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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 91 records · Page 5

Newton-Raphson AC Power Flow Convergence Based on Deep Learning Initialization and Homotopy Continuation

Power flow forms the basis of many power system studies. With the increased penetration of renewable energy, grid planners tend to perform multiple power flow simulations under various operating conditions and not just selected snapshots at peak or light load conditions. Getting a converged AC power flow (ACPF) case remains a significant challenge for grid planners especially in large power grid networks. This paper proposes a two-stage approach to improve Newton-Raphson ACPF convergence and was applied to a 6102 bus Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system. The first stage utilizes a deep learning-based initializer with data re-training. Here a deep neural network (DNN) initializer is developed to provide better initial voltage magnitude and angle guesses to aid in power flow convergence. This is because Newton-Raphson ACPF is quite sensitive to the initial conditions and bad initialization could lead to divergence. The DNN initializer includes a data re-training framework that improves the initializer's performance when faced with limited training data. The DNN initializer successfully solved 3,285 cases out of 3,899 non-converging dispatch and performed better than random forest and DC power flow initialization methods. ACPF cases not solved in this first stage are then passed through a hot-starting algorithm based on homotopy continuation with switched shunt control. The hot-starting algorithm successfully converged 416 cases out of the remaining 614 non-converging ACPF dispatch. In conclusion, the combined two-stage approach achieved a 94.9% success rate, by converging a total of 3,701 cases out of the initial 3,899 unsolved cases.

Deep learning↗

H ∞ Control for Energy Dispatch in Autonomous Nanogrid With Communication Delays

This paper proposes an optimal controller and estimator for energy dispatch to balance the power supply and demand considering communication delays. The proposed algorithm involves modeling an autonomous nanogrid (ANG) consisting of distributed energy resources, energy storage systems, loads, an $H$ ∞ controller with a reference power modulation technique, and a state estimator. The ANG was developed to express the dynamic supply-demand energy balance of a nanogird system. Reference power modulation was designed to generate the desired ESS power based on the imbalanced energy. Random communication delays were modeled using a stochastic variable satisfying the Bernoulli random binary distribution. The optimal $H$ ∞ controller and estimator were developed using a linear matrix inequality approach to exponentially stabilize the closed-loop system. Simulations were performed using real daily demand forecasts obtained from the Korea Meteorological Administration to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed real-time optimization algorithm.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Dispatch Optimization Variable Engine

The Dispatch Optimization Variable Engine (DOVE) is software tool written in python, developed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) that provides an easily accessible application-programming-interface (API) to performing resource dispatch optimization analysis for integrated energy system (IES) configurations. DOVE is an integral part of the Framework for Optimization of Resources and Economics (FORCE) software suite and is leveraged by codes such as the Holistic Energy Resource Optimization Network (HERON) and the Optimization of Real-Time Capacity Allocation (ORCA). The philosophy behind DOVE is to provide a modular software solution to IES planning and operation by utilizing state-of-the-art algorithms and machine learning. The goal is to accurately capture the dispatching behavior of a complex energy system given varying time-dependent signals for demand and commodity pricing.

McDowell, DylanJ. [Idaho National Laboratory (INL)↗

Automating security monitoring and analysis for Space Station Freedom's electric power system

Operating a large, space power system requires classifying the system's status and analyzing its security. Conventional algorithms are used by terrestrial electric utilities to provide such information to their dispatchers, but their application aboard Space Station Freedom will consume too much processing time. A new approach for monitoring and analysis using adaptive pattern techniques is presented. This approach yields an on-line security monitoring and analysis algorithm that is accurate and fast; and thus, it can free the Space Station Freedom's power control computers for other tasks.

Dolce, James L.↗

Automating security monitoring and analysis for Space Station Freedom's electric power system

Operating a large, space power system requires classifying the system's status and analyzing its security. Conventional algorithms are used by terrestrial electric utilities to provide such information to their dispatchers, but their application aboard Space Station Freedom will consume too much processing time. A novel approach for monitoring and analysis using adaptive pattern techniques is presented. This approach yields an on-line security monitoring and analysis algorithm that is accurate and fast; and thus, it can free the Space Station Freedom's power control computers for other tasks.

