AC Circuit Research Articles

Impact of Ca2+ and Zr4+ substitution on mechanical energy harvesting response of lead-free BaTiO3 piezoceramics with thermally stable storage density and efficiency

The Ba1-xCaxZryTi1-yO3 (BCZT; x = 0.18, y = 0.08; x = 0.15, y = 0.10; x = 0.12, y = 0.12; x = 0.09, y = 0.14; both x and y are in mol. %) piezoceramics were prepared by solid-state reaction method and investigated their energy storage and harvesting responses. The composition x = 0.15, y = 0.10 ( i.e. BCZT-2) reveals the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) near room temperature with enhanced piezoelectric properties such as piezoelectric charge coefficient (d33) ∼ 380 pC/N, piezoelectric strain coefficient (d33*) ∼ 583.71 pm/V, piezoelectric voltage coefficient (g33) ∼ 14.09 ×10−3Vm/N, figure of merits (d33×g33) ∼ 5.35 ×10−12m2/N and the electromechanical coupling coefficient (kp) ∼ 0.291. The harvested peak-to-peak open circuit AC voltage is 30 V and the calculated current is in the range of 0.02–0.14 mA with varied load resistance and the maximum obtained power density is 13.38 μW/mm3 for BCZT-2 ceramics. The DC output signal of BCZT-2 ceramics successfully lit up the 'FCLNT' panel consisting of 53 red LEDs. At room temperature, BCZT ceramics have a recoverable energy storage density (Wrec) and storage efficiency (η) in the range between 506.46 and 257.49 mJ/cm3 and 50.53 – 64.93 % respectively. The composition x = 0.12, y = 0.12 (i.e. BCZT-3) revealed the highest energy storage efficiency (η) ∼ 64.93 % at room temperature. Nonetheless, the temperature-dependent (till its Curie temperature) maximum obtained Wrec of all BCZT ceramics is found in the range between 238.41 and 446.49 mJ/cm3 with an η of 66.98–79.67 %. Thus, compositionally tuned BCZT ceramics exhibit considerable piezoelectric properties, including energy storage and harvesting capabilities.

Coordination of the back flashover probability of HVAC and HVDC on a hybrid transmission tower

The demand for power transfer has increased throughout the green transition, especially as power generation is becoming increasingly decentralized. However, constructing new transmission lines and towers has met with public opposition. One option to increase transmission capacity while minimizing the erection of new towers is to use hybrid HVAC-HVDC multi-circuit towers. If not carefully designed, considerably more back flashovers could occur to the more vulnerable DC circuit. This paper investigates the effect of a change in insulator size on the ratio of back flashovers between AC and DC circuits on the same hybrid tower by using a PSCAD model with HVAC-HVDC hybrid towers. A back flashover ratio calculation method is developed and used in combination with an algorithm to provide a DC insulator length based on a predetermined back flashover ratio. The algorithm allows for faster design of the insulator sizes for a multi-circuit tower, coordinating the ratio of back flashover probabilities to either the HVAC or the HVDC circuit.

Analysis of hybrid AC/DC transmission system: A Turkey case study

AbstractThe need to transmit energy in the most effective way arises in parallel with the demand for energy in developing countries. As the amount of transmitted power increases, transmission lines can become overloaded, causing a blackout. This study aims to increase the transmission capacity without experiencing right‐of‐way problems by converting Turkey's existing high voltage AC systems to hybrid AC/DC systems. With such a design, it is aimed at providing more efficient and continuous transmission by using the high‐voltage DC system's low‐loss feature at long distances. Using the 400 kV double circuit line structure, the existing electricity transmission system is modelled using real data in the DigSILENT PowerFactory. The electromagnetic fields that will occur due to the use of AC and DC circuits on the same tower in such a transformation situation are analysed with FEMM 4.2, based on the finite element method. The compliance of the electromagnetic fields that will occur with the use of hybrid 400 kV AC and 500 kV DC was determined in the study. In addition, according to the simulation results, it is predicted that in the case of hybrid AC/DC transmission, the current transmission capacity would increase and the losses would decrease.

