Optimal control theory approach for power grid EMP protection
| DWPI Title: Electric power grid, has blocking device comprising voltage source providing neutral-path control signal between transformer neutral and ground, and flux-blocking device comprising current source providing magnetizing-path control signal to transformer core |
| Abstract: A high altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) or solar-geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) can introduce geomagnetically-induced currents (GICs) flowing through grounded power transformers that have the potential to severely impact the operation of large-scale electric power grids. A top-down mitigation design strategy considers grid-wide dynamic behavior during an HEMP/GMD event and uses optimal control theory to determine the compensation signals required to protect critical grid assets. As examples, the approach is applied to both a standalone transformer system, small power 3- and 4-bus systems, and large-power 20-bus system. |
| Use: Electric power grid. |
| Advantage: The electric power grid minimizes max saturation experienced at either load transformer at each point in time over the interval. The electric power grid minimizes an objective function subject to the constraints that the solution must satisfy system dynamics equations and user specified path constraints. |
| Novelty: The electric power grid has a transformer comprising a transformer core and a transformer neutral, where a low frequency current pulse generates a magnetizing flux in the transformer core. A blocking device comprises a voltage source (VE3) providing a neutral-path control signal between the transformer neutral and ground. A flux-blocking device comprises a current source providing a magnetizing-path control signal to the transformer core, where the neutral-path control signal and the magnetizing-path control signal are optimized to maintain magnetizing flux below a saturation limit in response to the low frequency current pulse, where the low frequency current pulse comprises a geomagnetically-induced current. |
| Filed: 2/29/2024 |
| Application Number: US18592515A |
| Tech ID: SD 16360.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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