A Special Issue:“Key Technologies of Virtual Power Plant and Distributed Energy Resources”for Global Energy Interconnection

The increasing penetration of renewable and distributed energy resources(DERs)is transforming the power grid into a new type of clean and low-carbon power system.However,the uncertainty and volatility of DERs have also brought severe challenges to the secure and reliable operation of the power systems.In order to successfully integrate renewable DERs,virtual power plant(VPP)has emerged as a new technique for coordinating demand-side DERs,which has drawn significant attention from industry and academia.

Virtual Power Plants for Grid Resilience: A Concise Overview of Research and Applications

The power grid is undergoing a transformation from synchronous generators(SGs) toward inverter-based resources(IBRs). The stochasticity, asynchronicity, and limited-inertia characteristics of IBRs bring about challenges to grid resilience. Virtual power plants(VPPs) are emerging technologies to improve the grid resilience and advance the transformation. By judiciously aggregating geographically distributed energy resources(DERs) as individual electrical entities, VPPs can provide capacity and ancillary services to grid operations and participate in electricity wholesale markets. This paper aims to provide a concise overview of the concept and development of VPPs and the latest progresses in VPP operation, with the focus on VPP scheduling and control. Based on this overview, we identify a few potential challenges in VPP operation and discuss the opportunities of integrating the multi-agent system(MAS)-based strategy into the VPP operation to enhance its scalability, performance and resilience.

Increasing the Efficiency and Level of Environmental Safety of Pro-Environmental City Heat Supply Technologies by Low Power Nuclear Plants

In connection with the current prospect of decarbonization of coal energy through the use of small nuclear power plants (SNPPs) at existing TPPs as heat sources for heat supply to municipal heating networks, there is a technological need to improve heat supply schemes to increase their environmental friendliness and efficiency. The paper proves the feasibility of using the heat-feeding mode of ASHPs for urban heat supply by heating the network water with steam taken from the turbine. The ratio of electric and thermal power of a “nuclear” combined heat and power plant is given. The advantage of using a heat pump, which provides twice as much electrical power with the same heat output, is established. Taking into account that heat in these modes is supplied with different potential, the energy efficiency was used to compare these options. To increase the heat supply capacity, a scheme with the use of a high-pressure heater in the backpressure mode and with the heating of network water with hot steam was proposed. Heat supply from ASHPs is efficient and environmentally friendly even in the case of significant remoteness of heat consumers.

Conceptual Strategy for Mitigating the Risk of Hydrogen as an Internal Hazard in Case of Severe Accidents at Nuclear Power Plant Considering Existing Risks and Uncertainties Associated with the Use of Traditional Strategies

Hydrogen challenge mitigation stands as one of the main objectives in the management of severe accidents at Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Key strategies for hydrogen control include atmospheric inertization and hydrogen removal with Passive Autocatalytic Recombiners (PARs) being a commonly accepted approach. However, an examination of PAR operation specificity reveals potential inefficiencies and reliability issues in certain severe accident scenarios. Moreover, during the in-vessel stage of severe accident development, in some severe accident scenarios PARs can unexpectedly become a source of hydrogen detonation. The effectiveness of hydrogen removal systems depends on various factors, including the chosen strategies, severe accident scenarios, reactor building design, and other influencing factors. Consequently, a comprehensive hydrogen mitigation strategy must effectively incorporate a combination of strategies rather than be based on one strategy, taking into consideration the probabilistic risks and uncertainties associated with the implementation of PARs or other traditional methods. In response to these considerations, within the framework of this research it has been suggested a conceptual strategy to mitigate the hydrogen challenge during the in-vessel stage of severe accident development.

Electricity-Carbon Interactive Optimal Dispatch of Multi-Virtual Power Plant Considering Integrated Demand Response

As new power systems and dual carbon policies develop,virtual power plant cluster(VPPC)provides another reliable way to promote the efficient utilization of energy and solve environmental pollution problems.To solve the coordinated optimal operation and low-carbon economic operation problem in multi-virtual power plant,a multi-virtual power plant(VPP)electricity-carbon interaction optimal scheduling model considering integrated demand response(IDR)is proposed.Firstly,a multi-VPP electricity-carbon interaction framework is established.The interaction of electric energy and carbon quotas can realize energy complementarity,reduce energy waste and promote low-carbon operation.Secondly,in order to coordinate the multiple types of energy and load in VPPC to further achieve low-carbon operation,the IDR mechanism based on the user comprehensive satisfaction(UCS)of electricity,heat as well as hydrogen is designed,which can effectively maintain the UCS in the cluster within a relatively high range.Finally,the unit output scheme is formulated to minimize the total cost of VPPC and the model is solved using theCPLEX solver.The simulation results showthat the proposed method effectively promotes the coordinated operation among multi-VPP,increases the consumption rate of renewable energy sources and the economics of VPPC and reduces carbon emissions.

