CPS: Synergy: Collaborative Research: Boolean Microgrid

Abstract

The Boolean Microgrid (BM) emulates the Internet by supplying discrete power and discrete data over a network link that follows Boolean logic and is not continuous as in a conventional 60-Hz-ac or dc microgrid. BM is thus a highly integrated cyber-physical system (CPS) that features the convergence of control, communication and the physical plant. BM?s realization poses the following research challenges that we plan to address: a) what is the most efficient, economic, power-dense, and reliable way of integrating the distributed energy sources and loads to the BM, and the BM to the utility grid, using power-electronic interfaces for seamless and on-demand distributed power delivery? b) what is the control-communication mechanism that optimizes BM nodal and network control performances under conditions of varying power generation and load demand and communication-network throughput and reliability? Our unique approaches to address these research challenges will encompass novel mechanisms based on high-frequency-link power conversion, dynamic-pricing based optimal network capacity and resource utilization, event-triggered sampling and communication, and optimal switching-sequence control. BM has the potential to influence next-generation systems including smart grid, vehicular microgrid, electric ships, military microgrid, electric aircraft, telecommunication systems, and residential, commercial, and critical-infrastructure (e.g., hospital) power systems. On the educational front, the proposed project will provide graduate- and post-graduate-level education to four researchers. Further, multiple undergraduate (including minority) students and middle-school students will be provided research/educational opportunities. The results of the research will be integrated into undergraduate and graduate courses at the collaborating universities including a dedicated course on CPS.

Sudip Mazumder

Sudip K. Mazumder is the Director of Laboratory for Energy and Switching-Electronics Systems and a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UIC. He has over 22 years of professional experience and has held R&D and design positions in leading industrial organizations and has served as Technical Consultant for several industries. Dr. Mazumder also serves as the President of NextWatt LLC, a small business organization that he setup in 2008. His current areas of interests are a) Interactive power-electronics/power networks, smart grid, and energy storage; b) Renewable and alternative energy based power electronics systems for distributed generation and microgrid; and c) Optically-triggered wide-bandgap power-electronics device and control technologies and SiC and GaN device based high-frequency, high-temperature, and high-voltage power electronics. Since joining UIC in 2001, Dr. Mazumder has been awarded about 40 sponsored projects by NSF, DOE, ONR, ARPA-E, CEC, EPA, AFRL, NASA, NAVSEA, and multiple leading industries in above-referenced areas. He has published over 150 refereed papers in prestigious journals and conferences and has published 1 book and 6 book chapters. About 50% of his journal papers are published in IEEE transactions with a current impact factor close to 5. Dr. Mazumder has presented 47 invited/plenary/keynote presentations and currently, he also holds 7 issued and 3 pending patents.

Dr. Mazumder received his Ph.D. degree from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Virginia Polytechnic and State University (VPI&SU - also known as Virginia Tech) in 2001. He received his M.S. degree from the Department of Electrical Power Engineering of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1993. He received his B.E. degree from the Department of Electrical Engineering of University of Delhi, India in 1989 with distinction.

Dr. Mazumder received in 2013, the prestigious University Scholar Award from the University of Illinois and in 2011, the Teaching Recognition Program (TRP) Award at UIC. In 2008 and 2006, he received the prestigious Faculty Research Award from UIC for outstanding research performance and excellent scholarly activities. He also received the ONR Young Investigator Award and NSF CAREER Awards in 2005 and 2003, respectively, and prestigious IEEE Prize Paper Awards in 2002, 2007, and 2013 respectively. He also received the best paper presentation in a session award certificate from IEEE Industrial Electronics Conference in 2004 and 2012. In 2005, he led a team of University of Illinois, Chicago student team to first place in USA and third place in the world as a part of the highly reputed IEEE sponsored International Future Energy Challenge competition.

Dr. Mazumder served as the first Editor-in-Chief for International Journal of Power Management Electronics (currently known as Advances in Power Electronics) between 2006 and 2009. Currently, he also serves as the Guest-Editor-in-Chief for IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Special Issue on High-Frequency-Link Power-Conversion Systems (2013-2014) and the lead Guest Editor for IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics Special Section on Control Strategies for Spatially Distributed Interactive Power Networks (2013-2014).

Currently, Dr. Mazumder also serves as an Associate Editor for EEE Transactions on Power Electronics (since 2009), IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics (since 2003), and IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronics Systems (since 2008). He is also an Editorial Board Member for Advances in Power Electronics. Previously, he has also served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems and IEEE Power Electronics Letter. He has also served as the Guest Co-Editor for the following Transaction Special Issues: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Special Issue on Power Electronics in DC Distribution Systems (2011-2013) and Advances in Power Electronics Special Issue on Advances in Power Electronics for Renewable Energy (2010-2011).

In 2010, Dr. Mazumder served as the Chair, Student/Industry Coordination Activities for IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, which is the largest conference in power electronics today in North America. He served as the Co-Chair for of IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) Technical Committee on Sustainable Energy Systems (SES) and currently serving as the Technical Awards Committee Chair for SES. Currently, he is also serving as the Vice Chair of IEEE PELS Subcommittee on Distributed Generation and Renewable Energy. He is also serving as the Advisory Committee Member for 2012 IEEE India International Conference on Power Electronics and has also served in the same capacity for 2010 IEEE International Symposium on Power Electronics for Distributed Generation Systems. He is serving/has served as Technical Program Committee Member for numerous IEEE sponsored and other reputed conferences including IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, IEEE Industrial Electronics Conference, IEEE International Symposium on Power Electronics for Distributed Generation Systems.

Dr. Mazumder has been invited on by the inaugural 2012 Clean Energy Trust Show Case, an event that will connect entrepreneurs, investors and researchers who can work together to commercialize the latest clean technology, to deliver his vision on Smart Grid. Between 2010 and 2011, he also served as an Advisory Council Member for Vice Chancellor for Research's Urban Resilience and Global Environment at UIC. In 2009 and 2010, he also served as the Expert Representative on Smart Grid for UIC at the Midwestern Great Lakes Alliance for Sustainable Energy Research (GLASER) initiative. In 2008, he was invited by DOE to participate along with several leading industries and selected academic professionals regarding High MW Power Converter for next generation power grid. In 2008, he was invited by NSF to participate in a unique workshop (comprising leading industries and research experts) leading to decision on nation's specific R&D focus on energy and energy distribution over the next ten and fifty years. Dr. Mazumder has also been invited to serve as the Working Group Committee Member for IEEE P1676, which focuses on Control Architecture for High Power Electronics (> 1 MW) used in Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Systems. In 2009, Dr. Mazumder was also part of the team that wrote the National Science Foundation and National Coordination Office for Networking and Information Report on Research Directions for Future Cyber-Physical Energy Systems. Dr. Mazumder has delivered over 43 invited/keynote/plenary lectures, presentations, and tutorials to leading conferences, national laboratories, universities, and industries and has served as a panel reviewer and reviewer for NSF, DOE, ARPA-E, CRDF, and AAAS.

Performance Period: 10/01/2012 - 09/30/2016

Institution: University of Illinois at Chicago

Sponsor: National Science Foundation

Award Number: 1239118