Current Research

Synchronous Generator Modeling Under Unbalanced Conditions

Abstract: Confidential.
PI: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee
Sponsor: Regal Beloit Company
Period: Aug 2014 – Dec 2015
Budget: $118,998


Hybrid Battery Life Testing

Abstract: Perform testing on two different lithium-ion/lead acid battery combinations for evaluation of cycle Life and capacity fading.
PI: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee
Sponsor: Johnson Controls
Period: Mar 2015 – Dec 2015
Budget: $72,381


Cost Effective Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with Load Leveling for CT Systems-Second Year II

Abstract: Confidential.
PI: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee
Sponsor: GE
Period: Jul 2013 – June 2015
Budget: $150,000


Development of Next Generation Efficient Integrated Power System for Higher Power and Improved Survivability

Abstract: The state-of-the-art for power distribution and integrating distributed generations, loads and storage including microgrids and shipboard systems is low-voltage AC or DC. With recent developments in high-voltage power electronics devices, medium-voltage converters, and sensing and communication techniques, it is inevitable that future microgrid systems will move to higher-voltage ratings.

The benefits of medium-voltage systems are higher efficiency (due to lower current and more efficient converters), lower cost, and easier integration with the utility grid. The microgrid concept has been transforming from isolated campuses to large networked systems connected to the grid [1-2]. The objective of this research proposal is to develop a working model of future integrated power system to conduct detailed analyses on several emerging issues including operation and load support, power converters and power conversion technologies, fault protection, survivability, practical constraints and latencies, and common-mode noise. This project will be conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (led by Prof. Adel Nasiri), University of Wisconsin-Madison (led by Prof. Thomas Jahns), Milwaukee Area Technical College (led by Ted Wilinski) supported by and in close collaboration with DRS Technologies (led by Robert Cuzner), Eaton Corporation (led by Igor Stamenkovic), Rockwell Automation (led by Yogesh Patel), and S&C Company (led by Steve Williams).

The proposed research efforts align with several M-WERC’s research focus areas: energy efficiency, energy storage systems, power distribution, and control systems. The developed model will be flexible to apply to both shipboard power systems and stationary microgrids. It will greatly benefit several M-WERC’s members, specifically the collaborating companies. Future phases of this project may include experimental system verification with support from the individual companies in collaborative yet competitive research arrangement.
PI: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee
Sponsor: Midwest Energy Research Consortium (M-WERC)
Period: 2014 – 2015
Budget: $75,000


Hybrid Energy Module Development for High Efficiency Buildings

Abstract: There is a wide international consensus that the opportunities for global energy savings from improvements in building efficiency are tremendous. Various studies predict that the U.S. market for green building will continue to grow rapidly, reaching numbers exceeding $100B USD by 2015. While recognizing this exciting potential, there is also recognition that such market success will depend on the ability to significantly lower the cost of the power & energy infrastructure required in new sustainable buildings while continuing to improve its performance. The need for highly-engineered custom designs for this power & energy infrastructure equipment in future green buildings must be greatly minimized in favor of highly flexible, modular building energy systems that can be easily scaled and adapted to different types of buildings in different climate conditions. Development of the technology needed to design this kind of flexible, modular power infrastructure equipment is critical for enabling future major growth of the sustainable building market.

The purpose of this project is to develop and demonstrate the basic technology for hybrid energy modules (HEMs) that lie at the heart of the energy infrastructure for future high-efficiency buildings. Figure 1 provides a generalized diagram of the power & energy architecture of future high-efficiency buildings that can range in size from residential homes at the low end to major institutions (e.g., hospitals) at the high end. As indicated in this figure, the range of available energy sources for the building can include several different types of renewable energy (RE) sources (e.g., PV solar, passive solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels) as well as external sources including electricity and fossil fuels. The building energy loads fall into the categories of electrical loads, heating/cooling, and fossil fuel loads. The goal for future high-efficiency building designs is to satisfy all of the building’s energy needs throughout each day with minimal use (ideally, zero) of any external sources. The wide swings in the building’s energy demands during each day and during the year, including changes in the relative proportions of electrical and thermal loads, and aggravated by the intermittency of the RE sources, makes the challenge of minimizing the building’s external energy usage formidable.
PI: Thomas Jahns, UW-Madison Co-PI: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee
Sponsor: Wisconsin Energy Research Consortium
Period: 2014 – 2015
Budget: $75,000


