Electrical and Computer Engineering Commons^™

Quantum-Powered Battery Scheduling In Modern Distribution Grids, Diba Ehsani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rising need for exploiting a novel and evolved computation is an increasing concern in the power distribution system to address the exponential growth of distribution-connected devices. Scheduling numerous battery energy storage systems in an optimal way is one of the emerging challenges that will be more noticeable as the number of batteries, including residential, community, and vehicle batteries, increases in the grid. This thesis focuses on this topic and offers a necessary component in building the quantum-compatible distribution system of the future. Using a constrained quadratic model (CQM) on D-Wave’s hybrid solver as well as a binary quadratic model …

Data-Driven Approaches For Enhancing Power Grid Reliability, Behrouz Sohrabi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the transformative potential of data-driven approaches in addressing key operational and reliability issues in power systems. The first part of this thesis addresses a prevalent problem in power distribution networks: the accurate identification of load phases. This study develops a data-driven model leveraging consumption measurements from smart meters and corresponding substation data to reconstruct topology information in low-voltage distribution networks. The proposed model is extensively tested using a dataset with more than 5,000 real load profiles, demonstrating satisfactory performance for large-scale networks. The second part of the thesis pivots to a crucial safety concern: the risk and …

Consensus-Based Active And Reactive Power Control And Management Of Microgrids, Shruti Singh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microgrids incorporating distributed generation and renewable energy sources offer potential solutions to the energy crisis while modernizing traditional grids. Despite cost-effectiveness in some technologies, financial support remains crucial for expensive ones like PV, fuel cells, and storage technologies. Microgrids bring economic benefits, efficiency, reduced emissions, and improved power quality. Their success hinges on cost reductions in renewables, storage, reliability, and energy management systems, enabling operation both with and without the utility grid.

Economic Dispatch optimizes system costs, considering all constraints. Various methods tackle this problem, including quadratic convex functions, Lagrangian relaxation, and quadratic programming. For microgrids with distributed generators, seamless …

Design Of Hybrid Inverters Using Wideband Gap Semiconductors For Microgrid Application, Luca Gacy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the world becomes more reliant on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, the need for high efficiency high power inverters connected to homes is more relevant than ever. Connecting these renewable energy sources (RES) coupled with an energy storage system (ESS) to the grid through a hybrid inverter, with the highest efficiency and grid stability, is quickly becoming a necessity for the near future. This thesis explores the integration of wide band gap semiconductors for the power stage in these systems, along with the analysis of hybrid inverter topologies and structures. The goal of this thesis …

The Modernization Of Large Power Transformer Tanks, Babajide O. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the current demands placed on the power grid in terms of climate change, increasing urbanization, and terrorist attacks, the U.S. government in response to these demands, mandated that all the grid components be modernized in order to increase their reliability. As a critical component of the grid, Large Power Transformers (LPTs) play a key role in ensuring sustainable power generation and distribution. A literature search performed in this work and the analysis of data retrieved from the search showed that the tanks of these LPTs are critical to their durability, longevity, and reliability. Therefore, the reliability of LPTs …

Deep Learning For Power Flow Estimation And High Impedance Fault Detection, Kun Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My thesis is divided into two parts.

The first part is: “Optimal Power Flow Estimation Using One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network [1]“. Optimal power flow (OPF) is an important research topic in power system operation and control decisions. Traditional OPF problems are solved through dynamic optimization with nonlinear programming techniques. For a large power system with large amounts of variables and constraints, the solving process would take a long time. This paper presents a new method to quickly estimate the OPF results using a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN). The OPF problem is treated as a high-dimensional mapping between the load …

Power System Dynamic Control And Performance Improvement Based On Reinforcement Learning, Wei Gao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of using Reinforcement Learning (RL) techniques for power system dynamic control, particularly voltage and frequency control. The conventional control strategies used in power systems are complex and time-consuming due to the complicated high-order nonlinearities of the system. RL, which is a type of neural network-based technique, has shown promise in solving these complex problems by fitting any nonlinear system with the proper network structure.

The proposed RL algorithm, called Guided Surrogate Gradient-based Evolution Strategy (GSES) determines the weights of the policy (which generates the action for our control reference signal) without back-propagation process …

Data-Enabled Distribution Grid Management, Zohreh Sadat Hosseini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2020, U.S. electric utilities installed more than 94 million advanced meters, which brought the percentage of residential customers equipped with smart meters to 75%. This significant investment allows collecting extensive customer data at the distribution level, however, the data are not currently leveraged effectively to help with system operations. This dissertation aims to use the smart meters’ data to improve the grid’s reliability, stability, and controllability by solving two of the most challenging problems at the distribution level, namely distribution network phase identification and outage identification.

