http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/5610941/5624686/05624745.pdf

Power electronics

Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) present environmental and energy security advantages versus conventional gasoline vehicles. In the near future, the number of plug-in electric vehicles will likely grow significantly in the world. Despite the aforementioned advantages, the connection of PEV to the power grid poses a series of new challenges for electric utilities. This paper proposes a comprehensive approach for evaluating the impact of different levels of PEV penetration on distribution network investment and incremental energy losses. The proposed approach is based on the use of a large-scale distribution planning model which is used to analyze two real distribution areas. Obtained results show that depending on the charging strategies, investment costs can increase up to 15% of total actual distribution network investment costs, and energy losses can increase up to 40% in off-peak hours for a scenario with 60% of total vehicles being PEV.

Assessment of the Impact of Plug-in Electric Vehicles on Distribution Networks

This paper presents an optimal power management mechanism for grid connected photovoltaic (PV) systems with storage. The objective is to help intensive penetration of PV production into the grid by proposing peak shaving service at the lowest cost. The structure of a power supervisor based on an optimal predictive power scheduling algorithm is proposed. Optimization is performed using Dynamic Programming and is compared with a simple ruled-based management. The particularity of this study remains first in the consideration of batteries ageing into the optimization process and second in the “day-ahead” approach of power management. Simulations and real conditions application are carried out over one exemplary day. In simulation, it points out that peak shaving is realized with the minimal cost, but especially that power fluctuations on the grid are reduced which matches with the initial objective of helping PV penetration into the grid. In real conditions, efficiency of the predictive schedule depends on accuracy of the forecasts, which leads to future works about optimal reactive power management.

Optimal Power Flow Management for Grid Connected PV Systems With Batteries

Review of energy storage system for wind power integration support

Condition monitoring of wind turbines: Techniques and methods

The wind power industry has expanded greatly during the past few years, has served a growing market, and has spawned the development of larger wind turbines. Different designs and technical advances now make it possible to put wind turbines off shore. The fast expansion of the wind power market comes with problems. The new designs are not always fully tested, and the designed 20 year lifetime is typically never achieved before the next generation of turbines is erected. This paper presents results from an investigation of failure statistics from four sources, i.e. two separate sources from Sweden, one from Finland, and one from Germany. Statistics reveal reliability performance of the different components within the wind turbine. The gearbox is the most critical because downtime, per failure, is high compared to the other components in the wind power turbine. The statistical data for larger turbines also show trends toward higher, ever increasing failure frequency when compared to small turbines, which have a decreasing failure rate over the operational years.

Survey of Failures in Wind Power Systems With Focus on Swedish Wind Power Plants During 1997–2005

The large growth in the wind power industry in the past years mainly focuses on a growing market and the development of large turbines and offshore farms. The high technical availability of wind turbines comes with a greater need for frequent maintenance. Current maintenance planning is not optimized, and it is possible to make maintenance more efficient. Condition monitoring systems (CMS) could resolve the growing wind power industry's need for better maintenance management and increased reliability. Such systems are commonly used in other industries. CMS could continuously monitor the performance of the wind turbine parts and could help determine specific maintenance timing. This paper presents a life cycle cost (LCC) analysis with strategies where CMS improved maintenance planning for a single wind turbine onshore and a wind farm offshore. Case studies are based on real data from Olsvenne2 at Naumlsudden (Gotland, Sweden) and Kentish Flats, in the U.K. The main conclusion is that CMS benefits maintenance management of wind power systems. Improvements can be especially shown for offshore wind farm maintenance planning

Maintenance Management of Wind Power Systems Using Condition Monitoring Systems—Life Cycle Cost Analysis for Two Case Studies

This paper proposes a method for comparing the effect of different maintenance strategies on system reliability and cost. This method relates reliability theory with the experience gained from statistics and practical knowledge of component failures and maintenance measures. The approach has been applied to rural and urban distribution systems. In particular, a functional relationship between failure rate and maintenance measures has been developed for a cable component. The results show the value of using a systematic quantitative approach for investigating the effect of different maintenance strategies.

A reliability-centered asset maintenance method for assessing the impact of maintenance in power distribution systems

A sound maintenance planning is of crucial importance for wind power systems. There is a large potential in cost savings by optimizing maintenance decisions to make the projects more cost-efficient. This paper presents an approach to optimize condition-based maintenance strategies for components which degradation can be classified according to the severity of the damage. The approach is applicable to inspection-based maintenance as well as maintenance based on online condition-monitoring systems. This enables us to compare the maintenance strategies within a unified framework. First decisions associated with the different maintenance strategies are optimized, then the expected life cycle maintenance costs of the strategies are compared. The model is applied to blades of wind turbine in order to compare three maintenance strategies: visual inspection, inspection with a condition-monitoring technique (e.g., ultrasonic or thermography), and online condition monitoring (e.g., fiber optic). It is shown that online condition monitoring is the optimal maintenance strategy for high failure rate and low crack time to failure. In other cases, inspection with condition-based maintenance is slightly more beneficial.

An Approach for Condition-Based Maintenance Optimization Applied to Wind Turbine Blades

The concept of reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) is applied to the two wind-turbine models Vestas V44-600 kW and V90-2MW. The executing RCM workgroup includes an owner and operator of the analyzed wind turbines, a maintenance service provider, a provider of condition-monitoring services, and wind-turbine component supplier as well as researchers at academia. Combining the results of failure statistics and assessment of expert judgement, the analysis is focused on the most critical subsystems with respect to failure frequencies and consequences: the gearbox, the generator, the electrical system, and the hydraulic system. This study provides the most relevant functional failures, reveals their causes and underlying mechanisms, and identifies remedial measures to prevent either the failure itself or critical secondary damage. This study forms the basis for the development of quantitative models for maintenance strategy selection and optimization, but may also provide a feedback of field experience for further improvement of wind-turbine design.

http://publications.lib.chalmers.se/records/fulltext/local_148826.pdf

Lina Bertling

Papers

Survey of Failures in Wind Power Systems With Focus on Swedish Wind Power Plants During 1997–2005

Maintenance Management of Wind Power Systems Using Condition Monitoring Systems—Life Cycle Cost Analysis for Two Case Studies

A reliability-centered asset maintenance method for assessing the impact of maintenance in power distribution systems

An Approach for Condition-Based Maintenance Optimization Applied to Wind Turbine Blades

Reliability-Centered Maintenance for Wind Turbines Based on Statistical Analysis and Practical Experience