Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
8-31-2020
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Engineering - (Ph.D.)
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
First Advisor
Roberto Rojas-Cessa
Second Advisor
MengChu Zhou
Third Advisor
Edwin Hou
Fourth Advisor
Haim Grebel
Fifth Advisor
Ahmed Mohamed
Abstract
The next-generation power grid aims to integrate the recent technological advancements in the information and communications technology into energy distribution and management. Prior research works propose the concept of the digital grid (DG) as means to fulfill the requirements of the next-generation power grid. While there are several approaches to the DG, they all share the use of internet protocol (IP) addresses to identify lines and grid devices but lack of a full integration of core concepts of digital communications into the management on the delivery of energy.
This dissertation discusses the incorporation of the concept of controllable delivery of energy into the distribution of energy, where energy is granted in defined amounts rather than in discretionary amounts. This approach is possible with the design of a novel energy packet switch (EPS) that manages energy as a network switch manages data. An EPS connects multiple energy sources and users to distribute energy between them. Every element of the grid, including the EPS, uses supercapacitors to achieve high flexibility on the timing and rates of energy transfers. In this digital approach, energy includes an address and supply follows a request-grant protocol, as in a DG. A precise amount of energy is transmitted by adjusting the voltages of the transmitting and the receiving supercapacitors.
This dissertation presents the design, implementation, and experimental test of an EPS testbed, where energy is delivered through load-switch communications and the EPS achieves a high satisfaction ratio on supplying the energy demand. In addition, an analysis on the design of an EPS network and the trade-offs that need to be considered in the transfer of energy in a DC network that adopts this paradigm are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Jiang, Zhengqi, "Toward a network controlled delivery of energy" (2020). Dissertations. 1905.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/dissertations/1905
