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At least 271 records · Page 15

Manual No. 17902 LANL-2023 for Lansmont Drop Tester Model PDT 80

This document describes the modifications made to a “Model PDT 80 drop test system” from the Lansmont Corporation (Monterey CA). For serial number (SN: M-17902), Los Alamos National Laboratory staff members changed the system, in consultation with Lansmont technical staff.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

Hooks versus Pedicle Screws at the Upper Instrumented Level: An In Vitro Biomechanical Comparison

Study Design. Controlled laboratory study Objective. To compare motions at the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) and supra-adjacent level (UIV+1) between two fixation techniques in thoracic posterior spinal fusion (PSF) constructs. We hypothesized there would be greater motion at UIV+1 after cyclic loading across all constructs and bilateral pedicle screws (BPS) with posterior ligamentous compromise would demonstrate the greatest UIV+1 range of motion (ROM). Summary of Background Data. Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a well-recognized complication following long thoraco-lumbar PSF, however its mechanism is poorly understood. Methods. Twenty-seven thoracic functional spine units (FSU) were randomly divided into three UIV fixation groups (n=9): (1) BPS, (2) bilateral transverse process hooks (TPH), and (3) BPS with compromise of the posterior elements between UIV and UIV+1 (BPS-C). Specimens were tested on a servohydraulic materials testing system in native state, following instrumentation, and after cyclic loading. FSUs were loaded in flexion-extension (FE), lateral bending (LB), and axial rotation (AR). Results. After cyclic testing, the TPH group had a mean 29.4% increase in FE ROM at UIV+1 versus 76.6% in the BPS group ( P <0.05). The BPS-C group showed an increased FE of 49.9% and 62.19% with sectioning of the facet joints and interspinous ligament respectively prior to cyclic testing. Conclusion. Bilateral pedicle screws at the UIV led to greater motion at UIV+1 compared to bilateral TPH after cyclic loading. This is likely due to the increased rigidity of BPS compared to TPH leading to a “softer” transition between the TPH construct and native anatomy at the supra-adjacent level. Facet capsule compromise led to a 49.9% increase in UIV+1 motion, underscoring the importance of preserving the posterior ligamentous complex. Clinical studies that account for fusion rates are warranted to determine if constructs with a “soft transition” result in less PJK in vivo.

Neurosciences & Neurology↗

A Data-Driven Multi-Period Importance Sampling Strategy for Stochastic Economic Dispatch

Power systems with high penetrations of renewable energy (e.g., wind power) require sophisticated approaches to optimize system performance due to uncertainty in short-term system generation capacity. In this paper, we combine a data-driven analog scenario selection method with importance sampling to create a novel scenario construction approach for two-stage stochastic economic dispatch problems with a large number of wind farms on a network. The proposed method produces scenarios with realistic physics by finding high-fidelity analogs that can describe future states of the system. We show how to extend this method to multi-period operations and demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique by simulating economic dispatch operations on a synthetic test system over the course of a week.

data-driven forecasting↗

Distribution System Resilience Assessment Considering PV Vulnerabilities for Hurricane Events

Distribution networks are increasingly vulnerable to damage and outages from extreme weather events. The integration of solar photovoltaics (PVs) further complicates resilience analysis due to its weather-dependent nature. However, limited research has examined the impacts of weather on PVs under severe events like hurricanes. This paper proposes a probabilistic framework to assess distribution system resilience considering PV vulnerabilities during hurricanes. The framework incorporates (i) a spatiotemporal fragility model to evaluate failure probabilities for distribution lines and PVs, and (ii) resilience indices at both system and component levels. The approach offers valuable insights into the resilience of modern distribution grids under extreme weather conditions. Numerical results on the unbalanced IEEE 123-bus test system validate the effectiveness of the framework.

Vahedi, Soroush [University of Connecticut, Storrs↗

Hierarchical Distribution System Adaptive Restoration with Diverse Distributed Energy Resources

Distributed energy resources (DERs) can be utilized as alternative power sources for fast service recovery in cases of distribution system outages. However, the diverse characteristics and stochastic nature of DERs impose challenges on the optimal operation of di-verse resources during the restoration phase. Here, we introduce a hierarchical structure to coordinate distribution system entities and propose an adaptive restoration strategy to sustain a reliable power supply to outage loads in an unbalanced distribution system utilizing DERs. An efficient system reconfiguration model is developed to guarantee the radiality of restoration islands. The flexibility of DERs is evaluated by a novel method that focuses on the cumulative energy consumption, the superiority of which is also proven. Model predictive control (MPC) is adopted to enable the adjustment of system topology and DER operation strategies based on up-to-date data. The performance of the proposed restoration model is validated on a modified IEEE 123-bus test system. Moreover, the effectiveness of the proposed novel flexibility assessment and the MPC-based adaptive restoration strategy are verified through comparative studies.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Mass testing of SiPMs for the CMVD at IICHEP

