The research reported in this dissertation focuses on the development of optimization tools for the design of subsystems in a modern aircraft power distribution system. The baseline power distribution system is built around a 270V DC bus. One of the distinguishing features of this power distribution system is the presence of regenerative power from the electrically driven flight control actuators and structurally integrated smart actuators back to the DC bus. The key electrical components of the power distribution system are bidirectional switching power converters, which convert, control and condition electrical power between the sources and the loads. The dissertation is divided into three parts. Part I deals with the formulation of an optimization problem for a sample system consisting of a regulated DC-DC buck converter preceded by an input filter. The individual subsystems are optimized first followed by the integrated optimization of the sample system. It is shown that the integrated optimization provides better results than that obtained by integrating the individually optimized systems. Part II presents a detailed study of piezoelectric actuators. This study includes modeling, optimization of the drive amplifier and the development of a current control law for piezoelectric actuators coupled to a simple mechanical structure. Linear and nonlinear methods to study subsystem interaction and stability are studied in Part III. A multivariable impedance ratio criterion applicable to three phase systems is proposed. Bifurcation methods are used to obtain global stability characteristics of interconnected systems. The application of a nonlinear design methodology, widely used in power systems, to incrementally improve the robustness of a system to Hopf bifurcation instability is discussed. / Ph. D.

Integration of a cyber system and communication systems with the traditional power grid has enabled better monitoring and control of the smart grid making it more reliable and resilient. This empowers the system operators to make informed decisions as a result of better system visibility. The grid has moved from a completely air-gapped structure to a well-connected network. However, this remote-control capability to control distributed physical components in a distribution system can be exploited by adversaries with malicious intent to disrupt the power supply to the customers. Therefore, while taking advantage of the cyber-physical posture in the smart grid for improved controllability, there is a critical need for cybersecurity research to protect the critical power infrastructure from cyberattacks. While the literature regarding cybersecurity in distribution systems has focused on detecting and mitigating the cyberattack impact on the physical system, there has been limited effort towards a preventive approach for detecting cyberattacks. With this in mind, this dissertation focuses on developing intelligent solutions to detect cyberattacks in the cyber layer of the distribution grid and prevent the attack from impacting the physical grid. There has been a particular emphasis on the impact of coordinated attacks and the design of proactive defense to detect the attacker's intent to predict the attack trajectory. The vulnerability assessment of the cyber-physical system in this work identifies the key areas in the system that are prone to cyberattacks and failure to detect attacks timely can lead to cascading outages. A comprehensive cyber-physical system is developed to deploy different intrusion detection solutions and quantify the effect of proactive detection in the cyber layer. The attack detection approach is driven by artificial intelligence to learn attack patterns for effective attack path prediction in both a fully observable and partially observable distribution system. The role of effective communication technology in attack detection is also realized through detailed modeling of 5G and latency requirements are validated. / Doctor of Philosophy / The traditional power grid was designed to supply electricity from the utility side to the customers. This grid model has shifted from a one-directional supply of power to a bi-directional one where customers with generation capacity can provide power to the grid. This is possible through bi-directional data flow which ensures the complete power system observability and allows the utility to monitor and control distributed power components remotely. This connectivity depends on the cyber system and efficient communication for ensuring stable and reliable system operations. However, this also makes the grid vulnerable to cyberattacks as the traditional air-gapped grid has evolved into a highly connected network, thus increasing the attack surface for attackers. They might pose the capability to intrude on the network by exploiting network vulnerability, move laterally through different aspects of the network, and cause operational disruption. The type of disruption can be minor voltage fluctuations or even widespread power outages depending on the ultimate malicious attack goal of such adversaries. Therefore, cybersecurity measures for protecting critical power infrastructure are extremely important to ensure smooth system operations. There has been recent research effort for detecting such attacks, isolating the attacked parts in the grid, and mitigating the impact of the attack, however, instead of a passive response there is a need for a preventive or proactive detection mechanism. This can ensure capturing the attack at the cyber layer before intruders can impact the physical grid. This is the primary motivation to design an intrusion detection system that can detect different coordinated attacks (where different attacks are related and directed towards a specific goal) and can predict the attack path. This dissertation focuses on first identifying the vulnerabilities in the distribution system and a comprehensive cyber-physical system is developed. Different detection algorithms are developed to detect cyberattacks in the distribution grid and have the intelligence to learn the attack patterns to successfully predict the attack path. Additionally, the effectiveness of advanced communication such as 5G is also tested for different system operations in the distribution system.

