Graduate Exam Abstract
Abhishek Jain
M.S. Final
October 31, 2013, 2pm - 4pm
Glover, Room 109
Real-time Simulation of Distributed Networked Controls for Microgrids
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to develop and implement a distributed
networked control framework for a microgrid power simulation. The study
addresses and improves upon speed and accuracy of simulation for
computationally intensive power system dynamic simulations and distributed
control utilizing Hardware-In-Loop (HIL) simulations. A dynamic four-bus
microgrid simulation is first constructed using SimPowerSystems toolbox of
Matlab with renewable energy penetration. Parallel processing is achieved
using a discrete real-time simulator Opal-RT by distributing the
computation among its various processors and thus achieving real-time
performance.
Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controls for various photo-voltaic
(PV) systems are distributed among external simulation platforms with the
use of a client-server communication architecture and application layer
messaging network protocols. The various networked platforms implementing
control algorithms include general purpose and data-flow graphical
programming languages. The solar irradiance profile for various PV systems
is generated from an external spreadsheet data source as another networked
module. Also included in the communication network is a commercial off-
the-shelf (COTS) controller - a substation automation platform OrionLX
which is used for supervisory control of the various relays in the
microgrid feeder simulation.
Finally, a case study is presented which involves all of the above
mentioned components - MPPT control and irradiance profile generation for
PV systems as well as fault isolation in a microgrid using HIL supervisory
relay control - as distributed elements of a communication network with
the real-time server. Modbus TCP/IP is used as the networking protocol
while the networked control platforms are developed in C# and Simulink
programming languages. Performance and bandwidth of the interdisciplinary
system are analyzed. From the results of this study, it is concluded that
the combination of a parallel processing and distributed control approach
can be an effective strategy for improving dynamic power system
simulations.
Adviser: Prof. Peter Young
Co-Adviser: N/A
Non-ECE Member: Prof. Daniel Zimmerle, MECH
Member 3: Prof. Siddharth Suryanarayanan, ECE
Addional Members: N/A
Publications:
Y. Han, A. Jain, P. M. Young and D. Zimmerle, “Robust Control of Microgrid Frequency with Attached Storage System”, accepted at the 52nd IEEE Conference on Decision & Control, Italy, 2013.
Program of Study:
ECE512
ECE514
ECE520
ECE611
ECE612
ECE565
MATH560
MATH561
