Integrated Power Conversion for Multiple DC Voltage Sources and Its Power Quality

In a smart grid, electric loads are supplied by various DC （direct current） power sources, such as solar cells or batteries. On the other hand, traditional AC （alternating current） loads like a directly connected induction motors will also be used. In the circumstances, a smart power conversion unit is one of key components, which can integrate these DC or AC apparatus and trade power among them. Authors have developed an integrated power converter based on a well-known circuit topology of flying capacitor multilevel converter. This paper describes the detail of the circuit topology and its characteristics depending on designed parameters. The achieved power quality is also verified by simulation study.     

Modelling of Impedance Matching Circuit with Digital Capacitor in Narrowband Power Line Communication

Power line communication technology is used in various applications, from high voltage network to the low voltage network, as it is the only wired communication technology that is comparable with wireless communication network. It works by injecting a modulated carrier wave into the electric cables from one transceiver to another. But still, the noise level and impedance mismatch are still the main concern of this technology, particularly in the low voltage network in residential area. Power line has additive non-white noise and extremely harsh environment for communication. At the same time, there is signal attenuation along the power line caused by the impedance mismatch in the power line network. Even though these problems can be controlled using a band-pass filter and an impedance matching circuit respectively, but the impedances in the power line are time and location variant and it is rather difficult to design a circuit that allows maximum power transfer in the system all the time. Thus in this paper, a new adaptive impedance matching circuits is proposed for narrowband power line communication. This methodology is derived based on the RLC band-pass filter circuit. This concept is designed to achieve simpler configuration and higher matching resolution.     

Simulation Analysis for Massive Deployment of Variable Renewables Employing an Optimal Power Generation Mix Model

This paper develops a high time-resolution optimal power generation mix model in its time resolution of 10 minutes on 365 days by linear programming technique. The model allows us to analyse the massive deployment of photovoltaic system and wind power generation in power system explicitly considering those short-term output variation. PV （photovoltaic） and wind output are estimated, employing meteorological database. Simulation results reveal that variable fluctuation derived from a high penetration level of those renewables is controlled by quick load following operation of natural gas combined cycle power plant, pumped-storage hydro power, stationary NAS （sodium and sulfur） battery and the output suppression control of PV and wind. It additionally turns out that the operational configuration of those technologies for the renewable variability differs significantly depending on those renewable output variations in each season and solving the seasonal electricity imbalance as well as the daily imbalance is important if variable renewables are massively deployed.     

Germany＇s Energy Transition and the European Electricity Market： Mutually Beneficial？

Germany＇s energy system is in transition towards less nuclear, lower carbon emissions and more renewables. Notwithstanding widespread neglect of its European dimension, this Energiewende will further exacerbate current network fluctuations due to the significant increase in wind and solar power. Key data from Denmark show that this transition will soon bring the German national power system to its limits for absorbing the resulting intermittency, and increase the need for more cross-border power transfers. Yet network analysis of import/export data shows that Germany＇s position in the European power system is contrary to the Danish case. The need for a European solution for Germany＇s energy transition will therefore soon become evident. In order to establish the necessary infrastructure, the Energiewende needs hence to be guided by an economic approach designed to prevent further fractures in the Internal Electricity Market. Constructive negotiations with neighbouring countries on market designs and price signals will be important preconditions. The article emphasizes the still neglected European paradox of Germany＇s energy transition and presents working examples and possible solutions to uphold electricity supply in Europe＇s power house.     

Control of Grid Side Converter under Unbalance Voltage Conditions for Variable Speed Wind Turbine

This paper proposes the control of a grid side converter under unbalance voltage conditions for wind turbine system. The control technique is designed to operate under unbalance voltage by independent control between positive and negative components. The converter will regulate the DC link voltage at the specific value （650 V）. To verify an operation of the proposed control, the simulation is conducted by MATLAB/SIMULINK program. The experiments are conducted on a 5 kW system composed of wind turbine simulator, machine side converter and the propose grid side converter for operation under unbalance voltage. By comparing the simulation experimentation results, it can be shown that the proposed control can be continuously operating through an extremely sag voltage without damage. Moreover the proposed control can deliver power to the grid and regulate DC link voltage under unbalance voltage.     

