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Dong, Zerui

Publications and source records attributed to Dong, Zerui.

Control System of Multi-Port Autonomous Reconfigurable Solar Power Plant (MARS) & HIL Platforms for Design

Multi-port autonomous reconfigurable solar power plant (MARS) provides an attractive alternative to connect photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems (ESSs) to high-voltage direct current (HVdc) links and high-voltage alternating current (ac) grids. In this paper, a unique hierarchical control system of MARS is proposed and evaluated. To evaluate the control system and associated algorithms in early-stage research of complex architectures like MARS, it is important to develop unique suitable hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) platforms. In this paper, the HIL platforms for MARS to evaluate the performance of the hierarchical control system and the control algorithms implemented are presented. Further, they help with the design process of control systems. The real-time simulation models and algorithms that are utilized for MARS in the HIL platforms are also discussed in the paper. The HIL experiments of the control system of MARS showcase the capability to provide continuity of operation under faults and frequency support to the power grid during loss of generation. They also showcase the stability of the proposed hierarchical control system of MARS.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

An Assessment of Deploying Advanced Pumped Storage Hydropower Technology in U.S. Electricity Markets

Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) is a type of hydropower technology where energy can be stored and generated by moving water between two reservoirs of differing elevations. In addition to providing 97% of the total utility-scale hydropower storage in the United States, PSH plants have operational characteristics - such as high ramp rates and the ability to provide reserves - that contribute to greater flexibility and reliability of the power grid. New PSH technologies can provide additional flexibility beyond existing, fixed-speed units. With the emergence of high levels of variable renewable energy resources (e.g., wind and solar), energy storage is expected to be crucial to the reliability and reliance of the power grid in a low-carbon future. At diurnal and longer durations, PSH plants have some of the lowest costs per unit of energy, have been proven to be reliable and efficient, are not cycle-limited, and typically have long lives, often exceeding 50 years. The work presented here focuses on a new generation of PSH: ternary PSH and quaternary PSH (together referred to as T/Q-PSH). Given recent experience in Europe, grid operators in the United States and elsewhere are increasingly focusing their attention on T/Q-PSH as a proven, financeable technology that can offer utility-scale, long-duration, fast-acting energy storage capabilities and grid services. T/Q-PSH differs from conventional PSH in that it can provide fast-response ancillary services during both generating and pumping operations. This capability together with fast mode switching times are key attributes that make T/Q-PSH technologies attractive for managing and stabilizing electricity systems with high amounts of variable renewable energy.

ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY,HYDRO ENERGY↗

Multi-Port Autonomous Reconfigurable Solar Power Plant

As the penetration level of power electronics increases and remote photovoltaic (PV) generation is integrated into the alternating current (ac) grid, the short-circuit ratio (SCR) at the point of interconnection of a hybrid PV–energy storage system (ESS) plant may be low. Additionally, the inertia of the alternating current (ac) grid may be low. The low SCRs and inertias can lead to reliability challenges in the power grid. These operating conditions require additional reinforcements, such as synchronous condensers, static var compensators, static synchronous compensators, and high-voltage direct current (HVdc) links/grids. HVdc links or grids may also provide the additional capability of connecting the plant to asynchronous grids and/or connecting asynchronous grids, among others. This scenario leads to discrete development of solar inverters, energy storage inverters, HVdc converters, and several transformers. Some of the problems associated with this discrete development and inverter-based generation include increased cost, lower reliability, and reduced efficiency associated with duplication of power electronics (PEs); competing controls of several individual discrete inverter-based generators due to the presence of multiple PEs, which leads to derating of the system; and transient stability problems arising from inverter-based generation, such as voltage/frequency events leading inverter shutdowns, voltage instability and control interactions in the formed weak grid, and harmonics caused by resonances of multiple inverters.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Impact of Quaternary Pumped Storage Hydropower on Frequency Response of U.S. Western Interconnection with High Renewable Penetrations