Design and implementation of an innovative single-phase direct AC-AC bipolar voltage buck converter with enhanced control topology

Direct AC–AC converters are strong candidates in the power converting system to regulate grid voltage against the perturbation in the line voltage and to acquire frequency regulation at discrete step levels in variable speed drivers for industrial systems. All such applications require the inverted and non-inverted form of the input voltage across the output with voltage-regulating capabilities. The required value of the output frequency is gained with the proper arrangement of the number of positive and negative pulses of the input voltage across the output terminals. The period of each such pulse for low-frequency operation is almost the same as the half period of the input grid or utility voltage. These output pulses are generated by converting the positive and negative input half cycles in noninverting and inverting forms as per requirement. There is no control complication to generate control signals used to adjust the load frequency as the operating period of the switching devices is normally greater than the period of the source voltage. However, high-frequency pulse width modulated (PWM) control signals are used to regulate the output voltage. The size of the inductor and capacitor is inversely related to the value of the switching frequency. Similarly, the ripple contents of voltage and currents in these filtering components are also inversely linked with PWM frequency. These constraints motivate the circuit designer to select high PWM frequency. However, the alignment of the high-frequency control input with the variation in the input source voltage is a big challenge for a design engineer as the switching period of a high-frequency signal normally lies in the microsecond. It is also required to operate some high-frequency devices for various half cycles of the source voltage, creating control complications as the polarities of the half cycles are continuously changing. This requires at least the generation of two high-frequency signals for different intervals. The interruption of the filtering inductor current is a big source of high voltage surges in circuits where the high-frequency transistors operate in a complementary way. This may be due to internal defects in the switching transistors or some unnecessary inherent delay in their control signals. In this research work, a simplified AC–AC converter is developed that does not need alignment of high-frequency control with the polarity of the source voltage. With this approach, high-frequency signals can be generated with the help of any analog or digital control system. By applying this technique, only one high-frequency control signal is generated and applied in AC circuits, as in a DC converter, without applying a highly sensitive polarity sensing circuit. So, controlling complications is drastically simplified. The circuit and configuration always avoid the current interruption problem of filtering the inductor. The proposed control and circuit topology are tested both in computer-based simulation and practically developed circuits. The results obtained from these platforms endorse the effectiveness and validation of the proposed work.

Underground Cable Fault Detection Using IOT

Abstract: The objective of this project is to determine the distance of underground cable fault from base station in kilo meters using an Arduino. The underground cable system is a common practice followed in many urban areas. An issue may happen in an underground cable just because of earth tremors or any burrowing procedure. Since the area of the issue happened is obscure it is very hard for the fixing procedure. This hindrance is handled with the assistance of optical fibre framework. A lot of optical strands is put alongside the force cables. While a fault occurs for some reason, at that time the repairing process related to that particular cable is difficult due to not knowing the exact location of the cable fault. The proposed system is to find the exact location of the fault. The project uses the standard concept of Ohms law i.e., when a low DC voltage is applied at the feeder end through a series resistor (Cable lines), then current would vary depending upon the location of fault in the cable. In case there is a short circuit (Line to Ground), the voltage across series resistors changes accordingly, which is then fed to inbuilt ADC of Arduino to develop precise digital data for display in kilometres. The project is assembled with a set of resistors representing the cable length in km and the fault creation is made by a set of switches at every known km to cross check the accuracy of the same. The fault occurring at a particular distance, the respective phase along with the distance is displayed on the LCD. The same information is also sent over IOT, interfaced to the Arduino. Further this project can be enhanced by using capacitor in an ac circuit to measure the impedance which can even locate the open circuited cable, unlike the short circuited fault only using resistors in DC circuit as followed in the above proposed project.

