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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Feasibility Analyses for the Microgrid of the Mountain in the Cordillera Central Region of Puerto Rico

Distributed energy resource (DER) development can benefit communities through improvement of access to reliable electricity and a resilient energy system. Many place-specific considerations must be accounted for when designing electrical systems with co-located generation and loads. This paper presents an overview of four studies focusing on different aspects for regional DER development in the Cordillera Central region of Puerto Rico, including a grid and load stability study with the introduction of solar energy generation, microgrid design based on the solar resource in the area, resilience considerations during power outage scenarios, and qualitative risk aspects for components in the microgrid. Additionally, a conceptual substation microgrid analysis is conducted using the Microgrid Design Toolkit (MDT) to evaluate trade-offs between cost and energy availability, providing insights into optimal design strategies. A microgrid resilience assessment is performed using the Resilient Nodal Cluster Analysis Tool (ReNCAT) to identify critical loads and evaluates their accessibility during outages, emphasizing the importance of community needs. Finally, a qualitative risk assessment utilizing Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOP) methods highlights potential hazards and mitigations for microgrid components, ensuring robust system design and operation.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Studying the Impact of Momentary Cessation of IBRs Compliant With IEEE Std. 2800-2022 on Transmission Line Protection Elements

This paper examines the impact of inverter-based resource (IBR) momentary cessation timing on transmission system protection relays. IEEE Std. 2800 mandates voltage ride-through, requiring IBRs to remain online during voltage disturbances. However, for severe voltage dips (|V| = 0.1 p.u.), the standard permits current blocking. In practice, vendors implement momentary cessation with varying delays, potentially affecting relay operation if IBRs cease too early. This article studies the impact of the time IBRs enter momentary cessation on transmission line protective relays. Using an electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation, this study models IBR momentary cessation with tunable delays in a realistic transmission network. COMTRADE files generated from EMT simulations are analyzed in MATLAB using detailed protective relay models. Results indicate that IBRs must sustain operation for at least one cycle to ensure proper relay response; otherwise, relays may fail to oper- ate. These findings guide IBR vendors in optimizing momentary cessation settings to enhance transmission line protection.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
NASA NTRS1971

Silicon-controlled-rectifier square-wave inverter with protection against commutation failure

The square-wave SCR inverter that was designed, built, and tested includes a circuit to turn off the inverter in case of commutation failure. The basic power stage is a complementary impulse-commutated parallel inverter consisting of only six components. The 400-watt breadboard was tested while operating at + or - 28 volts, and it had a peak efficiency of 95.5 percent at 60 hertz and 91.7 percent at 400 hertz. The voltage regulation for a fixed input was 3 percent at 60 hertz. An analysis of the operation and design information is included.

Birchenough, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Photovoltaic tests and applications project

The activities and accomplishments of the Photovoltaic Tests and Applications Project during the period April 1976 through June 1977 are summarized. Results of efforts to identify potential near-term photovoltaic applications and users are discussed, including the outcome of an extensive survey of Federal government agencies. The status of application experiments is presented. Various general engineering efforts are reported, including the design and construction of a photovoltaic Systems Test Facility. Efforts to develop a high efficiency 10 kVA self-commutated inverter and controller specifically designed for photovoltaic systems are also discussed. The results of a wide variety of activities in the area of photovoltaic measurements and standards are related. Documents generated by the Project during the reporting period are listed in an Appendix.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1980

ac propulsion system for an electric vehicle

It is pointed out that dc drives will be the logical choice for current production electric vehicles (EV). However, by the mid-80's, there is a good chance that the price and reliability of suitable high-power semiconductors will allow for a competitive ac system. The driving force behind the ac approach is the induction motor, which has specific advantages relative to a dc shunt or series traction motor. These advantages would be an important factor in the case of a vehicle for which low maintenance characteristics are of primary importance. A description of an EV ac propulsion system is provided, taking into account the logic controller, the inverter, the motor, and a two-speed transmission-differential-axle assembly. The main barrier to the employment of the considered propulsion system in EV is not any technical problem, but inverter transistor cost.

Geppert, S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Expert system training and control based on the fuzzy relation matrix

Fuzzy knowledge, that for which the terms of reference are not crisp but overlapped, seems to characterize human expertise. This can be shown from the fact that an experienced human operator can control some complex plants better than a computer can. Proposed here is fuzzy theory to build a fuzzy expert relation matrix (FERM) from given rules or/and examples, either in linguistic terms or in numerical values to mimic human processes of perception and decision making. The knowledge base is codified in terms of many implicit fuzzy rules. Fuzzy knowledge thus codified may also be compared with explicit rules specified by a human expert. It can also provide a basis for modeling the human operator and allow comparison of what a human operator says to what he does in practice. Two experiments were performed. In the first, control of liquid in a tank, demonstrates how the FERM knowledge base is elicited and trained. The other shows how to use a FERM, build up from linguistic rules, and to control an inverted pendulum without a dynamic model.