[ES] El objetivo general de la presente Tesis es investigar metodologías que permitan obtener en tiempo real los parámetros de operación de redes hidráulicas a presión que minimicen el consumo y/o el coste energético, garantizando el cumplimiento de las condiciones de funcionamiento necesarias para una adecuada calidad del servicio. Al tratarse del ámbito de la operación diaria de la red, una de las condiciones indispensables que deben reunir los métodos de optimización es una respuesta lo suficientemente rápida como para que no solo se pueda disponer de las soluciones más convenientes en el momento de ejecutar las consignas de operación, sino que además se habilite un procedimiento flexible que permita dar respuesta a posibles cambios en las predicciones o eventos que puedan producirse. Se ha abordado de manera aislada la optimización energética de los subsistemas de transporte de agua y la de los subsistemas de distribución debido a las distintas características que se pueden observar en ellos. En la parte relativa a los subsistemas de distribución, particularizada al caso de un sistema de riego con bombeo directo a red, se han explorado los métodos metaheurísticos de optimización, realizando varias aportaciones originales orientadas a la mejora en la eficiencia computacional de los mismos, debido a la necesidad de obtener una respuesta rápida compatible con la toma de decisiones en tiempo real. En cuanto a los subsistemas de transporte, se ha explorado la aplicabilidad del método determinista de optimización por programación lineal, a la vista de las importantes ventajas que presenta respecto al resto de métodos generales de optimización. Asimismo, en el contexto de los subsistemas de transporte, se ha trabajado en la definición de una heurística basada en el cálculo del coste energético y/o económico del agua entregada en los puntos de consumo y almacenada en los depósitos intermedios, que ha permitido formular un algoritmo voraz para la optimización energética en cada instante de tiempo. Este método ha conseguido igualar el desempeño alcanzado mediante la programación lineal y se espera que ofrezca unas mejores capacidades en sistemas con un comportamiento marcadamente no lineal, así como también una mejor adaptación a problemas de optimización con la participación de energías renovables. / [CA] L'objectiu general de la present Tesi és la investigació de metodologies que permeten obtindre en temps real els paràmetres d'operació de xarxes hidràuliques a pressió que minimitzen el consum i/o el cost energètic, garantint el compliment de les condicions de funcionament necessàries per a una adequada qualitat del servei. En tractar-se de l'àmbit de l'operació diària de la xarxa, una de les condicions indispensables que han de reunir els mètodes d'optimització és una resposta prou ràpida com perquè no sols es puga disposar de les solucions més convenients en el moment d'executar les consignes d'operació, sinó que a més s'habilite un procediment flexible que permeta donar resposta a possibles canvis en les prediccions o esdeveniments que puguen produir-se. S'ha abordat de manera aïllada l'optimització energètica dels subsistemes de transport d'aigua i la dels subsistemes de distribució (reg per injecció directa) a causa de les diferents característiques que es poden observar en ells. En el treball amb els subsistemes de distribució s'han explorat les possibilitats que ofereixen els mètodes meta-heurístics d'optimització, realitzant diverses aportacions originals orientades a la millora en l'eficiència computacional dels mateixos a causa de la necessitat d'obtindre una resposta més ràpida que siga compatible amb la presa de decisions en temps real. Quant als subsistemes de transport, s'ha explorat l'aplicabilitat del mètode determinista d'optimització per programació lineal a la vista dels importants avantatges que presenta respecte a la resta de mètodes generals d'optimització. Així mateix, en el context dels subsistemes de transport, s'ha treballat en la definició d'una bona heurística basada en el càlcul del cost energètic i/o econòmic de l'aigua entregada en els punts de consum i en els dipòsits intermedis, que ha permés formular un mètode voraç per a l'optimització energètica en cada instant de temps. Aquest mètode ha aconseguit igualar l'acompliment aconseguit mitjançant la programació lineal i s'espera que oferisca unes millors capacitats en sistemes amb un comportament més marcadament no lineal, així com també una millor adaptació a problemes d'optimització amb participació d'energies renovables. / [EN] The general objective of this Thesis is the research of methodologies to obtain in real time the operating parameters of pressurized hydraulic networks that minimize energy consumption and/or