Abstract:
An apparatus, the apparatus includes a simulator, an interface, and a microgrid. The simulator includes a model of a physical electrical network. The interface is coupled to the simulator. The microgrid is coupled to the interface and includes a plurality of electrical elements that represent aspects of the physical electrical network. The simulator receives requests to analyze performance of the physical electrical network, responsively produces signals that are converted to control signals by the interface and applied to the microgrid, the microgrid providing feedback.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/082,708, filed Nov. 21, 2014, entitled TEST BED PLATFORMS FOR ADVANCED MULTI-STAGE AUTOMATION AND CONTROL FOR SMART AND MICRO GRID which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     STATEMENT AS TO FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Some of the work described herein was funded by a grant from the United States Government. The United States Government may, therefore, have certain rights in the invention. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This invention relates generally to microgrids and, more particularly, to systems for testing parameters of microgrids. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The development of flexible power and energy systems that are secure, resilient to attack, sustainable, and affordable are a national priority. Additionally, it is desirable that such power and energy systems are both affordable from a developmental perspective and environmentally friendly. Federal and state government administrations are currently encouraging universities and other research institutions to develop advanced design, testing, and control platforms for future small and scalable power systems. Ideally, small and scalable power systems will meet increasing local demand which cannot be guaranteed by a conventional, central generation based network. Industries, government, national laboratories, and various agencies are looking for a testing system to test the design of such power systems. 
         [0005]    Research projects are currently being performed to create such a testing system by institutions, national laboratories, and universities. Unfortunately, the current research projects do not provide an in-depth study of the robustness of the concept of microgrids in full operation because they are limited in size. These problems have led to dissatisfaction with current systems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  depicts a system  100  for testing different parameters using a microgrid  106 , according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  depicts an interface  104  communicating control signals to a microgrid  106 , according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart depicting example operations for performing test simulations via a microgrid, according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart depicting example operations for receiving signals from a simulator, converting the signals to control signals, and communicating the control signals to a microgrid, according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. 
       
    
    
       [0011]    Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meaning have otherwise been set forth. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    Embodiments of the inventive subject matter include a testing system that can advance microgrid research at different transmission and distribution levels and ensure seamless integration and general compatibility of renewable energy resources. For example, the testing system can allow for shared use by universities and other institutions (e.g., governmental agencies, military branches, etc.) to test different microgrid designs and implementations. In some embodiments, the testing system will allow for validating the design framework for reliability, functionality, and security. Second, the testing system can allow for a broader definition of performance metrics for resilience, sustainability, and configurability. Third, the testing system can be used to provide certification for reliability and safety of proposed microgrids. Finally, data (e.g., real time data) collected from the testing system can be used to assess performance of microgrids. These performance assessments can be used, for example, to justify economic and technical benefits of proposed microgrids. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts a system  100  for testing different parameters using a microgrid  106 , according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. The microgrid  106  can be any relatively small scale network, grid, power infrastructure, etc. For example, the microgrid  106  can be disposed in a single building, group of buildings, factory, campus, portion of a campus, power plant, or any other suitable relatively small scale network. The microgrid can be any combination of grid elements (e.g., routers, servers, generators, batteries, machines of any type, windmills, etc.) and links to physically connect these elements (e.g., transmission lines, control lines, wires, cables, etc.). 
         [0014]    The system  100  is an example testing system which can be used to test different parameters of proposed, or currently-in-use microgrids. From a high level, the system  100  includes a simulator  102 , an interface  104  (e.g., a Flexible Integrated Phasor System), a microgrid  106  (also referred to as a “microgrid”), and an interface controller  108 . Generally, the simulator  102  generates signals and communicates the signals  102  to the interface  104 . The interface  104  receives the signals from the simulator  102  and converts the signals for the microgrid  106 . After converting the signals to control signals, the interface  104  transmits the control signals to the microgrid  106  for use. 
         [0015]    In greater detail, the simulator  102  can model or represent an entity, such as a plant, a factory, a network, etc. In these regards, the simulator can create, store, and modify a model  118  of a target system and/or network (e.g., a plant, factory, university, etc.) to be tested and/or analyzed. In other words, the target system is a real, physical system represented by the model  118 . For example, the model  118  can be based on operating parameters for a hypothetical or real network that supplies power to a factory. The target system and/or network is represented as a physical network  120  in  FIG. 1 . The simulator  102  is flexible so that it can vary these operating parameters of the model  118  to test different scenarios, configurations, etc. for the target system or network. For example, the simulator  102  can vary the operating parameters to test the addition, or removal, of power supply hardware (e.g., capacitors, resistors, inductors, generators, batteries, etc.) and equipment (e.g., additional machines, robots, etc.) from the model  118 . These changes can be physically made to the microgrid  106  and then feedback received from the microgrid  106 . Additionally, the simulator  102  can vary operating parameters to test changes in power supplied, algorithms used by hardware and equipment within the factory, etc. Essentially, the simulator  102  models hypothetical changes to the physical network  120  by varying operating parameters of the microgrid  106 . The model  118  can be implemented, for example, as any combination of computer hardware and/or software. For example, the model  118  can be stored in a computer memory. 