Abnormal Action Recognition with Lightweight Pose Estimation Network in Electric Power Training Scene

Electric power training is essential for ensuring the safety and reliability of the system.In this study,we introduce a novel Abnormal Action Recognition(AAR)system that utilizes a Lightweight Pose Estimation Network(LPEN)to efficiently and effectively detect abnormal fall-down and trespass incidents in electric power training scenarios.The LPEN network,comprising three stages—MobileNet,Initial Stage,and Refinement Stage—is employed to swiftly extract image features,detect human key points,and refine them for accurate analysis.Subsequently,a Pose-aware Action Analysis Module(PAAM)captures the positional coordinates of human skeletal points in each frame.Finally,an Abnormal Action Inference Module(AAIM)evaluates whether abnormal fall-down or unauthorized trespass behavior is occurring.For fall-down recognition,three criteria—falling speed,main angles of skeletal points,and the person’s bounding box—are considered.To identify unauthorized trespass,emphasis is placed on the position of the ankles.Extensive experiments validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed system in ensuring the safety and reliability of electric power training.

GRU-integrated constrained soft actor-critic learning enabled fully distributed scheduling strategy for residential virtual power plant

In this study,a novel residential virtual power plant(RVPP)scheduling method that leverages a gate recurrent unit(GRU)-integrated deep reinforcement learning(DRL)algorithm is proposed.In the proposed scheme,the GRU-integrated DRL algorithm guides the RVPP to participate effectively in both the day-ahead and real-time markets,lowering the electricity purchase costs and consumption risks for end-users.The Lagrangian relaxation technique is introduced to transform the constrained Markov decision process(CMDP)into an unconstrained optimization problem,which guarantees that the constraints are strictly satisfied without determining the penalty coefficients.Furthermore,to enhance the scalability of the constrained soft actor-critic(CSAC)-based RVPP scheduling approach,a fully distributed scheduling architecture was designed to enable plug-and-play in the residential distributed energy resources(RDER).Case studies performed on the constructed RVPP scenario validated the performance of the proposed methodology in enhancing the responsiveness of the RDER to power tariffs,balancing the supply and demand of the power grid,and ensuring customer comfort.

Optimizing Average Electric Power During the Charging of Lithium-Ion Batteries Through the Taguchi Method

In recent times, lithium-ion batteries have been widely used owing to their high energy density, extended cycle lifespan, and minimal self-discharge rate. The design of high-speed rechargeable lithium-ion batteries faces a significant challenge owing to the need to increase average electric power during charging. This challenge results from the direct influence of the power level on the rate of chemical reactions occurring in the battery electrodes. In this study, the Taguchi optimization method was used to enhance the average electric power during the charging process of lithium-ion batteries. The Taguchi technique is a statistical strategy that facilitates the systematic and efficient evaluation of numerous experimental variables. The proposed method involved varying seven input factors, including positive electrode thickness, positive electrode material, positive electrode active material volume fraction, negative electrode active material volume fraction, separator thickness, positive current collector thickness, and negative current collector thickness. Three levels were assigned to each control factor to identify the optimal conditions and maximize the average electric power during charging. Moreover, a variance assessment analysis was conducted to validate the results obtained from the Taguchi analysis. The results revealed that the Taguchi method was an eff ective approach for optimizing the average electric power during the charging of lithium-ion batteries. This indicates that the positive electrode material, followed by the separator thickness and the negative electrode active material volume fraction, was key factors significantly infl uencing the average electric power during the charging of lithium-ion batteries response. The identification of optimal conditions resulted in the improved performance of lithium-ion batteries, extending their potential in various applications. Particularly, lithium-ion batteries with average electric power of 16 W and 17 W during charging were designed and simulated in the range of 0-12000 s using COMSOL Multiphysics software. This study efficiently employs the Taguchi optimization technique to develop lithium-ion batteries capable of storing a predetermined average electric power during the charging phase. Therefore, this method enables the battery to achieve complete charging within a specific timeframe tailored to a specificapplication. The implementation of this method can save costs, time, and materials compared with other alternative methods, such as the trial-and-error approach.