Distribution networks have typically been the least observable and most dynamic and locally …

Characterization, Analysis, And Application Of Wbg Power Devices For Future Power Conversion Systems, Ali Mahmoud Salman Al-Bayati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Semiconductor power devices are the most momentous constituents of any power converter system. Fast switching, compactness, high performance and efficiency, and high temperature operation are the exacting challenges experienced by conventional silicon (Si) power device based power converters in many applications. In this dissertation, the wide bandgap (WBG) power devices are studied and used to transcend the limitations imposed by the Si power devices. It mainly focuses on characterization and analysis of the behavior of WBG power devices as well as design and development of efficient, high performance, and reliable dc–dc power converters based on WBG technology. First, using computer …

Distributed Control, Optimization, And State Estimation For Renewable Power System, Qiao Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The traditional power systems are usually centralized systems, in which the control, operation and monitoring are performed by the centralized control center, e.g., SCADA. However, with the development of renewable energy, power systems are getting more and more distributed. So, it becomes necessary to establish the distributed power system operation methods for these power systems. In this research, the distributed techniques for the renewable power systems are proposed based on the consensus protocol technique from graph theory. These techniques cover the three important problems in power systems, i.e., economic dispatch, state estimation, and optimal power flow. First, the Distributed Economic …

Optimal Sizing And Operation Of A Pumped Thermal Energy Storage System, Matthew Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Current trends in the modern grid are leading to the integration of energy storage technologies (ESSs), such as pumped thermal energy storage to help incorporate more variable renewable energy sources into the grid. This paper analyzes the operation of a pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) system under the grid services of energy arbitrage, regulation services, spinning and non-spinning reserve, resource adequacy, and a combination of them all. Each revenue stream is setup into an optimization problem and solved to find which revenue generating technique would generate the most revenue. The combined revenue stream was found to produce the most revenue …

Experimental Investigation Of Low-Voltage Silicon Carbide (Sic) Semiconductor Devices For Power Conversion Applications, Saleh Salem H. Alharbi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Enhancing the performance and efficiency of power converter systems requires fast-switching power devices with considerably low switching and conduction losses. Silicon (Si) semiconductor devices are the essential components in electronic converter designs, and their behaviors and switching characteristics determine the system’s overall performance and efficiency. These conventional Si devices are nearing to hit their physical and operational limits in meeting power converter requirements with respect to high temperature and large voltage conditions. However, silicon carbide (SiC) power devices enable greater converter efficiency and better power density, particularly under hard switching frequencies and high output voltages due to their outstanding material …

Experimental Evaluation Of Medium-Voltage Cascode Gallium Nitride (Gan) Devices For Bidirectional Dc–Dc Converters, Salah Salem H. Alharbi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic (PV) cells and wind turbines, are rapidly implemented in DC microgrids, energy storage systems play an increasingly significant role in ensuring uninterrupted power supply and in supporting the reliability and stability of microgrid operations. Power electronics, especially bidirectional DC–DC converters, are essential parts in distributed energy storage and alternative energy systems because of their grid synchronization, DC power management, and bidirectional power flow capabilities. While there is increasing demand for more efficient, compact, and reliable power converters in numerous applications, most existing power converters are hindered by traditional silicon (Si) based semiconductors, which …

Microgrid-Enabled Reactive Power Support To Enhance Grid Economics, Sarhan Hasan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reactive power plays an essential role in voltage control and stability in electric power systems. Various Volt/VAR techniques are utilized in electric power systems to maintain the voltage profile within defined acceptable limits and accordingly provide reliability and stability. Reactive power has been commonly generated through large-scale synchronous generators or distributed capacitor banks to provide proper transmission and distribution level system management, however, reactive power can be further used as an effective means to reduce total system operation cost. In this dissertation, an optimal reactive power model is proposed to determine the optimal nodal reactive powers that result in the …

Deep Reinforcement Learning For The Optimization Of Building Energy Control And Management, Jun Hao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most of the current game-theoretic demand-side management methods focus primarily on the scheduling of home appliances, and the related numerical experiments are analyzed under various scenarios to achieve the corresponding Nash-equilibrium (NE) and optimal results. However, not much work is conducted for academic or commercial buildings. The methods for optimizing academic-buildings are distinct from the optimal methods for home appliances. In my study, we address a novel methodology to control the operation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC).