Feasibility of Wind Power Generation for the Reduction of Power Costs in Residential Buildings

The installation of wind power generators on buildings located in areas with regular winds may be a suitable investment in a renewable power source. Brazil has a high eolic potential, where the annual mean wind speed may reach over eight meters per second. This case study is aimed to assess the economic feasibility of the installation of small wind power plants in urban areas. This work evaluates a project for the installation of a vertical axis wind turbine in three buildings （15-, 22-, and 26-story） including the following stages： （1） installation of a real-time power meter in the 15-store unit; （2） demand analysis of the 26-store building＇s power consumption; （3） winds survey along the coast of the State of Ceara; （4） analysis of the wind turbines available in the market; （5） simulation aimed to choose the system. Vertical wind power generators offer better conditions of use in urban areas. The turnover time was established to be between four and six years in the three studied units. The installation of a wind power generator on buildings in regions with an adequate eolic regimen reaches a financial return of the investment before the end of the equipment＇s lifespan.     

Stability Study of a Mixed Islanded Power Network

This paper presents the modelling, simulation and analysis of the dynamic behaviour of a mixed power network of 2.78 GW including hydro, thermal and wind power plants. The modelling of each power plant is described. The set of parameters of the turbine speed governor of the hydroelectric power plant is determined with a specific identification procedure to achieve stable operation for different cases such as interconnected, isolated or islanded operation. The analysis of the stability of the entire mixed islanded power plant is investigated through time domain simulations for different sets of controllers parameters and for different disturbances （load rejection and turbulent wind speed profile）.     

Network Reconfiguration for Load Balancing in Distribution System with Distributed Generation and Capacitor Placement

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for optimization of radial distribution systems by a network reconfiguration to balance feeder loads and eliminate overload conditions. The system load-balancing index is used to determine the loading conditions of the system and maximum system loading capacity. The index value has to be minimum in the optimal network reconfiguration of load balancing. The tabu search algorithm is employed to search for the optimal network reconfiguration. The basic idea behind the search is a move from a current solution to its neighborhood by effectively utilizing a memory to provide an efficient search for optimality. It presents low computational effort and is able to find good quality configurations. Simulation results for a radial 69-bus system. The study results show that the optimal on/off patterns of the switches can be identified to give the best network reconfiguration involving balancing of feeder loads while respecting all the constraints.     

Impact of Wind Power on the ATC Values in Hydro-Dominated Power System

The wind power generation is increasing in many countries as a result of decreasing technology costs, active government policies for renewable energy sources, environmental concerns, etc.. This paper investigates the impact of wind power generation on ATC （available transmission capacity） calculation. In order to determine the maximum incremental MW transfer possible between two parts of a power system without violating any specified limits, ATCs are calculated. When calculating ATC values, it is necessary to assume production and consumption pattern in power system. Production of wind power depends on the wind speed, which is a random variable and it is impossible to forecast exactly the production of wind power that is needed for the ATCs calculation. In order to investigate influence of the stochastic wind power production on the ATCs value, computer model of Croatian electric power system is made in Power World Simulator. ATCs are calculated for southern part of Croatian power system in which besides wind power, hydro power plants are only type of power generation. Available wind speed measurements are used as input data for wind power production. The results of the ATC calculation for different scenario of wind power production and location in the Southern Croatian power system are presented and discussed in the paper.     

Examination for Experimental Verification of Improvement of Power Quality in Distribution System by PCS

In the future, the power quality will decrease by the introduction of a lot of renewable energy sources. The topic of this research is a new method of operation of PCS （power conditioning systems） in the future distribution system. The purpose of this research is development of PCS with a function of improvement of the distribution system. Therefore, the authors propose a method of the power quality improvement of the distribution system by PCS. In addition, the authors construct the control logic to use in PCS The control logic suggests adding harmonic restraint function to conventional control. These were verified by simulation and an experiment. As the results, we confirmed that basic operation of PCS being carried out, harmonics were restrained, and power quality had improved.     

