Hybrid Multi-Agent Control in Microgrids: Framework, Models and Implementations Based on IEC 61850

Xiaobo Dou,Jian Yuan,Zaijun Wu,Kang Yang,Mengmeng Wang,Xiangjun Quan,Minqiang Hu

doi:10.3390/en8010031

Abstract

Operation control is a vital and complex issue for microgrids. The objective of this paper is to explore the practical means of applying decentralized control by using a multi agent system in actual microgrids and devices. This paper presents a hierarchical control framework (HCF) consisting of local reaction control (LRC) level, local decision control (LDC) level, horizontal cooperation control (HCC) level and vertical cooperation control (VCC) level to meet different control requirements of a microgrid. Then, a hybrid multi-agent control model (HAM) is proposed to implement HCF, and the properties, functionalities and operating rules of HAM are described. Furthermore, the paper elaborates on the implementation of HAM based on the IEC 61850 Standard, and proposes some new implementation methods, such as extended information models of IEC 61850 with agent communication language and bidirectional interaction mechanism of generic object oriented substation event (GOOSE) communication. A hardware design and software system are proposed and the results of simulation and laboratory tests verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategies, models and implementations.

Highlights

A microgrid is commonly defined as an integrated power system consisting of distributed generators (DGs), distributed energy storages (DSs) and interconnected loads, which can operate in a grid-connected mode or in an intentional island mode
Scenario IV shows how horizontal cooperation control (HCC) and vertical cooperation control (VCC) levels make DGs and LCs effectively participate in coordinated control through the interactions among DGs and LCs, or under the control of a master agent, and Table 4 shows the summary of controls implemented in Scenario IV
This paper presents a hierarchical control framework (HCF) comprising four control levels to implement flexible control strategies in microgrids, and a hybrid Multi-agent system (MAS) control model of four sub-agents to implement the control framework

Summary

Introduction

A microgrid is commonly defined as an integrated power system consisting of distributed generators (DGs), distributed energy storages (DSs) and interconnected loads, which can operate in a grid-connected mode or in an intentional island mode. Development of HAM: based on the hardware design shown in Figure A6 in the Appendix, some devices named ECP plus are developed, instead of using common computers to implement the functions of the proposed HAM, the controls in the HCC and VCC levels with. Each ECP plus (HAM) belongs to a specific CU as shown, and all the HAMs are connected together via 100Mbps fiber Ethernet. Photographs of the ECP plus and its main control board are respectively shown in Figures A7 and A8 in the Appendix

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Conclusion