Dolce, James L.↗

A Modified Maximum Entropy Inverse Reinforcement Learning Approach for Microgrid Energy Scheduling

Increasing popularity of integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) into the power system brings a challenge to optimize the microgrid dispatch policy. The reinforcement learning methods suffer from a long-time problem with the theoretical assumption of the objective/reward function for the microgrid system. Although the traditional inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) approaches can solve this problem to some extent, they encounter a limitation of complex computations for state visitation frequency in the large and continuous state space. To alleviate this limitation, we propose a modified maximum entropy IRL (MMIRL) method to extract the reward function from the expert demonstrations for solving the microgrid energy scheduling problem. The proposed MMIRL algorithm is promising in recovering the reward function and learning the dispatch policy compared to conventional approaches. Case studies are performed in an energy arbitrage problem and a microgrid system with DERs. Results substantiate that the proposed MMIRL approach can learn the dispatch policy with more than 99% efficiency and outperforms other comparative methods.

artificial intelligence, reinforcement learning, m↗

Flexible dynamic boundary microgrid operation considering network and load unbalances

Flexible microgrids with dynamic boundaries have recently been introduced in the literature. With the ability to reconfigure the topology of the microgrids dynamically through remotely controlled switches, flexible microgrids with dynamic boundaries can further improve the resiliency and energy efficiency of microgrids with distributed energy resources (DERs). This paper focuses on the optimal operation considering one of the predominant characteristics of microgrids and distribution systems – unbalanced networks and loads. In existing literature, balanced modeling of microgrids is more common due to its attractive simplicity. The three-phase power unbalance has not been considered as a constraint on the generation units in a microgrid. Further, negative sequence constraints have also been neglected. In this article, we propose a set of constraints that is specifically related to the capabilities of inverter interfaced resources to supply unbalanced current/power when the microgrid is islanded from the main distribution grid. We incorporate the new set of constraints into two optimization formulations leveraging two convex relaxations of the three-phase power flow equations: mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) and mixed-integer semidefinite programming (MISDP) that optimize the dispatch of controllable switches and DERs in the microgrid. The algorithms are then extended to networked microgrids with grid-forming sources. We test the algorithms on a realistic community microgrid model in Puerto Rico as well as standardized IEEE distribution test feeders. The testing results demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithms. The MILP is fast and scalable, and the MISDP enforces the negative sequence voltage constraints.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Mobility-On-Demand Transportation: A System for Microtransit and Paratransit Operations

New rideshare and shared-mobility services have transformed urban mobility in recent years. Therefore, transit agencies are looking for ways to adapt to this rapidly changing environment. In this space, ridepooling has the potential to improve efficiency and reduce costs by allowing users to share rides in high-capacity vehicles and vans. Most transit agencies already operate various ridepooling services including microtransit and paratransit. However, the objectives and constraints for implementing these services vary greatly between agencies. This brings multiple challenges. First, off-the-shelf ridepooling formulations must be adapted for real-world conditions and constraints. Second, the lack of modular and reusable software makes it hard to implement and evaluate new ridepooling algorithms and approaches in real-world settings. Therefore, we propose an on-demand transportation scheduling software for microtransit and paratransit services. This software is aimed at transit agencies looking to incorporate state-of-the-art rideshare and ridepooling algorithms in their everyday operations. We provide management software for dispatchers and mobile applications for drivers and users. Lastly, we discuss the challenges in adapting state-of-the-art methods to real-world operations.

Wilbur, Michael↗

SmartTransit.AI: A Dynamic Paratransit and Microtransit Application

New rideshare and shared mobility services have transformed urban mobility in recent years. Such services have the potential to improve efficiency and reduce costs by allowing users to share rides in high-capacity vehicles and vans. Most transit agencies already operate various ridepooling services, including microtransit and paratransit. However, the objectives and constraints for implementing these services vary greatly between agencies and can be challenging. First, off-the-shelf ridepooling formulations must be adapted for real-world conditions and constraints. Second, the lack of modular and reusable software makes it hard to implement and evaluate new ridepooling algorithms and approaches in real-world settings. We demonstrate a modular on-demand public transportation scheduling software for microtransit and paratransit services. The software is aimed at transit agencies looking to incorporate state-of-the-art rideshare and ridepooling algorithms in their everyday operations. We provide management software for dispatchers and mobile applications for drivers and users and conclude with results from the demonstration in Chattanooga, TN.

Pavia, Sophie↗

Automated power management and control

A comprehensive automation design is being developed for Space Station Freedom's electric power system. A joint effort between NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Exploration Technology and NASA's Office of Space Station Freedom, it strives to increase station productivity by applying expert systems and conventional algorithms to automate power system operation. The initial station operation will use ground-based dispatches to perform the necessary command and control tasks. These tasks constitute planning and decision-making activities that strive to eliminate unplanned outages. We perceive an opportunity to help these dispatchers make fast and consistent on-line decisions by automating three key tasks: failure detection and diagnosis, resource scheduling, and security analysis. Expert systems will be used for the diagnostics and for the security analysis; conventional algorithms will be used for the resource scheduling.

