A smart grid is an electric power system that employs modern power electronics, advanced instrumentation, secure communication, and information technologies so that it is robust against disturbances with the least likelihood of blackouts and is efficient in energy transfer between sources and loads at the lowest cost to consumers. The grid should also provide quality power to various loads and accommodate wind, solar and other alternative power generation and storage options. To achieve these objectives, research is needed to develop innovative technologies and tools in the areas of transmission, distribution, energy storage, power electronics, cyber security and instrumentation. The Smart Grid Team will conduct research on the following problems:

• Optimum and Stable Operation: Develop and test algorithms for accurate power system state estimation and control using PMU (phasor measurement unit) measurements for optimum operation; Design real-time stability assessment techniques to be used as load management and load shedding; Power marketing;
• Efficient Integration of Sources and Loads: Design advanced power electronic circuits and techniques for integration of renewable energy sources to power systems and improve power quality;
• Resilient and Secure Communication: Design wireless communication systems to facilitate two way communication between consumers and control centers and to implement real time power market;
• Ageing and Lifetime issues: Age determination based on condition rather than years in service; Estimation of leftover life of critical components (e.g. transformer) in the grid under stressed conditions to permit economical and efficient routing of power
• Accurate Instrumentation: Design of advanced PMUs, smart meters and other instruments;
• Protection against disturbances and threats: Improve protection using digital instrumentation, communication and switch gear; and
• Information Technology Applications:

Grand Challenges

• Make the grid self-healing from power disturbance events.
• Enable active participation by consumers in demand response.
• Operate the grid resiliently against physical and cyber attacks.
• Provide quality power for 21st century needs.
• Accommodate all generation and storage options in the grid.
• Optimize assets and operate the grid efficiently.

Coordinator

Joseph Ojo, TVA Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
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(931) 372-3869
Brown Hall (BRWN) 323 Webpage

Researchers

Adam Anderson, Assistant Professor
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(931) 372-3449
Brown Hall (BRWN) 334

Ali Alouani, Professor
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(931) 372-3383
Brown Hall (BRWN) 333

Rabie Belkacemi, Assistant Professor
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(931) 372-3626
Prescott Hall (PRSC) 440B

Omar Elkeelany, Associate Professor
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(931) 372-3677
Brown Hall (BRWN) 331 Webpage

Satish Mahajan, Professor
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(931) 372-3397
Prescott Hall (PRSC) 431

Joseph Ojo, TVA Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
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(931) 372-3869
Brown Hall (BRWN) 323 Webpage

Robert Qiu, Professor
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(931) 372-3847
Brown Hall (BRWN) 210 Webpage

Cognitive Radio Network

Ghadir Radman, Professor
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(931) 372-3520
Prescott Hall (PRSC) 433

 Research Interests

• Smart grid (modeling, operation, optimization, protection, control etc.)
• Integration of renewable sources (wind, PV, storage, etc.) to power grid
• Flexible AC Power Transmission Systems (FACTS)
• Optimal Power Flow (OPF)
• Power system voltage stability and reactive power compensation

Ambareen Siraj, Associate Professor
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(931) 372-3448
Bruner Hall (BRUN) 309 Webpage
Resume/CV

Information Assurance and Security, Software Engineering

Robert Craven, R&D Engineer
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(931) 372-3487
Prescott Hall (PRSC) 405

Current Research Interests:  Smart Grid, Microgrid test bed studies, Synchrophasor studies, and laboratory sized physical power grids for stability and control studies.

Syed Rafay Hasan, Assistant Professor
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(931) 372-3462
Brown Hall (BRWN) 319 Webpage

Research Interests: Digital VLSI Design, Asynchronous Circuits, Model Checking and its Application on Smart Grids

• Smart Grid researcher Robert C. Qiu co-authored a book entitled Cognitive Radio communication and Networking: Principles and Practice. Cognitive radio has application for a secure robust smart grid.

• A presentation targetting students for smart grid research on an in-house laboratory power grid can be found HERE!

• Former CESR student, Tapan K. Manna, Ph.D., P.E. is presenting a seminar Thursday November 15, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. in Brown Hall 208 entitled Field Testing of Oil Filled Transformers. This correlates well to CESR smart grid research in that Dr. Mahajan has been developing smart sensors to provide effective age of transformers.

• Former CESR student, Tapan K. Manna, Ph.D., P.E. is presenting a seminar Friday November 16, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. in Brown Hall 208 entitled HVDC Growth in US Transmission Networks. It is of note that under a recent DOE project, power line sag instrumentation developed at TTU was tested at the ORNL HVDC field test site.


• Robert Craven recently attended the TREEDC DIY solar installation workshop on Oct 18th 2012 at the University of Tennessee Conference Center. The workshop stressed that typical solar installations require roofing expertise, solar expertise, and electrical expertise all merged and that a Do It Yourselfer should get help in the areas that they are not proficient in themselves. The presentations were augmented by an excellent collection of articles provided as handouts.