Advanced Reactive Power Control at Individual Residences to Smooth Energy Loss Fluctuation for a Clustered Grid-Interconnected PV System

Reactive power control can control voltage within the proper range from the power network side or from the distribution generation （PV （photovoltaic）） side. Reactive power control from the power network side is simpler because little controlled object apparatus, such as STATCOM, is required. However, it is difficult to optimize the individual voltages of residential consumers because few data have been obtained by the power network side as compared with the power generation side. Energy loss at each residence with PV is different due to the difference in the grid-interconnection condition, such as distribution line impedance when the same operating voltage is set at all residences. Therefore, in this paper, the authors propose an advanced reactive power control method for residential PV systems in order to optimally control the voltage at individual residences so as to minimize energy loss fluctuation. The effectiveness of the proposed reactive power control is demonstrated by numerical simulation.     

Power System Modelling and Fault Analysis of NamPower＇s 330 kV HVAC Transmission Line

Electric power systems usually cover large geographical areas and transmission facilities are continuously increasing. These power systems are exposed to different environmental conditions which may cause faults to occur on the system. Different types of studies are usually done on electric power systems to determine how the system behaves before, during and after a fault condition. The behaviour of variables of interest such as currents, voltage, rotor angle and active and reactive power under fault conditions are studied and observed to help determine possible causes of faults in a power system. The objective of this paper is to investigate a fault that occurred on the 330 kV transmission line between Ruacana power station and Omburu sub-station, the fault caused all the generators at Ruacana power station to trip and consequently caused a blackout at the power station that lasted for 6 h. Preliminary findings showed that the observed fault was an earth fault but the exact type of earth fault was however not known at the time. This research investigation sets out to determine the exact fault that occurred; the most probable cause of the fault, and propose possible solutions to prevent reoccurrence of such a fault. The section of the power network in which the fault occurred was modelled using DigSilent Power Factory software tool, and transient fault analysis was carried out on the model for different fault conditions. Results obtained were then compared with data obtained from NamPower records to ascertain the type of fault.     

Comparison between Current Technologies for the Best Choice of Thermoelectric Plant with Coal or Uranium

Between the alternative sources available for the electricity production, still lacks reliability for the production in base units. For the electricity production from 500 MW to 1,000 MW or more, the coal-fired thermal and nuclear power plants with uranium have proved competitive and with a high level of reliability and maturation, besides presenting the fuel supply security. This paper presents an analysis of technical feasibility for the choice of the best technology for generating electricity on a large scale, based on coal-fired thermal or nuclear power plant using uranium. This paper takes in account the availability of fuel sources, investments costs, thermal power generation systems, pollutants emission and mitigation technologies, global efficiency, fuel consumption, costs of electricity, construction time and an average lifespan of the installation. Thus the analysis allows the most rational choice of technology for the production of electricity with lower electricity costs and lower COz emissions.     

Electromagnetic Zero-Sequence Harmonics Blocker： Modeling and Experimental Analysis

This paper reveals new contributions to the analysis and development of devices for harmonic distortion mitigation. Considering the sequential distribution of harmonic currents, zero-sequence components could be diminished using electromagnetic devices, particularly the eZSB （electromagnetic zero-sequence blocking）. One important characteristic of this device, which has received particular attention on this research, is its robustness and low cost of construction. Theoretical and experimental results related to the behavior of the electromagnetic blocking devices are presented. The results illustrate the consistence of the theoretical aspects related with the model in the frequency domain, as well as the performance of the blocking devices, reducing zero-sequence harmonic currents, mainly by the conjunct action of the eZSF （electromagnetic zero-sequence harmonic filter）, working as a impedance coupler. In this context, aiming the evaluation of the reliability of the results obtained through mathematical modeling, experimental tests have been carried out using a low-power prototype, highlighting particular aspects related to its function as a zero-sequence harmonic blocker.     