Dolce, James L.↗

The Mathematics of Dispatchability Revisited

Dispatchability is an important property for the efficient execution of temporal plans where the temporal constraints are represented as a Simple Temporal Network (STN). It has been shown that every STN may be reformulated as a dispatchable STN, and dispatchability ensures that the temporal constraints need only be satisfied locally during execution. Recently it has also been shown that Simple Temporal Networks with Uncertainty, augmented with wait edges, are Dynamically Controllable provided every projection is dispatchable. Thus, the dispatchability property has both theoretical and practical interest. One thing that hampers further work in this area is the underdeveloped theory. The existing definitions are expressed in terms of algorithms, and are less suitable for mathematical proofs. In this paper, we develop a new formal theory of dispatchability in terms of execution sequences. We exploit this to prove a characterization of dispatchability involving the structural properties of the STN graph. This facilitates the potential application of the theory to uncertainty reasoning.

control↗

UAV Path Planning for Wildfires - Sustainably Fighting Wildfires with Automated Path Planning for UAVs

As the severity and frequency of wildfires increase, infrastructure, properties, national parks, animal habitats, and human lives (civilians and firefighters) are put at greater risk. This paper examines the possible application of algorithmic path planning for UAV reconnaissance to reduce damage and safety risks, as aforementioned. When the location of a wildfire is known, UAVs are immediately dispatched from an operating base to fly to the fire and support the firefighters as quickly as possible. Then, the algorithm incrementally analyzes different environmental factors to create a path for the UAV to follow. This work focuses on generating a path for the UAV to follow given a set of polygons representing obstacles. The most important features of this algorithm are its fast response time and obstacle maneuverability. The use of an efficient path planning algorithm could potentially save lives, infrastructure, and acres of forest destruction.

UAV↗

Dynamic Scheduling Under Uncertainty

Often, autonomous agents that operate in real-world environments must be able to schedule and execute actions to accomplish mission goals while being robust to uncertainty and disturbances that arise during operations. This tutorial will focus on classes of models and algorithms that have been used to enable effective, robust strategies for dynamically dispatching plans in real time. The tutorial will begin with a survey of past and current research in modeling uncertainty in planning and scheduling, as well as research in different classes of approaches to dynamic scheduling. We then focus on a general class of approaches based on executing temporal plans using graphical models of events and their temporal ordering. These approaches allow for ensuring temporal flexibility in scheduling, as well as for developing strategies for executing partially controllable plans.

Morris, Robert↗

Optimal Energy Dispatch of Distributed PVs for the Next Generation of Distribution Management Systems

Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) are being widely adopted by electric utilities for managing and optimizing the operations of their distribution systems. Distributed photovoltaic (DPV) systems with smart inverters can be controlled to adjust active power and reactive power outputs, and they are envisioned to become a part of (centrally or distributed) controllable assets managed by the ADMS for optimizing grid operations. This paper proposes an optimal energy dispatch strategy controlling DPV systems for regulating distribution voltages and achieving conservation voltage reduction. A convex optimization model is proposed with the use of linearized power flow, and the gradient projection algorithm is used to solve the optimal active power and reactive power outputs of smart inverters. The proposed optimal energy dispatch is implemented using an open-source ADMS platform, and simulation results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed approach on improving distribution grid operations.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Application of FARM to an IES scenario within the FORCE ecosystem