A practical introduction to radio frequency electronics for NMR probe builders

In this tutorial paper, we describe some basic principles and practical considerations for designing probe circuits for NMR or MRI. The goal is building a bridge from material that is familiar from undergraduate physics courses to more specialized information needed to put together and tune a resonant circuit for magnetic resonance. After a brief overview of DC and AC circuits, we discuss the properties of circuit elements used in an NMR probe and how they can be assembled into building blocks for multi-channel circuits. We also discuss the use of transmission lines as circuit elements as well as practical considerations for improving circuit stability and power handling.

EDUPERES and GAMERES: A smart interactive education platform and digital gamification for basic circuit analysis

AbstractThis paper introduces Education Platform for Equivalent Resistance (EDUPERES) and Gamification of Equivalent Resistance (GAMERES), two different parts of a new computer aided education platform with interactive and imaginative design and game elements, which have been created during 4 years. In Vocational School of Transportation of Eskişehir Technical University, electrical circuit analysis is a compact course which exhaustively yet quickly covers all the DC and AC circuit concepts. During the course, it is observed that some students have difficulties in some basic capabilities such as calculation of equivalent resistance of either a standard or a compact circuit, dividing currents, and so on. More sadly, this inability spreads to the rest of the semester. This study aims to overcome this issue through a smart interactive education platform and gamification. The first part, that is, EDUPERES visualizes and animates the solutions of electrical circuits. To make the students exercise circuit questions, it provides an interface which simulates the comfort of using paper and pencil. This platform is powered by a smart algorithm to watch almost all of the actions of the students and to give prompt warnings. It allows students to transform the shapes of compact circuits during circuit reduction. The second part, that is, GAMERES imaginatively converts the circuit questions into action, competition, shooter, puzzle, and maze games. Via box plots and Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon nonparametric tests, it is shown that EDUPERES and GAMERES can significantly increase students' learning. The success of EDUPERES and GAMERES is discussed with regard to previous studies and gamers' motivations.

Transient characteristics and protection coordination strategy of hybrid AC / DC system based on modular multilevel converters under AC/DC transmission lines touching fault

Rapid development of hybrid AC/DC transmission systems has increased the probability of the touching faults between AC and DC overhead lines. The mechanism of coupling interaction is so complex that the adaptability of the existing hybrid system protection is affected. Previous studies mainly focus on the line-commutated converter based high-voltage direct current (LCC-HVDC) system and AC system, this paper concentrates on the fault coupling characteristics analysis and coordination protection of modular multilevel converter based on high voltage direct current(MMC-HVDC) and AC transmission systems. The analytical expressions of fault current are deduced under the different operating states of the converters and the valve-side AC circuit breaker. Subsequently, the fault current coupling characteristics and generation mechanism are revealed. On this basis, the adaptability of existing hybrid system protection is assessed. Further, by comparing and analyzing the influence and risk of mal-operation of AC transmission line protection, the coordination reclosing protection strategies for hybrid system is proposed. Finally, the simulation tests were carried out based on PSCAD/EMTDC. The simulation results show that the proposed coordination of AC and MMC-HVDC system reclosing strategy is effective for improving the reliability of hybrid system.

A Switched Capacitor Modified Fibonacci Cell Used for a DC–AC Circuit Supplied by Solar Energy

A Switched Capacitor Modified Fibonacci Cell Used for a DC–AC Circuit Supplied by Solar Energy

Extraction of gap states in AlSiO/AlN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors using the multi-terminal capacitance–voltage method

