This research presents a hierarchical energy management strategy for isolated microgrids (MG). The strategy’s objectives are achieved through a master-slave topology where local controllers are managed and controlled through a central controller. This can provide many technical advantages, particularly regarding the microgrid’s performance and the supply of energy. The local controller is designed to meet the local objectives of the microgrid, such as stabilization of DC voltage and maximization of sources’ extracted power. The objectives of the central controller are achieved through a centralized approach based on fuzzy logic to preserve battery life and manage the energy balance between generation and consumption. The microgrid’s performances were investigated under a steady-state and faulty regime. A Hardware in the Loop (HIL) test based on the Simulink platform is established by RT-LAB real-time simulator. Results are presented to validate the proposed hierarchical control. The OP1400 test bench, based on the OP4150 digital simulator, is utilized to test and validate the proposed hierarchical control strategy. The results are compared to international standards IEEE 1547 and IEC 61727, which demonstrate excellent consistency.
Many research laboratories, which develop advanced algorithms for controlling Renewable Energy Systems (RES), lack specialized equipment to carry out research activities and perform experiments. Real-time simulation platforms are suitable for designing specific applications such as fast or real-time computation models. In addition, these platforms provide fast, accurate and reliable studies for RES control implementation. However, Real-time platforms are too expensive and not affordable for most laboratories. In this context, a cost-effective platform is designed to assist researchers in their activities. The hardware solution consists of using a Programmable Logic Control (PLC) to acquire data from the various sensors and control the system through actuators and PID controllers. From a software standpoint, a communication framework between MATLAB and the PLC is developed using the OPC-UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) technology. In this paper, the operation and efficiency of the platform have been tested using the Software in the Loop (SIL) technique. Hence, the operating model is designed using MATLAB/Simulink to simulate and analyze the appropriate control technique suitable for PLC implementation, whereas the control is executed through Siemens S7-1200 PLC using TIA PORTAL. A visualization interface is set up using WinCC-RT. Furthermore, this paper describes the design of the platform and discusses its utilization, providing examples of its usage through a case study. Indeed, a complex algorithm developed in MATLAB/Simulink can be automatically executed by any PLC using the designed framework.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.