Spatial electric load forecasting using a local movement approach

An agent based model for spatial electric load forecasting using a local movement approach for the spatiotemporal allocation of the new loads in the service zone is presented. The density of electrical load for each of the major consumer classes in each sub-zone is used as the current state of the agents. The spatial growth is simulated with a walking agent who starts his path in one of the activity centers of the city and goes to the limits of the city following a radial path depending on the different load levels. A series of update rules are established to simulate the S growth behavior and the complementarity between classes. The results are presented in future load density maps. The tests in a real system from a mid-size city show a high rate of success when compared with other techniques. The most important features of this methodology are the need for few data and the simplicity of the algorithm, allowing for future scalability. © 2009 IEEE.

Swarm control designs applied to a non-ideal load transportation system

In this paper, a load transport system in platforms is considered. It is a transport device and is modelled as an inverted pendulum built on a car driven by a DC motor. The motion equations were obtained by Lagrange's equations. The mathematical model considers the interaction between the DC motor and the dynamic system. The dynamic system was analysed and a Swarm Control Design was developed to stabilize the model of this load transport system. ©2010 IEEE.

A HPF AC-AC converter for Permanent Magnet Generator applications

This paper describes the design and development of a high input power-factor (HPF) AC to AC converter for naval applications using Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG). The proposed converter comprises an isolated three-phase uncontrolled multipulse rectification stage directly connected to a single-phase inverter stage, without the use of DC to DC intermediary stage, resulting in more simplicity for the overall circuitry, assuring robustness, reliability and reduced costs. Furthermore, the multipulse rectifier stage is capable to provide high power factor and input currents with low total harmonic distortion (THD). The output voltage of the PMG varies from 260V rms (220 Hz) to 380V rms (360 Hz), depending on load conditions. The output single-phase inverter stage was designed to operate with wide range of DC bus voltage, maintaining 120V rms, 60 Hz output. Measured total harmonic distortion for the AC output voltage represents less than 2%, at 3.6kW nominal linear load. © 2010 IEEE.

Conversor CA-CA de elevado fator de potência para aplicações com geradores de Ímã permanente

This paper proposes and describes a high power factor AC-AC converter for naval applications using Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG). The three-phase output voltages of the PMG vary from 260 Vrms (220 Hz) to 380 Vrms (360 Hz), depending on load conditions. The proposed converter consists of a Y-/ΔY power transformer, which provides electrical isolation between the PMG and remaining stages, and a twelve-pulse uncontrolled rectifier stage directly connected to a single-phase inverter stage, without the use of an intermediary DC-DC topology. This proposal results in more simplicity for the overall circuitry, assuring robustness, reliability and reduced costs. Furthermore, the multipulse rectifier stage is capable to provide high power factor and low total harmonic distortion for the input currents of the converter. The single-phase inverter stage was designed to operate with wide range of DC bus voltage, maintaining 120 Vrms, 60 Hz output. The control philosophy, implemented in a digital signal processor (DSP) which also contains protection routines, alows series connections between two identical converters, achieving 240 Vrms, 60 Hz total output voltage. Measured total harmonic distortion for the AC output voltage is lower than 2% and the input power factor is 0.93 at 3.6kW nominal load. © 2010 IEEE.

Spatial load forecasting using a demand propagation approach

A method for spatial electric load forecasting using multi-agent systems, especially suited to simulate the local effect of special loads in distribution systems is presented. The method based on multi-agent systems uses two kinds of agents: reactive and proactive. The reactive agents represent each sub-zone in the service zone, characterizing each one with their corresponding load level, represented in a real number, and their relationships with other sub-zones represented in development probabilities. The proactive agent carry the new load expected to be allocated because of the new special load, this agent distribute the new load in a propagation pattern. The results are presented with maps of future expected load levels in the service zone. The method is tested with data from a mid-size city real distribution system, simulating the effect of a load with attraction and repulsion attributes. The method presents good results and performance. © 2011 IEEE.

Optimal switch allocation for automatic load transfer in distribution substations

This work proposes a methodology for optimized allocation of switches for automatic load transfer in distribution systems in order to improve the reliability indexes by restoring such systems which present voltage classes of 23 to 35 kV and radial topology. The automatic switches must be allocated on the system in order to transfer load remotely among the sources at the substations. The problem of switch allocation is formulated as nonlinear constrained mixed integer programming model subject to a set of economical and physical constraints. A dedicated Tabu Search (TS) algorithm is proposed to solve this model. The proposed methodology is tested for a large real-life distribution system. © 2011 IEEE.

Preprocessing data for short-term load forecasting with a general regression neural network and a moving average filter

This paper proposes a filter based on a general regression neural network and a moving average filter, for preprocessing half-hourly load data for short-term multinodal load forecasting, discussed in another paper. Tests made with half-hourly load data from nine New Zealand electrical substations demonstrate that this filter is able to handle noise, missing data and abnormal data. © 2011 IEEE.

