Smart Micro Grid Power Flow Control using SEN Transformer

Abstract

Modern day electric smart grid system has the capability to communicate between the utility and their customers for efficient power management, system integrity and security. In this research a scale model power grid will be used to demonstrate several flow control scenarios. The scale model power grid for this study consists of a 3-bus system with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) developed in LabVIEW. The generators utilize a new smart agent and custom hardware for starting each generator, checking voltages, frequencies and phases as well as phase sequence for both the generators and the power grid and then synchronizing them before connecting to the grid. Various alarm conditions can be programmed in to cause it to island from the grid. Once the grid is fully operational, the operator can implement flow control strategies via phase angle changes at each generator. This research further demonstrates an additional element of flow control through a custom designed and operated Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) device known as a SEN transformer. The SEN transformer has been modelled and simulated in MATLAB Simulink. This simulation model will be used in the future for implementation of a real-time model to the Smart Micro Grid.