Development of Improved Status Estimation Algorithms for Batteries and Ultracapacitors-Year II

Abstract: One of the most significant challenges associated with the design of future hybrid- and battery-electric vehicles is to select the best combination of energy-dominant and power-dominant storage components that will maximize customer vehicle satisfaction while minimizing cost. This task is complicated by several factors including the growing number of different types of energy- and power-dominant storage components that are available, the wide variety of alternative electric-based vehicle configurations, the large number of performance metrics that influence customer satisfaction, and the wide range of vehicle operating conditions. There are also tantalizing clues that the appropriate application of power-storage components can be used to buffer the energy-storage battery components, making their lifetimes more predictable over wide variations in the vehicle drive cycles.

In addition, it is becoming increasingly important to develop techniques to accurately estimate the operational status of electrochemical energy storage components including both batteries and ultracapacitors for use in automotive vehicle systems. This requires a comprehensive set of online, recursive models for energy storage system (ESS) components that are accurate, computationally manageable, and adaptive to changing battery conditions including aging. One of the most promising approaches employs recursive Kalman filter estimation techniques, providing the foundation for generating robust algorithms to estimate key ESS condition metrics including state-of-charge (SOC), state-of-function (SOF), and state-of-health (SOH).

A primary objective of this multi-year project is to develop and verify a set of energy storage status estimation algorithms for SOC, SOF, and SOH that are tailored for hybrid energy storage systems that include both batteries and ultracapacitors. In addition, it is also proposed during the second year of the project to investigate promising hybrid energy storage configurations using a combination of energy storage component tests and in-vehicle system verification tests. The goal of this effort is to identify the best possible combination of energy-dominant and power-dominant storage components for use in future automotive powertrain applications to improve their lifetime predictability, including stop-start operation.
PIs: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee and Thomas Jahns, UW-Madison
Sponsor: Johnson Controls
Period: 2012 – 2013
Budget: $150,000


Developing a Model of a Net Zero Energy Campus in a DERS Environment

Abstract: The main objective of this project is to explore the principle of applying the micro-grid concept to the existing MSOE campus buildings in downtown Milwaukee, by taking the whole campus off the existing electricity transmission lines, and as much as possible off the natural gas city mains, while trying to reach a Net-Zero energy building campus. While trying to achieve a Net-Zero energy building becomes harder with multi-story structure (Torcellini and Crawley (2006)), aggregating features of several types of buildings (geometry, architecture and building materials, function, orientation, MEP systems, and vintage), a “campus” would make this goal much easier to achieve. This project intends to provide a feasibility, and an investigative, study to uncover actual challenges and hurdles in achieving a Net-Zero-Energy campus.
PI: Bass Abushakra, MSOE Co-PI: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee
Sponsor: Wisconsin Energy Research Consortium
Period: 2013 – 2014
Budget: $75,000


Energy Storage, Demand Response, and Renewable Energy Interaction at Building, Campus, and District Level

Abstract: Buildings in the US account for more than 40 percent of the total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, increasing the energy efficiency of buildings is an important problem to solve, not only in order to reduce the carbon emission to combat global climate change, but also to reduce costs. A variety of technology programs are on-going in this respect, some with direct support from the DOE [1, 2]. The project addresses the challenges of Demand Response (DR) and electric grid limitations at building, campus and district level and comprises two main objectives.