Short-term multinodal load forecasting in distribution systems using general regression neural networks

Multinodal load forecasting deals with the loads of several interest nodes in an electrical network system, which is also known as bus load forecasting. To perform this demand, it is necessary a technique that is precise, trustable and has a short-time processing. This paper proposes two methodologies based on general regression neural networks for short-term multinodal load forecasting. The first individually forecast the local loads and the second forecast the global load and individually forecast the load participation factors to estimate the local loads. To design the forecasters it wasn't necessary the previous study of the local loads. Tests were made using a New Zealand distribution subsystem and the results obtained are compatible with the ones founded in the specialized literature. © 2011 IEEE.

Harmonic propagation analysis in electric energy distribution systems

An important alteration of the equivalent loads profile has been observed in the electrical energy distribution systems, for the last years. Such fact is due to the significant increment of the electronic processors of electric energy that, in general, behave as nonlinear loads, generating harmonic distortions in the currents and voltages along the electric network. The effects of these nonlinear loads, even if they are concentrated in specific sections of the network, are present along the branch circuits, affecting the behavior of the entire electric network. For the evaluation of this phenomenon it is necessary the analysis of the harmonic currents flow and the understanding of the causes and effects of the consequent voltage harmonic distortions. The usual tools for calculation the harmonic flow consider one-line equivalent networks, balanced and symmetrical systems. Therefore, they are not tools appropriate for analysis of the operation and the influence/interaction of mitigation elements. In this context, this work proposes the development of a computational tool for the analysis of the three-phase harmonic propagation using Norton modified models and considering the real nature of unbalanced electric systems operation. © 2011 IEEE.

Characterization of the temperature, load and damage effects using piezoelectric transducer patches based on fuzzy clustering

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) denotes a system with the ability to detect and interpret adverse changes in a structure. One of the critical challenges for practical implementation of SHM system is the ability to detect damage under changing environmental conditions. This paper aims to characterize the temperature, load and damage effects in the sensor measurements obtained with piezoelectric transducer (PZT) patches. Data sets are collected on thin aluminum specimens under different environmental conditions and artificially induced damage states. The fuzzy clustering algorithm is used to organize the sensor measurements into a set of clusters, which can attribute the variation in sensor data due to temperature, load or any induced damage.

Real-time estimation of transmission line impedance based on modal analysis theory

The objective of this paper is to show a methodology to estimate the longitudinal parameters of transmission lines. The method is based on the modal analysis theory and developed from the currents and voltages measured at the sending and receiving ends of the line. Another proposal is to estimate the line impedance in function of the real-time load apparent power and power factor. The procedure is applied for a non-transposed 440 kV three-phase line. © 2011 IEEE.

Bridgeless interleaved boost PFC converter with variable duty cycle control

This paper proposes a bridgeless boost interleaved PFC (power factor correction) converter with variable duty cycle control. The application of bridgeless technique causes reduction of conduction losses, while the interleaving technique of converters cells allows division of efforts in semiconductor devices and reduction of weight and volume of the input EMI filter. The use of variable duty cycle control has the functions of regulating the output voltage and eliminating the low order harmonic components that appears in the input current of the common interleaved power factor converters working in Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM). The simulation results of the proposed converter presented high power factor and a good transient response in relation to the output voltage regulation in presence of high load variations and supply voltage variations. © 2011 IEEE.

Resonant (P+RES) controller applied to voltage source inverter with minimum DC link capacitor

Voltage source inverters use large electrolytic capacitors in order to decouple the energy between the utility and the load, keeping the DC link voltage constant. Decreasing the capacitance reduces the distortion in the inverter input current but this also affects the load with low-order harmonics and generate disturbances at the input voltage. This paper applies the P+RES controller to solve the challenge of regulating the output current by means of controlling the magnitude of the current space vector, keeping it constant thus rejecting harmonic disturbances that would otherwise propagate to the load. This work presents a discussion of the switching and control strategy. © 2011 IEEE.

Comparative analysis for reactive energy measurement methodologies, under non-sinusoidal conditions in three-phase four-wire circuits

This paper presents some methodologies for reactive energy measurement, considering three modern power theories that are suitable for three-phase four-wire non-sinusoidal and unbalanced circuits. The theories were applied in some profiles collected in electrical distribution systems which have real characteristics for voltages and currents measured by commercial reactive energy meters. The experimental results are presented in order to analyze the accuracy of the methodologies, considering the standard IEEE 1459-2010 as a reference. Finally, for additional comparisons, the theories will be confronted with the modern Yokogawa WT3000 energy meter and three samples of a commercial energy meter through an experimental setup. © 2011 IEEE.

Considering Urban Dynamics in spatial electric load forecasting

When dealing with spatio-temporal simulations of load growth inside a service zone, one of the most important problems faced by a Distribution Utility is how to represent the different relationships among different areas. A new load in a certain part of the city could modify the load growth in other parts of the city, even outside of its radius of influence. These interactions are called Urban Dynamics. This work aims to discuss how to implement Urban Dynamics considerations into the spatial electric load forecasting simulations using multi-agent simulations. To explain the approach, three examples are introduced, including the effect of an attraction load, the effect of a repulsive load, and the effect of several attraction/repulsive loads at the same time when considering the natural load growth. © 2012 IEEE.