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Technologies Enabling Smart Grid in Distribution Networks and Microgrids 2.0

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A special issue of Inventions (ISSN 2411-5134). This special issue belongs to the section "Inventions and Innovation in Electrical Engineering/Energy/Communications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2022) | Viewed by 14816

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Emilio Ghiani

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e architettura, University of Catania, 09123 Catania, Italy
Interests: smart grids; renewable energy; energy storage devices; energy distribution systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Paolo Attilio Pegoraro

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Guest Editor

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: new measurement techniques; measurement uncertainty and propagation analysis; measurements for modern power networks; synchronized instruments; distributed measurement systems; power system state estimation; compressive sensing methods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues.

Distributed automation, protection, measurements and ICT architectures are the basis of modern power grids, particularly at distribution levels. Power distribution systems require a pervasive communication infrastructure, covering the entire power grid, from transformer substations down to the end-customer, according to the smart grid paradigm.

The increasing diffusion of distributed energy resources (DER), including electric vehicles, requires the deployment of systems for the scheduling and management of energy flows inside the network, as well as for improved network operation, consumer efficiency in consumption and participation in competitive markets. The optimal management of the grid requires the adoption of distributed measurement systems, such as power quality meters and phasor measurement units, able to transfer, in real-time, measurement information to the distribution system operator (DSO) control center.

The aim of this Special Issue is to investigate emerging technologies, which are required in the design and implementation of future smart grids.

This issue welcomes theoretical papers, methodological studies, and empirical research on the design and implementation of smart grids, concerning (but not limited to) the application of: Information and communication technologies, smart meters and sensors, phasor measurement units, innovative protection and control systems, energy management systems for active networks, microgrids, and e-mobility, and systems and frameworks for demand response management.

Dr. Emilio Ghiani
Prof. Dr. Paolo Attilio Pegoraro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Inventions is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

communication systems for smart grids
active distribution network
smart meters and sensors
phasor measurement unit
micro-grid management
e-mobility management
demand response management

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 2093 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Assessment of a Novel Dual Opening Dewar for Use on a Liquid Air Energy Storage System Installed on Remote, Islanded, Renewable Microgrids

by Christofer Fackrell, Anthony Pollman, Douglas L. Van Bossuyt and Anthony J. Gannon

Inventions 2022, 7(4), 101; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/inventions7040101 - 09 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1383

Abstract

Islanded, renewable energy microgrids for use at remote operating facilities reduce logistical burdens associated with fossil fuel based electrical power sources and provide greater operational flexibility; however, energy generation can be intrinsically intermittent on renewable microgrids. This intermittent electrical generation can be mitigated with electrical energy storage. Liquid air energy storage (LAES) is one promising technology proposed to meet this energy storage issue due to its high energy density and lack of geographical constraints. Small-scale microgrids may not have enough excess capacity to store pressurized liquid air (LA), and instead may rely on unpressurized LA storage and their associated unpressurized power recovery systems. Using commercial off-the-shelf components, this article conducts a performance-based tradespace study for several dual opening, unpressurized Dewar designs for use with Stirling- or Peltier-based power recovery cycles. The dual opening Dewar design is found to be ineffective for the short-term LA storage times necessary for small-scale microgrid use, primarily due to excessive conductive thermal losses; however, the design may be useful as a LA receiver and immediate use energy storage medium for a connected Stirling generator. A proposed alternative solution using a self-pressurized Dewar for LA storage and transport for microgrid applications is presented for future work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technologies Enabling Smart Grid in Distribution Networks and Microgrids 2.0)

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16 pages, 7054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extending DC Bus Signaling and Droop Control for Hybrid Storage Units to Improve the Energy Management and Voltage Regulation

by Ahmad M. A. Malkawi, Ayman Al-Quraan and Luiz A. C. Lopes

Inventions 2022, 7(3), 55; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/inventions7030055 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1823

Abstract

DC bus-voltage signaling (DBS) and droop control are often used in DC nano and microgrids with decentralized distributed energy resources (DERs). This technique effectively enforces the appropriate contributions of power sources and energy storage systems (ESSs) in steady-state situations. The usage of super capacitors (SCs) in conjunction with batteries in a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) has recently been shown to reduce the influence of high and fast current changes on the losses and lifetime of the battery units. However, regulating the HESS as a single unit eliminates the SC’s potential contribution in improving power quality in a DC nanogrid due to its high-power capabilities. This work discusses employing a dual-droop coefficient to expand DC bus signaling and droop control by introducing a second droop constant in the range of the ESS’s droop constant. The suggested droop constant allows the SC to participate in power-sharing in the steady state. The voltage regulation will improve by decreasing the DC bus voltage variation with the load or power variation in the DC nanogrid. Furthermore, in the droop zone, the battery’s current variation is less, resulting in a smoother transition in the battery current. In addition to this, the contribution that SCs make to the slow component is variable, which is something that might be accomplished by having a changing threshold voltage in the I vs. V curve. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technologies Enabling Smart Grid in Distribution Networks and Microgrids 2.0)