Objective 1: We will develop a new simulation software framework based on an integrated building and district modeling approach, which captures the environment, energy consumption and supply, and networks and control in just one model and therefore benefits from a more effective analysis and better control of the energy system under consideration. The Building Management System (BMS) architecture is constructed using a combination of multiagent and multi-layer architectures, drawing from previous studies on multi-agent and multi-domain solutions. The proposed framework will overcome current limitations and bridge the gap between existing building energy analysis and simulation tools, such as the DOE – Lawrence Berkley Lab, EnergyPlus software [3], and distribution network analysis and electric power system simulations tools.

Objective 2: The simulation software framework will serve as a basis for developing and implementing new algorithms for optimization of energy storage and will enable systematic studies. The detailed objectives will include: 1) Optimal sizing of energy storage systems (ESS) in order to maximize energy cost reduction for specified location, occupancy, facility size, and tariffs; 2) Predictive forecast of ESS’ needs to meet DR signals;and 3) ESS integration into an enhanced (BMS).
PI: Dan Ionel, UW-Milwaukee Co-PI: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee
Sponsor: Wisconsin Energy Research Consortium
Period: 2013 – 2014
Budget: $75,000


Planning and Design of Advanced Microgrid Testbed Facility in Milwaukee, Year II

Abstract: An aging electric distribution system infrastructure faced with increasing demands for improved power quality, reliability, and energy security needs new solutions for accommodating increased penetration of renewable energy sources and other Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). One of the most promising approaches for meeting these objectives is the microgrid concept. A microgrid is a cluster of DERs combined with loads that can operate equally well when connected to the grid or when separated from it, keeping both the voltage and frequency well regulated under all operating conditions [4]. In addition to offering higher reliability and power quality, microgrids can also achieve higher energy efficiency compared with the conventional utility grid by offering advanced integrated features such as combined heating and power (CHP).

According to Pike Research’s projections, DER components and microgrid systems are projected to grow into a $2.1 billion market by 2015 with $7.8 billion invested capital. Several major Wisconsin-based companies are already positioning themselves to actively participate in this marketplace, making this an appealing technology field for WERC support. The principal objective of this project is to establish two complementary world-class DERs/microgrid test facilities at UW-Milwaukee and UW-Madison to insure that the WERC/CRES academic institutions remain at the forefront of microgrid research and technology development. The Madison facility will include a mixture of real and emulated renewable energy sources together with energy storage and conventional DER sources to provide maximum flexibility for exploring new microgrid architectures and control algorithms. The Milwaukee facility will include a higher percentage of actual renewable energy sources together with energy storage and other DER components to enhance the facility’s suitability for studying microgrid energy management as well as system hardware and controls issues. The project is divided into three phases (i) design, planning, equipment and vendor selections (ii)procurements and installations and (iii) preliminary tests and federal/industrial project proposal development. The main objective of this research proposal is the second phase of the project plus initiation of the third phase.

The project will enable researchers at all of the WERC-affiliated academic institutions to take full advantage of the technology foundations established by Prof. Bob Lasseter at UW-Madison, who is the inventor of the CERTS microgrid concept that has been attracting increasing support from industry, utilities, and government stakeholders. The new facilities will provide a unique environment for the participants to conduct collaborative studies on many different aspects of DERs/microgrid technology. Complementing this R&D role, the facilities will establish a valuable testbed for industry participants to investigate the compatibility of new DER products with the microgrid operability requirements. The new facilities will also provide a powerful platform for industry-university partnerships to pursue federally-funded projects.

To conduct the proposed research effort, a university/industry project team has been assembled that includes university participants at the WERC/CRES academic institutions, together with industry participants from several WERC companies including Rockwell Automation, LEM, DRS Technologies, Kohler, Odyne, WE Energies, ATC, and S&C Electric. The university participants have strong backgrounds and experience in power conversion and electrical power distribution systems, energy storage systems, and power system analysis and control. The industrial participants include three power conversion system manufacturers, and an energy storage manufacturer.
PIs: Adel Nasiri, UW-Milwaukee and Thomas Jahns, UW-Madison
Sponsor: Wisconsin Energy Research Consortium
Period: 2013 – 2014
Budget: $100,000