cost, ensuring compliance with the operating conditions necessary for an appropriate quality of service. Since this is the field of daily network operation, one of the indispensable conditions that optimization methods must meet is a response fast enough so that not only the most convenient solutions are available at the time of executing the operating instructions, but also a flexible procedure is provided to allow a response to possible changes in the predictions or events that may occur. The energy optimization of the water transport subsystems and that of the distribution subsystems (direct injection irrigation) have been approached separately due to the different characteristics that can be observed in them. In the work with distribution subsystems, the possibilities offered by metaheuristic optimization methods have been explored, making several original contributions aimed at improving their computational efficiency due to the need to obtain a faster response that is compatible with real-time decision making. Regarding transport subsystems, the applicability of the deterministic method of optimization by linear programming has been explored in view of the important advantages it presents with respect to the rest of the general optimization methods. Also, in the context of transport subsystems, there has been a work on the definition of a good heuristic based on the calculation of the energy and/or economic cost of the water delivered at the consumption points and intermediate reservoirs, which has allowed to formulate a greedy method for energy optimization at each time instant. This method has been able to match the performance achieved by linear programming and is expected to offer better capabilities in systems with a more marked non-linear behaviour, as well as a better adaptation to optimization problems involving renewable energies. / Alonso Campos, JC. (2021). Desarrollo e implementación de algoritmos para la optimización energética en tiempo real de redes hidráulicas a presión [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/180389

The innovation of electrical utilities in creating smart electrical grids has superseded that of water utilities in analogous efforts. While many water utilities are now using smart water technologies, they lack the virtual command center that allows for two-way communication for more effective forecasting, load balancing, preventive methods, emergency and master planning, and level of service delivery while ensuring environmental justice and enhancing the responsible use of resources. In this dissertation, I propose the idea of the Integrated Water Distribution System (IWDS) to overcome this challenge. IWDS coordinates management of water supply and demand in a way that benefits both the water utility and the customer. IWDS also allows for greater control over monitoring, operation and maintenance, security, asset management, artificial intelligence, and delivery of water in order to maximize economic, environmental, and social welfare. To provide a way forward for IWDS and bring water services onto a technological level equal to that of other infrastructure systems, I call for greater coordination and integration of smart water technology and data, including environmental justice evaluations, and improved customer engagement. As a demand side management (DSM) tool and smart water technology component of IWDS, smart irrigation controllers (SICs) have the potential to ensure water utilities are resilient to growth and can manage peak day demands. SICs, which interface with soil moisture, evapotranspiration, or weather sensors, have been promoted as a demand-side management tool for this purpose. I review the body of research on residential smart irrigation controllers and their effectiveness. I find that smart irrigation controllers consistently reduce water demand by 15% among general users and more than 40% among indulgent users. A hydraulic model simulation using EPANET demonstrates the effectiveness of residential SICs in shifting and shaving peak demands associated with outdoor irrigation. The pressurized irrigation system for Highland, Utah, USA, is modeled with irrigation demands on a baseline scenario compared to an intervention scenario. By employing the intervention, the water system experiences many positive impacts. Without the peak shifting and shaving adjustments, costly additional capital facility improvements would be needed to maintain the same level of service. The model indicates that the SICs, if providing a 30% conservation effect (intervention scenario with SIC conservation), would shave the peak demand allowing for greater optimization and efficiency. This is the first hydraulic model analysis to demonstrate the DSM effectiveness of SICs.

