In the next decade, further digitalisation of the entire wind energy project lifecycle is expected to be a major driver for reducing project costs and risks. In this paper, a literature review on the challenges related to implementation of digitalisation in the wind energy industry is first carried out, showing that there is a strong need for new solutions that enable co-innovation within and between organisations. Therefore, a new collaboration method based on a digital ecosystem is developed and demonstrated. The method is centred around specific “challenges”, which are defined by “challenge providers” within a topical “space” and made available to participants via a digital platform. The data required in order to solve a particular “challenge” are provided by the “challenge providers” under the confidentiality conditions they specify. The method is demonstrated via a case study, the EDP Wind Turbine Fault Detection Challenge. Six submitted solutions using diverse approaches are eval... [more]

Inductive power transfer (IPT) technology offers a promising solution for electric vehicle (EV) charging. It permits an EV to charge its energy storage system without any physical connections using magnetic coupling between inductive coils. EV inductive charging is an exemplary option due to the related merits such as: automatic operation, safety in harsh climatic conditions, interoperability, and flexibility. There are three visions to realize wireless EV charging: (i) static, in which charging occurs while EV is in long-term parking; (ii) dynamic (in-motion), which happens when EV is moving at high speed; and (iii) quasi-dynamic, which can occur when EV is at transient stops or driving at low speed. This paper introduces an extensive review for IPT systems in dynamic EV charging. It offers the state-of-the-art of transmitter design, including magnetic structure and supply arrangement. It explores and summarizes various types of compensation networks, power converters, and control tec... [more]

Solar thermal energy coupled to a seasonal sorption storage system stands as an alternative to fossil fuels to supply residential thermal energy demand in climates where solar energy availability is high in summer and low in winter, matching with a high space heating demand. Sorption storage systems usually have a high dependency on weather conditions (ambient temperature and solar irradiation). Therefore, in this study, the technical performance of a solar-driven seasonal sorption storage system, using an innovative composite sorbent and water as working fluid, was studied under three European climates, represented by: Paris, Munich, and Stockholm. All scenarios analyses were simulation-based under optimal system control, which allowed to maximize the system competitiveness by minimizing the system operational costs. The optimal scenarios profit from just 91, 82 and 76% of the total sorption system capacity, for Paris, Munich, and Stockholm, respectively. That means that an optimal co... [more]

As the proportion of large-scale wind farms and distributed wind power connected to the power grid increases annually, the effects of their intermittent and random characteristics on the active and reactive power fluctuations of the power grid are becoming increasingly evident, causing frequent voltage fluctuations at the grid-connected point. To solve these problems, this study proposes a new topology of an electromagnetic var compensator (EVC) based on a rotary phase-shifting transformer (RPST). The EVC can work under capacitive and inductive conditions to compensate for inductive and capacitive power, respectively. In accordance with the parallel steady-state mathematical model of the EVC, a double closed-loop control strategy with high precision and considerable robustness is proposed for the EVC on the basis of instantaneous reactive power theory. Finally, simulations show that the topology of the proposed EVC exhibits bidirectional and continuous adjustment capability that can me... [more]

According to the traditional voltage and current double closed-loop control mode, the inverter management strategy for photovoltaic grid connection has insufficient anti-interference ability and slow response. This paper proposes a control strategy that applies adaptive-linear active disturbance rejection control (A−LADRC) to the outer loop control to achieve the purpose of anti-interference. The control strategy uses the linear extended state observer (LESO) to evaluate external interference caused by the change of external conditions and the internal disturbance caused by parameter uncertainty. PD controller compensates the disturbances and adds adaptive control to simplify parameter adjustment. Finally, this paper takes advantage of Lyapunov theory to conduct stability analysis. Compared with the traditional linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC), the superiority of this control strategy is verified. The experimental results show that the system has better control perfo... [more]

Energy consumption in buildings is a significant cost to the building’s operation. As faults are introduced to the system, building energy consumption may increase and may cause a loss in occupant productivity due to poor thermal comfort. Research towards automated fault detection and diagnostics has accelerated in recent history. Rule-based methods have been developed for decades to great success, but recent advances in computing power have opened new doors for more complex processing techniques which could be used for more accurate results. Popular machine learning algorithms may often be applied in both unsupervised and supervised contexts, for both classification and regression outputs. Significant research has been performed in all permutations of these divisions using algorithms such as support vector machines, neural networks, Bayesian networks, and a variety of clustering techniques. An evaluation of the remaining obstacles towards widespread adoption of these algorithms, in bo... [more]

