INERTIA project

Dual-use power electronic Converter for Residential DC and AC nanogrids

INERTIA

DUAL-USE POWER ELECTRONIC CONVERTER FOR RESIDENTIAL DC AND AC NANOGRIDS

Electrical low-voltage distribution networks have historically been mainly configured by ac technology, as well as the pioneer microgrids and nanogrids. Nonetheless, a new paradigm is being born since electrical low-voltage dc distribution grids begin to be a reality.
Nowadays, we are experiencing an increase of dc equipment related to the renewable energy sources and energy storage systems, and also on the load side, both in residential, commercial and industrial environments. Thus, this new reality invites to think about an era in which ac and dc distribution networks and microgrids will coexist. This fact originates new research topics on this type of grids, and on the associated power converters, considered as the key enabling technology to ensure a reliable performance. However, this new reality demands that several aspects must be carefully studied, to further develop new standards and policies.

In this context and technological niche, INERTIA aims to conceive a new power converter concept interfacing with renewable energy sources, energy storage systems and some loads (e.g. the electric vehicles), focusing its application at the residential level. The core idea behind the new power converter concept underlies the dual-use, suitable both in dc or ac type grids using the same passive elements, semiconductors and external terminals. At the same time, during designing dual-use power converters, we need to avoid components that would be utilized for only dc or only ac mode, since such redundancy will lead to cost increases. This new concept, with its corresponding advanced control systems, will provide more flexibility, universality, modularity, resilience and efficiency to the green electrical energy system transition, where both dc and ac facilities will coexist at the residential level in the near future.

The approach to achieve this ambitious goal is based on three key tools:

Consideration of hybrid and merged DC and AC systems at the residential level

New material science technologies

(semiconductors, capacitors, magnetic and isolation materials)

Advanced, accurate and robust control systems and strategies

Including ancillary functions for a reliable and smooth integration of the novel power electronic arrangements and energy resources

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Gaeed Seger Al-salloomee, Ali, Enrique Romero-Cadaval, and Carlos Roncero-Clemente. 2024. “Robust Control Scheme for Optimal Power Sharing and Selective Harmonic Compensation in Islanded Microgrids” Electronics 13, no. 18: 3719. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13183719

O. Matiushkin, O. Husev, H. Afshari, E. Romero-Cadaval and C. Roncero-Clemente, “Forward-Based DC-DC Converter With Eliminated Leakage Inductance Problem,” in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, doi: 10.1109/TIE.2024.3429626.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONFERENCES

H. Afshari, O. Husev, O. Matiushkin, D. Vinnikov and C. Roncero-Clemente, “DC-Ready Flyback-Based Micro-Converter,” 2024 IEEE 18th International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering (CPE-POWERENG), Gdynia, Poland, 2024, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/CPE-POWERENG60842.2024.10604344.

O. Matiushkin, O. Husev, E. Romero-Cadaval and C. Roncero-Clemente, “Implementation of MPPT Hill Climbing Technique for Forward Based DC-DC Converter,” 2024 IEEE 18th International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering (CPE-POWERENG), Gdynia, Poland, 2024, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/CPE-POWERENG60842.2024.10604422.

Gutiérrez-Escalona, Javier & Roncero-Clemente, Carlos & Husev, Oleksandr & Gonzalez-Romera, Eva & Milanes-Montero, Maria & Dragicevic, Tomislav. (2024). A Survey on Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Microgrid Control. 1-7. 10.1109/CPE-POWERENG60842.2024.10604299.

J. Gutiérrez-Escalona, C. Roncero-Clemente, O. Husev, O. Matiushkin, F. Barrero-González and E. González-Romera, “Model-Free Deep Reinforcement Learning-based Current Control for the Dual-Purpose dc-dc/ac Power Converter,” 2024 IEEE 18th International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering (CPE-POWERENG), Gdynia, Poland, 2024, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/CPE-POWERENG60842.2024.10604305.

C. Roncero-Clemente, J. -G. Escalona, V. F. Pires, O. Matiushkin, M. I. Milanés-Montero and E. Romero-Cadaval, “Dead-Beat-based Model Predictive Current Control for the Dual-Purpose dc-dc/ac PWM Modular Power Converter,” 2024 IEEE 18th International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering (CPE-POWERENG), Gdynia, Poland, 2024, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/CPE-POWERENG60842.2024.10604328.

S. Pourjafar, O. Husev and C. Roncero-Clemente, “Review and Outlook of Isolated Capacitive Coupling Based Converters,” 2024 IEEE 18th International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering (CPE-POWERENG), Gdynia, Poland, 2024, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/CPE-POWERENG60842.2024.10604421.