This study investigates what three large, multinational hospitality companies do in practice when evaluating and making IT investment decisions. This study was launched in an attempt to 1) learn more about how multinational hospitality companies evaluate, prioritize, and select IT investments in the context of hotel GDS; 2) call attention to an important and costly topic in hopes of improving current practices; and 3) fill a noticeable literary void so that future researchers on IT and hotel GDS would have a foundation and starting point. The perennial question of any business is "How does an organization add value?" Value can be defined from many different perspectives and may result from tangible and intangible factors. Principal stakeholders include shareholders (investors), customers, and employees. Shareholders typically measure value in terms of economic return on their investment based upon some level of perceived risk. For customers, value is assessed in terms of a price-value relationship; that is, how much they received in terms of product and services for the price they paid. For employees, value is measured by salary and by the intrinsic rewards of the job. Yet, one of the most elusive questions with respect to information technology is "How can value be measured?" Hospitality executives are being pressured daily to invest more in information technology (IT) - especially in the area of hotel global distribution systems (GDS), which have become the cornerstone of a hotel firm's IT infrastructure and portfolio. There are a number of sweeping changes on the horizon impacting hotel GDSs and requiring the development of a well-crafted strategy for global distribution systems. These broad changes include bypass theories to remove airline GDSs and travel agents, the introduction of new and emerging player, and innovative approaches to pricing and promotion. Many of these developments offer promise to hoteliers, but they also threaten their control over their customer relationships and their inventory and add to the complexity and cost of distribution. Selecting the appropriate distribution channels is paramount to success and important if hotel firms are to grow top-line revenue and control overhead; yet the number of choices facing hotel executives is overwhelming. They are also at a loss for measuring value derived from IT. One of the greatest issues plaguing the advancement of technology in the hospitality industry is the difficulty in calculating return on investment. Until recently, most technology investment decisions have been considered using a support or utility mentality that stems from a manufacturing paradigm. Under such thinking, business cases could be built around an application or technology's ability to reduce costs or create labor savings. However, management's attitudes towards technology have been shifting in recent years. The more technologically savvy hospitality companies are looking to IT to build strategic and competitive advantages. These types of investments yield results over time, and seldom in the short-run. This is problematic among owners and investors who demand more immediate results. Moreover, it is difficult to quantify and calculate the tangible benefits of technology when it is used for strategic purposes. Today's financial models are inadequate for estimating the financial benefits for most of the technology projects under consideration today. While the hospitality industry has disciplined models and sufficient history to determine the financial gains or success of opening a new property in a given city, it lacks the same rigorous models and historical data for technology, especially since each technology project is unique. Although this problem is not specific to the hospitality industry, it is particularly problematic since the industry tends to be technologically conservative and unwilling to adopt new technology applications based on the promises of its long-term merits if it cannot quantify the results and calculate a defined payback period. When uncertainty surrounds the investment, when the timing of the cash flows is unpredictable, and when the investment is perceived as risky, owners and investors will most likely channel their investment capital to projects with more certain returns and minimal risk. Thus, under this thinking, technology will always take a back seat to other organizational priorities and initiatives. Efforts must be made to change this thinking and to develop financial models that can accurately predict and capture the financial benefits derived from technology. Given the present predicament and difficulties surrounding the current tools, techniques, and measures, executives are faced with an important choice. They can 1) continue to use the present methods despite their shortcomings, 2) dispense with ROI, cost-benefit, and discounted cash flow analyses altogether for IT projects, or 3) develop new methods, tools, and measures that can accommodate the complexities of IT and quantify the intangibles. This study is a call to action in favor of the latter because the measures determine not only which projects will be accepted but also how their success will be evaluated. Having a rigid evaluation process forces executives to identify a project's potential contribution and align the project's objectives with the firm's strategic goals and objectives. Using the co-alignment principle as its theoretical underpinning, this study employs a multiple-case design to investigate the resource allocation processes used with respect to information technology and global distribution systems. It looks at how three leading, multinational hospitality firms address IT project/investment evaluation and decision-making, the measures they use, and the frustrations they encounter. These frustrations include problems that arise from a hotel firm's fragmented ownership as well as from hotel executives' inability to measure the results of IT through definitive cause-and-effect relationships. The results of the study provide affirmation of the co-alignment principle and document linkages and co-alignment between strategy and IT. Clearly, decisions involving IT and hotel GDSs require multivariate measures, multidimensional perspectives, and multidisciplinary involvement. However, research from the marketing discipline is noticeably absent in this area. This study concludes that because IT plays an important enabling role for marketing initiatives and is redefining the supply chain of a hotel firm, marketing researchers can no longer stand on the sidelines. This study also identifies three important constructs, or classes of variables (context, process, and project), the variables comprising each, and their influences on the evaluation and decision-making processes. These findings add to the understanding of IT evaluation, measurement, and decision-making in the context of hotel GDS. This study clarifies the intangible aspects in hopes that useful measures can be developed in subsequent research to quantify and evaluate these costs and benefits. Finally, this study provides a series of prescriptions or recommendations gleaned from the three companies that were the focus of this study in hopes that they will lead to the development of best practices in the hospitality industry. / Ph. D.