The main objective of this paper is to design a robust multi-objective H2/H∞ delayed feedback controller for load frequency control of a multi-area interconnected power system by taking into account all theoretical and practical constraints. To achieve more precise modelling and analysis, the limitation of valve position, governor, and transmission delay are considered to guarantee of LFC system’s stability in practical applications. The nonlinear delayed system is approximated by the Takagi−Sugeno fuzzy model. Then, a parallel distributed compensation scheme is utilized for designing the control system of the overall system. The proposed multi-objective and robust H2/H∞ controller simultaneously minimizes the H2 and H∞ control performance indexes. Finally, simulation results verify the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed scheme in dealing with the impact of load disturbances, model uncertainties, transmission time delays, and nonlinearities in the model.

With vehicle electrification and employment of X-by-wire technology, mechanical systems are being replaced by motor drives which improve the efficiency and performance of vehicular systems. However, motor drives have a lower power density and reliability compared to mechanical solutions. Multi-motor drives have the potential of mitigating both these drawbacks. In this paper, a state-of-the-art review of multi-motor drives and their application to vehicular systems is carried out. Firstly, the case of multi-motor systems in automotive applications is laid out by presenting the different vehicular systems comprising multiple motors. Secondly, multi-motor drive topologies with improved power density, reliability and fault tolerance capabilities are thoroughly analyzed. Finally, the topologies are assessed and compared in the context of automotive applications. The assessment verifies that multi-motor drives allow for fault tolerant and cost-effective solutions that are suitable for automo... [more]

In the past decade, inverter-integrated energy sources have experienced rapid growth, which leads to operating challenges associated with reduced system inertia and intermittent power generation, which can cause instability and performance issues of the power system. Improved control schemes for inverters are necessary to ensure the stability and resilience of the power system. Grid-forming inverters dampen frequency fluctuations in the power system, while grid-following inverters can aggravate frequency problems with increased penetration. This paper aims at reviewing the role of grid-forming inverters in the power system, including their topology, control strategies, challenges, sizing, and location. In order to facilitate continued research in this field, a comprehensive literature review and classification of the studies are conducted, followed by research gaps and suggestions for future studies.

Faults of mechanical transmission systems generally occur in the rotating bearing part at high speeds, which causes problems such as performance degradation of transmission, generation of noise or vibration, and additional damage to connected adjacent systems. In this way, faults cause adverse effects to the entire system, such as deterioration and damage. The early detection and correction of bearing problems allows for improved system safety and the reduction of maintenance costs, resulting in efficient system operation. As a result, a variety of methods have been developed by many researchers in order to diagnose bearing mechanical defects, and one of the most representative methods is applying various signal processing techniques to vibration data. Wavelet packet transform (WPT) and kurtogram were used in this study to identify the frequency band that contained the fault component, and the enhanced kurtogram technique was used to analyze the fault. A technique for minimizing the ef... [more]

A CFBC (Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustor) boiler for combusted SRF (Solid Refused Fuel) is designed for solid waste combustion and power generation. The boiler consumes about 200 tons/day of SRF and generates 60 ton/h of steam or 10 MWe in electricity. The boiler is designed to burn pelletized waste fuel made of municipal solid waste collected from a town with a population of 400,000. Heat and mass balance calculations over the combustor and at each boiler section were performed and compared between the designed and measured data to analyze the boiler’s performance. After-combustion, the most significant phenomenon in low-density waste-derived fuel combustion in a CFBC boiler was monitored. The heat and mass balance were the most appropriate tools to analyze the boiler performance. The flow rate of spray water at the de-superheater was a reliable indicator to quantify the after-combustion. The design modification of the boiler unit for after-combustion control in the existing boiler... [more]

To enhance the control performance of a permanent magnet linear synchronous motor (PMLSM) and to improve its dynamic response performance and steady-state accuracy, a PMLSM model predictive integrated control (MPC) system based on a super-twisting sliding mode observer (ST-SMO) is proposed. According to the mathematical model of a PMLSM, this paper designs a three-step model to predict the comprehensive control correction factor, optimize the prediction speed and current, reduce the response time, and enhance the system’s stability. Meanwhile, in order to solve the problem of the PMLSM’s high dependence on mechanical sensors, the ST-SMO is introduced to observe the rotation speed of PMLSM, which has better tracking performance and observation accuracy than a traditional sliding mode observer (SMO). Finally, the experimental verification is carried out on the PMLSM experimental platform. The software simulation and hardware experiment results show that the control system designed in thi... [more]