         [0016]    In some embodiments, the simulator  102  receives specifications  110  (e.g., operating parameters or other information for the model  118 ) from an interface controller  108 . The interface controller  108  controls access to, and provides security for, the simulator  102 . Although  FIG. 1  depicts the simulator  102  and the interface controller  108  as physically separate devices, such design is not necessary. For example, in some embodiments, the interface controller  108  can be hardware and/or software resident on the simulator  102 . Regardless of design, the interface controller  108  can be communicatively coupled to a communications network and receive specifications  110  that are local to the simulator  102  and/or are remote from the simulator  102 . For example, the simulator  102 , interface  104 , and microgrid  106  can be located at a university and in close proximity to the microgrid  106 . The simulator  102  can receive specifications  110  from network devices local to the university and/or receive specifications  110  from remote devices located, for example, at a different university, a government laboratory, etc. In such embodiments, the simulator  102  is connected to a wide area network and can perform test simulations for all authorized parties, regardless of location. Various applications can be utilized by a user to send specifications  110  to the simulator  102 . For example, the simulator  102  can also receive information from, and provide information to, other inputs  116  (e.g., local control devices, signal processors, etc.), standards  114  (e.g., cyber security standards for interconnecting system certification cyber attack analysis, cyber attack analysis, component certification against defined performance metrics, safety and/or resilience certification, etc.), and applications  112  (e.g., stability assessments, real-time optimal power flow, vulnerability studies, risk assessments, power systems automation analysis, distribution automation functions, state estimation, asset management, power quality evaluation, cost benefit analysis, etc.). The specifications  110  may ask the simulator  102  to vary a component value of the microgrid  106  to determine the effect of such a change. The simulator  102  receives the change and applies it to the model  118 . The change to the model  118  creates a control signal that the interface  106  sends to the microgrid  106 . The microgrid  106  provides feedback, which is sent back to the simulator  102 . In some embodiments, the simulator  102  can make recommendations based on such feedback. Although depicted in  FIG. 1  as communicating directly with the simulator  102 , in some embodiments, the other inputs  116 , standards  114 , and applications  112  communicate with the simulator  102  via the interface controller  108 . 
         [0017]    The simulator  102  generates signals based on the model  118  of the physical network  120  and the signals are used to vary actual physical devices, parameters, and/or characteristics of the micronetwork  106 . For example, the simulator  102  can generate signals that reflect input received from the interface controller  108 . The signals can specify operating parameters to be varied. The simulator  102  can include any suitable hardware and/or software for modeling an entity and generating signals based on this modeling. After generating the signals, the simulator  102  communicates the signals to the interface  104 . 
         [0018]    The interface  104  acts as an interface between the simulator  102  and the microgrid  106 . The interface  104  can include any hardware and/or software suitable to allow communication between the simulator  102  and the microgrid  106 . In some embodiments, the interface  106  converts the signals generated by the simulator  102  to control signals that are usable by the microgrid  106 . In one embodiment, the simulator  102  may generate digital signals. In such an embodiment, the interface  104  can convert the digital signals into control signals for the microgrid  106 . Additionally, in some embodiments, the converting can include a mapping (e.g., via a database) of the received signals to control signals to be applied to the microgrid  106 . After converting the signals to the control signals, the interface  104  communicates the control signals to the microgrid  106 . In some embodiments, the interface  104  can map the signals received from the interface  104  to physical systems of the microgrid  106 . For example, the interface  104  can transmit a specific control signals intended for a specific hardware device directly to the specific hardware device. 
         [0019]    The interface  104  transmits the control signals to the microgrid  106  for use by the microgrid  106 . For example, the control signals can cause physical devices in the microgrid  106  to alter operating parameters (e.g., adjust component values, adjust voltages, turn devices on and/or off, change power signals, etc.). In some embodiments, the microgrid  106  (i.e., components of the microgrid  106 ) can provide feedback signals (e.g., measurements) to the interface  104 . For example, the microgrid  106  can provide feedback as to the test simulation performed and/or make recommendations based on, or in response to, the test simulation performed. The microgrid  106  communicates such feedback to the interface  104 . The interface  104  converts the feedback to data usable by the simulator  102  and transmits the data to the simulator  102 . Because the simulator  102  is connected to a wide area network via the interface controller  108 , in some embodiments, remote users can access the data via the interface controller  108 . 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, the simulator  102  can perform analysis on data communicated from the microgrid  106 . For example, the simulator  102  can analyze the data to determine the efficiency of the simulation. In some embodiments, the simulator  102  can make recommendations, in addition to or in lieu of the microgrid  106 , based on the analysis performed. 