The FARM (Feasible Actuator Range Modifier) software module is a component of the RAVEN-based FORCE framework for analysis of Integrated Energy Systems (IES). FARM supports the HERON software module in the evaluation of the optimal dispatch by evaluating feasible set-points for the different IES unit components. Set-points are required to satisfy limits on both production variables (i.e., the variables to be optimized such as the electrical power, the hydrogen production rate, etc.) and process variables tied to the service life of equipment (e.g., steam flowrate, vessel pressure, turbine firing temperature, etc.). This problem is addressed by adopting a two-stage approach. First, the HERON power dispatcher determines set-points that meet the constraints on the former variables (e.g., power levels and power ramp rate limits). These constraints are called explicit constraints. Then, FARM adjusts these set-points to ensure the respect of the limits on the latter variables given the knowledge of the system physics acquired through machine learning algorithms. These constraints are called implicit constraints. From this standpoint, FARM constitutes a bridge between the HERON power dispatcher that adopts a simplified description of the IES unit (low-resolution physics) and the HYBRID high-fidelity models (high-resolution physics). The original version of the FARM software module (FARM-Alpha) was released by Argonne National Laboratory in January 2021. In the latest version of the code released in July 2022 (FARM-Delta), the Reference Governor (RG) algorithm was upgraded to a Multi-Input Multi-Output version from its original Single-Input Single-Output form. The RG algorithm acts to enforce constraints. With this improvement an IES unit is now treated as a single dynamic system from the standpoint of control. The crosstalk among components in an IES unit is now fully considered thereby ensuring a true optimization is obtained for those units that have multiple set-points. In this report, the capabilities of FARM-Delta operating within the FORCE ecosystem are demonstrated for an IES test case. The specific configuration of IES unit for this case was selected by the IES team with consultation from the Advanced Reactor IES Expert Group. A full TEA analysis that invoked HERON, HYBRID, FARM, and RAVEN was performed and serves to demonstrate how the latest modification to FARM algorithms (i.e., state variable selection, state-space matrices derivation, set-point verification) can shape setpoints that might otherwise compromise the health of equipment through accelerated wear and tear. In this specific test case, it was demonstrated that these algorithms ensure a more efficient utilization of steam resources to be shared by two different subsystems, namely Balance of Plant (BOP) and High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis (HTSE). Finally, some code improvements that can further enhance the user-friendliness are suggested.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Solid State Power Substation DC Node Optimization and Controller Hardware-In-The-Loop Demonstration

A solid state power substation (SSPS) node is a microgrid that integrates distributed energy resources and loads and injects/absorbs power to/from the SSPS distribution network. It is an essential building block of a futuristic distribution grid network. This paper presents the development and demonstration of optimization use cases of a SSPS DC node. By adopting multi-layer hierarchical control architecture and developing automatic device identification and dynamic optimization formulation algorithms, the SSPS DC node can perform plug-and-play resource integration and seamless transition of the optimized node operation under on and off grid condition without sophisticated algorithms, control mode changes, and user interactions. Four optimization use cases including economic dispatches with price signal changes, a sudden PV power drop, and a single directional meter and its associated costs with sending power back to the grid, and resiliency under a grid inverter trip condition were demonstrated through the real-time controller hardware-in-the-loop simulation.

Kim, Namwon↗

A Simple Two Aircraft Conflict Resolution Algorithm

Conflict detection and resolution methods are crucial for distributed air-ground traffic management in which the crew in the cockpit, dispatchers in operation control centers and air traffic controllers in the ground-based air traffic management facilities share information and participate in the traffic flow and traffic control imctions.This paper describes a conflict detection and a conflict resolution method. The conflict detection method predicts the minimum separation and the time-to-go to the closest point of approach by assuming that both the aircraft will continue to fly at their current speeds along their current headings. The conflict resolution method described here is motivated by the proportional navigation algorithm. It generates speed and heading commands to rotate the line-of-sight either clockwise or counter-clockwise for conflict resolution. Once the aircraft achieve a positive range-rate and no further conflict is predicted, the algorithm generates heading commands to turn back the aircraft to their nominal trajectories. The speed commands are set to the optimal pre-resolution speeds. Six numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the conflict detection and resolution method.

Chatterji, Gano B.↗

A Simple Two Aircraft Conflict Resolution Algorithm

Conflict detection and resolution methods are crucial for distributed air-ground traffic management in which the crew in, the cockpit, dispatchers in operation control centers sad and traffic controllers in the ground-based air traffic management facilities share information and participate in the traffic flow and traffic control functions. This paper describes a conflict detection, and a conflict resolution method. The conflict detection method predicts the minimum separation and the time-to-go to the closest point of approach by assuming that both the aircraft will continue to fly at their current speeds along their current headings. The conflict resolution method described here is motivated by the proportional navigation algorithm, which is often used for missile guidance during the terminal phase. It generates speed and heading commands to rotate the line-of-sight either clockwise or counter-clockwise for conflict resolution. Once the aircraft achieve a positive range-rate and no further conflict is predicted, the algorithm generates heading commands to turn back the aircraft to their nominal trajectories. The speed commands are set to the optimal pre-resolution speeds. Six numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the conflict detection, and the conflict resolution methods.

Chatterji, Gano B.↗