Actor-Based Power Grid Simulation Partitioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current approaches for modeling electrical power grids do not scale well for large-scale simulations, particularly with the increased complexity due to the integration of renewable energy sources, leading to inefficiencies in simulating complex grid models.
Innovation Solution
An electrical power grid interconnection simulation system utilizing actor-based distributed computation to partition the power system into subcircuits, allowing parallel and distributed simulation across different machines and processor cores, with a messaging system to synchronize simulations and account for boundary conditions between subcircuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the power system is modeled as a single integrated circuit, then the simulation accuracy is maintained, but the computational complexity and processing time increase significantly for large-scale systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power system into multiple subcircuits based on electrical propagation delays, allowing each subcircuit to be simulated independently on different processing cores. This segmentation maintains simulation accuracy by preserving the physical relationships within each subcircuit while reducing overall computational complexity through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension to the simulation by distributing subcircuit simulations across multiple processing cores and machines. This dimensional transformation allows the system to handle large-scale power systems by leveraging parallel computation resources, thereby reducing computational complexity without sacrificing accuracy.
2Productivity
If the power system is partitioned into multiple subcircuits for parallel simulation, then the processing time is reduced, but the coordination and synchronization between subcircuits become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a messaging system as an intermediary that handles communication and synchronization between subcircuit simulations. This messaging system manages the exchange of boundary conditions and coordination information, reducing the complexity of direct inter-subcircuit coordination while enabling parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-partitions the power system into subcircuits based on propagation delays before simulation begins. This preliminary action establishes the simulation boundaries and communication requirements in advance, simplifying the coordination process during actual simulation execution and enabling efficient parallel processing.
3Ease of operation
If uniform time resolution is used across all subcircuits, then the synchronization is simplified, but the accuracy for transient phenomena in specific subcircuits is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows each subcircuit to use different time resolutions based on its specific characteristics and the presence of transient phenomena. This local quality approach enables fine time resolution for subcircuits with transient events while using coarser resolution elsewhere, maintaining both accuracy and synchronization through the messaging system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic time resolution adjustment where subcircuits can change their time step size based on the detection of transient events. This dynamic approach allows the system to adaptively refine time resolution where needed while maintaining overall synchronization, balancing ease of operation with measurement precision.
4Productivity
If more subcircuits are created to exploit propagation delays, then the parallel processing efficiency increases, but the overhead for message passing and coordination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates subcircuits based on propagation delays, using a level of partitioning that is sufficient to exploit parallel processing opportunities without creating excessive overhead. The partitioning strategy balances the number of subcircuits to maximize parallel efficiency while minimizing the coordination overhead, avoiding both under-partitioning and over-partitioning.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for obtaining a model of an electrical power system including multiple subcircuits. Assigning each of multiple subcircuits to a processing core from among multiple processing cores employed for simulation of the model; executing a simulation of electric grid behaviors of the model, where the simulation of each subcircuit can be executed by the respective processing core assigned to the subcircuit. Sending a message, from a first processing core assigned to a first subcircuit to a second processing core assigned to a second subcircuit, the message including one or more boundary conditions at an interface between the first subcircuit and the second subcircuit in the model.