         [0021]    While  FIG. 1  and the related text provide an overview of a system for testing different parameters using a microgrid,  FIG. 2  and the related text provide an example test process from the perspective of a microgrid. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  depicts an interface  204  communicating control signals to a microgrid  206 , according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. The interface  204  receives signals from the simulator  202 . The signals indicate operating parameters to be executed by the microgrid  206 . The interface  204  converts the signals into control signals. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the example signal results in two control signals (i.e., a first control signal  208  denoted “C 1 ” and a second control signal  210  denoted “C 2 ”). The first control signal  208  is a control signal for a load  220  to be applied to a first device  216  of the microgrid  206 . The second control signal is a control signal for a load  218  to be applied to a second device  216  of the microgrid  206  via the first device  214 . 
         [0023]    After the microgrid  206  applies the first control signal and the second control signal, the microgrid generates feedback. For example, the microgrid  206  can perform a measurement  212  denoted “M 1 ” and communicate the measurement  212  to the interface  204 . The system can be used for, and the feedback can be related to, renewable energy integration, vulnerability study and risk analysis, power system automation analysis, distribution functions evaluation, asset management, power quality evaluation, cost benefit analysis based on real data evaluation, cyber security standard development for interconnecting systems, component and system certification, safety/resilience certification, and real time data for various multidisciplinary research. 
         [0024]    While  FIG. 2  and the related text provide an example of a test process from the perspective of a microgrid,  FIGS. 3 and 4  and the related text provide example operations performed by various components of a testing system. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart depicting example operations for performing test simulations via a microgrid, according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. The flow begins at block  302 . 
         [0026]    At block  302 , the microgrid receives control signals for performing a test simulation. Control signals may be instructions, different voltage levels, analog signals, digital signals, etc. that are in a format needed or expected by a physical device. For example, a generator may expect a sinusoidal signal while a controller may expect instructions. The control signals can include operating parameters indicating operating ranges and conditions for different components of the microgrid. In some embodiments, the microgrid receives the control signals from an interface that is coupled to a simulator. In other embodiments, the microgrid can receive the control signals directly from the simulator. Additionally, in some embodiments, the microgrid can receive control signals from other sources. The flow continues at block  304 . 
         [0027]    At block  304 , aspects of the microgrid are altered based on the control signals. That is, the microgrid performs the test simulation. For example, the operating ranges and conditions for one or more components of the microsystem can be varied based on the control signals. The flow continues at block  306 . 
         [0028]    At bock  306 , the microgrid generates feedback based on the test simulation. For example, the microgrid can record, measure, and/or calculate values associated with components of the microgrid during the test simulation. In some embodiments, the microgrid can have one or more components (e.g., controllers) that evaluate the values and make recommendations based on the values. The flow continues at block  308 . 
         [0029]    At block  308 , the microgrid transmits the feedback. In some embodiments, the microgrid transmits the feedback to the interface. In other embodiments, the microcontroller transmits the feedback directly to the simulator. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart depicting example operations for receiving signals from a simulator, converting the signals to control signals, and communicating the control signals to a microgrid, according to some embodiments of the inventive subject matter. The flow begins at block  402 . 
         [0031]    At block  402 , the interface receives signals from the simulator. In some embodiments, the signals indicate operating parameters for one or more components of the microgrid. The signals, though communicated from the simulator, can originate from any device local to, or remote from, the interface. The flow continues at block  404 . 
         [0032]    At block  404 , the interface converts the signals to control signals for the microgrid. In some embodiments, the signals define a test simulation. In such embodiments, the interface converts the signals into specific control signals for one or more components of the microgrid. For example, the signal may indicate that the capacitance for a capacitor in the microgrid be increased. The interface converts this signal into a control signal for the capacitance of the capacitor to be changed. The flow continue at block  406 . 
         [0033]    At block  406 , the interface transmits the control signals to the microgrid. In some embodiments, the flow ends after block  406  (as depicted by the dashed arrow leading to the end). However, in other embodiments, the microgrid generates feedback and transmits the feedback to the interface. In such embodiments, the flow continues at block  408 . 
         [0034]    At block  408 , the interface receives feedback from the microgrid. The feedback can include recommendations, measurements, values, etc. The flow continues at block  410 . 
         [0035]    At block  410 , the interface transmits the feedback to the simulator. As previously discussed, in some embodiments, the simulator can perform analysis on the feedback. After performing the analysis, the simulator can provide recommendations. 
         [0036]    It will be appreciated that as described herein a microgrid can be used. The microgrid has its components disposed over a limited geographic area such as a building, a campus, a school, or an office park. However, the microgrid can be placed by a smartgrid having smart control components.