Industry Demos




The Smart Grid Testbed at FIU (4 Tours per day)

The Energy Systems Research Laboratory (ESRL) at Florida International University features a state of the art Smart Grid testbed. This is a unique facility for emulating real-time AC power grid capable of providing scenarios with actual power generation, transmission and distribution. The testbed integrates Cyber Physical System, Multi Agent Based Hierarchical Distributed systems in addition to communication layers.



Smart Grid Test Bed features modern cyber-physical system infrastructure includes phasor measurement units (PMU), intelligent electronic devices (IED) and smart meters. The CPS components are communicated through a flexible network infrastructure by Cloud and software defined network (SDN). The interoperability of the industrial protocols are established by OPC middleware and DDS/RTPS. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation toolbox and API were developed to provide standard interface and remote experiment features.

 
ESRL Wide Area Monitoring, Control and Protection (WAMPAC) and Distribution Automation and Protection Framework is designed to establish a state-of-the-art industrial platform to develop, test and verification of various smart grid concepts for future power systems.

It also incorporates SCADA systems with PMU Based Wide Area Monitoring, Control and Protection, Flywheel Energy Storage Systems and microgrids featuring Artificial Intelligence based power electronic controllers that Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) based power switching devices. The facility also includes most types of alternate and conventional energy resources and programmable load emulators. A complete power electronics and electric drives laboratory facility is available for hardware based development of converters and controllers as well as embedded systems development.

Research projects are being conducted in design, control and management for bi-directional energy transfer system involving storage infrastructure including for electric-vehicles. Capabilities can be tested to demonstrate new energy flow services such as vehicle-to-grid (V2G), grid to vehicle (G2V), vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V). Wireless-based charging possibility is integrated to the wired technique to enhance the reliability of the electric-vehicle interaction.

The laboratory includes wind turbine and photovoltaic emulators in addition to various types of energy storage elements (flywheel, battery systems and ultra-capacitors). We are developing predictive and intelligent control algorithms for different applications under diverse loading conditions. For this purpose, we have developed modular intelligent energy management controllers for different energy storage systems. Furthermore, we are developed modeling and testing procedures for the optimization of DC distribution system architectures to reduce losses, and maintain voltage and frequency fluctuations within standards.

The Smart Grid Test Bed laboratory has energy flow capability of more than 120 kW in generation, considering all four generating stations on the AC side in addition to Energy Storage and renewable generation capabilities on the three microgrids.



Florida Power and Light (FPL) Mobile Command Center Demo

The Mobile Command Center’s advanced technology enables Florida Power & Light Company to monitor and manage its network on-scene at major events and emergencies, coordinate with other first-responders in the field, and interact face-to-face with customers and key stakeholders. The Mobile Command Center helps the company respond when customers need FPL the most.

Uses of FPL’s Mobile Command Center
FPL’s Mobile Command Center provides FPL with on-scene command and control during: » High-profile customer events » Major hazards or emergencies that may affect FPL’s customers » Support of other utilities during emergencies
Benefits to customers
» Streamlines the restoration of electric service by providing immediate, on-scene information to field crews and FPL data systems
» Provides timely and accurate communications
» Adapts to situation and level of need » Supports FPL's commitment to clean energy – environmentally friendly biodiesel

Features:
» Clean, 350 HP biodiesel engine
» 500 mile range (80-gallon fuel tank)
» Dimensions: 40 feet by 14 feet with slide-out rooms deployed
» Split work rooms » Conference room
» Self-sufficient » Work space for 12 employees

Communication capabilities
» Self-aiming satellite dish for network communications
» Multiple voice, data, and radio capabilities, ensuring redundancy
» Vehicle Area Network (VAN) providing mobile device connectivity

Advanced on-board technology
» Real-time access to FPL systems » Document printing and scanning capabilities
» High-definition exterior TV provides ability to: – View real-time media coverage of event – Show safety videos to crews
» Wireless announcing system facilitates: – Incident briefings – News conferences