A Cosmic Muon Veto Detector (CMVD) is being built around the mini-Iron Calorimeter (mini-ICAL) detector at the transit campus of the India based Neutrino Observatory, Madurai. The CMV detector will be made using extruded plastic scintillators with embedded wavelength shifting (WLS) fibres which propagate re-emitted photons of longer wavelengths to silicon photo-multipliers (SiPMs). The SiPMs detect these scintillation photons, producing electronic signals. The design goal for the cosmic muon veto efficiency of the CMV is $>$99.99% and fake veto rate less than 10$^{-5}$. A testing system was developed, using an LED driver, to measure the noise rate and gain of each SiPM, and thus determine its overvoltage ($V_{ov}$). This paper describes the test results and the analysed characteristics of about 3.5k SiPMs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Next Generation Durable, Cost Effective, Energy Efficient Tubular SOFC (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

The overall objective of this project is to develop and optimize a YSZ electrolyte-based solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology for low cost, low temperature (~ 650°C), and high energy efficiency operation. The developed technology will be implemented and demonstrated in a high efficiency 2~3kW SOFC with applicability to sub-MW systems. A summary of significant accomplishments is provided below. Key accomplishments: 1. Improved fundamental cell technology demonstrated at single tube and system scale. Improved power output by 54% while operating at the normal temperature of 750°C. And improved power output by 33% while operating at 650°C, 100°C lower than normal temperature. 2. SPS patented internal recycle arrangement was developed and extended to operate on LPG fuel directly in a compact, high-efficiency (> 40%) system. 3. System testing was conducted to prove the long-term durability of cell improvements. Demonstrated over 8000 hours of operation at 0.21 %/1000 hrs degradation. 4. A large-scale, 2.5kW net power system demonstration was completed, which demonstrated 40% net efficiency over 1000 hours. 5. System design and cost analysis of a 1MW system utilizing a 2.5kW bundle was completed. Cost optimization of the bundle showed a reduction of nearly 80% is possible from $\$$5,790/kW to $\$$1250/kW. This lower cost is considered viable for SPS commercialization.

03 NATURAL GAS↗

Operational resilience metrics for power systems with penetration of renewable resources

Abstract Modern power grid is evolving towards carbon neutrality by deploying increasing amount of renewable energy resources. However, the impact of renewable generation on power system planning and operation is not sufficiently investigated, especially the capability of renewable penetrated power systems to resist and recover from major disturbances, which is a critical concern for system operators. Novel metrics and evaluation methodologies are needed to depict systems’ ability in response to events caused by natural disasters, and quantitatively evaluate system performance in various time scales. In this paper, operational resilience metrics are proposed for power systems with penetration of renewable energy resources based on transient stability principles. A systematic methodology is proposed to quantitatively assess the evolution of system performance during various stages of the disaster process. Based on the proposed metrics, a resilience‐oriented disaster management strategy is designed and validated using the modified IEEE 39‐bus test system. The simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed metrics and strategy, and show that the system resilience is enhanced during the mitigation of fault conditions.

Gui, Jianzhong↗

Developing VSC-HVDC Oscillation Damping Control Constraints in Unit Commitment

High-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems within the existing power grids will play a pivotal role in enabling high share of renewable power integration and transportation electrification. There is a need for transmission planning models to accurately capture the impact of VSC-HVDC oscillation damping control on the system planning and model the constraints in the security constrained unit commitment (SCUC) problem. In this paper, the SCUC problem in a hybrid DC-AC grid considering damping on electromechanical inter-area oscillation is studied. An electromechanical oscillation-driven transmission capability constraints are derived from system swing equation and incorporated into the SCUC. Multiple system damping control scenarios are set based on the extracted plausible bounds of damping coefficient and inertia constant to linearize the nonlinear expressions. The SCUC problem with proposed constraints is tested on the Reliability Test System Grid Modernization Lab Consortium (RTS-GMLC) via PLEXOS. The impact of the proposed constraints on regional generation, inertia, power flow, annual system cost, and renewable energy curtailment are fully assessed.