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo inicial reapresentar e difundir o Método das Posições de Falta (MPF) como um meio analítico para se determinar as tensões remanescentes, em todas as barras constituintes de um Sistema de Distribuição (SD), quando da ocorrência de afundamentos de tensão. Pela aplicação de tal método, é possível construir a Matriz de Tensão Durante a Falta (MTDF), denotando assim, a influência e a propagação dos afundamentos de tensão sobre toda a rede. A fim de validar o MPF, será realizada uma comparação dos resultados obtidos com os provenientes de simulações computacionais dispondo do software ATP (Alternative Transients Program). Desta comparação, ilustra-se que a ferramenta indicada mantém a previsão dos resultados em limites aceitáveis, mesmo considerando certa simplificação nos procedimentos de cálculo e na modelagem computacional dos componentes do sistema. A partir dos resultados encontrados, é realizado um mapeamento das áreas de risco que equipamentos eletroeletrônicos sensíveis estarão submetidos, através da delimitação e análise da área afetada e da área exposta ou de vulnerabilidade. Em complementação ao trabalho, é apresentada uma proposta baseada em um algoritmo branch and bound que determinará o número ótimo de medidores de qualidade de energia, bem como as barras onde os mesmos devam ser instalados para monitorar os afundamentos de tensão, com o objetivo de garantir que ao menos um dos medidores seja sensibilizado para cada um dos curtos-circuitos simulados. / This dissertation aims to initially reintroduce and spread the Fault Positions Method (FPM) as an analytic means to determine the remaining voltage in all bus bar constituents of a Distribution System (DS), upon the occurrence of voltage sags. By applying this method, it is possible to formulate the during fault voltage matrix, thus denoting the influence and propagation of voltage sags around the network as a whole. In order to legitimate the FPM, the results obtained are compared to those from computer simulations by use of the ATP (Alternative Transients Program) software. This comparison demonstrates that the tool has maintained the predicted results within acceptable limits, even though some simplification in the procedure for calculating and computer modeling of the system components. Based on such results, a detailed mapping of areas of risk, to which sensitive electronic equipment is subjected, has been carried out through the outlining and analyzing of the affected area and of the exposed or vulnerability area. Adding up to the work, a proposal based on a branch and bound algorithm is presented as a means to determine the optimum number of power quality monitors, and the bus where they should be installed to measure voltage sags, in order to ensure that at least one of the meters is sensitized for each of the simulated short-circuits.

Como as Variações de Tensão de Curta Duração (VTCDs) estão entre as perturbações mais difíceis de serem monitoradas, uma vez que são ocasionadas por fatores aleatórios e imprevisíveis, a monitoração do Sistema de Distribuição (SD) representa uma providência essencial para a obtenção de informações representativas para a regulamentação de novos indicadores relativos a esses distúrbios. Neste cenário, este trabalho busca garantir a completa observabilidade das VTCDs em SD, quando da incidência de qualquer tipo de curto-circuito, através da alocação ótima de medidores. Para a determinação da magnitude da tensão em cada nó do SD é utilizado o método das posições de falta, denotando assim, a influência e a propagação das VTCDs sobre a rede como um todo. Na sequência, é determinada uma matriz binária resultante que observa os afundamentos de tensão de forma simultânea para todos os tipos de faltas. Posteriormente, é proposta a redução desta matriz para diminuir o esforço computacional em SDs de grande porte. Ainda, é analisada a vulnerabilidade de cada nó do SD para estabelecer a sua posterior ponderação no processo de otimização. Os resultados revelam que a metodologia de alocação apresentada torna o processo de obtenção da solução ótima ágil e direto, pois menos execuções computacionais são necessárias para obter diferentes soluções ótimas e garantir a monitoração dos afundamentos de tensão para todos os tipos de curtos-circuitos. Além disso, pela metodologia, tem-se também a prioridade de instalação dos medidores conforme a maior observabilidade dos afundamentos de tensão, possibilitando a escolha do melhor arranjo de medidores que atenda aos limites orçamentários das distribuidoras de energia. / Short Duration Voltage Variations (SDVVs) are among the most difficult disturbances to be monitored, since they are caused by random and unpredictable factors. Hence, the Distribution System (DS) monitoring is an essential step for obtaining representative information for the regulation of new power quality indices for these disturbances. In this scenario, this work aims to ensure the entire observability of SDVVs, considering any short circuit occurrence in the DS, based on algorithm to achieve the monitors\' optimal allocation. In order to determine the voltage magnitude at each node, the fault positions method is used, showing the influence and propagation of SDVVs on the DS. Subsequently, a resulting binary matrix is determined. This matrix observes the voltage sags, simultaneously, for all fault types. Then, the downsizing of this matrix is proposed in order to reduce the computational effort in large DSs. Furthermore, the vulnerability of each DS node is analyzed to establish the relative weighting in the optimization process. The results show a faster and more direct allocation methodology to obtain the optimal solution, because fewer computational executions are needed for different optimal solutions and to ensure the voltage sags monitoring for all short circuits types. Moreover, the power quality monitor installation priority is performed according to the higher observability of the voltage sags, making it possible to choose the best arrangement of monitors that meets the budget constraints of the power utilities.

