Brooke J. Stanislawski

arXiv2025

Supervisory Control of Hybrid Power Plants Using Online Feedback Optimization: Designs and Validations with a Hybrid Co-Simulation Engine

This research investigates designing a supervisory feedback controller for a hybrid power plant that coordinates the wind, solar, and battery energy storage plants to meet the desired power demands. We have explored an online feedback control design that does not require detailed knowledge about the models, known as feedback optimization. The control inputs are updated using the gradient information of the cost and the outputs with respect to the input control commands. This enables us to adjust the active power references of wind, solar, and storage plants to meet the power generation requirements set by grid operators. The methodology also ensures robust control performance in the presence of uncertainties in the weather. In this paper, we focus on describing the supervisory feedback optimization formulation and control-oriented modeling for individual renewable and storage components of the hybrid power plant. The proposed supervisory control has been integrated with the hybrid plant co-simulation engine, Hercules, demonstrating its effectiveness in more realistic simulation scenarios.

eess.SY↗

arXiv2024

Field measurements reveal insights into the impact of turbulent wind on loads experienced by parabolic trough solar collectors

To ensure efficient and reliable operation of a concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) plant, its solar collector field needs to accurately focus sunlight. The optical efficiency and structural integrity of the solar collectors is significantly influenced by wind conditions in the field. In this study, we present insights into dynamic wind loading on parabolic trough CSP collectors. We derive novel conclusions by analyzing a first-of-a-kind measurement campaign of wind and structural loads, performed at an operational CSP plant. Previous research primarily relied on wind tunnel tests and simulations, leaving uncertainty about wind loading effects in operational settings. We demonstrate that the parabolic trough field significantly alters the turbulent wind field within the collector field, especially under winds perpendicular to the trough rows. Our measurements within the trough field show reduced wind speeds, changes in wind direction and turbulence properties, and vortex shedding from the trough assemblies. These modifications to the wind field directly impact both static and dynamic support structure loads. Our measurements reveal higher wind loads on trough assemblies compared to those observed previously in wind tunnel tests. The insights from this study offer a novel perspective on our understanding of wind-driven loads on CSP collectors. By informing the development of next-generation design tools and models, this research paves the way for enhanced structural integrity and improved optical performance in future parabolic trough systems.

physics.ao-ph↗