The reservoir physical properties, pore types, diagenetic characteristics and reservoir quality controlling effect of the Xishanyao formation coal measure sandstone in the southern margin of the Junggar basin were discussed in this study based on thin section observation, high pressure mercury injection, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscope observation. The result shows that the porosity and permeability of the sandstone are generally low with a medium-high texture maturity and low compositional maturity. The sandstone storage space is mainly composed of residual intergranular pores, secondary dissolution pores, inter-crystalline pores and micro-fractures. The diagenetic stage of coal measure sandstone is in the mesodiagenesis A1-A2 stage, and their diagenetic interaction types mainly include compaction, cementation and dissolution. The reservoir quality of the coal measure sandstone deteriorates by compaction due to high matrix content and plastic debri... [more]

Finite-set model predictive controls have been widely used in inverter control because of the flexible target control and no need of a modulation unit. However, the mismatching of prediction model parameters produces prediction errors, resulting in a significant decline in the performance of finite-set model predictive controls. Aiming at the problem of model parameter mismatch, an extended-state observer was proposed to accurately estimate the disturbance of the system in this paper, and the obtained disturbance value was added to a finite-set model predictive control controller to compensate for the prediction error and achieve parameter robustness. By constructing a prediction model of the inverter output voltage in αβ coordinates, all the possible output voltage values were predicted by using different voltage vectors and system measurement values. A set of voltage vectors that minimized the cost function was selected, and its corresponding switching state was applied to the invert... [more]

Reliable and comprehensive choice of a suitable domestic heat pump for a common dwelling house is discussed in the paper. The application of common and freely available market information about possible heat pump options is considered in this regard. The intangibility, imperfect nature, and overload of available information, as well as a common issue amongst interested homeowners—scarce critical resource availability, e.g., financial means—are also dealt with. A specific, universal multistage decision support procedure is proposed in the paper to help a houseowner to make an informed heat pump choice. At first, a concept of a pairwise comparison and a notion of dominance under imperfect information are utilized to build a kind of option hierarchy. A particular heat pump device is then recommended by means of exploring consecutive option hierarchy levels and an actual houseowner’s critical resource capacity in a non-commensurable manner. It seems that this joint application of common im... [more]

Before carbon capture and storage technologies can truly be promoted and applied, and nuclear or renewable energy power generation can become predominant, it is important to further develop more efficient and ultra-low emission USC units on the basis of leveraging the strengths of CFB technology. In view of this complex system with strong nonlinearity such as the boiler-turbine unit of a thermal power unit, the establishment of a model that is suitable for control is indispensable for the operation and the economics of the process. In this study the form of the nonlinear model after linearization at the steady-state point has been fully considered and an improved subspace identification method, which is based on the steady-state point deviations data, was proposed in order to identify a piecewise affine model. In addition, the construction of the excitation signal in practical applications has been fully considered. The identification results demonstrate that this method has a better a... [more]

Vernier permanent-magnet machines have been attracted more and more attention because of their high torque density. In this paper, the sensorless control strategy of the novel axially magnetized Vernier permanent-magnet (AMVPM) machine is presented. First, the inductance non-linearity is investigated under different load conditions. Second, the mathematical model is established in cooperation with the finite element method. After that, the back electromotive force based sensorless control strategy is developed according to the state equation of the motor. In the sensorless drive, the model reference adaptive system (MRAS) technique incorporated with the inductance non-linearity is used for the speed estimation. The modified control strategy not only increases the stability but also improves the dynamic response of the system. Finally, the simulation results show that the modified MRAS is of high estimation precision, and the AMVPM machine can be well controlled, and the experimental re... [more]

The increasing use of communication in power-system operation and control is a double-edged sword [...]