Ren, Jie↗
DOE OSTI2026

Grid Forming and Following Background, Future, and Strategies

The landscape of the U.S. power structure with respect to microgrid configuration strategies that utilize grid forming and grid following converters is becoming relevant. Inverter based control and coordination strategies are every changing due to critical failures and limitations. Understanding current state of grid forming and following converter technology and their normal operational guidelines will lead into the next stage of future research. Grid forming and following converter control strategies and ratio of assets review two case studies to develop an understanding of the current landscape.

29 - ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Oscillatory Power Control and Consensus in Unbalanced Networks Using Grid Forming Inverters

In this paper, a state-space nonlinear control previously designed for balanced operation of grid-forming (GFM) inverters is extended to unbalanced operations. Unbalanced voltages and currents are analyzed, and their time-varying direct, quadrature, and zero components are parameterized in terms of six constant parameters. These parameters provide primary control design choices for not only an inverter’s terminal voltage but also its injections of both real and oscillatory power. It is shown that the proposed GFM control can precisely achieve a desired balanced terminal voltage under unbalanced loads. It is also shown that, by allowing the terminal voltage to be slightly unbalanced, oscillatory power can be adaptively minimized. Lastly, it is illustrated that oscillatory power can also be shared among multiple GFM inverters. Case studies and their simulations demonstrate that the proposed GFM control is effective in meeting the aforementioned objectives.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Novel Approach to PV Inverter Modeling and Simulation Leveraging Experiments, Learning Based Modeling and Co-Simulation: Preprint

Photovoltaic inverter (PV) inverter manufacturers use custom, proprietary control approaches and topologies in their inverter design. Due to this proprietary nature, it is not possible to share EMT domain models for system studies. This research work presents a novel approach in experimental design, high fidelity data collection, use of learning-based modeling, and co-simulation to enhance the PV inverter modeling. We used a 20 kW off-the-shelf grid following PV inverter and subjected the inverter to controlled tests including voltage and frequency step changes, as well as solar irradiance variations. The recorded high frequency data was used in learning-based model training. This learning-based model was imported into an Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) simulation tool using co-simulation techniques to complete the modeling effort and integrate the model into an EMT simulation tool. The three key components in this research work are the design of experimental setup, use of learning-based approach for model development and use of co-simulation to complete the approach. The proposed approach will allow users to develop a model in a really short period of time and achieve reasonable inverter models.

artificial intelligence↗
DOE OSTI2025

Novel Approach to PV Inverter Modeling and Simulation Leveraging Experiments, Learning Based Modeling and Co-Simulation

Photovoltaic (PV) inverter manufacturers use custom, proprietary control approaches and topologies in their inverter design. The proprietary nature of these approaches makes it challenging to share electromagnetic transients (EMT) domain models for system studies. This research work presents an approach to develop EMT models from experimental data. We use novel approach in experimental design, high fidelity data collection, use of learning-based modeling, and co-simulation to reduce the time taken to develop an EMT model for an inverter under test (IUT). We used a 20 kW off-the-shelf grid following PV inverter and subjected the inverter to controlled tests. The tests include voltage and frequency step changes, as well as solar irradiance variations. The recorded high frequency data were used to train a neural network model representing the dynamic behavior of the IUT. The model was subsequently imported into an EMT tool using co-simulation techniques, and thus completing the modeling effort.

black box inverter modeling↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transient Stability-Enhancing Method for Grid-Forming Inverters Under Current Limiting

The primary controller of a grid-forming (GFM) inverter governs the internal reference voltage and angle, which enables the inverter to naturally synchronize and share power with the connected grid; however, during disturbances on the grid caused by, e.g., line faults, overloading, or frequency and phase shifts, a GFM inverter can be pushed into a current-limited operation to protect the device against thermal damage. This can lead to a windup of the internal reference frequency generated by the primary controller and cause a total loss of synchronism with the grid. Here, to make the primary controller of GFM inverters more robust against transient instability, this paper proposes a method that manipulates the reference signals governed by the primary controller by introducing the concept of fictitious power. The fictitious power counteracts the integrator windup in the primary controller, which enables the current-limited inverter to conceive a stable operating point. This method is benchmarked against five state-of-the-art GFM inverter stabilization methods to evaluate its stability-enhancing performance. Full-order electromagnetic-transient simulations and experimental results of a hardware inverter test setup validate the benefits of the method to improve the transient stability of GFM inverters in the face of grid disturbances.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2022

Evaluation of Optimal Net Load Management in Microgrids Using Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation

This paper presents the performance evaluation of a net load management (NLM) engine that balances load and generation in an isolated community to power a critical facility after a grid interruption event (e.g., the loss of a large generation unit). This NLM engine is particularly important for microgrid systems because it provides a high-speed, cost-optimal control solution to coordinate grid-forming inverters and to dispatch grid-following inverters and deferrable loads in microgrid systems to enhance grid resilience and reliability. The NLM algorithm cost-optimally dispatches the grid-following inverters and deferrable loads based on the demanded power and load priorities, and the grid-forming inverters use droop control to form system voltages and share active and reactive power. A controller-hardware-in-the-loop platform is developed to evaluate the control performance of the NLM algorithm with two sequential contingency events of lost generation units. The experimental results indicate that the NLM engine can maintain system stability, achieve the targeted system voltage and frequency, and balance load and generation to serve the critical facility with improved system resilience and reliability.

grid-following inverter↗
NASA NTRS1985

Robust torque control of an elastic robotic arm based on invertibility and feedback stabilization

An approach to the control of elastic robotic systems for space applications using inversion, servocompensation, and feedback stabilization is presented. For simplicity, a robot arm (PUMA-type) with three rotational joints is considered. The third link is assumed to be elastic. Using an inversion algorithm, a nonlinear decoupling control law, u sub d, is derived such that in the closed loop system, independent control of joint angles by the three joint torquers is accomplished. For the stabilization of elastic oscillations, a linear feedback torquer control law, u sub s, is obtained applying linear quadratic optimization to the linearized arm model augmented with a servocompensator about the terminal state. Simulation results show that, in spite of uncertainties in the payload and vehicle angular velocity, good joint angle control and damping of elastic oscillations are obtained with the torquer control law u = u sub d + u sub s.

Singh, S. N.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Battery energy storage control systems and methods for a grid tie inverter coupled to a photovoltaic system

A distributed control system uses a central controller in Internet communication with a local controller to manage grid tie attachment with a battery to form an integrated battery energy storage system (BESS). The BESS is capable of charging or discharging the battery, as well as correcting grid phase with volt amp reactive (VAR) leading or lagging operation modes. Examples shown include simple BESS charging and discharging, BESS integrated with renewable energy sources (here photovoltaic), and direct current fast charge (DCFC) connections with an electric vehicle.

Gadh, Rajit↗
DOE OSTI2021

Sequence Impedance Modeling of Grid-Forming Converters: Preprint

Grid-forming control of inverter-based resources (IBRs) has been identified as a critical technology for operating power systems with high levels of inverter-based resources. This paper presents sequence impedance modeling of grid-forming inverters to evaluate its small-signal stability properties. Droop based grid-forming control with full consideration of the multiloop structure is studied, and the impact of individual controller on the inverter impedance characteristics is discussed. The developed sequence impedance model is compared with that of the grid-following inverter. It is found from the developed sequence impedance models that grid-forming inverters are less prone to harmonic resonance problems during operation with weaker grids. The developed models are validated using PSCAD simulations.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Impact of Blockchain Delay on Grid-Tied Solar Inverter Performance

This paper investigates the impact of the delay resulting from a blockchain, a promising security measure, for a hierarchical control system of inverters connected to the grid. The blockchain communication network is designed at the secondary control layer for resilience against cyberattacks. To represent the latency in the communication channel, a model is developed based on the complexity of the blockchain framework. Taking this model into account, this work evaluates the plant’s performance subject to communication delays, introduced by the blockchain, among the hierarchical control agents. In addition, this article considers an optimal model-based control strategy that performs the system’s internal control loop. The work shows that the blockchain’s delay size influences the convergence of the power supplied by the inverter to the reference at the point of common coupling. In the results section, real-time simulations on OPAL-RT are performed to test the resilience of two parallel inverters with increasing blockchain complexity.

41 EE - Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Vulnerability of a VOC-Based Inverter Due to Noise Injection and Its Mitigation

Even though virtual oscillator control (VOC)-based inverters do not communicate with each other, they need to make local measurements for control. The impact of tampering with these measured or sensed signals on the performance of a VOC-based inverter and synchronization of multiple such inverters is an important but open-ended issue. As such, this letter explores the impact of intentional side-channel noise intrusion (SNI) on the synchronization of VOC-based communication-free self-synchronizing inverters (CFSIs). Two different scenarios are investigated via experimental and analytical studies using a half-bridge neutral point clamped (NPC) single-phase CFSI. Furthermore, they address the impact of SNI on the ability of a CFSI to ensure a stable 60-Hz limit cycle and on the parallel operation of two such CFSIs to ensure synchronism to a common 60-Hz load frequency.

42 ENGINEERING↗