Lightning causes important transient disturbances on transmission and distribution systems, with consequent damages to equipment, outages, and general decrease of the power quality. The assessment of the lightning dielectric strength of power equipment is generally based on tests performed using the standard lightning impulse voltage (1.2 / 50 µs waveshape), although the characteristics of the lightning overvoltages depend on many parameters and may vary widely. The behavior of insulators when subject to non-standard impulses depends both on the voltage amplitude and waveshape, and therefore a reliable model is required to produce the corresponding volt-time curves. Although there is no method universally accepted for this purpose, one of the most used is the Disruptive Effect (DE) model, which is based on the integration method concept. The application of this model involves the estimation of some parameters for which different procedures have been proposed in the literature, as for instance the procedures by Darveniza and Vlastos, by Hileman, by Chowdhuri et al., and by Ancajima et al. Tests of representative lightning overvoltages were performed to obtain the critical flashover overvoltages (CFO) and the volt-time curves of typical porcelain pin-type insulators considering three standard medium-voltage distribution classes (15 kV, 24 kV, and 36 kV) and five impulse voltage waveshapes, of both polarities. These tests provided data for the analyses of the insulators\' behavior and the results obtained using the different procedures for estimating the DE parameters. It is shown that in some cases insulator flashover is not predicted. A new method is then developed and proposed for evaluating the dielectric behavior of MV insulators. The method is validated using the typical insulators of the three voltage classes and the five lightning impulse voltages considered, of positive and negative polarities. The calculated volt-time curves showed in general a good agreement with the measured results for all the cases studied. The mean difference between the measured and calculated times to breakdown, for all the cases considered, was about 1.3 s; while the maximum difference was 4.0 s. The application of the proposed method to evaluate the occurrence of insulator flashovers in the shield wire line (SWL) system implemented in the State of Rondônia due to nearby lightning strikes supports previous conclusions that indicate that lightning has a significant impact on the SWL system performance in regions with high ground flash density. / Descargas atmosféricas produzem distúrbios transitórios significativos em sistemas de transmissão e distribuição, com consequentes danos em equipamentos, interrupções e redução geral na qualidade de energia elétrica. A avaliação da suportabilidade dielétrica frente às descargas atmosféricas do equipamento de potência é geralmente baseada em ensaios realizados usando o impulso atmosférico de tensão normalizada (forma de onda 1.2 / 50 µs), contudo as características das sobretensões atmosféricas dependem de muitos parâmetros e podem variar amplamente. O comportamento dos isoladores quando sujeitos a impulsos não normalizados depende tanto da magnitude como da forma de onda da tensão, e então um modelo confiável é necessário para se obter as curvas tensão-tempo correspondentes. Embora não haja um método universalmente aceito para essa finalidade, um dos mais utilizados é o modelo de Efeito Disruptivo (DE), que é baseado no conceito do método de integração. A aplicação desse modelo envolve a estimativa de alguns parâmetros para os quais diferentes procedimentos têm sido propostos na literatura, como por exemplo, os procedimentos de Darveniza e Vlastos, de Hileman, de Chowdhuri et al. e de Ancajima et al. Ensaios de sobretensões atmosféricas representativas foram feitos para obter as tensões de descarga disruptiva (CFO) e as curvas de tensão-tempo de isoladores de porcelana típicos, tipo pino, considerando três classes de tensão de distribuição de média tensão (15 kV, 24 kV e 36 kV) e cinco formas de onda de impulso de tensão, de ambas as polaridades. Estes ensaios proporcionaram dados para as análises do comportamento dos isoladores e os resultados obtidos usando os diferentes procedimentos para estimar os parâmetros necessários para a aplicação do modelo do Efeito Disruptivo. É mostrado que em alguns casos a disrupção no isolador não é prevista por tais procedimentos. Um novo método é, então, desenvolvido e proposto para avaliar o comportamento dielétrico dos isoladores de média tensão. O método é validado usando os isoladores típicos das três classes de tensão e as cinco formas de tensões de impulso atmosféricos consideradas, de polaridades positiva e negativa. As curvas tensão-tempo calculadas mostraram, em geral, boa concordância com os resultados medidos para todos os casos estudados. A diferença média entre os tempos de disrupção medidos e calculados, para todos os casos considerados, foi da ordem de 1,3 s; enquanto a máxima diferença foi de 4,0 s. A aplicação do método proposto para avaliar a ocorrência de disrupções em isoladores do Sistema de Cabo Para-raios Energizados (PRE), implementado no estado de Rondônia, devido a descargas atmosféricas indiretas, apoia as conclusões previamente obtidas que indicam que as descargas atmosféricas têm impacto significativo sobre o desempenho do sistema PRE em regiões com alta densidade de descargas para solo.