The inherent non-linear behavior of switch-mode power supplies complicates the task of computing their linear models, which are essential for a model-oriented control design of DC−DC converters. In a model-oriented control design approach, the accuracy of the plant model directly influences the performance of the control system as the plant parameters tend to be linked to the controllers’ gains. Moreover, the extractions of linear dynamic models of high-order non-linear plants such as DC−DC converters are laborious and mathematically intractable. Therefore, in this paper, a generalized expression that represents either the audio-susceptibility or the control-to-output voltage transfer function for voltage-mode control is proposed. The proposed generalization reduces the task of computing the small-signal model of a given converter to simple calculations of coefficients of generalized transfer function/expression. It is shown that the coefficients of the generalized model can be deduced... [more]

During the process of steam thermal recovery of heavy oil, steam channeling seriously affects the production and ultimate recovery. In this study, fly ash was used as the plugging agent, and then a series of plugging experiments based on the results of two-dimensional (2D) experiments were conducted to study the effect of plugging the steam breakthrough channels. The experimental results show that the inorganic particle plugging agent made from the fly ash had a good suspension stability, consolidation strength, and injection performance. Because of these characteristics, it was migrated farther in the formation with a high permeability than in the formation with a low permeability, and the plugging rate was greater than 99%. After steam injection, it had a good anti-flush ability and stable plugging performance in the formation. In terms of the oil displacement effect, oil recovery in the formation with a low permeability was effectively improved because of plugging. The results show... [more]

This study elaborates on the quasi-sliding mode control design for discrete time dynamical systems subject to matched external disturbances and modeling uncertainties. In order to provide finite time convergence to the sliding surface and at the same time restrict the control effort, we propose a novel power-rate reaching law utilizing a hyperbolic tangent function. The construction of the reaching law ensures that when the distance between the representative point of the system and the sliding surface is significant then the convergence pace is limited, which results in a reduced control effort. However, as the representative point of the system approaches the sliding surface, the convergence pace increases. Moreover, the study adopts a non-switching-type definition of the sliding motion, which eliminates undesirable chattering effects in the sliding phase. In order to reduce the impact of external disturbances on the system, the model following approach is taken, which allows for the... [more]

The paper presents the design and control strategy of an isolated DC microgrid, which is based on classical control techniques, predictive control and iterative algorithms. The design control parameters are maximum overshoot, settling time and voltage ripple. The strategy is designed to operate in two different modes, end-users minimum and maximum demand scenarios, and this is achieved through the incorporation of network dynamic loads. The control methodology developed allows to obtain a fast response of the design set points, and an efficient control for disturbance rejection. The simulation results obtained satisfy the proposed design guidelines by obtaining a maximum overshoot of 4.8%, settling time of 0.012 seconds and a voltage ripple of 0.1 percentage. The implemented system simulation was developed in Matlab-Simulink software.

With the move towards decarbonization of the energy system and increased use of renewable generation, the number of power electronics converter interfaced resources connecting to the grid is growing. These power electronics converters have fast dynamics determined by control algorithms, which leads to significant changes in the dynamics and impedance characteristics of the power system. Based on practical experience, concerns have grown about interactions between converters and between converters and the grid which can give rise to instability in a system with multiple grid−connected inverters operating in parallel. This paper reviews the recent work related to the understanding, modeling and mitigation of such interactions. The basic concepts which underpin the interactions are explained and discussed from an impedance stability perspective. The concepts are illustrated by means of an example case of multiple inverters operating in a low voltage distribution system. In recent years, s... [more]

Coupled inductors can effectively optimize the THD, loss, current ripple, and power density of multiphase interleaved totem-pole PFC converters. However, a coupled inductor will also worsen the zero-crossing distortion process. This paper first introduces the working principle of the interleaved totem-pole PFC converter with a coupled inductor based on a detailed analysis of modes, and then analyzes the influence on the zero-crossing process caused by the coupled inductor. To eliminate the zero-crossing distortion caused by the coupled inductor, an improved control strategy and its digital realization method of the totem-pole PFC converter is presented through the system model. Finally, the validity and correctness of the proposed circuit and control are verified in the 7.7 kW interleaved totem-pole PFC converter.

The short- and long-term volatility of oil and gas prices has a wide-ranging impact on both parties of petroleum contractual agreements, thus affecting the profitability of the project at any stage. Therefore, the government (first party) and the international oil company (second party) set the parameters of their contracts in a way that reduces the uncertainty. The effect of price fluctuations on economic indicators is investigated in this paper. The Taguchi method is used for the first time to find the best-agreement parameters, which are the “A” and “B” factors, in the standard Libyan agreement. There are four “A” components from “A1” to “A4”, and four “B” components from “B1” to “B4”. The purpose is to reduce the variability in the response variables, which are the company take (the percent of net cash flow for the international company) and average value of the second-party percent share of production (ASPS). The noise factors considered in this paper are oil, liquefied hydrocarbo... [more]