CAREER: Reliability Engineering for Electrical Energy Systems 2020: Smart Grid Applications and Beyond

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Objectives; The objective of this research is to create reliability engineering tools to address planning and operation challenges of future electrical energy systems. These tools will focus on i) quantifying the impact of coupling between cyber and physical components on reliability, ii) quantifying the impact of coupling between system dynamics and component stress on reliability, and iii) implementing mechanisms for effective fault tolerance. The approach is to tailor a blend of reliability- and control-theoretic tools to the unique structural features of electrical energy systems. Intellectual Merit: This research will provide a taxonomy of faults in cyber components of electrical energy systems. Analytical models to assess the impact of these faults will be constructed using results from switched system stability. Stochastic hybrid system formalisms will be used to provide an analytical framework for capturing the interplay between system dynamics and component stress. Fault diagnosis in electrical energy systems, which has been primarily restricted to physical components, is paramount for fault tolerance. Switched system invertibility techniques will be utilized to address fault diagnosis of cyber components. Broader Impacts: This research will forward the Smart Grid vision by providing tools for engineering more reliable and responsive electrical energy systems. Educationally, the goal is to develop materials that provide a unified view of the disciplines relevant to this project - electrical energy systems, reliability, and control - for training the next generation of power engineers. The PI will collaborate with the Educational Equity Programs Office and the Office of Minority Student Affairs at the University of Illinois to attract underrepresented minorities.