Ao longo das últimas décadas, o advento de geradores síncronos distribuídos têm modificado significativamente a operação dinâmica de sistemas de distribuição. Características dinâmicas que antes eram típicas de sistemas de transmissão estão agora também presentes em sistemas de distribuição. Problemas relacionados a oscilações eletromecânica mal amortecidas, um dos focos de análise do estudo da estabilidade a pequenas perturbações, podem agora afetar também os sistemas de distribuição devido à inserção de geradores síncronos. Ferramentas usualmente utilizadas em sistemas de transmissão para a análise de tais oscilações não são completamente adequadas para analisar os fenômenos que ocorrem nos sistemas de distribuição com geração distribuída, devido a características peculiares desses sistemas, tais como o desequilíbrio de suas fases. Assim, essa pesquisa propõe um procedimento alternativo para analisar a estabilidade a pequenas perturbações de sistemas de distribuição, através da aplicação de técnicas de estimação modal. Abordam-se duas técnicas de estimação modal: os métodos de Prony e o ESPRIT. O primeiro método consiste em uma ferramenta já consagrada para a identificação de oscilações eletromecânicas de baixa frequência. Enquanto o segundo é uma t´técnica usualmente aplicada em análise de transitórios com desempenho satisfatório no contexto de qualidade de energia. Simulações não lineares são realizadas no software ATP, inicialmente sobre um sistema trifásico equilibrado e tais técnicas são aplicadas e comparadas, tornando possível a validação cruzada de ambos os métodos na identificação do modo eletromecânico do sistema. Na sequência, simulações são realizadas em um um sistema trifásico desequilibrado, permitindo avaliar o efeito do desbalanço da carga sobre as oscilações eletromecânicas, sendo essa uma das maiores contribuições desse trabalho. A principal conclusão adquirida é o fato de que um Power System Stabilizer (PSS) pode ser usado para mitigar os impactos prejudiciais das oscilações eletromecânicas em um gerador síncrono distribuído, sendo que esse PSS pode ser projetado a partir de técnicas típicas, assumindo um funcionamento equilibrado desse gerador, e ainda assim ter um desempenho satisfatório para os casos desequilibrados estudados. / Over the last few decades, the advent of distributed synchronous generators has significantly modified the operation and dynamics of distribution systems. Dynamic behaviors that were typical of transmission systems are now also present in distribution systems. Problems related to poorly damped electromechanical oscillations, the focus of small-signal stability studies, can now also affect the distribution systems due to the insertion of synchronous generators. Tools usually employed in large systems for the analysis of these oscillations are not completely appropriate to analyze this phenomena in distribution systems with distributed generation, due to particular characteristics of these systems, such as load imbalance. Therefore, this research proposes an alternative procedure to analyze the small-signal stability of distribution systems, through the application of modal estimation techniques. Two modal estimation techniques are used: the Prony and ESPRIT methods. The former consists of a well-established tool for identifying low-frequency oscillations and the latter was chosen due to its satisfactory performance in works related to power quality, where it is applied in transient analysis. Initially, both modal estimation techniques are applied to the results of nonlinear simulations performed in the Alternative Transients Program for balanced three-phase systems. The modes identified by both techniques exhibit a close match, which provides a cross validation between these techniques. In the sequence, simulations are performed in three-phase unbalanced systems, allowing an evaluation of the effect of load imbalance on the electromechanical oscillations (which is another major contribution of this work). Furthermore, it is concluded from the obtained results that a Power System Stabilizer, designed under the assumption of a balanced operation of the distribution system, can be effectively used to mitigate the detrimental effects of the poorly damped oscillations even when the system operates under unbalanced load conditions.