A Magnetron Power Supply with Transition-Mode Zero-Voltage-Switching Inverter

This paper presents a transition-mode zero-voltage-switching inverter for the cooker magnetron of household microwave ovens. The inverter drives a leakage transformer to generate the required high voltage and stabilized current. For achieving zero-voltage switching, a transition-mode driver L6561 is utilized to detect the ending of transformer resonance and drive an insulated-gate-bipolar-transistor. As transistor is conducted, rectified direct-current voltage drives the transformer. While transistor is cut off, transformer resonates with a parallel capacitor. Transistor conduction time and magnetron power are controlled with a 16-bit digital signal controller dsPIC30F4011. For widening the working range, transistor conduction time is set to be inversely changed with line-frequency input voltage. To demonstrate the analysis and design of this paper, a 1 kW inverter circuit is built. Experimental results show the feasibility and usefulness of the designed magnetron power supply.     

Software Tool for the Implementation of the Methodology for Revitalization of High-Voltage Overhead Power Lines

In power systems, a large number of OPLs （overhead power lines） are more than 40 years old and some even exceed 50 years old. The key issue for power systems managers, public utilities companies and electrical engineers today concerns the manner in which available financial resources should be invested in these OPLs to provide the greatest impact on the power system as a whole and to address the OPLs that require urgent revitalization. This paper presents the application of the software tool RevOPL, developed using Microsoft Access utilizing the ＂methodology for revitalization of high-voltage OPLs＂. The aim is to present both the methodology and software to objectively evaluate the condition of an OPL and determine its remaining service life. The application of this software tool provides a proposal for the scheduling and scope of planned revitalization activities, which are obtained through the optimization of the technical characteristics while remaining within the available budget.     

Analysis of Short Circuit Faults in a System Fed by Wind Turbine

Short circuit and ground failures that are quite common in power transmission lines are investigated. These failures are designed considering a system that is supplied by this wind system, and analyses are interpreted. In the study, a system is set up and it is fed by the wind turbine. Furthermore, the mathematical model of wind turbine and generator is prepared and the results obtained from the simulation are evaluated. The short circuit and ground fault analyzes were performed separately for each of the three phases. ATP （alternative transient program）-EMTP （electromagnetic transients program） program is used in the analysis and the results obtained were found to be quite compatible.     

Experimental Study of Condensation Heat Transfer on Tube Bundles in Large Power Plant Condensers

In order to clarify the effect of condensate inundation on steam condensation in a large tube bundle, condensation heat transfer and the condensate flow pattern in the tube bundle have been experimentally investigated. Test tube bundle consists of 36 cooling tubes, 12 condensate supply tubes and 24 un-cooled dummy tubes. Cooling test tubes are made of copper and have an outer diameter of 19.1 mm and condensing length of 150 mm, Steam flows horizontally through the test tube bundle at gap velocities 15-27 m/s at pressures of 8.8 kPa. In this study, experimental data about condensate flow pattern and condensation heat transfer in a tube bundle were collected for the optimization of tube arrangement in large power plant condensers.     

High-Performance of Power System Based upon ANFIS （Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System） Controller

The proposed controller incorporates FL （fuzzy logic） algorithm with ANN （artificial neural network）. ANFIS replaces the conventional PI controller, tuning the fuzzy inference system with a hybrid learning algorithm. A tuning method is proposed for training of the neuro-fuzzy controller. The best rule base and the best training algorithm chosen produced high performance in the ANFIS controller. Simulation was done on Matlab Ver. 2010a. A case study was chopper-fed DC motor drive, in continuous and discrete modes. Satisfactory results show the ANFIS controller is able to control dynamic highly-nonlinear systems. Tuning it further improved the results.     

Development and Static Mode Characterization of a New Low-Loss AC Switch Based on Super-gain BJT

This paper deals with an innovative low-loss AC switch, named as TBBS （transistor based bidirectional switch）, based on the association of super-gain BJTs developed by the GREMAN laboratory. The main characterization results of the super-gain BJT are reminded to identify the key parameters that are essential to build the TBBS. A complete characterization database in static mode of this new AC switch is discussed. In particular, its forward and reverse-biased features have been measured to see the evolution of the DC current gain as a function of the current density. The TBBS makes sense when using the super-gain BJT （bipolar junction transistor） in reverse mode. It means that the reverse DC current gain has to be sufficient （at least higher than l compared with the conventional BJT one）. This new AC switch is bidirectional in current and voltage, totally controllable （turn-on and turn-off） and the most attractive solution in terms of on-state power losses. Further, its manufacturing process is as easier as existing device such as triac.