Direct extraction of gap states from a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) in which inversion electrons and holes in a p-type body coexist is challenging. We demonstrate gap-state extraction in lateral-type GaN MOSFETs with high channel mobilities using multi-terminal capacitance–voltage (C–V) methods. The gate stack of the MOSFET was composed of AlSiO/AlN/p-type GaN formed on a p+/n+ GaN tunnel junction structure. The substrate electrode was short-circuited to a p-type body layer through the tunnel junction. The MOSFET was equipped with gate, source, drain, body, and substrate electrodes. When the gate was the high side and the other electrodes were the low side in the AC circuit, a V-shaped C–V curve was obtained because of electron inversion and hole accumulation. When the body/substrate electrodes were connected to the ground level (i.e., split C–V method), the inversion electrons between the gate and source/drain electrodes could be evaluated. We proposed a “reverse” split C–V method in which the source/drain electrodes are grounded and the body/substrate electrodes are connected to the low side. This method enabled extraction of gap states near the valence-band maximum of GaN, with exclusion of the overlap capacitance and the capacitance due to inversion electrons. The proposed method demonstrated overall gap states in the GaN MOSFET with a wide bandgap. The results suggest that hole traps with discrete energy levels caused negative bias instability (NBI) in the GaN MOSFET. Furthermore, NBI and discrete gap states were consistently suppressed by Mg doping at >1018 cm−3 into a p-type body.

Modeling two loops RLC circuit AC power source using symbolic arithmetic differential equations

Modeling two loops RLC circuit AC power source using symbolic arithmetic differential equations

Trajectory tracking with integral action of switched periodic affine systems

This paper deals with integral control of a class of switched affine systems characterised by time-varying differential equations that, along with the discontinuities caused by the switching, also depend periodically on an exogenous parameter, which is an affine function of time. The goal is to design a state-dependent switching function with integral action that ensures global asymptotic tracking of a trajectory of interest. The integral action is responsible for providing robustness to the system against uncertainties and load variations, whenever the discrepancy between the model and the real system is sufficiently bounded. Due to the integrator, all the convex combinations of the dynamic matrices are non-Hurwitz. In this case, the main difficulty is to guarantee that the time derivative of the Lyapunov function is strictly negative definite, which is done by means of LMIs and conditions on the affine terms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Lyapunov-based switching rule with integral action able to ensure global asymptotic tracking of a pre-specified profile. When applied to AC circuits the advantage is to design the switching rule based on the original system, without resorting to averaged models. The theory is illustrated by the control of a three-phase AC-DC converter.

Experimental admittance-based system identification for equivalent circuit modeling of piezoelectric energy harvesters on a plate

Equivalent circuit modeling is a useful tool for piezoelectric energy harvesters to analyze the electromechanical response of the system especially when complex host structure geometries and nonlinear circuits are used in the harvesting systems. Previous studies have used analytical and finite element models to estimate the equivalent circuit model (ECM) of piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEH) on beam- and plate-like structures. However, those methods require accurate analytical and/or numerical representation of the PEH. Here, we present an experimental admittance-based system identification method that allows us to identify the multi-modal ECM without prior knowledge of the host plate's geometry and/or physical properties of the piezoelectric patches. Using the proposed experimental method, we obtain the electromechanical frequency–response admittance of the PEH system at each vibration mode, and thereby, we calculate the equivalent system parameters. Additionally, a novel experimental technique is presented for the identification of the equivalent voltage sources associated with each LCR branch of the ECM. The derived ECM is experimentally validated for single and multiple piezoelectric patch harvesters on a plate. The electrical frequency response of the system has been validated for standard AC and rectifier circuits using SPICE software. Overall, the proposed admittance-based system identification is an accurate and robust method to identify the equivalent system parameters, making it a practical and reliable tool for modeling piezoelectric energy harvesting systems.

Improved electrochemical performance of multi-walled carbon nanotube reinforced gelatin biopolymer for transient energy storage applications.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) incorporated biodegradable gelatin nanocomposites (Gel/MWCNT) have been prepared following a facile solution processing method. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electronic microscopy (FESEM), and water contact angle (WCA) measurements revealed improved structural properties and surface morphological features of the nanocomposite films due to the incorporation of MWCNT. A four-fold decrease in the DC resistivity was obtained due to the addition of MWCNTs. The specific capacitance of the nanocomposite increased from 0.12 F/g to 12.7 F/g at a current density of 0.3 μA/cm2 due to the incorporation of 0.05 wt.% MWCNT. EIS analysis and the corresponding Nyquist plots demonstrated the contributions of the different electrical components responsible for the improved electrochemical performance were evaluated using an equivalent AC circuit. The incorporation of MWCNTs was found to reduce the charge-transfer resistance from 127 Ω to 75 Ω and increase the double-layer capacitance from 4 nF to 9 nF. The Gel/MWCNT nanocomposite demonstrated improved cyclic stability with a retention of 95% of the initial capacitance even after 5000 charging/discharging cycles. The biodegradability test showed that the nanocomposite degraded completely after 30 hours of immersion in water. This fully biocompatible nature of the nanocomposites with high specific capacitance and low charge transfer resistance may offer a promising route to fabricate a nature-friendly electrode material for energy storage applications.