Este projeto de pesquisa propõe desenvolver um novo modelo e uma nova abordagem para a resolução do problema da otimização Volt/VAr em redes de distribuição de energia elétrica. A otimização Volt/VAr consiste em, basicamente, determinar os ajustes das variáveis de controle tais como bancos de capacitores chaveados, transformadores com comutação de tap sob carga e reguladores de tensão, de modo a satisfazer, simultaneamente, as restrições de carga e de operação para um dado objetivo operacional. Esse problema, matematicamente, foi formulado como um problema de programação não linear, multiperíodo, e com variáveis contínuas e discretas. Algoritmos de programação não linear foram utilizados com o intuito de aproveitar as vantagens das matrizes altamente esparsas montadas ao longo do método de solução. Para utilizar tais algoritmos, as variáveis discretas são tratadas como contínuas por meio da utilização de funções senoidais que penalizam a função objetivo do problema original enquanto estas não convergirem para algum dos pontos pré-definidos no seu domínio. O caráter multiperíodo do problema, contudo, refere-se à consideração de uma restrição que relaciona os ajustes das variáveis de controle para sucessivos intervalos de tempo na medida em que limita o número de operações de chaveamento desses dispositivos para um período de 24-horas. O estudo fundamenta-se, metodologicamente, em métodos do tipo Primal-Dual Barreira-Logarítmica. Para demonstrar a eficiência do modelo proposto e a robustez dessa abordagem, a partir de dados teóricos obtidos de levantamentos bibliográficos, testes foram realizados em sistemas-teste de 10, 69 e 135 barras, e em um sistema de 442 barras do noroeste do Reino Unido. As implementações computacionais foram feitas nos softwares MATLAB, AIMMS e GAMS, utilizando o solver IPOPT como método de solução. Os resultados mostram que a abordagem proposta para a resolução do problema de programação não linear é eficaz para tratar adequadamente todas as variáveis presentes em problemas de otimização Volt/VAr. / This work proposes a new model and a new approach for solving the Volt / VAr optimization problem in distribution systems. The Volt/VAr optimization consists, basically, to determine the settings of the control variables of switched capacitor banks, on-load tap changer transformers and voltage regulators, in order to satisfy both the load and operational constraints, to a given operational objective. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem, multiperiod, and with continuous and discrete variables. Nonlinear programming algorithms were used in order to take advantage of the highly sparse matrices built along the solution method. The discrete variables are treated as continuous along the solution method by means of the use of sinusoidal functions that penalize the original objective function while the control variables do not converge to any of the predefined discrete points in its domain. The multiperiod, or dynamic, characteristic of the problem, however, refers to the use of a constraint that relates the settings of the control variables for successive time intervals that limits the control devices switching operations number for a period of 24-hours. The study is based, methodologically, on Primal-Dual Logarithmic Barrier method. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model and the robustness of this approach, the data were obtained from theoretical literature surveys, and tests were performed on test-systems of 10, 69 and 135 buses, and in a 442 buses located in the Northwest of the United Kingdom. The computational implementation was accomplished in the softwares MATLAB, AIMMS and GAMS, using the IPOPT solver as solution method. The results have shown the approach for solving nonlinear programming problems is effective to appropriate cope with all the variables presented in Volt/VAr optimization problems.