Abstract: A boiling water reactor core power level monitoring system includes a desired length of high dielectric, non-linear material insulated coaxial type cable in close proximity to the reactor core and a time domain reflectometry apparatus configured to measure a temporary characteristic impedance change associated with the coaxial type cable in response to at least one of neutron or gamma irradiation generated via the reactor core.

Abstract: A microgrid including a renewable power source is optimized by treating the renewable source as operating in an isochronous mode, and by decomposing the optimization process. A renewable capability is defined for the renewable source to enable treatment of the renewable source as operating in an isochronous mode. The renewable capability may be based on a power rating of the renewable source. An objective function of the microgrid optimization problem may then be optimized while treating the renewable source as operating in an isochronous mode. A penalty factor may be applied to avoid power shortage.

Abstract: A method of operating capacitor banks includes obtaining a reactive power shortage curve forecast for a time period. At least one capacitor bank power schedule curve is generated to supply reactive power to the power grid during the time period. The at least one capacitor bank power schedule curve is updated to generate an optimized capacitor bank power schedule curve to reduce the area between the reactive power shortage curve and the capacitor bank power schedule curve. The method also includes providing switching signal commands for operating capacitor banks based on the optimized capacitor bank power schedule curve.

Abstract: A power forecasting module determines a load forecast of a distribution system (DS) and a power generation forecast of distributed energy resources (DERs) A demand response (DR) module estimates an available DR based on the load and the power generation forecast and modifies the load forecast by dispatching an optimal DR. An energy storage commitment module determines a charging/discharging schedule of energy storage devices in the system based on the modified load profile and generates a second load profile by incorporating the charging/discharging schedule of energy storage devices. An unit commitment (UC) module determines a DER schedule of supplying electrical power to the loads in the second load profile based on a first objective function. An economic dispatch (ED) module determines an optimum operating point for each DER and an Integrated Volt-VAR Control (IVVC) module controls distribution assets to maintain a voltage profile in the system.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling voltage and reactive power in a distribution network. One method includes estimating at least one present state associated with a distribution network; allocating one or more load zones in the distribution network; predicting load profiles of each zone for a predetermined time period; determining capacitor bank switching schedules for a predetermined time period based at least in part on the at least one present state and the predicted load profiles; and switching capacitor banks according to the capacitor bank switching schedules.

Abstract: A power generation system including an electrolyzer may be optimized taking non-linear operational constraints into account with lower processing requirements than current solutions in real time. A pre-processing module assesses non-linear operational constraints in a low-overhead manner and passes results to an optimization module. The optimization module determines an operating power value constrained in accordance with results from the pre-processing module. A post-processing module uses results from the pre-processing and optimization modules to assemble instructions to control the electrolyzer. As a result, optimization may be performed in real time.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for accelerating volt/VAR load flow optimization. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for accelerating load flow for integrated volt/var control (IVVC) optimization. The method can include evaluating load flow on lines of an electrical network, identifying combinable network lines, combining the identified combinable network nodes to reduce network complexity, and determining load flow optimization for IVVC based at least in part on the reduced complexity network.

Abstract: A power forecasting module determines a load forecast of a distribution system (DS) and a power generation forecast of distributed energy resources (DERs). A demand response (DR) module estimates an available DR based on the load and the power generation forecast and modifies the load forecast by dispatching an optimal DR. An energy storage commitment module determines a charging/discharging schedule of energy storage devices in the system based on the modified load profile and generates a second load profile by incorporating the charging/discharging schedule of energy storage devices. An unit commitment (UC) module determines a DER schedule of supplying electrical power to the loads in the second load profile based on a first objective function. An economic dispatch (ED) module determines an optimum operating point for each DER and an Integrated Volt-VAR Control (IVVC) module controls distribution assets to maintain a voltage profile in the system.

Abstract: A method of operating a tap changer of a transformer or a voltage regulator in a power grid includes obtaining a load forecast for a time period. An average voltage profile is determined for the time period based on the load forecast. The method further includes estimating tap positions of the tap changer for leveling the average voltage profile during the time period. Switching signal commands are provided to the tap changer based on the estimated tap positions.

Abstract: A microgrid including a renewable power source is optimized by treating the renewable source as operating in an isochronous mode, and by decomposing the optimization process. A renewable capability is defined for the renewable source to enable treatment of the renewable source as operating in an isochronous mode. The renewable capability may be based on a power rating of the renewable source. An objective function of the microgrid optimization problem may then be optimized while treating the renewable source as operating in an isochronous mode. A penalty factor may be applied to avoid power shortage.

