The application of robust estimation methods to the power system state estimation problem was investigated. Techniques using both nonlinear and combinatorial optimization were considered, based on the requirements that the method developed should be statistically robust, and fast enough to be used in a real-time environment. Some basic concepts from robust statistics are introduced. The various estimation methods considered are reviewed, and the implementation of the selected estimator is described. Simulation results for several IEEE test systems are included. Other applications of the proposed technique, such as leverage point identification in large sparse systems, and robust meter placement are described. / Ph. D.

Thermal energy storage (TES) is an advanced technology for storing thermal energy that can mitigate environmental impacts and facilitate more efficient and clean energy systems. Thermochemical TES is an emerging method with the potential for high energy density storage. Where space is limited, therefore, thermochemical TES has the highest potential to achieve the required compact TES. Principles of thermochemical TES are presented and thermochemical TES is critically assessed and compared with other TES types. The integration of TES systems with heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) applications is examined and reviewed accounting for various factors, and recent advances are discussed. Thermodynamics assessments are presented for general closed and open thermochemical TES systems. Exergy and energy analyses are applied to assess and compare the efficiencies of the overall thermochemical TES cycle and its charging, storing and discharging processes. Examples using experimental data are presented to illustrate the analyses. Some important factors related to design concepts of thermochemical TES systems are considered and preliminary design conditions for them are investigated. Parametric studies are carried out for the thermochemical storage systems to investigate the effects of selected parameters on the efficiency and behavior of thermochemical storage systems. / UOIT

Over the last decade the increase in penetration of wind power and its variable nature has begun to add considerable stress to and threatened the stability of the nation's grid. In order to continue growth wind farms will need to have the ability to participate in the same grid frequency regulation as traditional generating sources. The goal of this research is to explore the use of energy storage devices to provide wind farms with a method to regulate their power output and the grid frequency. Using energy storage, this research aims to allow wind farms to participate in automatic generation control (AGC). Software simulations were performed to design an advanced energy storage controller that will allow maximum participation in AGC. A comprehensive in-lab grid was constructed to produce experimental results for this work and was used to evaluate the performance of the advanced energy storage controller. The first stage of this research aims to use super-capacitors to balance rapid excursions in frequency and wind power output while the second stage of this research will preliminarily explore the use of a zinc-bromine flow cell battery for medium-scale, sustained excursions in frequency and wind power output. Results show that wind farms are capable of participation in AGC with the addition of an energy storage device, but the amount of participation is heavily reliant on the amount of energy storage available. / Graduation date: 2012

Energy storage is becoming a crucial element to the renewable energy grid, and new facilities will have to go somewhere. This thesis will propose to co-locate compressed air energy storage on a site with residential units, and a community park. This thesis will make the argument that co-locating a compressed air energy storage system with residential units could create a new start for the communities most harmed by fossil fuel infrastructure. This thesis will propose a design for a site in East Boston; a community badly scarred by heating oil and natural gas storage; with the goal of creating a model for healing both the physical site, and the social injustices created by the fossil fuel grid, arguing for using compressed air energy storage as both a spatial and an economic resource.

In this dissertation, density functional theory calculations are performed to calculate the thermodynamic and electrochemical properties of metal coordinated frameworks for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Gibb's free energy, overpotential, charge transfer and ligands effect are evaluated. The charge transfer analysis shows the positive charges on the metal coordinated frameworks play an essential role in improving the electrochemical properties of the metal coordinated frameworks. Based on the calculations, design principles are introduced to rationally design and predict the electrochemical properties of metal coordinated frameworks as efficient catalysts for ORR and OER. An intrinsic descriptor is discovered for the first time, which can be used as a materials parameter for rational design of the metal coordinated frameworks for energy storage and conversion. The success of the design principles provides a better understanding of the mechanism behind ORR and OER and a screening approach for the best catalyst for energy storage and conversion.