We assume that each building in our campus is equipped with smart meter and communication system which is envisioned in …

Aggregated Der Management In Advanced Distribution Grids, Mohsen Mahoor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evolution of modern power systems are more distinct in distribution grids, where the growing integration of microgrids as well as distributed energy resources (DERs), including renewable energy resources, electric vehicles (EVs), and energy storage, poses new challenges and opportunities to grid management and operation. Rapid growth of distribution automation as well as equipment monitoring technologies in the distribution grids further offer new opportunities for distribution asset management. The idea of aggregated DERs is proposed as a remedy to streamline management and operation of advanced distribution grids, as discussed under three subjects in this dissertation. The first subject matter focuses on …

Real-Time Detection Of Demand Manipulation Attacks On A Power Grid, Srinidhi Madabhushi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An increased usage in IoT devices across the globe has posed a threat to the power grid. When an attacker has access to multiple IoT devices within the same geographical location, they can possibly disrupt the power grid by regulating a botnet of high-wattage IoT devices. Based on the time and situation of the attack, an adversary needs access to a fixed number of IoT devices to synchronously switch on/off all of them, resulting in an imbalance between the supply and demand. When the frequency of the power generators drops below a threshold value, it can lead to the generators …

Power System Frequency Control And Stability Analysis With Increasing Renewable Energy Penetration Level, Weihang Yan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the ever-increasing penetration level of renewable energy generation units and the replacement of traditional synchronous generators, the issues associated with the deteriorated performance of power system frequency regulation and potential grid frequency instability become more significant. In this dissertation, the inertial control algorithms are investigated and analyzed for power electronics converter in a renewable energy generation unit. The concept and design of Virtual Synchronous Generator are comprehensively discussed, such that the small-signal stability and frequency stability of power systems with high renewable energy penetration level can be enhanced. Moreover, both nonlinear dynamic model and small-signal linearization of Virtual Synchronous …

Impact Of Grid-Following And Grid-Forming Ders On Resilient Operation Of Holonic Grid, Ali M. Alsenan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how different distributed energy resources (DERs) impact the resilience operation of a holonic grid. The holonic grid consists of two or more connected microgrids and /or provisional microgrids (PMGs). The type of the DER, i.e., grid-forming or grid-following, affects the operations of the holonic grid, particularly during the islanded mode. To study this emerging and timely topic, a resilience-oriented holonic grid optimal operation model is proposed. This model carefully formulates the operations of both grid-forming and grid-following DERs. A variable value of lost load (VoLL) is further employed in the proposed model to help quantify and monetize …

Control Strategy For A Small-Scale Microgrid Based On Battery Energy Storage System-Virtual Synchronous Generator (Bess-Vsg), Wei Gao

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As one of widely deployed renewable energy resources, PV power is playing a very important role in microgrids today. It has advantages such as making the best of natural solar energy and being friendly to our environment. In this thesis, solar PV based microgrid is studied using modeling and simulation. Microgrid can run in either grid-connected-mode or islanded-mode. However, there are also some disadvantages for solar power. For solar panel, its output is influenced by weather conditions such as illumination intensity and temperature. In addition, during the control process of grid-connected mode, it is hard to guarantee its output power …

Paving The Way For Multidisciplinary Smart Campus Infrastructure: Leveraging Du's Unique Campus For The Advancement Of Smart Campus Culture, Camerron T. Mismash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Institutions are embracing smart technologies to reap their benefits while simultaneously innovating new uses. From localized renewable energy generation to health monitoring and everything in between, academic campuses globally are paving the way for smart technology application. Eight primary categories have been identified in which institutions are applying smart technologies. Energy development is on the forefront of these smart initiatives. The University of Denver has begun its Smart Campus Initiative by implementing a revolving fund to invest in campus improvements related to the offset of carbon. By comparing how institutions are investing in smart campus initiatives and analyzing costs associated …

Design And Analysis Of A Non-Isolated High Gain Step-Up Cuk Converter, Yasser Almalaq

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, are desired for both economic and ecological issues. These renewable energy sources are plentiful in nature and have a terrific capability for power generation. The only drawback of solar energy, which is one of the best forms of energy sources, is that the output has a low voltage and needs to be stepped up in order to be inserted into the DC grid or an inverter for AC applications. To overcome this drawback, a high gain DC-DC power converter is required in this kind of system. These power converters are needed for a …

