arXiv subjects

Dongbo Zhao

Publications and source records attributed to Dongbo Zhao.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Differential Predictive Control of Residential Building HVACs for Maximizing Renewable Local Consumption and Supporting Fast Voltage Control

High penetration of distributed energy resources in distribution systems, such as rooftop solar PVs, has caused voltage fluctuations which are much faster than typical voltage control devices can react to, leading to increased operation cost and reduced equipment life. Residential buildings consume about 35% of the electricity in U.S. and are co-located with rooftop solar PV. Thus, they present an opportunity to mitigate these fluctuations locally, while benefiting both the grid and building owners. Previous works on DER-aware localized building energy management mostly focus on commercial buildings and analyzing impacts either on buildings or the grid. To fill the gaps, this paper proposes a distributed, differential predictive control scheme for residential HVAC systems for maximizing renewable local consumption. In addition, a detailed controller-building-grid co-simulation platform is developed and utilized for analyzing the potential impacts of the proposed control scheme on both the buildings and distribution system. Our studies show that the proposed method can provide benefits to both the buildings' owners and the distribution system by reducing energy draw from the grid by 12%, voltage violations and fast fluctuations by 20%, and the number of tap changes in voltage regulators by 14%.

eess.SY↗

arXiv2023

MATNilm: Multi-appliance-task Non-intrusive Load Monitoring with Limited Labeled Data

Non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) identifies the status and power consumption of various household appliances by disaggregating the total power usage signal of an entire house. Efficient and accurate load monitoring facilitates user profile establishment, intelligent household energy management, and peak load shifting. This is beneficial for both the end-users and utilities by improving the overall efficiency of a power distribution network. Existing approaches mainly focus on developing an individual model for each appliance. Those approaches typically rely on a large amount of household-labeled data which is hard to collect. In this paper, we propose a multi-appliance-task framework with a training-efficient sample augmentation (SA) scheme that boosts the disaggregation performance with limited labeled data. For each appliance, we develop a shared-hierarchical split structure for its regression and classification tasks. In addition, we also propose a two-dimensional attention mechanism in order to capture spatio-temporal correlations among all appliances. With only one-day training data and limited appliance operation profiles, the proposed SA algorithm can achieve comparable test performance to the case of training with the full dataset. Finally, simulation results show that our proposed approach features a significantly improved performance over many baseline models. The relative errors can be reduced by more than 50% on average. The codes of this work are available at https://github.com/jxiong22/MATNilm

cs.LG↗

arXiv2020

Multi-Agent Safe Policy Learning for Power Management of Networked Microgrids

This paper presents a supervised multi-agent safe policy learning (SMAS-PL) method for optimal power management of networked microgrids (MGs) in distribution systems. While conventional reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms are black-box decision models that could fail to satisfy grid operational constraints, our proposed method is constrained by AC power flow equations and other operational limits. Accordingly, the training process employs the gradient information of operational constraints to ensure that the optimal control policy functions generate safe and feasible decisions. Furthermore, we have developed a distributed consensus-based optimization approach to train the agents' policy functions while maintaining MGs' privacy and data ownership boundaries. After training, the learned optimal policy functions can be safely used by the MGs to dispatch their local resources, without the need to solve a complex optimization problem from scratch. Numerical experiments have been devised to verify the performance of the proposed method.

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arXiv2020

High-Fidelity Large-Signal Order Reduction Approach for Composite Load Model

With the increasing penetration of electronic loads and distributed energy resources (DERs), conventional load models cannot capture their dynamics. Therefore, a new comprehensive composite load model is developed by Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). However, this model is a complex high-order nonlinear system with multi-time-scale property, which poses challenges on stability analysis and computational burden in large-scale simulations. In order to reduce the computational burden while preserving the accuracy of the original model, this paper proposes a generic high-fidelity order reduction approach and then apply it to WECC composite load model. First, we develop a large-signal order reduction (LSOR) method using singular perturbation theory. In this method, the fast dynamics are integrated into the slow dynamics to preserve the transient characteristics of fast dynamics. Then, we propose the necessary conditions for accurate order reduction and embed them into the LSOR to improve and guarantee the accuracy of reduced-order model. Finally, we develop the reduced-order WECC composite load model using the proposed algorithm. Simulation results show the reduced-order large signal model significantly alleviates the computational burden while maintaining similar dynamic responses as the original composite load model.

