- dynamic behavior of power
stations and electrical power systems,
- decision support tools for
power producers in a competitive electricity market,
- coordination of surge
protection particularly against the effects of lightning,
- automatic fault location
in medium voltage distribution networks,
- power quality improvements
in distribution networks,
- analysis and control of
distribution systems with embedded generation from renewable
sources and of microgrids.
1. Analysis of the dynamic behavior of electric
power plants and power systems, with particular reference to power
system restoration procedures after blackouts and to
the load modeling
The research activity aims at verifying the thermoelectric power
plant capability to autonomously start-up and restore the
electricity service after a black-out, which means, in turn, at
assessing and improving the black-start capabilities of these power
plants. In particular, the research, carried out in collaboration
with CESI and HERA, focuses on steam groups repowered by gas
turbines. The interaction of the charges dynamics with the
one of the different regulators on the net, and in particular with
the dynamics of the under load tap changers, of the transformers
and of the voltage regulators is analyzed in collaboration with the
research Group at the University of Padova.
2. Decision support tools for power producers in a
competitive electricity market.
The research deals with the development of a method for the
solution of the Unit Commitment (UC) problem in a competitive
market with demand-side bidding (DSB) explicitly considered; in
order to allow customers to play a proactive role in the price
determination process, the DSB provides the opportunity for them to
submit bids for load reductions in specific periods. The research
activity concerns also the critical analysis of optimization
algorithms applied to the UC problem. For this specific topic, the
research, carried out in cooperation with the Department of
Informatics of the University of Pisa and the Operations research
group at the University of Bologna, also in the framework of
Project Decisopelet 2006 supported by the University of
Bologna.
3. Evaluation of the lightning performance of
distribution lines and networks, with particular reference to the
protection against indirect lightning for the power quality
improvement.
The main effort of the activity is devoted to the development of
a computer code, LIOV (“Lightning-induced overvoltages”), which
allows for the calculation of lighting-induced voltages on
multiconductor lines above a lossy soil as a function of line
geometry, lightning current wave shape, return-stroke velocity,
soil resistivity, etc.
4. Distribution networks operation in presence of
small scale generating plants and microgrids
The introduction of generators in distribution grids, possibly
together with storage systems, could cause a substantial change in
grid operational practice: currently a rising idea proposes to
treat generators as distributed resources that are able to supply
services to the grid and accept on-line requests. The focus of this
research, carried out also in the framework of research
collaborations with CESI, ENEL, Univ. of Genova, and HERA, is the development of
an automatic scheduler of distributed energy resources. In
collaboration with the Energy system group at the University of
Bologna, also in the framework of a PRIN 2007 project supported by
the Ministry of University and Scientific Research, the research
aims also at developing a fully automatic scheduling system of an
experimental microgrid composed by a 5 kW PEM FC, a PV
emulator, a lead-acid battery system and reactive controllable
loads.
5. Fault location in distribution
networks.
A fault location procedure for distribution networks based
on the wavelet analysis of the fault‑generated traveling waves has
been developed. In particular, the proposed procedure implements
the continuous wavelet analysis applied to the voltage waveforms
recorded during the fault in correspondence of a network bus. In
order to improve the wavelet analysis, an algorithm is proposed to
build specific mother wavelets inferred from the fault-originated
transient waveforms.