As renewable penetration increases in the United States, maintaining stability and reliability of low-inertia power grid by providing sufficient frequency control capability becomes a challenge. Advanced pumped storage hydro technologies (APSH) will be expected to play an important role for future grid as not only an energy supplier, but also as an ancillary services provider. This paper studies the impact of using quaternary pumped storage hydropower (Q-PSH), as one of the newly proposed APSH technology, to provide primary frequency response. To quantify the impact of Q-PSH on frequency response of the U.S. Western Interconnection, a user-defined dynamic model of Q-PSH is developed on the GE Positive Sequence Load Flow (PSLF) platform and is implemented in a set of detailed U.S. Western Electricity Coordination Council (WECC) planning cases in which renewable penetration levels are 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%. Simulation results show that Q-PSH can help improve frequency nadir and settling frequency comparing to the conventional PSH.

frequency response↗

Power Electronic Hardware-in-the-Loop (PE-HIL): Testing Individual Controllers in Large-Scale Power Electronics Systems

Large power electronics systems like multi-port autonomous reconfigurable solar power plant (MARS) are increasingly being researched upon to integrate emerging energy sources. MARS connects photovoltaic (PV) systems and energy storage systems (ESSs) to high-voltage direct current (HVdc) links/grids and high-voltage alternating current (ac) transmission grids. As these large power electronics systems incorporate complex hierarchical control systems that are close-by and communicate fast, the control systems require an unique power electronic hardware-in-the-loop (PE-HIL) real-time architecture to evaluate individual controllers. In this paper, a PE-HIL real-time architecture is proposed to evaluate one of the hundreds to thousands of digital signal processors (DSPs) that are a part of the complex hierarchical control system. The DSP connects to a central processing unit (CPU) and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that form a part of the upper levels of the control system. The DSP is part of the lower level of the control system. The proposed PE-HIL architecture is tested and evaluated. Preliminary test results are presented to showcase the concept.

Debnath, Suman↗

Impact of Quaternary-Pumped Storage Hydropower on Frequency Response of U.S. Western Interconnection with High Renewable Penetrations: Preprint

As renewable penetration increases in the United States, maintaining stability and reliability of low-inertia power grid by providing sufficient frequency control capability becomes a challenge. Advanced pumped storage hydro technologies (APSH) will be expected to play an important role for future grid as not only an energy supplier, but also as an ancillary services provider. This paper studies the impact of using quaternary pumped storage hydropower (Q-PSH), as one of the newly proposed APSH technology, to provide primary frequency response. To quantify the impact of Q-PSH on frequency response of the U.S. Western Interconnection, a user-defined dynamic model of Q-PSH is developed on the GE Positive Sequence Load Flow (PSLF) platform and is implemented in a set of detailed U.S. Western Electricity Coordination Council (WECC) planning cases in which renewable penetration levels are 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%. Simulation results show that Q-PSH can help improve frequency nadir and settling frequency comparing to the conventional PSH.

frequency response↗

Real-time Simulation Framework for Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing of Multi-port Autonomous Reconfigurable Solar Power Plant (MARS)

Multiport autonomous reconfigurable solar power plant (MARS) has been proposed for integrated development of photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage system (ESS) that can connect to high-voltage direct current (HVdc) and alternating current (ac) transmission grid. To de-risk the development of this complex integrated system that consists of hundreds to thousands of power electronics modules, a controller hardware-in-the-loop (cHIL) test setup will be extremely beneficial. The cHIL testing can be used for evaluation of modules as well as the hierarchical control system in MARS. With the unique configuration of power electronics modules in MARS, it becomes necessary to develop custom-designed real-time simulation models in the cHIL setup in absence of off-the-shelf models. In this paper, high-fidelity dynamic model of MARS, control algorithms at the lower level, and required communication algorithms are developed and optimized for real-time performance in the cHIL setup. Real-time experimental results from the cHIL are provided.