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arXiv2020

Augmented Reality on the Large Scene Based on a Markerless Registration Framework

In this paper, a mobile camera positioning method based on forward and inverse kinematics of robot is proposed, which can realize far point positioning of imaging position and attitude tracking in large scene enhancement. Orbit precision motion through the framework overhead cameras and combining with the ground system of sensor array object such as mobile robot platform of various sensors, realize the good 3 d image registration, solve any artifacts that is mobile robot in the large space position initialization problem, effectively implement the large space no marks augmented reality, human-computer interaction, and information summary. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the method are verified by experiments.

cs.RO↗

arXiv2020

Improving operational flexibility of integrated energy system with uncertain renewable generations considering thermal inertia of buildings

Insufficient flexibility in system operation caused by traditional "heat-set" operating modes of combined heat and power (CHP) units in winter heating periods is a key issue that limits renewable energy consumption. In order to reduce the curtailment of renewable energy resources through improving the operational flexibility, a novel optimal scheduling model based on chance-constrained programming (CCP), aiming at minimizing the lowest generation cost, is proposed for a small-scale integrated energy system (IES) with CHP units, thermal power units, renewable generations and representative auxiliary equipments. In this model, due to the uncertainties of renewable generations including wind turbines and photovoltaic units, the probabilistic spinning reserves are supplied in the form of chance-constrained; from the perspective of user experience, a heating load model is built with consideration of heat comfort and inertia in buildings. To solve the model, a solution approach based on sequence operation theory (SOT) is developed, where the original CCP-based scheduling model is tackled into a solvable mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation by converting a chance constraint into its deterministic equivalence class, and thereby is solved via the CPLEX solver. The simulation results on the modified IEEE 30-bus system demonstrate that the presented method manages to improve operational flexibility of the IES with uncertain renewable generations by comprehensively leveraging thermal inertia of buildings and different kinds of auxiliary equipments, which provides a fundamental way for promoting renewable energy consumption.

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arXiv2019

Incorporating energy storage and user experience in isolated microgrid dispatch using a multi-objective model

In order to coordinate multiple different scheduling objectives from the perspectives of economy, environment and users, a practical multi-objective dynamic optimal dispatch model incorporating energy storage and user experience is proposed for isolated microgrids. In this model, besides Microturbine units, energy storage is employed to provide spinning reserve services for microgirds; and furthermore, from the perspective of demand side management, a consumer satisfaction indicator is developed to measure the quality of user experience. A two-step solution methodology incorporating multi-objective optimization (MOO) and decision analysis is put forward to address this model. First, a powerful heuristic optimization algorithm, called the θ-dominance based evolutionary algorithm, is used to find a well-distributed set of Pareto-optimal solutions of the problem. And thereby, the best compromise solutions (BCSs) are identified from the entire solutions with the use of decision analysis by integrating fuzzy C-means clustering and grey relation projection. The simulation results on the modified Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Energy Control and Communication lab microgrid test system demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

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arXiv2018

Optimal scheduling of isolated microgrid with an electric vehicle battery swapping station in multi-stakeholder scenarios: a bi-level programming approach via real-time pricing

In order to coordinate the scheduling problem between an isolated microgrid (IMG) and electric vehicle battery swapping stations (BSSs) in multi-stakeholder scenarios, a new bi-level optimal scheduling model is proposed for promoting the participation of BSSs in regulating the IMG economic operation. In this model, the upper-level sub-problem is formulated to minimize the IMG net costs, while the lower-level aims to maximize the profits of the BSS under real-time pricing environments determined by demand responses in the upper-level decision. To solve the model, a hybrid algorithm, called JAYA-BBA, is put forward by combining a real/integer-coded JAYA algorithm and the branch and bound algorithm (BBA), in which the JAYA and BBA are respectively employed to address the upper- and lower- level sub-problems, and the bi-level model is eventually solved through alternate iterations between the two levels. The simulation results on a microgrid test system verify the effectiveness and superiority of the presented approach.

