Islanded Grid Control for Stable Frequency and Cost Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for operating off-grid electrical grids, or microgrids, fail to balance both grid stability and cost-effectiveness, necessitating a novel approach that ensures stable operation while optimizing costs.

Innovation Solution

A method involving event-driven determination of initial operating parameters to maintain frequency and voltage within limits, followed by time-driven determination of second parameters for cost-optimization, ensuring grid stability is prioritized over cost-efficiency, with real-time heuristic balancing and computational optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If operating parameters are continuously optimized for cost-effectiveness, then operational costs are reduced, but grid stability (frequency and voltage limits) cannot be guaranteed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational costsVSAvoidgrid stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control system dynamically switches between two operational modes: a stability-priority mode that activates when frequency or voltage deviates from limits, and a cost-optimization mode that operates when stability is maintained. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to pursue cost-effectiveness while automatically retreating to stability guarantees when needed, resolving the contradiction between operational costs and grid reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes operational parameters (control strategy) based on the current state of the grid. When frequency and voltage are within limits, the system optimizes parameters for cost-effectiveness; when limits are approached or violated, parameters are adjusted to prioritize stability. This parameter adaptation enables the system to navigate the trade-off between operational costs and grid stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If operating parameters are determined in an event-driven manner to maintain stability, then grid stability is ensured, but computational resources and response time are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrid stabilityVSAvoidcomputational response time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic monitoring of frequency and voltage parameters against defined limits. Instead of continuous complex optimization, the system periodically checks stability conditions and switches control modes accordingly. This periodic action maintains grid stability through timely detection while minimizing unnecessary computational overhead, resolving the contradiction between stability monitoring and computational efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3869654B1Method for operating a stand-alone electricity network
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 EVERLLENCE SE
  • EP3869654B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3869654B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method for operating an islanded electrical power grid (10) comprising at least one renewable energy generation plant (11, 12), at least one conventional energy generation plant (13), at least one energy storage device (14), and at least one energy consumer (15, 16). If the frequency and/or voltage of the islanded power grid (10) is outside defined limits, first operating parameters (25) for the islanded power grid are determined such that the frequency and voltage of the islanded power grid (10) are within the defined limits. Then, after a defined period of time, second operating parameters (30) for the islanded power grid (10) are determined such that it is operated in a cost-optimal manner.After determining the second operating parameters (30) for the cost-optimal operation of the island power grid (10), it is checked whether these second operating parameters (30) ensure that the frequency and voltage of the island power grid (10) remain within the defined limits, and if so, the second operating parameters (30) are used for the operation of the island power grid (10), and if not, the second operating parameters (30) are not used for the operation of the island power grid (10).