An Innovative Design Approach for Resonant DC/AC Converters, Based on Symmetry in Their Operating Modes

The manuscript presents an innovative approach for the engineering design of resonant DC/AC converters used as sources of high-frequency electricity for a variety of needs: industrial and domestic applications, wireless power transmission, high-performance lighting, and more. The methodology is based on the generalized consideration of electromagnetic processes in a series resonant RLC circuit fed by a square-wave voltage source. Due to the symmetry in the form of the current in the AC circuit of the DC/AC converter, it is possible to generalize all their possible operating modes. This was realized by applying the quasi-boundary method to the analysis of resonant DC/AC converters with and without reverse diodes operating in soft and hard switching modes. On this basis, the transfer functions of the devices, which give the relationship between their output and input voltages, are defined and analytically determined. Additionally considered are cases of resonant DC/AC converters with complex output circuits, which are applied to match the load needs and the capabilities of the power electronic device. In this sense, the basic dependencies for designing the main types of resonant DC/AC converters using series and parallel load compensation are given. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is demonstrated through several examples, and their verification and validation is achieved with simulations and prototypes. The proposed innovative design approach is applicable not only in power electronics education, but also in the design and prototyping of a whole class of power electronic devices. The unification of design methodologies formalizes and algorithmizes the design process, which is an important step for its automation and for applying various optimization procedures to achieve certain goals.

Asp. Net simulated virtual oscilloscope

The Oscilloscope ranges from the CRO (Cathode Ray Oscilloscope) to DSOs (Digital Storage Oscilloscopes), which is a type of electronic test equipment that presents the dynamics of a time-varying signal as a two-dimensional pattern on a screen. Design of a virtual oscilloscope is a work that seeks to replicate the basics of power measurement of a physical oscilloscope, which is the most widely used general-purpose electronic test instrument in the laboratory but is plagued by limited supply due to high cost. As such this project bridges the gap between direct contact with the instrument and the usage of a virtual laboratory. Engineers have dealt with different spheres of this virtualization of oscilloscopes. However, this work managed to bring four different quantities; current, voltage, power, and resistance into one platform, reducing the cost and stress of having separate platforms. The work adopted Wavesurfer scope techniques and used complex AC circuits analysis to model a partial network virtualization platform, based on the ASP.NET Framework built using visual C# in Microsoft Visual Studio. The six initial inputs options: voltage and current (V-I), voltage and power (V-P), voltage and resistance (V-R), current and power (I-P), current and resistance (I-R), power and resistance (P-R) as measured on a meter of specified type (Averager or RMS), serve as physical inputs, which, combined with the operating mains frequency, is passed using dedicated algorithms to obtain the derivative Amplitudes.

An Overview of DC Microgrid Protection Schemes and the Factors Involved

The development of a suitable scheme for protection of DC microgrids is still a major challenge. This is due to the shortage of practical experience in appropriate protection guidelines and standards related to the uncertainty in the network topology, absence of a natural current zero-crossing point in DC systems, and dependence of fault current shape and magnitude on various factors. These factors include network topology, type of converters used in the network, type of fault and its location, fault impedance, and type of system grounding. In this paper, these factors and their impacts on the development of a comprehensive protection plan for DC microgrids have been investigated. Various algorithms that have been proposed in previous studies for fault detection and location are reviewed, and the technical challenges associated with the use of communication links in smart protection systems are described. In addition, the advent of new technologies for development of DC circuit breakers are reported, which are different from the conventional AC circuit breakers due to the differences between the faults in DC and AC microgrids and their respective clearance times. This comprehensive review covers all aspects of the DC microgrid protection including topology, converters, configurations, and types of faults.