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arXiv2018

Optimal distributed generation planning in active distribution networks considering integration of energy storage

A two-stage optimization method is proposed for optimal distributed generation (DG) planning considering the integration of energy storage in this paper. The first stage determines the installation locations and the initial capacity of DGs using the well-known loss sensitivity factor (LSF) approach, and the second stage identifies the optimal installation capacities of DGs to maximize the investment benefits and system voltage stability and to minimize line losses. In the second stage, the multi-objective ant lion optimizer (MOALO) is first applied to obtain the Pareto-optimal solutions, and then the 'best' compromise solution is identified by calculating the priority memberships of each solution via grey relation projection (GRP) method, while finally, in order to address the uncertain outputs of DGs, energy storage devices are installed whose maximum outputs are determined with the use of chance-constrained programming. The test results on the PG&E 69-bus distribution system demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to other current state-of-the-art approaches, and that the integration of energy storage makes the DGs operate at their pre-designed rated capacities with the probability of at least 60% which is novel.

math.OC↗

arXiv2018

Two-stage multi-objective OPF for AC/DC grids with VSC-HVDC: Incorporating decisions analysis into optimization process

A two-stage solution approach for solving the problem of multi-objective optimal power flow (MOPF) is proposed for hybrid AC/DC grids with VSC-HVDC. First, a MOPF model for hybrid AC/DC grids is built to coordinate the economy, voltage deviation and environmental benefits. Then, a two-stage solution approach, incorporating decision analysis into optimization process, is presented to solve the model. The first stage of the approach is consisted of a multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm with a hybrid coding scheme employed to find multiple Pareto-optimal solutions. The second stage will have the obtained solutions clustered into different groups using fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering, and then the 'best' compromise solutions are obtained by calculating the priority memberships of the solutions belonging to the same groups via grey relation projection (GRP) method. The novelty of this approach lies primarily in incorporating the FCM-GRP based decisions analysis technique into MOPF studies, thereby assisting decision makers to automatically identify the 'best' operation points. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified based on the test results of the IEEE 14- and 300- bus systems.

math.OC↗

arXiv2018

A Two-Stage Approach for Combined Heat and Power Economic Emission Dispatch: Combining Multi-Objective Optimization with Integrated Decision Making

To address the problem of combined heat and power economic emission dispatch (CHPEED), a two-stage approach is proposed by combining multi-objective optimization (MOO) with integrated decision making (IDM). First, a practical CHPEED model is built by taking into account power transmission losses and the valve-point loading effects. To solve this model, a two-stage methodology is thereafter proposed. The first stage of this approach relies on the use of a powerful multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, called θ-dominance based evolutionary algorithm (θ-DEA), to find multiple Pareto-optimal solutions of the model. Through fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering, the second stage separates the obtained Pareto-optimal solutions into different clusters and thereupon identifies the best compromise solutions (BCSs) by assessing the relative projections of the solutions belonging to the same cluster using grey relation projection (GRP). The novelty of this work is in the incorporation of an IDM technique FCM-GRP into CHPEED to automatically determine the BCSs that represent decision makers' different, even conflicting, preferences. The simulation results on three test cases with varied complexity levels verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approach.

math.OC↗

arXiv2018

Optimal Scheduling of an Isolated Microgrid with Battery Storage Considering Load and Renewable Generation Uncertainties

By modeling the uncertainty of spinning reserves provided by energy storage with probabilistic constraints, a new optimal scheduling mode is proposed for minimizing the operating costs of an isolated microgrid (MG) by using chance-constrained programming. The model is transformed into a readily solvable mixed integer linear programming (MILP) formulation in GAMS via a proposed discretized step transformation (DST) approach and finally solved by applying the CPLEX solver. By properly setting the confidence levels of the spinning reserve probability constraints, the MG operation can be achieved a trade-off between reliability and economy. The test results on the modified ORNL DECC lab MG test system reveal that the proposal significantly exceeds the commonly used hybrid intelligent algorithm with much better and more stable optimization results and significantly reduced calculation times.

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