CNIC: U.S.-Denmark Collaboration on Strategies to Improve Efficiency and Reliability in Microgrids

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Through this project development effort, a small research team from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) will initiate cooperative research with Danish partners from the Institute of Energy Technology at Aalborg University. Together, the U.S.-Danish team will examine challenges associated with microgrid and power converter architectures that affect current efficiency and reliability. Their approach involves modeling, simulating and experimentally validating newly proposed architectures with arrangements of two- and four-phase microgrids and interfacing power converters. The U.S. team's strengths in modeling and simulation of microgrids and converters complement the Danish partners' expertise in renewable energy systems, power electronics and energy efficiency. With the goal of reducing energy losses while increasing system efficiency, they will start by designing a proof-of-concept setup to emulate an actual microgrid system. The team hopes that their two-phase and four-phase designs will provide a new choice of two ways to move power, either through line-to-line connection or through phase voltages, making it possible to reduce complexity and expense compared to conventional systems requiring larger voltage changes. Specifically, the researchers plan to develop, analyze and validate several designs to demonstrate the advantages, through simulation, design, and experimental tests. This developmental project fulfills the program objective of catalyzing new international collaboration to advance engineering research on next-generation microgrids for power distribution systems. Preliminary results also are expected to improve our understanding of the potential for new fault tolerant power electronics converters that operate after a fault occurs. If successful, this research could lead to increases in system efficiency with less cost to society and the environment. The ultimate goal is to help build a new electric power distribution system capable of handling more renewable energy sources and more rechargeable cars, at minimum cost and without loss of reliability. Broader impacts also include contributions to the future training of U.S. students, through the preparation of a new IUPUI course, "Microgrid Systems," and by providing one participating Indiana University graduate student with first hand, early career international research experience at Aalborg University in a growing engineering field.