Improving photovoltaic cell parameter calculations through a puffer fish inspired optimization technique.

The precise estimation of solar PV cell parameters has become increasingly important as solar energy deployment expands. Due to the intricate and nonlinear characteristics of solar PV cells, meta-heuristic algorithms show greater promise than traditional ones for parameter estimation. This study utilizes the Puffer Fish (PF) meta-heuristic optimization method, inspired by male puffer fish's circular structures, to estimate parameters of a modified four-diode PV cell. The PF algorithm's performance is assessed against ten benchmark test functions, with results presented as mean and standard deviation for validation. Comparative analysis with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), Rat Search Algorithm (RAT), Heap Based Optimizer (HBO), and Cuckoo Search (CS) algorithms highlights PF's superior performance, achieving optimal solutions with minimal error of 7.8947E-08. Statistical tests, including Friedman Ranking (1st) and Wilcoxon's rank sum (3.8108E-07), confirm PF's superiority. The circular structures of male puffer fish serve as an effective model for optimization algorithms, enhancing parameter estimation. Benchmark tests and statistical analysis consistently underscore PF's superiority over other meta-heuristic algorithms. Future research should explore PF's potential applications in solar energy and beyond.

Power regulation of variable speed multi rotor wind systems using fuzzy cascaded control.

Power quality is a crucial determinant for integrating wind energy into the electrical grid. This integration necessitates compliance with certain standards and levels. This study presents cascadedfuzzy power control (CFPC) for a variable-speed multi-rotor wind turbine (MRWT) system. Fuzzy logic is a type of smart control system already recognized for its robustness, making it highly suited and reliable for generating electrical energy from the wind. Therefore, the CFPC technique is proposed in this work to control the doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG)-based MRWT system. This proposed strategy is applied to the rotor side converter of a DFIG to improve the current/power quality. The proposed control has the advantage of being model-independent, as it relies on empirical knowledge rather than the specific characteristics of the DFIG or turbine. Moreover, the proposed control system is characterized by its simplicity, high performance, robustness, and ease of application. The implementation of CFPC management for 1.5 MW DFIG-MRWT was carried out in MATLAB environment considering a variable wind speed. The obtained results were compared with the direct power control (DPC) technique based on proportional-integral (PI) controllers (DPC-PI), highlighting that the CFPC technique reduced total harmonic distortion by high ratios in the three tests performed (25%, 30.18%, and 47.22%). The proposed CFPC technique reduced the response time of reactive power in all tests by ratios estimated at 83.76%, 65.02%, and 91.42% compared to the DPC-PI strategy. Also, the active power ripples were reduced by satisfactory proportions (37.50%, 32.20%, and 38.46%) compared to the DPC-PI strategy. The steady-state error value of reactive power in the tests was low when using the CFPC technique by 86.60%, 57.33%, and 72.26%, which indicates the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed CFPC technique in improving the characteristics of the system. Thus this control can be relied upon in the future.

Smart distribution network voltage estimation using PMU technology considering zero injection constraints.

To properly control the network of the power system and ensure its protection, Phasor measurement units (PMUs) must be used to monitor the network's operation. PMUs can provide synchronized real-time measurements. These measurements can be used for state estimation, fault detection and diagnosis, and other grid control applications. Conventional state estimation methods use weighting factors to balance the different types of measurements, and zero injection measurements can lead to large weighting factors that can introduce computational errors. The offered methods are designed to ensure that these zero injection criteria can be strictly satisfied while calculating the voltage profile and observability of the various distribution networks without sacrificing computing efficiency. The proposed method's viability is assessed using standard IEEE distribution networks. MATLAB coding is used to simulate the case analyses. Overall, the study provides a valuable contribution to the field of power distribution system monitoring and control by simplifying the process of determining the optimal locations for PMUs in a distribution network and assessing the impact of ZI buses on the voltage profile of the system.

Improving accuracy in state of health estimation for lithium batteries using gradient-based optimization: Case study in electric vehicle applications.

Significant improvements in battery performance, cost reduction, and energy density have been made since the advancements of lithium-ion batteries. These advancements have accelerated the development of electric vehicles (EVs). The safety and effectiveness of EVs depend on accurate measurement and prediction of the state of health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries; however, this process is uncertain. In this study, our primary goal is to enhance the accuracy of SOH estimation by reducing uncertainties in state of charge (SOC) estimation and measurements. To achieve this, we propose a novel method that utilizes the gradient-based optimizer (GBO) to evaluate the SOH of lithium batteries. The GBO minimizes a cost with the aim of selecting the optimal candidate for updating the SOH through a memory-fading forgetting factor. We evaluated our method against four robust algorithms, namely particle swarm optimization-least square support vector regression (PSO-LSSV), BCRLS-multiple weighted dual extended Kalman filtering (BCRLS-MWDEKF), Total least square (TLS), and approximate weighted total least squares (AWTLS) in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and electric vehicle (EV) applications. Our method consistently outperformed the alternatives, with the GBO achieving the lowest maximum error. In EV scenarios, GBO exhibited maximum errors ranging from 0.65% to 1.57% and mean errors ranging from 0.21% to 0.57%. Similarly, in HEV scenarios, GBO demonstrated maximum errors ranging from 0.81% to 3.21% and mean errors ranging from 0.39% to 1.03%. Furthermore, our method showcased superior predictive performance, with low values for mean squared error (MSE) (<1.8130e-04), root mean squared error (RMSE) (<1.35%), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) (<1.4).

Extended Kalman Filter design for sensorless sliding mode predictive control of induction motors without weighting factor: An experimental investigation.