DC Circuit Breaker Evolution, Design, and Analysis

While traditional AC mechanical circuit breakers can protect AC circuits, many other DC power distribution technologies, such as DC microgrids (MGs), yield superior disruption performance, e.g., faster and more reliable switching speeds. However, novel DC circuit breaker (DCCB) designs are challenging due to the need to quickly break high currents within milliseconds, caused by the high fault current rise in DC grids compared to AC grids. In DC grids, the circuit breaker must not provide any current crossing and must absorb surges, since the arc is not naturally extinguished by the system. Additionally, the DC breaker must mitigate the magnetic energy stored in the system inductance and withstand residual overvoltages after current interruption. These challenges require a fundamentally different topology for DCCBs, which are typically made using solid-state semiconductor technology, metal oxide varistors (MOVs), and ultra-fast switches. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the development, design, and performance of DCCBs and an analysis of internal topology, the energy absorption path, and subcircuits in solid-state (SS)-based DCCBs. The research explores various novel designs that introduce different structures for an energy dissipation solution. The classification of these designs is based on the fundamental principles of surge mitigation and a detailed analysis of the techniques employed in DCCBs. In addition, our framework offers an advantageous reference point for the future evolution of SS circuit breakers in numerous developing power delivery systems.

The Prediction of Residual Electrical Life in Alternating Current Circuit Breakers Based on Savitzky-Golay-Long Short-Term.

In order to improve the accuracy of predicting the remaining electrical life of AC circuit breakers, ensure the safe operation of electrical equipment, and reduce economic losses caused by equipment failures, this paper studies a method based on the Savitzky-Golay convolution smoothing long short-term memory neural network for predicting the electrical life of AC circuit breakers. First, a full lifespan test is conducted to obtain degradation data throughout the entire life cycle of the AC circuit breaker, from which feature parameters that effectively reflect its operational state are extracted. Next, principal component analysis and the maximum information coefficient are used to remove redundancy in the feature parameters and choose the best subset of features. Subsequently, the Savitzky-Golay convolutional smoothing algorithm is employed to smooth the feature sequence, reducing the impact of noise and outliers on the feature sequence while preserving its main trends. Then, a secondary feature extraction is performed on the smoothed feature subset to obtain the optimal secondary feature subset. Finally, the remaining electrical lifespan of the AC circuit breaker is treated as a long-term sequence problem and the long short-term memory neural network method is used for precise time-series forecasting. The proposed model outperforms backpropagation neural networks and the gate recurrent unit in terms of prediction precision, achieving an impressive 97.4% accuracy. This demonstrates the feasibility of using time-series forecasting for predicting the residual electrical lifespan of electrical equipment and provides a reference for optimizing the method of predicting remaining electrical life.

Research on circuit breaker failure protection and the secondary accelerated fault isolation scheme of VSC-HVDC grids

When the direct current circuit breaker (DCCB) fails to operate, the fault range will further expand, endangering the safe operation of the power gird. Therefore, this study proposes a DCCB failure protection method and a secondary accelerated fault isolation scheme of voltage source converter-based high-voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) grids. On the basis of considering the influence of DCCB disconnection, characteristics of fault current after the failure of the DCCB are analyzed, and a circuit breaker failure protection method based on “increase current” discrimination is proposed. By analyzing the logical relationship among failed breaker re-tripping, adjacent DCCB action, blocking of the converter station, and AC circuit breaker action, a secondary accelerated fault isolation scheme is proposed to minimize the fault isolation area. The scheme achieves the accelerated isolation of DC faults after the failure of the DCCB and avoids the trip of the AC circuit breaker effectively. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.