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15 pages, 2237 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low Latency 5G Distributed Wireless Network Architecture: A Techno-Economic Comparison

by Ibrahim Alhassan Gedel and Nnamdi I. Nwulu

Inventions 2021, 6(1), 11; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/inventions6010011 - 24 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3434

Abstract

The most profound requirements of fifth-generation (5G) technology implementations are the architecture design and the radio base station technology to capably run applications such as device-to-device, machine-to machine and internet of things at a reduced latency. Owing to these requirements, the implementation of 5G technology is very expensive to mobile network operators (MNO). In this study we modified the existing 4G network to form a distributed wireless network architecture (DWNA); the picocell and distributed antenna system were modified to support the enabling technology of 5G technology were a multi-edge computer (MEC), software-defined networking (SDN), massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO), ultra-dense network (UDN), Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and device-to-device (D2D) communication at a reduced cost of ownership, improved coverage and capacity. We present a mathematical model for operational expenditure, capital expenditure and total cost of ownership (TCO) for the DWNA. A mathematical model for DWNA capacity and throughput was presented. Result shows that it is very economical for MNO to rent the space of the tower infrastructure from tower companies. The sensitivity analysis also shows a significant reduction in TCO for both the modified picocell and modified distributed antenna systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technologies Enabling Smart Grid in Distribution Networks and Microgrids 2.0)

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12 pages, 1371 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Voltage Differential Protection for Series Arc Fault Detection in Low-Voltage DC Systems

by Sundaravaradan Navalpakkam Ananthan, Xianyong Feng, Charles Penney, Angelo Gattozzi, Robert Hebner and Surya Santoso

Inventions 2021, 6(1), 5; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/inventions6010005 - 31 Dec 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2517

Abstract

Series arc faults are challenging to detect in low-voltage dc (LVDC) distribution systems because, unlike other fault types, series arc faults result in only small changes in the current and voltage waveforms. Though there have been several approaches proposed to detect series arc faults, each approach has its requirements and limitations. A step change in the current and voltage waveforms at the arc inception is one of the characteristic signatures of these faults that can be extracted without requiring one to sample the waveforms at a very high frequency. This characteristic feature is utilized to present a novel approach based on voltage differential protection to detect series arc faults in LVDC systems. The proposed method is demonstrated using an embedded controller and experimental data that emulate a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test environment. The successful detection of series arc faults on two sets of series arc fault experimental data validated the approach. The results presented also illustrate the computational feasibility in implementing the approach in a real-time environment using an embedded controller. In addition, the paper discusses the robustness of the approach to load changes and loss of time synchronization between measurements at the two terminals of the line. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technologies Enabling Smart Grid in Distribution Networks and Microgrids 2.0)

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Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 1852 KiB

Open AccessReview

Blockchain and 6G-Enabled IoT

by Houshyar Honar Pajooh, Serge Demidenko, Saad Aslam and Muhammad Harris

Inventions 2022, 7(4), 109; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/inventions7040109 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4422

Abstract

Ubiquitous computing turns into a reality with the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) adopted to connect massive numbers of smart and autonomous devices for various applications. 6G-enabled IoT technology provides a platform for information collection and processing at high speed and with low latency. However, there are still issues that need to be addressed in an extended connectivity environment, particularly the security and privacy domain challenges. In addition, the traditional centralized architecture is often unable to address problems associated with access control management, interoperability of different devices, the possible existence of a single point of failure, and extensive computational overhead. Considering the evolution of decentralized access control mechanisms, it is necessary to provide robust security and privacy in various IoT-enabled industrial applications. The emergence of blockchain technology has changed the way information is shared. Blockchain can establish trust in a secure and distributed platform while eliminating the need for third-party authorities. We believe the coalition of 6G-enabled IoT and blockchain can potentially address many problems. This paper is dedicated to discussing the advantages, challenges, and future research directions of integrating 6G-enabled IoT and blockchain technology for various applications such as smart homes, smart cities, healthcare, supply chain, vehicle automation, etc. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technologies Enabling Smart Grid in Distribution Networks and Microgrids 2.0)

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