Enhancing Renewable Energy Integration:A Gaussian-Bare-Bones Levy Cheetah Optimization Approach to Optimal Power Flow in Electrical Networks

In the contemporary era,the global expansion of electrical grids is propelled by various renewable energy sources(RESs).Efficient integration of stochastic RESs and optimal power flow(OPF)management are critical for network optimization.This study introduces an innovative solution,the Gaussian Bare-Bones Levy Cheetah Optimizer(GBBLCO),addressing OPF challenges in power generation systems with stochastic RESs.The primary objective is to minimize the total operating costs of RESs,considering four functions:overall operating costs,voltage deviation management,emissions reduction,voltage stability index(VSI)and power loss mitigation.Additionally,a carbon tax is included in the objective function to reduce carbon emissions.Thorough scrutiny,using modified IEEE 30-bus and IEEE 118-bus systems,validates GBBLCO’s superior performance in achieving optimal solutions.Simulation results demonstrate GBBLCO’s efficacy in six optimization scenarios:total cost with valve point effects,total cost with emission and carbon tax,total cost with prohibited operating zones,active power loss optimization,voltage deviation optimization and enhancing voltage stability index(VSI).GBBLCO outperforms conventional techniques in each scenario,showcasing rapid convergence and superior solution quality.Notably,GBBLCO navigates complexities introduced by valve point effects,adapts to environmental constraints,optimizes costs while considering prohibited operating zones,minimizes active power losses,and optimizes voltage deviation by enhancing the voltage stability index(VSI)effectively.This research significantly contributes to advancing OPF,emphasizing GBBLCO’s improved global search capabilities and ability to address challenges related to local minima.GBBLCO emerges as a versatile and robust optimization tool for diverse challenges in power systems,offering a promising solution for the evolving needs of renewable energy-integrated power grids.

Research on uninterruptable power supply technology for auxiliary winding of electric locomotive while passing the neutral section

Purpose–Auxiliary power system is an indispensable part of the train;the auxiliary systems of both electric locomotives and EMUs mainly are powered by one of the two ways,which are either from auxiliary windings of traction transformers or from DC-link voltage of traction converters.Powered by DC-link voltage of traction converters,the auxiliary systems were maintained of uninterruptable power supply with energy from electric braking.Meanwhile,powered by traction transformers,the auxiliary systems were always out of power while passing the neutral section of power supply grid and control system is powered by battery at this time.Design/methodology/approach–Uninterrupted power supply of auxiliary power system powered by auxiliary winding of traction transformer was studied.Failure reasons why previous solutions cannot be realized are analyzed.An uninterruptable power supply scheme for the auxiliary systems powered by auxiliary windings of traction transformers is proposed in this paper.The validity of the proposed scheme is verified by simulation and experimental results and on-site operation of an upgraded HXD3C type locomotive.This scheme is attractive for upgrading practical locomotives with the auxiliary systems powered by auxiliary windings of traction transformers.Findings–This scheme regenerates braking power supplied to auxiliary windings of traction transformers while a locomotive runs in the neutral section of the power supply grid.Control objectives of uninterrupted power supply technology are proposed,which are no overvoltage,no overcurrent and uninterrupted power supply.Originality/value–The control strategies of the scheme ensure both overvoltage free and inrush current free when a locomotive enters or leaves the neutral section.Furthermore,this scheme is cost low by employing updated control strategy of software and add both the two current sensors and two connection wires of hardware.

Proposal of a Deuterium-Deuterium Fusion Reactor Intended for a Large Power Plant

This article looks for the necessary conditions to use Deuterium-Deuterium (D-D) fusion for a large power plant. At the moment, for nearly all the projects (JET, ITER…) only the Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) fuel is considered for a power plant. However, as shown in this article, even if a D-D reactor would be necessarily much bigger than a D-T reactor due to the much weaker fusion reactivity of the D-D fusion compared to the D-T fusion, a D-D reactor size would remain under an acceptable size. Indeed, a D-D power plant would be necessarily large and powerful, i.e. the net electric power would be equal to a minimum of 1.2 GWe and preferably above 10 GWe. A D-D reactor would be less complex than a D-T reactor as it is not necessary to obtain Tritium from the reactor itself. It is proposed the same type of reactor yet proposed by the author in a previous article, i.e. a Stellarator “racetrack” magnetic loop. The working of this reactor is continuous. It is reminded that the Deuterium is relatively abundant on the sea water, and so it constitutes an almost inexhaustible source of energy. Thanks to secondary fusions (D-T and D-He3) which both occur at an appreciable level above 100 keV, plasma can stabilize around such high equilibrium energy (i.e. between 100 and 150 keV). The mechanical gain (Q) of such reactor increases with the internal pipe radius, up to 4.5 m. A radius of 4.5 m permits a mechanical gain (Q) of about 17 which thanks to a modern thermo-dynamical conversion would lead to convert about 21% of the thermal power issued from the D-D reactor in a net electric power of 20 GWe. The goal of the article is to create a physical model of the D-D reactor so as to estimate this one without the need of a simulator and finally to estimate the dimensions, power and yield of such D-D reactor for different net electrical powers. The difficulties of the modeling of such reactor are listed in this article and would certainly be applicable to a future D-He3 reactor, if any.