Abstract: A power generation system including an electrolyzer may be optimized taking non-linear operational constraints into account with lower processing requirements than current solutions in real time. A pre-processing module assesses non-linear operational constraints in a low-overhead manner and passes results to an optimization module. The optimization module determines an operating power value constrained in accordance with results from the pre-processing module. A post-processing module uses results from the pre-processing and optimization modules to assemble instructions to control the electrolyzer. As a result, optimization may be performed in real time.

Abstract: A method of load forecasting for a present day includes obtaining past observed load values of at least three earlier days and identifying a relationship between the present day's load forecast and the past observed load values including unknown weights associated with the past observed load values. The values of unknown weights are determined by comparing at least one previous day's load forecast with the observed load value of the at least one previous day. The determined weight values are then used in the relationship between the present day's load forecast and the past observed load values to forecast the present day's load.

Abstract: A fiber Bragg grating multi-point temperature sensing system comprises a fiber sensing cable package and a plurality of clamping devices distributed along an inner surface of a wall in a circumferential direction for securing the fiber sensing cable package. The fiber sensing cable package comprises a fiber Bragg grating based sensing cable comprising at least one optical fiber, a plurality of Bragg gratings inscribed in the optical fiber, and a fabric layer and a sheath tube surrounding the optical fiber. The multi-point fiber temperature sensing system comprises a light source for transmitting light to the Bragg gratings based sensing cable package, and a detector module receiving reflected signal. Each clamping device comprises a radiation tee and defines at least one mounting hole for securing the fiber sensing cable.

Abstract: A method of operating capacitor banks includes obtaining a reactive power shortage curve forecast for a time period. At least one capacitor bank power schedule curve is generated to supply reactive power to the power grid during the time period. The at least one capacitor bank power schedule curve is updated to generate an optimized capacitor bank power schedule curve to reduce the area between the reactive power shortage curve and the capacitor bank power schedule curve. The method also includes providing switching signal commands for operating capacitor banks based on the optimized capacitor bank power schedule curve.

Abstract: A method of operating a tap changer of a transformer or a voltage regulator in a power grid includes obtaining a load forecast for a time period. An average voltage profile is determined for the time period based on the load forecast. The method further includes estimating tap positions of the tap changer for leveling the average voltage profile during the time period. Switching signal commands are provided to the tap changer based on the estimated tap positions.

Abstract: A method of load forecasting for a present day includes obtaining past observed load values of at least three earlier days and identifying a relationship between the present day's load forecast and the past observed load values including unknown weights associated with the past observed load values. The values of unknown weights are determined by comparing at least one previous day's load forecast with the observed load value of the at least one previous day. The determined weight values are then used in the relationship between the present day's load forecast and the past observed load values to forecast the present day's load.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for providing coordinated volt/volt-amps-reactive (VAR) control in power distribution networks. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for coordinating voltage and volt-amps-reactive (VAR) control (VVC) in power distribution networks. The method can include receiving one or more VVC objective functions from a distribution management system (DMS); determining at least one microgrid conservation voltage reduction factor (CVRF); forecasting microgrid load profile for a predetermined period of time; controlling microgrid VVC resources based at least on the one or more received VVC objective functions; and communicating the at least one microgrid CVRF and the forecasted load profile to the DMS.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling voltage and reactive power in a distribution network. One method includes estimating at least one present state associated with a distribution network; allocating one or more load zones in the distribution network; predicting load profiles of each zone for a predetermined time period; determining capacitor bank switching schedules for a predetermined time period based at least in part on the at least one present state and the predicted load profiles; and switching capacitor banks according to the capacitor bank switching schedules.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for accelerating volt/VAR load flow optimization. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for accelerating load flow for integrated volt/var control (IVVC) optimization. The method can include evaluating load flow on lines of an electrical network, identifying combinable network lines, combining the identified combinable network nodes to reduce network complexity, and determining load flow optimization for IVVC based at least in part on the reduced complexity network.

Abstract: A fiber Bragg grating multi-point temperature sensing system comprises a fiber sensing cable package and a plurality of clamping devices distributed along an inner surface of a wall in a circumferential direction for securing the fiber sensing cable package. The fiber sensing cable package comprises a fiber Bragg grating based sensing cable comprising at least one optical fiber, a plurality of Bragg gratings inscribed in the optical fiber, and a fabric layer and a sheath tube surrounding the optical fiber. The multi-point fiber temperature sensing system comprises a light source for transmitting light to the Bragg gratings based sensing cable package, and a detector module receiving reflected signal. Each clamping device comprises a radiation tee and defines at least one mounting hole for securing the fiber sensing cable.