I-Corps: Efficient Software Tool for Improving Power Flow Analysis Functions

Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is promoting efficient, reliable and secure operation of electricity infrastructure. Improving efficiency in planning and dispatch of electric power leads to significant improvements in economically efficient dissemination of energy resources which also prevents unnecessary polluting emissions and energy waste. In addition, it prevents failures in real-time balancing of electricity demand and supply. The software may facilitate large-scale wind power integration by better prevention of transmission congestion and more considerate network and wind farm expansion plans. Developing a fast and accurate electric power dispatch software solution has been an unmet demand for the electric utilities, Independent System Operators and power grid planners and consultants for the past decades. This project is aimed at a software tool for analyzing the electric grid market operations that can efficiently improve the customer's commonly-used solutions. This I-Corps project intends to provide an innovative power system analysis solution which significantly improves the existing approximate methods in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency. The commonly-used power flow analysis methods represent a clear weakness in power system operations. Although AC power flow offers the highest accuracy, it does not meet the computational speed requirements, and in the case of large networks, using this method is not practical. On the other hand, DC power flow offers a high computational speed by a rough linear approximation of the full AC power flow, where unreliable assumptions are made regarding the voltage profile and angles, conductor losses, and reactive power balance. These assumptions lead to significant errors and deviations from AC power flow results, especially under heavy load conditions or in highly resistive networks. Nevertheless, power system operators still resort to using DC and AC power flow methods in the respective applications. Improving solution techniques for the power flow model in the context of optimal power flow could potentially lead to significant energy cost savings.