Advanced Control Methods for Power Systems and HiL

 

The growth of renewable energy generation results in a massive transformation of the power system due to the large-scale integration of power electronic converters. This transformation calls for advanced control and protection methods as well as rigorous testing of new concepts using, for example, a hardware in the loop (HiL) approach. Our team addresses performs research in the following topics:

 
  • Modelling and control of power electronic converters in power systems
    • Distributed control and optimization
    • Model predictive control
    • HVDC and MVDC control & protection
  • Microgrids
    • Grid-forming
    • Islanded microgrids
  • Stability analysis
    • Wideband impedance measurement
    • Harmonic stability assessment
  • Hardware in the Loop (HiL)
    • Power-HiL for wind turbine testing
    • Distributed real-time power system simulations
 

Team Leader: Ilka Jahn

 

Junior Research Group: “Design and Verification of Control & Protection in DC Systems”

This junior research group explores integrated design and verification methods for DC systems. The developed methods address the complexity of a quickly changing electricity grid and its involved software. This research happens on the border between power systems and power electronics and aims for a better understanding between these two domains. In particular, the aim is to reduce planning and commissioning time and - through optimization - reduce cost. A particular emphasis is put on digital solutions based on artificial intelligence, graph theory, and open-source software. More

 

READY4DC

The future electricity network envisioned by READY4DC will be characterized by a growing role of multi-terminal multi-vendor (MTMV) HVDC solutions within the current AC transmission networks both onshore and offshore. READY4DC is contributing to this synergistic process by enabling commonly agreed definitions of interoperable modelling tools, model sharing platforms, clear processes for ensuring interoperability, and an appropriate legal and political framework. The project partners are: ENTSO-E, University of Groningen , SuperGrid Institute, T&D Europe, Tennet and WindEurope. More

 

REDeFINE - REflex-based Distributed Frequency control for power Networks

REDeFINE is a DFG-funded research project with the goal of developing distributed frequency control for future power grids. Within the project, especially approaches of model predictive control and the interaction with grid-forming converters are investigated. Communication systems play an important role and the influence of communication delays as well as data loss will be analyzed. The project is conducted in cooperation with the communication chair COMSYS of RWTH and with the partner project aDaptioN in the USA. More

 

FEN ESCape: Einheitliche Schutzarchitektur für DC-Netze auf System- und Komponentenebene

A mature protection architecture for smart power grids of the future, in particular direct current (DC) grids, is the key to the broad acceptance and market penetration of these grids. Requirements based on application scenarios will be evaluated for the necessary protection architecture, and the individual protection components. In addition, the higher-level coordination of all components involved in protection will be adapted to these requirements. Furthermore, the individual faults must be automatically detected, localized and cleared. In turn, reliable protection components are required to clear the faults, depending on the requirements imposed by the grid used. More

 

FEN DC-Sek: Control and Automation of Hybrid AC/DC Distribution Grids, with consideration of Cyber-physical Security Aspects

High integration of power electronics-interfaced distributed energy resources (DER) is a key factor of the energy transition in the modern power systems. This can be facilitated through DC systems, integrated in the existing AC distribution grids, forming hybrid AC/DC networks. More

 

ENSURE - Neue EnergieNetzStruktURen für die Energiewende (New Energy Network Structures for the Energiewende)

ENSURE is one of the four Kopernikus-Projects launched by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research in 2016, as the largest research initiative for the implementation of the Energiewende, and one of the few that bring together the strongest (interdisciplinary and partly competing) partners from industry, research and teaching (institutes of the RWTH, KIT, E.ON, TenneT, SIEMENS, ABB, and 17 other participants are involved).

The aim of ENSURE's research is to find the optimal mixture of central and decentralized supply, exploit new power electronic technologies (phase shifters, UPFCs, HVDC) and ICT technologies and develop cross-sectoral operational concepts (that consider electricity and gas networks), which enable a reliable and efficient energy supply with more than 80% share of renewable energy. More