Seasonal Performance of Solar Power Plants in the Sahel Region: A Study in Senegal, West Africa

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the seasonal performance of 20 MW solar power plants in Senegal. The analysis revealed notable seasonal variations in the performance of all stations. The most significant yields are recorded in spring, autumn and winter, with values ranging from 5 to 7.51 kWh/kWp/day for the reference yield and 4.02 to 7.58 kWh/kWp/day for the final yield. These fluctuations are associated with intense solar activity during the dry season and clear skies, indicating peak production. Conversely, minimum values are recorded during the rainy season from June to September, with a final yield of 3.86 kWh/kW/day due to dust, clouds and high temperatures. The performance ratio analysis shows seasonal dynamics throughout the year with rates ranging from 77.40% to 95.79%, reinforcing reliability and optimal utilization of installed capacity. The results of the capacity factor vary significantly, with March, April, May, and sometimes October standing out as periods of optimal performance, with 16% for Kahone, 16% for Bokhol, 18% for Malicounda and 23% for Sakal. Total losses from solar power plants show similar seasonal trends standing out for high loss levels from June to July, reaching up to 3.35 kWh/kWp/day in June. However, using solar trackers at Sakal has increased production by up to 25%, demonstrating the operational stability of this innovative technology compared with the plants fixed panel. Finally, comparing these results with international studies confirms the outstanding efficiency of Senegalese solar power plants, other installations around the world.

The Application of Intelligent Lighting in Thermal Power Plants

With the rapid development of electronic information technology,the Internet of Things(IoT),Internet technology,and modern communication technology,people are demanding higher standards for the building environment.Especially in modern large-scale buildings with high levels of industrialization,lighting systems should also be optimized accordingly.This article explores the application path of intelligent lighting in thermal power plants for reference.

Exploration of Construction Organization for Maintenance of Steam Turbine Equipment in Thermal Power Plants

The continuous development of the power industry has had a positive impact on thermal power plants,helping them maintain a good production form.In the use of steam turbine equipment in thermal power plants,to prolong its lifespan and avoid safety hazards,it is necessary to pay attention to strengthening maintenance and construction organization,better implementing effective organizational work,and effectively applying steam turbine equipment to ensure the sustainable development of thermal power plants.This article discusses the concept of equipment maintenance from the perspective of steam turbine equipment in thermal power plants,analyzes the current situation of equipment maintenance,and proposes a specific construction organization to provide a reference for steam turbine equipment maintenance.

Review of Power Supply and Distribution Construction Technology for Highway Electromechanical Engineering

In recent years,China has made significant progress in the construction of highways,resulting in an improved highway network that has provided robust support for economic and social development.However,the rapid expansion of highway construction,power supply,and distribution has led to several challenges in mechanical and electrical engineering technology.Ensuring the safe,stable,and cost-effective operation of the power supply and distribution system to meet the diverse requirements of highway operations has become a pressing issue.This article takes an example of a highway electromechanical engineering power supply and distribution construction project to provide insight into the construction process of highway electromechanical engineering power supply and distribution technology.

Electrical characteristics of new three-phase traction power supply system for rail transit

A novel three-phase traction power supply system is proposed to eliminate the adverse effects caused by electric phase separation in catenary and accomplish a unifying manner of traction power supply for rail transit.With the application of two-stage three-phase continuous power supply structure,the electrical characteristics exhibit new features differing from the existing traction system.In this work,the principle for voltage levels determining two-stage network is dissected in accordance with the requirements of traction network and electric locomotive.The equivalent model of three-phase traction system is built for deducing the formula of current distribution and voltage losses.Based on the chain network model of the traction network,a simulation model is established to analyze the electrical characteristics such as traction current distribution,voltage losses,system equivalent impedance,voltage distribution,voltage unbalance and regenerative energy utilization.In a few words,quite a lot traction current of about 99%is undertaken by long-section cable network.The proportion of system voltage losses is small attributed to the two-stage three-phase power supply structure,and the voltage unbal-ance caused by impedance asymmetry of traction network is less than 1‰.In addition,the utilization rate of regenerative energy for locomotive achieves a significant promotion of over 97%.