damping control↗

Formulation of Three-Phase State Estimation Problem Using a Virtual Reference

State Estimation (SE) is the backbone of modern Energy Management System (EMS) due its capability of processing real time measurements and provide reliable information to system operators. Since its introduction to power systems in the 70’s, SE has been widely used in transmission networks. Distribution grids on the other hand lack sufficient number of real time measurements, and for that reason SE has not been widely implemented on these systems. The recent increase in the number of renewable energy sources connected to the grid at lower voltage levels, the advent of Distribution Automation (DA) and Smart Grids necessitate closer monitoring of distribution networks and thus forcing utilities to upgrade their operations and deploy Advanced Distribution Management Sytems (ADMS). Therefore, Distribution System State Estimation (DSE) is paramount to provide real time monitoring of active distribution grids. This papers investigates the formulation of the three-phase distribution state estimation where in the most general case, none of the system buses may have balanced three phase voltages. In such a case, the choice and definition of the slack bus need to be revisited. Most of the existing work arbitrarily assign the root bus of the distribution feeder as the balanced three-phase reference which may not be realistic for today’s active distribution systems. This paper addresses this shortcoming of the existing SE formulations by introducing a virtual reference bus. Here, the proposed approach is effectively validated by simulations carried out on distribution test systems.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Developing VSC-HVDC Oscillation Damping Control Constraints in Unit Commitment

High-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems within the existing power grids will play a pivotal role in enabling high share of renewable power integration and transportation electrification. There is a need for transmission planning models to accurately capture the impact of VSC-HVDC oscillation damping control on the system planning and model the constraints in the security constrained unit commitment (SCUC) problem. In this paper, the SCUC problem in a hybrid DC-AC grid considering damping on electromechanical inter-area oscillation is studied. An electromechanical oscillation-driven transmission capability constraints are derived from system swing equation and incorporated into the SCUC. Multiple system damping control scenarios are set based on the extracted plausible bounds of damping coefficient and inertia constant to linearize the nonlinear expressions. The SCUC problem with proposed constraints is tested on the IEEE 73-bus reliability test system (RTS) case via PLEXOS. The impact of the proposed constraints on regional generation, inertia, power flow, annual system cost, and renewable energy curtailment are fully assessed.

damping control↗

Analysis of Multi-Output Hybrid Energy Systems Interacting with the Grid: Application of Improved Price-Taker and Price-Maker Approaches to Nuclear-Hydrogen Systems

The growing recognition of the value of hydrogen as an energy intermediate in supporting future power systems with high shares of variable renewable energy has prompted many studies to quantify the economic potential of multi-output hybrid systems, which are one type of integrated energy systems (IES). Because of the complexity of modeling multiple sectors, these studies typically use simplified modeling approaches to capture the interactions between sectors. In this study, we explore the implications of alternative modeling approaches for nuclear-hydrogen IES focusing on a power system in the Midwest United States. We combine highly resolved capacity expansion and production cost modeling tools of the power system with a detailed hydrogen system optimization tool to determine the optimal electrolyzer and storage sizing and optimal operations of the nuclear-hydrogen hybrid resource across three future study years. We compare economic and operational outcomes across a spectrum of modeling approaches, including a non-hybridized base approach; a traditional price-taker approach that does not include the impact of hydrogen production on the electricity system; a power-system-focused price-maker approach that does not account for temporal hydrogen constraints; and two improved price-taker and price-maker approaches that each address the impact of revenue-optimal levels of electricity production on the resulting power system and temporal hydrogen constraints on the overall feasible solution. Results show how a traditional price-taker approach can overestimate the economic benefits of multi-output nuclear-hydrogen IES compared to our two improved approaches that estimate both hydrogen system constraints and power system interaction. We find that hydrogen output requirements and storage size limits are key drivers to overall operations and some economic outcomes. Under our assumed constant hydrogen output requirement, storage costs, test system, and modeling approaches, our results indicate that hybridization can provide a net benefit, but results are sensitive to the treatment of hydrogen revenues and electricity prices as impacted by the power system evolution.

capacity expansion modeling↗

A Generalized Framework for Service Restoration in a Resilient Power Distribution System

An electric power grid is one of the complex infrastructures, and because of its complex nature, there is simply no way that outages can be completely avoided. Thus, a modern society that depends on reliable electric supply requires a resilient electric system that can recover from disruptions while integrating emerging smart grid technologies. Here, this article presents a novel approach for service restoration in a modern power distribution system with controllable switches and distributed generation (DG) resources for any kind of outage. The proposed framework supports both the traditional service restoration using feeder reconfiguration and the grid-forming DG-assisted intentional islands that are dynamically sized using algorithms based on the fault scenario, available resources, and priority of loads. The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear program that incorporates critical system connectivity and operating constraints. Simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach using a large-scale four-feeder 1069-bus three-phase unbalanced distribution test system. It is demonstrated that the framework is effective in utilizing all available resources in quickly restoring the power supply to improve resiliency during extreme events and is scalable for a large-scale unbalanced power distribution system.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Interactive Power to Frequency Dynamics Between Grid-Forming Inverters and Synchronous Generators in Power Electronics-Dominated Power Systems