Solar Forecasting And Integration In Power Systems, Mohana Alanazi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Renewable energy resources are becoming critical players in the electricity generation sector, primarily due to viability in combating global warming, effectiveness in reducing pollution caused by fossil fuel based generation, and diversifying energy mix to ensure energy security and sustainability. Solar energy is one of the most common types of renewable energy that has grown rapidly over the past decade and is anticipated to grow even faster in the future. Power supply from renewable resources is forecasted to surpass other types of generation in a foreseeable future. Numerous factors, including but not limited to the dropping cost of solar technology, …

A Study On Distributed Generation With A Focus On Solar Power, Shravan Kumar Tomar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Centralized generation is when electric power is produced in a large scale of tens of MWs and is located away from the end user. This kind of production is connected to a series of high-voltage transmission lines. Electricity is then delivered to the end user through a network of distribution grids. Centralized generation tend to have multiple end user with multiple user profiles.

Distributed Generation is when is produced in a small scale and is located at the site of or very close to the end user. There are many ways distributed generation can be achieved, Solar power being the …

Optimal Planning Of Microgrid-Integrated Battery Energy Storage, Ibrahim S. Alsaidan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Battery energy storage (BES) is a core component in reliable, resilient, and cost-effective operation of microgrids. When appropriately sized, BES can provide the microgrid with both economic and technical benefits. Besides the BES size, it is found that there are mainly three planning parameters that impact the BES performance, including the BES integration configuration, technology, and depth of discharge.

In this dissertation, the impact of each one of these parameters on the microgrid-integrated BES planning problem is investigated. Three microgrid-integrated BES planning models are developed to individually find the optimal values for the aforementioned parameters. These three microgrid-integrated BES planning …

Hosting Capacity Optimization In Modern Distribution Grids, Mansoor T. Alturki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The availability of distributed renewable energy resources and the anticipated increase in new types of loads are changing the way electricity is being produced and supplied to consumers. This shift is moving away from a network delivering power solely from centralized power plants towards a decentralized network which supplements its power production by incorporating local distributed generators (DGs). However, the increased integration of DGs into existing distribution networks is impacting their behavior in terms of voltage profile, reliability, and power quality. To determine the maximum amount of DG that distribution grids can accommodate the concept of hosting capacity is introduced. …

Optimal Operation Of Integrated Microgrids, Abdullah Albaker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microgrids' deployments are increasing and projected to increase even more in future due to the significant advantages that are provided by this technology for end-use customers. However, microgrids can be connected to each other to create integrated microgrids system, which can further promote the anticipated and desired benefits. An integrated operation of microgrids can potentially improve the local power system reliability and resilience, increase the individual microgrids' economic benefits, and promote further utilization of renewable energy resources. Integrating microgrids, to achieve a microgrid network or cluster, is expected be an essential application towards smarter power grids and a key operational …

Automated Cfd Optimization To Maximize Wind Farms Performance And Land Use, Rafael Valotta Rodrigues

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this research, a computational system was designed to analyze and optimize the layout of wind farms under variable operational conditions. At first, a wind turbine computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was developed covering the near wake. The near wake flow field was validated against near wake velocity data from the MEXICO experiment. The CFD simulation demonstrated that the tip speed ratio and the pitch angle greatly influence the near wake behavior, affecting the velocity deficit and the turbulence intensity profile in this region. The CFD model was extended to cover the far wake, aiming to become a computational tool …

Design Of Power Switched-Capacitor Converters And Their Performance Analysis In A Soft-Charging Operation, Ayoob Alateeq

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Switched-capacitor (SC) converters have gained more interest due to their high power density and appropriateness for small circuit integration. Building a SC DC-to-DC converter with only capacitors and switches is the main reason to seek a higher power density achievement. However, the SC converters suffer dominant losses related to their capacitors and switches. These losses can be determined and optimized by calculating the converter's output impedance in its two asymptotic limits.

We proposed a high voltage gain and a very low output impedance power switched-capacitor converter (PSC) with a lower number of components compared to other step-up switched-capacitor topologies. The …

Data-Centric Situational Awareness And Management In Intelligent Power Systems, Xiaoxiao Dai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rapid development of technology and society has made the current power system a much more complicated system than ever. The request for big data based situation awareness and management becomes urgent today. In this dissertation, to respond to the grand challenge, two data-centric power system situation awareness and management approaches are proposed to address the security problems in the transmission/distribution grids and social benefits augmentation problem at the distribution-customer lever, respectively.

To address the security problem in the transmission/distribution grids utilizing big data, the first approach provides a fault analysis solution based on characterization and analytics of the synchrophasor …