Evaporative Cooling Applied in Thermal Power Plants:A Review of the State-ofthe-Art and Typical Case Studies

A review is conducted about the application of the evaporative cooling technology in thermal power plants.Different case studies are considered,namely,evaporative air conditioners,evaporative cooling in direct air-cooled systems,gas turbine inlet cooling,wet cooling towers,and hybrid cooling towers with a crosswind effect.Some effort is provided to describe the advantages related to direct evaporative cooling when it is applied in thermal power plants and illustrate the research gaps,which have not been filled yet.In particular,typical case studies are intentionally used to compare the cooling performances when direct evaporative cooling is implemented in different types of cooling towers,including the natural draft wet cooling tower(NDWCT)and the pre-cooled natural draft dry cooling tower(NDDCT).It is shown that the NDWCT provides the best cooling performance in terms of power station cooling,followed by the pre-cooled NDDCT,and the NDDCT;moreover,the evaporative pre-cooling is able to enhance the cooling performance of NDDCT.Besides,on a yearly basis,better NDDCT cooling performances can be obtained by means of a spray-based pre-cooling approach with respect to wet media pre-cooling.Therefore,the use of nozzle spray is suggested for improvement in the performance of indirect/direct air-cooling systems with controlled water consumption.

A method of parsing based on improving the electricity behavior and regulating excitation system of the diesel generating set in the nuclear power plant

This paper introduces an applicable test plan for emergency diesel generator in nuclear power plant. It advances improvement approaches with problems found during field commissioning test and its trouble-shooting processes. The method is based on the integration of complementary through, the extension theory of matter-element model and neural network theory combine to overcome a neural network to learn shelters, and other defects. The purpose of this paper is to provide the better running and commissioning experience for the similar emergency generator unit.

Power Consumption Characteristics Research on Mobile System of Electrically Driven Large-Load-Ratio Six-Legged Robot

The electrically driven large-load-ratio six-legged robot with engineering capability can be widely used in outdoor and planetary exploration.However,due to the particularity of its parallel structure,the effective utilization rate of energy is not high,which has become an important obstacle to its practical application.To research the power consumption characteristics of robot mobile system is beneficial to speed up it toward practicability.Based on the configuration and walking modes of robot,the mathematical model of the power consumption of mobile system is set up.In view of the tripod gait is often selected for the six-legged robots,the simplified power consumption model of mobile system under the tripod gait is established by means of reducing the dimension of the robot’s statically indeterminate problem and constructing the equal force distribution.Then,the power consumption of robot mobile system is solved under different working conditions.The variable tendencies of the power consumption of robot mobile system are respectively obtained with changes in the rotational angles of hip joint and knee joint,body height,and span.The articulated rotational zones and the ranges of body height and span are determined under the lowest power consumption.According to the walking experiments of prototype,the variable tendencies of the average power consumption of robot mobile system are respectively acquired with changes in duty ratio,body height,and span.Then,the feasibility and correctness of theory analysis are verified in the power consumption of robot mobile system.The proposed analysis method in this paper can provide a reference on the lower power research of the large-load-ratio multi-legged robots.

Solar Power Plant Network Packet-Based Anomaly Detection System for Cybersecurity

As energy-related problems continue to emerge,the need for stable energy supplies and issues regarding both environmental and safety require urgent consideration.Renewable energy is becoming increasingly important,with solar power accounting for the most significant proportion of renewables.As the scale and importance of solar energy have increased,cyber threats against solar power plants have also increased.So,we need an anomaly detection system that effectively detects cyber threats to solar power plants.However,as mentioned earlier,the existing solar power plant anomaly detection system monitors only operating information such as power generation,making it difficult to detect cyberattacks.To address this issue,in this paper,we propose a network packet-based anomaly detection system for the Programmable Logic Controller(PLC)of the inverter,an essential system of photovoltaic plants,to detect cyber threats.Cyberattacks and vulnerabilities in solar power plants were analyzed to identify cyber threats in solar power plants.The analysis shows that Denial of Service(DoS)and Manin-the-Middle(MitM)attacks are primarily carried out on inverters,aiming to disrupt solar plant operations.To develop an anomaly detection system,we performed preprocessing,such as correlation analysis and normalization for PLC network packets data and trained various machine learning-based classification models on such data.The Random Forest model showed the best performance with an accuracy of 97.36%.The proposed system can detect anomalies based on network packets,identify potential cyber threats that cannot be identified by the anomaly detection system currently in use in solar power plants,and enhance the security of solar plants.