Technology advancements enable and encourage higher system electrifications in various applications. More electrified applications need more capable and higher performing sources of energy in terms of power delivery, power regeneration, and energy capacity. For example, in electric, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle applications (EVs, HEVs, and PHEVs), the power and energy ratings of the vehicle energy storage system (ESS) have a direct impact on the vehicle performance. Many researchers investigated and studied various aspects of hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) wherein multiple ESSs are combined together to share system loads, increase ESS capabilities, and cycle life. Various configurations and their application specific topologies were also proposed by other researchers; the potential of HESS has been proven to be very promising. In this research, the goal is to present the theory of a HESS configuration that has not been discovered thus far. This HESS configuration is called a series-parallel reconfigurable HESS (SPR-HESS) since it is capable of recombining multiple storage systems into different series, parallel, or series-parallel configurations, via power electronic converters, to accommodate different operation modes and load requirements. Simulations, as well as experimental verifications, are presented in this thesis. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In this thesis, a physics-based single particle modeling is presented to analyze a proposed direct coupled hybrid energy storage modules using lithium-ion battery and ultracapacitor. Firstly, a state of the art for the energy storage system in the electrified vehicles are summarized. Several energy storage elements including lead-acid battery, nickel-metal hydride battery, lithium-ion battery, ultracapacitor, and lithium-ion capacitor are reviewed. Requirements of the energy storage systems in electric, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are generalized. Typical hybrid energy storage system topologies are also reviewed. Moreover, these energy storage elements and hybrid energy storage system topologies are compared to the requirements of the energy storage systems in terms of specific power and specific energy. Secondly, the performance of different battery balancing topologies, including line shunting, ring shunting, synchronous flyback, multi-winding, and dissipative shunting are analyzed based on a linear programming methodology. As a traction battery in an electric or plug-in electric vehicle, high voltage lithium-ion packs are typically configured in a modular fashion, therefore, the analysis considers the balancing topologies at module level and cell level and focuses on minimum balancing time, minimum plug-in charge time, minimum energy loss, and component counts of every balancing topology for the entire battery pack. Thirdly, different modeling techniques for the lithium-ion battery and ultracapacitor are presented. One of the main contributions of this thesis is the development of a physics-based single particle modeling embedded with a solid-electrolyte interface growth model for a lithium-ion battery in battery management system. This development considers the numerical solution of diffusion equation, cell level quantities, parametrization method, effects of number of shells in a spherical particle, SOC-SOH estimation algorithms, and aging effects. The accuracy of the modeling is validated by experimental results of a Panasonic NCR18650A lithium-ion battery cell. Fourthly, the physics-based modeling is applied to analyze the performance of a proposed direct coupled hybrid energy storage module topology based on the Panasonic NCR18650A lithium-ion battery and Maxwell BCAP0350 ultracapacitor. There are many ways to directly connect battery cells and ultracapacitor cells in a module which would influence the performance of the module. The results show that a module has 9 cells in a battery string and 14 cells in an ultracapacitor string can obtain the highest power capability and utilize the most of the energy in an ultracapacitor. More ultracapacitor strings connected in parallel would increase the power density but reduce the energy density. Moreover, the simulation and experimental results indicate that the direct coupled hybrid modules can extend the operating range and slow the capacity fade of lithium-ion battery. An SOC-SOH estimation algorithm for the hybrid module is also developed based on the physics-based modeling. Finally, a pack design methodology is proposed to meet U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium LLC PHEV-40, power-assist, and 48V HEV performance targets for the battery packs or the proposed direct coupled topologies. In order to explore replacement tradeoffs between the battery and ultracapacitor, a case study of the direct coupled topologies is presented. From the case study, ultracapacitors enhance the power capability for short term pulse power and marginally reduce the cost of an entire energy storage system. Moreover, the hybrid module topologies can keep a relatively long all-electric range when the batteries degrade. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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Emerging integration of renewable energy has prompted a wide range of research on the use of energy storage to compensate for the added uncertainty that accompanies these resources. In the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), compressed air energy storage (CAES) has drawn particular attention because Texas has suitable geology and also lacks appropriate resources and locations for pumped hydroelectric storage (PHS). While there have been studies on incorporation of renewable energy, utilization of energy storage, and dispatch optimization, this is the first body of work to integrate all these subjects along with the proven ability to recreate historical dispatch and price conditions. To quantify the operational behavior, economic feasibility, and environmental impacts of CAES, this work utilized sophisticated unit commitment and dispatch (UC&D) models that determine the least-cost dispatch for meeting a set of grid and generator constraints. This work first addressed the ability of these models to recreate historical dispatch and price conditions through a calibration analysis that incorporated major model improvements such as capacity availability and sophisticated treatment of combined heat and power (CHP) plants. These additions appreciably improved the consistency of the model results when compared to historical ERCOT conditions. An initial UC&D model was used to investigate the impacts on the dispatch of a future high wind generation scenario with the potential to utilize numerous CAES facilities. For all future natural gas prices considered, the addition of CAES led to reduced use of high marginal cost generator types, increased use of base-load generator types, and average reductions in the total operating costs of 3.7 million dollars per week. Additional analyses demonstrated the importance of allowing CAES to participate in all available energy and ancillary services (AS) markets and that a reduction in future thermal capacity would increase the use of CAES. A second UC&D model, which incorporated advanced features like variable marginal heat rates, was used to analyze the influence of future wind generation variability on the dispatch and resulting environmental impacts. This analysis revealed that higher amounts of wind variability led to an increase in the daily net load ramping requirements which resulted in less use of coal and nuclear generators in favor of faster ramping units along with reductions in emissions and water use. The changes to the net load also resulted in increased volatility of the energy and AS prices between daily minimum and maximum levels. These impacts were also found to increase with compounding intensity as higher levels of wind variability were reached. Lastly, the advanced UC&D model was also used to evaluate the operational behavior and potential economic feasibility of a first entrant conventional or adiabatic CAES system. Both storage systems were found to operate in a single mode that enabled very high utilization of their capacity indicating both systems have highly desirable characteristics. The results suggest that there is a positive case for the investment in a first entrant CAES facility in the ERCOT market. / text