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ECE 753 Computational Methods for Power Systems

3 Credit Hours

This course is designed to introduce computational methods used for power grid operation and planning. The course will help students understand the various computational methods that form the basis of major commercial software packages used by grid analysts and operators. Students are expected to have some basic understanding of principles of power system analysis including power system models, power flow calculation, economic dispatch, reliable and stability analysis. The course covers the following computational methods commonly used in power grid operation and planning: Locational Marginal Pricing Schemes, Game Theory, Unconstrained Optimization, Linear Programming, Non-linear Constrained Optimization, and Forecasting Methods.

Students want to pursue a career as a power grid planner or operator or PhD students who are interested in research in the following areas: renewable integration, demand response, energy storage, energy management systems, power system economics, should think of taking the course.

Prerequisite

Graduate standing in ECE;

Power System Analysis (NC State ECE 451)  OR

Power System Operation and Control (NC State ECE550)

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Develop basic understanding on the operation mechanism of deregulated electricity markets
    • Locational Marginal Pricing Schemes
    • Generator and Load gaming behaviors and their impacts on the market price and grid operation
  • Develop computer programs (MATLAB, PowerWorld) to perform unit commitment and economic dispatch
    • Optimization methods for solving unit commitment and economic dispatch problems
    • Stochastic models for power system loads, wind, and solar generation resources
  • Develop computer programs (MATLAB, PowerWorld) to solve power flow problems
    • Decoupled Power Flow, Fast Decoupled Power Flow, DC Power Flow
    • Optimal power flow
  • Develop computer programs (MATLAB) for using numerical methods to conduct transient stability analysis
    • PMU Data Analysis
    • Smart Meter Data Analysis

Course Requirements

There will be no midterm and final exams in this course. You will complete 10 homework assignments (require you to program with Matlab) and two research projects.

Grading Scale

    A+     97-100 %           B+    87-89.9 %           C+    77-79.9 %             D+    67-69.9 %           F    0-59.9 %  

    A       93-96.9 %           B      83-86.9 %           C      73-76.9 %             D      63-66.9 %

    A-      90-92.9 %          B-     80-82.9 %           C-     70-72.9 %             D-     60-62.9 %

Matlab and Powerworld will be the main computational tool for both the homework and the projects.

Power World can be downloaded for free at: http://www.wolftech.ncsu.edu/files/powerworld/

Note that it can only work on PC.

Textbook

Textbooks:

  1. Power Generation, Operation, and Control, 3rd edition, A.J. Wood, B. F. Wollenberg, John Wiley & Sons ($71.40)

References:

  1. Computational Methods for Electric Power Systems, Third Edition (Electric Power Engineering Series) 3rd Edition, M. L. Crow, CRC press ($129.95)
  2. Fundamentals of Power System Economics, Daniel S. Kirschen, Goran Strbac, Wiley. ($139.20)

Computer and Software Requirements

Matlab and Powerworld will be the main computational tool for both the homework and the projects.

Power World can be downloaded for free at: http://www.wolftech.ncsu.edu/files/powerworld/

Note that it can only work on PC.

Updated 10/07/2020