Due to their simplicity, cheapness, and ease of maintenance, induction motors (IMs) are the most widely used motors in the industry. However, if they are not properly controlled, the load torque and motor speed will fluctuate in an unsatisfactory fashion. To effectively control the load torque and speed of these IMs, it is necessary to use specialized drives. The entire system (IMs + Drives) will experience uncertainty, nonlinearities, and disruptions, which calls for an outstanding performance control structure. The sensorless sliding mode predictive torque control (SSM-PTC) for both AC-DC converter and DC-AC inverter, which are utilized for feeding the IM, is investigated in this work. The AC-DC converter is controlled using the SSM-PTC method in order to follow the DC-link reference voltage throughout any changes in the operating point of the IM. While the DC-AC inverter is controlled using a sensorless predictive power control (SPPC). Within a unity power factor, this SPPC regulates the reactive power flow between the motor and the supply to account for the undesirable harmonic components of the grid current. In addition, an experimental performance improvement of SSM-PTC of IM supplied by a 5-leg AC-DC-AC power converter using extended Kalman filter (EKF) without weighting factor (WF) is also studied in this work. Design and implantation of the suggested control systems are performed using a dSPACE 1104 card. The experimental results of the proposed converter control demonstrate that the suggested approach effectively regulated the DC link, reducing load torque and speed fluctuations. In the context of inverter control, a prompt active power response yields a motor current waveform that resembles a sinusoidal pattern, exhibiting minimal levels of harmonic distortion.

A new adaptive MPPT technique using an improved INC algorithm supported by fuzzy self-tuning controller for a grid-linked photovoltaic system.

Solar energy, a prominent renewable resource, relies on photovoltaic systems (PVS) to capture energy efficiently. The challenge lies in maximizing power generation, which fluctuates due to changing environmental conditions like irradiance and temperature. Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) techniques have been developed to optimize PVS output. Among these, the incremental conductance (INC) method is widely recognized. However, adapting INC to varying environmental conditions remains a challenge. This study introduces an innovative approach to adaptive MPPT for grid-connected PVS, enhancing classical INC by integrating a PID controller updated through a fuzzy self-tuning controller (INC-FST). INC-FST dynamically regulates the boost converter signal, connecting the PVS's DC output to the grid-connected inverter. A comprehensive evaluation, comparing the proposed adaptive MPPT technique (INC-FST) with conventional MPPT methods such as INC, Perturb & Observe (P&O), and INC Fuzzy Logic (INC-FL), was conducted. Metrics assessed include current, voltage, efficiency, power, and DC bus voltage under different climate scenarios. The proposed MPPT-INC-FST algorithm demonstrated superior efficiency, achieving 99.80%, 99.76%, and 99.73% for three distinct climate scenarios. Furthermore, the comparative analysis highlighted its precision in terms of control indices, minimizing overshoot, reducing rise time, and maximizing PVS power output.

Regulation of multi-area power system load frequency in presence of V2G scheme.

The integration of renewable sources (RSs) and the widespread deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) has transitioned from a luxury to a necessity in modern power systems. This results from the sharp increase in electric power demand and public awareness of switching to green energy. However, in addition to load fluctuations and changes in system parameters, these RSs and EVs negatively impact the load frequency (LF). This work presents a LF control for a modern multi-area power system incorporating photovoltaic (PV) and EV chargers. The proposed controller primarily utilizes EV chargers within modern power systems. This approach offers the advantage of using the already present components instead of introducing new ones. The proposed controller comprises the ecological optimization approach (ECO) and the integral controller (I). Both of these components are designed for autonomous vehicle-to-grid (V2G) devices. The proposed control technique is applied to a three-area power system, where the V2G scheme is located in Area-1. Variations in the load, PV power generated, and system parameters are considered to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed (I+ECO+V2G) controller for controlling the LF. To assess the performance of the proposed I+ECO+V2G system, a comparative analysis is conducted to compare its performance with both the I+ECO system and the standard I-controller. The simulation findings demonstrate that implementing the I+ECO and the proposed I+ECO+V2G strategies results in enhanced system stability and decreased LF fluctuations compared to the conventional I-control approach. Furthermore, while comparing the I+ECO control technique to the suggested control strategy I+ECO+V2G, it was seen that the latter reaches steady state values more quickly. The results validate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed controller in mitigating the impacts of load disturbances, uncertainties, and nonlinearities within the system. These simulations were performed using MATLAB/SIMULINK. To validate the outcomes of the simulation results, an experimental setup consisting of a real-time dSPACE DS1103 connected to another PC via QUARC pid_e data acquisition card was used. The experimental findings have substantiated the accuracy of the simulation findings about the superiority of the I+ECO+V2G methodology compared to both the I+ECO and I-control methodologies concerning system performance and LF control.

High performance adaptive maximum power point tracking technique for off-grid photovoltaic systems.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has met great attention in the electrical power generation field for its many advantages in both on and off-grid applications. The requirement for higher proficiency from the PV system to reap the energy requires maximum power point tracking techniques (MPPT). This paper presents an adaptive MPPT of a stand-alone PV system using an updated PI controller optimized by harmony search (HS). A lookup table is formed for the temperature and irradiance with the corresponding voltage at MPP (VMPP). This voltage is considered as the updated reference voltage required for MPP at each temperature and irradiance. The difference between this updated reference voltage at MPP and the variable PV voltage due to changing the environmental conditions is used to stimulate PI controller optimized by HS to update the duty cycle (D) of the DC-DC converter. The temperature, irradiance, and corresponding duty cycle at MPP are utilized to convert this MPP technique into an adaptive one without the PI controllers' need. An experimental implementation of the proposed adaptive MPPT is introduced to test the simulation results' validity at different irradiance and temperature levels.