MRI: Acquisition of a Hybrid Real-Time Simulator for Real-Time Power Grid Simulations

这份MRI提案申请资金用于购买混合实时数字仿真器，该仿真器是专门的高性能计算(HPC)硬件和软件工具的组合，能够使用各种外部设备执行实时电网和硬件在环仿真。这些设备将放置在怀俄明大学(UWyo)，并可在线访问，供UWyo、蒙大拿理工大学、世界各地的其他学术机构和电力公司的研究人员开放使用。收购所需的混合实时电力系统数字仿真器将促进跨学科合作努力，以建立我们的下一代智能电网。此外，电力工程领域的课程将更新，向学生更好地演示电力系统操作，从而吸引和提供称职的劳动力，以应对我们下一代电力系统的挑战。设备的开放使用也将促进研究人员之间的合作。同时，研究与教育的结合将有助于吸引本科生接受高等教育。此外，鉴于UWYO是怀俄明州唯一提供学士学位和研究生教育和研究的机构，收购拟议中的仪器预计将对高中、社区大学和本科水平的未来科学家的培训产生巨大影响。UWYO通过专注于第一代、女性、低收入和少数民族学生的特殊项目，积极促进传统上STEM领域代表性不足的学生的大学准备、入学和成功。收购混合实时数字模拟器将为数据挖掘、统计信号处理、高性能计算和风能等多个不同领域的研究工作提供一个很好的平台，走向电网现代化。具体地说，拟议的仪器执行实时电网和硬件在环仿真的能力对于目前在华盛顿大学和蒙大拿理工学院的几个部门正在进行的各种项目至关重要，包括1)开发机器学习和统计信号处理算法，使用同步相量测量进行可靠性分析和动态广域态势感知；2)发明基于波点测量的先进测量和分析技术，用于暂态和稳态分析；3)应用现代高性能计算技术进行电网实时分析；4)包括可再生能源在内的改进系统模型的集成，用于不同时间尺度的电力系统稳定性研究；5)其他大系统仿真研究。UWYO和Monata Tech的研究团队几十年来在电力系统稳定分析和高性能计算方面做出了出色的贡献。然而，他们过去的研究大多是基于实际的现场测量数据和软件实现的较小的电网模型。这一新的混合模拟器将为他们提供一个强大的工具，以多种方式将这项研究带到更深入的水平。它将使他们能够以更精细的细节和更复杂的场景模拟更大的电网。混合模拟器还使它们能够与网格监控中使用的PMU等实际硬件设备对接。此外，该混合仿真器具有与其他实时数字仿真器接口的能力，作为网络仿真器进行智能电网通信协同仿真。所有这些都为他们的研究增加了巨大的新维度，使他们能够继续为美国电网做出高影响力的贡献。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This MRI proposal requests funds for the acquisition of a hybrid real-time digital simulator, which is a combination of specialized high-performance computing (HPC) hardware and software tools capable of performing real-time power grid and hardware-in-loop simulations with various external devices. The equipment will be located at the University of Wyoming (UWyo) and made accessible online for open-access use by investigators at UWyo, Montana Tech, other academic institutions and power companies worldwide. The acquisition of the requested hybrid real-time power system digital simulator will promote interdisciplinary collaboration efforts to build our next-generation smart power grid. In addition, the curricula in the power engineering area will be updated with better demonstrations of power system operations to students and therefore attract and provide competent workforce for the challenges of our next-generation power system. The open accessibility of the equipment will also promote collaborations among researchers. Meanwhile, the integration of research and education will help attract undergraduate students for higher education. Furthermore, given that UWyo is the only provider of baccalaureate and graduate education and research in Wyoming, acquisition of the proposed instrument is expected to have a tremendous impact on the training of future scientists at the high school, community college, and the undergraduate level. UWyo actively promotes college preparedness, access, and success among students traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields by focusing special programs on first-generation, female, low-income, and ethnic minority students.The acquisition of the hybrid real-time digital simulator will provide a great platform for research efforts in many different areas including data mining, statistical signal processing, high-performance computing and wind energy towards power grid modernization. Specifically, the capability of the proposed instrumentation to perform both real-time power grid and hardware-in-loop simulations is vital for a variety of projects currently underway in several departments at the UWyo and Montana Tech, including 1) the development of machine learning and statistical signal processing algorithms using synchrophasor measurements for reliability analysis and dynamic wide-area situational awareness; 2) the invention of advanced measurement and analyzing techniques based on point-on-wave measurements for both transient and steady-state analysis; 3) the application of modern high-performance computational technologies for real-time analysis of the grid; 4) the integration of improved system models including renewable generation sources for different time scale power system stability studies; and 5) other large system simulation studies. The research team at UWyo and Monata Tech has an excellent record of contributions to power system stability analysis and high-performance computation over decades. However, their past research has mostly been based on actual field measured data and on smaller power grid models implemented in software. This new hybrid simulator will provide them a powerful tool to take this research to a more in-depth level in multiple ways. It will enable them to simulate larger power grids in finer detail and more complex scenarios. A hybrid simulator also enables them to interface with actual hardware devices such as PMUs used in grid monitoring. Furthermore, the hybrid simulator has the capability to interface with other real-time digital simulators as a network simulator to conduct smart grid communication co-simulations. All these add tremendous new dimensions to their research, putting them in a position to continue to make high impact contributions to the US power grid.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.