Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The complexity of modern electrical energy systems is fast increasing with the growing use of renewable sources and power electronics, further adaptation of DC technologies, evolving smart energy grids and integration with communication systems and sensors. Computer simulations enable the safe design and optimal operation of present and future electric grids. Thousands of engineers in control centers and research facilities around the world are working full-time developing models and conducting studies. Since the simulations are used many times (often iteratively), the accuracy and efficiency of models and the capability of tools to analyze the system dynamics (i.e. extract information for analysis of stability) are very important. Even a fractional increase in simulation speed and expanded capabilities may result in significant savings worldwide and prevent potential blackouts and failures. Canada has been a leader in developing state-of-the-art solution approaches and computerized tools that enable the design and operation of electric power systems of various scales. The electromagnetic transient programs (known as EMT or EMTP) e.g. ATP, Microtran, EMTP-RV, PSCAD, RTDS, RT-LAB, the Matlab's Simscape Electrical, and Powertech Labs transient stability tools DSATools, etc., all have been originated and/or developed by Canadian researches and are now overwhelmingly used throughout the world as industry-standard tools. The proposed research continues the UBC's long-time tradition in advancing the modelling, simulation, and analysis of power grids. We are developing the most computationally efficient models of devices with rotating electrical machines and switching converters. The goal is to enable the next generation of simulation tools needed to address the widening range of transient phenomena in power systems with an increasing presence of power electronics. The future simulation tools will have the capabilities to very effectively analyze the system, identify any potential or existing problems and assist in providing a solution, while being scalable and affordable. Our research envisions interface/integrate/mix EMTP- and state-variable-type solutions as well as dynamic and static phasor-type solutions, where each approach may be applied on a subsystem level making the best use of each engine while obtaining the desired accuracy and resolution needed for each part of the system. We are focusing on establishing the so-called impedance-based models that can be numerically constructed based on existing EMT simulation engine and subsequently used to provide new information for system-level analysis in a wide range of frequencies covering supper- and sub-synchronous resonances and controller-related interactions. The new models, solution approaches, and their realization in simulators will become available to researchers and engineers in Canada and worldwide, enabling wider integration of renewable sources and the design of a better energy grid.