Dong, Zerui↗

Real-time Implementation of a Dual-Active-Bridge Based Multi-Level Photovoltaic Converter

Silicon-carbide based, multi-level converters with dual-active-bridge (DAB) are getting attention for medium voltage, direct grid-connected, utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) applications due to their higher efficiency and power density. To de-risk complex control development for these high-voltage and high-power inverters, hardware-in-the-loop techniques are often required. Due to the high switching frequency and the large number of power electronic switches, off-the-shelf, real-time simulation tools are not yet fully developed for this application, even with FPGA-based simulators. To address this, a new co-simulation approach in FPGA is presented that utilizes Time-Stamped Bridge (TSB) for the higher frequency converters along with detailed fixed conductance based discrete device simulation of the rest of the circuit. A complex DAB-based PV converter with maximum switching frequency of 50 kHz is successfully simulated in real-time in the FPGA and the results are compared with offline simulation results. A controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) platform is developed to demonstrate real-time, closed-loop test results for this DAB-based PV converter.

Dong, Zerui↗

Dynamic Modeling of Full Converter Adjustable-speed Pumped Storage Hydropower (FC AS-PSH)

Full converter adjustable-speed pumped storage hydropower (FC AS-PSH) technology, as one of advanced-PSH technology, is developed from wind turbine technology. By making the synchronous machine connect to the grid through a full-size converter, FC AS-PSH has a wider adjustment range of speed and a better reactive power control capability compared with a doubly-fed asynchronous generator AS-PSH technology. When it plays as an energy backup in the power system, FC AS-PSH can provide a much faster response than conventional-PSH (C-PSH) which makes this technology provide better ancillary service for a high renewable penetrated system. In this paper, the dynamic modeling of FC AS-PSH is fully studied. We develop a detailed model of this technology in the IEEE 14-bus system based on GE Positive Sequence Load Flow (PSLF) platform. Especially, the first governor model is developed based on the Engineer’s Program Control Language (EPCL) user-defined model in this platform. All operation modes are validated and studied under a system contingency. Besides, comparison cases between FC AS-PSH and C-PSH are studied to show advantages providing from FC AS-PSH when it works with renewable energy.

50 EE - Wind and Water Power Program - Water (EE-4↗

Developing of Quaternary Pumped Storage Hydropower for Dynamic Studies

Quaternary pumped storage hydropower (Q-PSH) technology, as one of the new advanced-PSH technology, has been developed by taking advantage of Conventional-PSH (C-PSH) and Adjustable Speed-PSH (AS-PSH). By combining adjustable-speed pump unit and conventional hydropower turbine unit in the quaternary configuration, Q-PSH has the more competitive capability of providing fast power support in the future high renewable penetrated power system. Acting as energy storage (ES), Q-PSH provides promising power supply to deal with the uncertainty and variability from renewable energy generation. This paper focuses on the dynamic modeling of Q-PSH technology employing full-converter machine and the impact of Q-PSH on the frequency response in a system. The detailed model of Q-PSH is developed and implemented in the IEEE 14-bus system based on GE Positive Sequence Load Flow (PSLF) platform, which captures the dynamic of multiple operation modes, especially hydraulic short-circuit (HSC) operation mode. Several cases are set up to reveal the advantages of Q-PSH technology when power electronic based renewable energy generation is deployed in the system. Sensitivity studies of the controller in pump governor show the impact of parameters in pump response performance. The comparison case illustrates the impact of frequency response provided by the Q-PSH in the system.

dynamic modeling↗

Impacts of Ternary-Pumped Storage Hydropower on U.S. Western Interconenction with Extremely High Renewable Penetrations

In recent years, ternary pumped storage hydropower (T-PSH), as one of the advanced PSH technologies, has attracted more attention from the industry. The interest is because of the capability of providing fast power support for the future electric grid with high penetration of renewable energy (RE). This paper focuses on studying the impact of T-PSH on frequency response of the U.S. Western Interconnection under different penetration levels of RE, which are from 20% to 80%. The detailed model of T-PSH is developed and implemented in the Western Interconnection grid model based on the GE Positive Sequence Load Flow (PSLF) platform, which can capture the unique dynamics of hydraulic short-circuit (HSC) mode and fast mode switching of T-PSH. To reveal the dynamic benefit from T-PSH, the frequency response of the Western Interconnection has been compared with and without T-PSH. In addition, a new solution is discussed that uses T-PSH to improve system stability issues caused by high RE penetration.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