Research Projects

In order to provide power in remote areas, military base, important loads such as hospitals and data centres, the microgrid is a good solution. DC microgrid consists of distributed energy sources (DESs), local controllable loads and energy storage systems (ESSs) in defined electrical boundaries. It is operated in standalone mode to fulfill the load demand. If more power is available then it can feed power into the conventional grid in grid-connected mode. Most of the renewable sources and ESS outputs are DC in nature; therefore it is easy to integrate these sources in DC microgrid in controlled operation. Moreover in DC microgrid, there is no requirement of reactive power, frequency is not present, complex control is not required, can operate in areas where conventional grid is not present, conversion stages are reduced increases the efficiency, etc. However, DC microgrid suffers from several problems such as inadequate power sharing between sources when multiple sources are connected in system, energy management within microgrid, protection issues in DC system, reduction of stress and size of ESS, system bus voltage deviation which affects the performance of microgrid. This project is based on development of a control algorithm for adequate power sharing between sources depending on available power in the individual source for 10 KW microgrid. The control algorithm will provide energy management in DC microgrid which reduces the stress and size of ESS. It will operate in coordination with protection algorithm to reduce the effect of DC arc current on circuit breaker. It also avoids the shutdown of overall system in faulty condition. In addition to it, the bus voltage will be regulated within specified limits. A graphical user interface system will be developed to operate control algorithm with plug and play operation of sources and loads by considering the stability and sensitivity of overall DC microgrid in standalone as well as grid connected mode.