AAF2049 Smart Grids Lab [ Ingegneria Elettrotecnica - Electrical Engineering LM-28 & Ingegneria Energetica - Energy Engineering LM-30 ]
It is a laboratory course (3 CFU, equivalent to 3 ECTS, that is 30 hours of face-to-face instruction and 45 hours of individual study) given at the 1st year 2nd semester of Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering and 2nd year 2nd semester of Master's Degree in Energy Engineering.
In this laboratory, which is configured as other educational activities (AAF), students will be provided with the cultural and operational skills for using a comprehensive electrical power system simulation tool, named OpenDSS, primarily used for electric utility power distribution systems. This free software by Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) supports nearly all frequency domain analyses (both in steady‐state and dynamic condition) commonly performed on electric utility power distribution systems. In addition, it supports many new types of analyses that are designed to meet future needs related to smart grids, grids modernization, renewable energy researches, and electrical vehicle recharge systems spread. At the end of the course, each student will have to present a project (developed during the laboratory time), which, if evaluated positively, will allow him/her to obtain the idoneity and then the attribution of 3 CFU by recording this result on infostud.
Basic concepts on power systems and electrical machines are essential to understand topics, simulations and projects proposed in this laboratory course. The attendance of the Smart Grids (in Electrical Power Systems) course is strongly recommended: in fact, in this laboratory, many concepts, analysis methods and simulation models, concerning distribution networks, smart- and micro-grids will find practical applications.
The main objectives of this course and the results expected at its ending are to:
acquire cultural and operational skills for the use of the free and multi-platform software OpenDSS, which is a comprehensive tool for the simulation of distribution grids, under the sponsorship of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI);
learn how to model the main components of power systems and primarily of distribution grids, implementing these models by OpenDSS;
and, at the end of this course, be able to study distribution grids by static and dynamic simulations using OpenDSS, in order to analyse future needs related to smart grids, grids modernisation, renewable energy researches, and electrical vehicle recharge systems spread.
For all AAF course (like this laboratory course) there is no grade, but simply an idoneity which, once obtained, allows the certification of 3 CFU. The idoneity will be obtained after the approval of the project, which consists of a study concerning the analysis of a typical distribution network configuration (or, alternatively, of a smart or micro grid). The project will be developed using the software studied during the laboratory time; it will consist of one or more scripts that will drive the grid analysis and will show or plot all results. The project (i.e., all scripts driven the analysis) will have to be delivered by e-mail one week before the scheduled date on infostud. The script(s) must be adequately commented, in order to make easy the understanding of all models implemented to perform the network analysis. All scripts, which are part of the assigned project, will be executed and tested in order to verify their functionality and correctness, in compliance with the solution of the problem. If the project pass the check and it is approved, the 3 CFU will be immediately attributed by recording the positive result on infostud. Otherwise, i.e. if the check result is negative, the candidate will have to resubmit the project after having integrated any possible failures and/or corrected all reported errors. The project can be re-submitted after the candidate has made the required changes; if the review is successful, the positive result will be recorded on infostud during the first scheduled exam for which the candidate has booked (possibly also the ongoing one).
All learning material and software is open source and/or free, being freely downloadable from the web. All lecture slides is freely downloadable too, by clicking on the link in the Material column of the Lecture schedule section, while additional learning material may be downloaded by Other learning material section on this page.
Several themes for master degree theses are available concerning power systems, MV/LV distribution grids, smart- and micro-grids. All available topics (see Theses page) can be addressed by means of the simulation models and software studied during laboratory time and/or during Smart Grids course.
N° DATE TIME TOPIC MATERIAL
18.03.2021 09:00-12:00 Introduction SGLB-01
25.03.2021 09:00-12:00 OpenDSS tutorial [Part I] by electronic whiteboard
08.04.2021 09:00-12:00 OpenDSS tutorial [Part II] by electronic whiteboard
OpenDSS first run: a simple distribution grid
15.04.2021 09:00-12:00 OpenDSS tutorial [Part III] SGLB-04
22.04.2021 09:00-12:00 First case study [Part I] SGLB-05
29.04.2021 09:00-12:00 First case study [Part II] SGLB-06
06.05.2021 09:00-12:00 First case study [Part III] SGLB-07
13.05.2021 09:00-12:00 Second case study [Part I] SGLB-08
20.05.2021 09:00-12:00 Second case study [Part II] SGLB-09
27.05.2021 09:00-12:00 Second case study [Part III] SGLB-10
They will be assigned during the course ...