Intelligent Electrical Networks Based on Controlled Energy Routers

Abstract

Currently, the electric power industry is shifting to a new technological platform based on the smart grid concept. A prospective direction for this concept development can be the use of energy routers based on solid-state transformers in power supply systems. The paper is concerned with the possibility of building electrical networks based on controlled energy routers and presents the results of simulating the operation of a system of power supply to non-traction consumers connected to the network through energy routers. The studies were conducted using MATLAB/Simulink with SimPowerSystems. The findings made it possible to conclude that energy routers eliminate power quality problems and ensure reliable integration of distributed generation plants, including those based on renewable energy, into a power supply system; the absence of an automatic inverter controller or its non-optimal tuning can cause voltage variations at the consumer side; a noticeable increase in short-circuit currents in case of failures in the 0.4 kV network should be taken into consideration when connecting distributed generation plants to energy routers.