With increased attention on grid-forming inverters as a power system stabilizing device during high shares of inverter-based resource operations, there is a present need for a transparent and methodical investigation of the inverted and direct power to frequency control capabilities and impacts of these devices on emerging power systems. Here, analysis of the frequency dynamics of the droop-controlled grid-forming inverter and the synchronous generator illuminates the inverted active power-frequency relationship and the frequency response order reduction, forming the basis for novel, nonlinear frequency control approaches. Device-level electromagnetic transient domain simulations corroborate the order-reduction findings, establish that a properly designed dc-side system has a negligible impact on power transfer and will not impede frequency regulation, and confirm the primary frequency response improvement with nonlinear control. Simulations of the 9- and 39-bus test systems validate the order reduction and associated decoupling of the nadir and rate of change of frequency in larger networks. Oscillatory mode analysis confirms the grid-forming benefit of increased damping; decreased damping is observed at shares above 80%, but not at 100%. Finally, simulations on a validated Maui power system model with a 96% of inverter-based resources model yield a trend toward a first-order response.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

A novel framework for hosting capacity analysis with spatio-temporal probabilistic voltage sensitivity analysis

Smart grids are envisioned to accommodate high penetration of distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation, which may cause adverse grid impacts in terms of voltage violations. Therefore, PV Hosting capacity is being used as a planning tool to determine the maximum PV installation capacity that causes the first voltage violation and above which would require infrastructure upgrades. Additionally, traditional methods of Hosting capacity analysis are scenario based and computationally complex as they rely on iterative load flow algorithms that require investigating a large number of scenarios for accurate assessment of PV impacts. Therefore, this paper presents a computationally efficient analytical approach to compute the probability distribution of voltage change due to random behavior of randomly located multiple distributed PVs. The proposed approach is based on Spatio-temporal probabilistic voltage sensitivity analysis that exploits both spatial and temporal uncertainties associated with PV injections. Thereafter, the derived distribution is used to quantify voltage violations for various PV penetration levels and subsequently determine the hosting capacity of the system without the need to examine large number of scenarios. Results of the proposed framework are validated via conventional load flow based simulation approach on the IEEE 37 and IEEE 123 node test systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Scenario Creation and Power-Conditioning Strategies for Operating Power Grids with Two-Stage Stochastic Economic Dispatch

A significant difficulty associated with the use of stochastic programming to solve optimal power flow problems on a 5-minute timescale is the quality of renewable energy scenarios input by the user. This is especially true when considering power systems with high penetrations of renewable energy, e.g. wind power. This paper introduces the use of stochastic programming to solve the DC optimal power flow problem with scenarios drawn directly from high-fidelity data sets. Hence, the proposed method avoids the problem of lost physics by finding high-fidelity analogs that can describe future states of the system. Furthermore, this method can be simply extended to output multi-period scenarios to the stochastic program. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique by simulating dispatch operations on a synthetic test system over the course of a week.

94 GMLC - Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium↗

Seamless Transition of Critical Infrastructures using Droop Controlled Grid-forming Inverters

Seamless recovery of power to critical infrastructures, after grid failure, is a crucial need arising in scenarios that are increasingly becoming more frequent. Here, this article proposes a seamless transition strategy using a single and unified mode-dependent droop controlled grid-forming inverters. The control strategy achieves the following objectives: 1) regulates the output active and reactive power by the droop-controlled inverters to a desired value while operating in on-grid mode; 2) seamless transition and recovery of power injections into the load after grid failure by inverters that operates in grid-forming mode all the time; 3) requires only a single bit of information on the grid/network status for the mode transition. A framework for assessing the stability of the system and to guide the choice of parameters for controllers is developed using control-oriented modeling. A controller hardware-in-the-loop-based real-time simulation study on a test system based on the realistic electrical network of a commercial-scale medical center is conducted for initial prototyping of the control strategy. A hardware experiment is conducted with two 3 - $\phi$, 480 -V, 125 -kVA grid-forming inverters, a 3 - $\phi$, 480 -V, 270 -kVA grid simulator, a physical grid switch, and a physical load bank. The experimental data establishes the effectiveness of the always grid-forming operation and control of inverters in meeting power delivery objectives when on-grid and off-grid under various kinds of loads and scenarios while minimizing transients during transitions. Furthermore, performance comparison with existing strategies showcases the advantage of the proposed strategy.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