed. In order to achieve cost-effective operation, firstly a new stochastic optimal power flow (OPF) is proposed for islanded microgrids. A linear network operating model which can be used in the OPF problem is specifically developed, while uncertainties of photovoltaic power and loads are addressed by Monte Carlo simulation. Secondly, an improved OPF method with a new iterative solution algorithm is proposed to enhance the accuracy of network operating model and the computing speed. Besides, an advanced probabilistic modelling method is adapted to present real-time uncertainties in the OPF method. Thirdly, a novel stochastic OPF method with consideration of tie-line switching from the grid-connected to the islanded mode while the main grid in contingency is proposed. Security constraints to guarantee the system stability in the islanded mode are formulated. Moreover, a Benders decomposition based solution algorithm is developed, to efficiently solve the OPF problem with a master problem and a sub-problem which formulate the grid-connected and the islanded modes, respectively. Fourthly, a renewable hosting capacity maximization approach for an islanded microgrid, considering system frequency deviation, is proposed. An advanced sensitivity region based optimization method is proposed to address the uncertainties of wind power and loads, thus obtaining a robust solution. The proposed methods have been successfully demonstrated and compared with existing works. Simulation results have verified their feasibility and effectiveness

Bacterial Nanocellulose Hydrogel: A Promising Alternative Material for the Fabrication of Engineered Vascular Grafts

Blood vessels are crucial in the human body, providing essential nutrients to all tissues while facilitating waste removal. As the incidence of cardiovascular disease rises, the demand for efficient treatments increases concurrently. Currently, the predominant interventions for cardiovascular disease are autografts and allografts. Although effective, they present limitations including high costs and inconsistent success rates. Recently, synthetic vascular grafts, made from artificial materials, have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional methods. Among these materials, bacterial cellulose hydrogel exhibits significant potential for tissue engineering applications, particularly in developing nanoscale platforms that regulate cell behavior and promote tissue regeneration, attributed to its notable physicochemical and biocompatible properties. This study reviews recent progress in fabricating engineered vascular grafts using bacterial nanocellulose, demonstrating the efficacy of bacterial cellulose hydrogel as a biomaterial for synthetic vascular grafts, specifically for stimulating angiogenesis and neovascularization