Sharif Digital Repository

In the past decade, distribution network operators have been broadly engrossed toward automated distribution networks. The operators acknowledge network automation as an efficient investment toward a better service reliability. This paper aims to provide a new long-term cost/benefit analysis for an optimal level of distribution network automation. In the analysis, reduction in customer outage cost is considered as the benefit of implementing automation systems with capital investment, and annual operation and maintenance costs. In the Finnish regulation model, there is a special incentive based on customer outage cost reduction. As the main contribution of this paper, the impact of earth... 

This paper presents a hierarchical demand response (DR) bidding framework in the day-ahead energy markets which integrates customer DR preferences and characteristics in the ISO's market clearing process. In the proposed framework, load aggregators submit aggregated DR offers to the ISO which would centrally optimize final decisions on aggregators' DR contributions in wholesale markets. The hourly load reduction strategies include load shifting and curtailment and the use of onsite generation and energy storage systems. The ISO applies mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) to the solution of the proposed DR model in the day-ahead market clearing problem. The proposed model is implemented... 

The integration of high-voltage direct-current (dc) transmission lines in conventional alternating-current (ac) systems would affect the indirect measurement of phasor measurement unit (PMU) devices since the concept of phasors would not correspond to dc transmission circuits. The optimal PMU placement problem in ac/dc systems subjected to the system observability is presented in this paper by applying a mixed-integer programming model. In practice, the cost of each PMU is variable as a function of PMU measurement channels. This attribute is incorporated in the proposed model as well. In addition, the number of PMU measurement channels is deemed to be technically limited; thus, the common... 

This paper proposes an operation framework for incorporating time-varying electricity rates into day-ahead distribution system operation. The day-ahead distribution system operation problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model, in which profit of the distribution system operator (DSO) from serving local loads is maximized. The impact of time-varying electricity rates on local loads is determined based on the estimated price elasticity of the customers and the historical consumption data. The customers' consumption behaviors in the absence of time-varying electricity rates are captured in terms of the customer baseline load (CBL). The proposed model is applied to a... 

Time-varying electricity rates enable demand-side potentials, which provide an opportunity for distribution companies (DisCos) to hedge against the financial risk imposed by volatile spot market prices and uncertain customers' load. In particular, time-varying rates can be effective alternatives for at least a portion of costly forward contracts. This paper establishes a stochastic framework to determine optimal forward market purchases under time-varying rates. Various electricity rating strategies with different time intervals covering flat, time-of-use, and real-time pricing schemes are considered. The objective of the framework is to maximize DisCo's expected profit while the exposure... 

Renewable energy resources, notably wind power, are expected to provide considerable portion of the world energy requirements in the near future. Many system operators around the world are challenged by the problems associated with integrating these intermittent resources into the grid. As one of the potential solutions, demand response (DR) is expected to play a major role for mitigating integration issues of intermittent renewable energy resources. In this context, this paper proposes a DR program which helps to integrate wind power by reshaping the load of the system. The DR program provides a framework to procure load reduction from DR resources in the wholesale energy market. The... 

This paper addresses the midterm preventive maintenance outage scheduling problem of thermal generating units which is becoming increasingly important due to the aging of power generation fleet. In this context, a novel midterm preventive maintenance outage scheduler is proposed based on decision tree and mixed integer linear formation which explicitly considers the thermal units aging momentum in terms of failure rate. This allows the system operators to determine the thermal units' maintenance outage window based on the cost/benefit analysis of preventive maintenance tasks while optimizing the time interval between consecutive maintenance tasks. Additionally, the division of the year-long... 

Automation is acknowledged by distribution utilities as a successful investment strategy to enhance reliability and operation efficiency. However, practical approaches that can handle the complex decision-making process faced by decision makers to justify the long-term financial effects of distribution automation have remained scarce. An automated and remote-controlled sectionalizing switch play a fundamental role in an automated distribution network. This paper introduces a new optimization approach for distribution automation in terms of automated and remotely controlled sectionalizing switch placement. Mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) is utilized to model the problem. The proposed... 

The concerns of regulatory authority for the cost efficiency and service quality of distribution utilities has led them to implement monetary schemes, such as penalty/reward mechanism (PRM). PRM provides explicit financial incentives for distribution system operators (DSO) to maintain or improve their efficiency and quality of service. Although the effectiveness of the PRM is proven, analytical tools that can handle the complex decision-making process faced by decision makers to respond to PRM are scarce. This paper presents an approach for distribution system maintenance management in the presence of the PRM. The proposed approach tailors the maintenance plans by taking into account the... 

This paper presents an optimization model for the calculation of the minimum number of phasor measurement units (PMUs) in electrical power networks. The problem constraint is a predefined probability of observability associated with each bus. The mixed-integer programming is used for the proposed optimization and an efficient linearization technique is proposed to convert the nonlinear function representing the probability of observability into a set of linear expressions. The PMU placement is staged in a multi-year planning horizon due to financial and physical constraints. The average probability of observability is maximized at the intermediate planning stages, subject to a limited number... 

This paper discusses various aspects of unified power flow controller (UPFC) control modes and settings and evaluates their impacts on the power system reliability. UPFC is the most versatile flexible ac transmission system device ever applied to improve the power system operation and delivery. It can control various power system parameters, such as bus voltages and line flows. The impact of UPFC control modes and settings on the power system reliability has not been addressed sufficiently yet. A power injection model is used to represent UPFC and a comprehensive method is proposed to select the optimal UPFC control mode and settings. The proposed method applies the results of a contingency... 

This paper proposes a stochastic mixed-integer programming (SMIP) model for the reliability-constrained unit commitment (RCUC) problem. The major objective of the paper is to examine both features of accuracy and efficiency of the proposed SMIP model of RCUC. The spinning reserve of generating units is considered as the only available reserve provision resource; however, the proposed formulation can be readily extended to comprise the other kind of reserve facilities. Expected load not served (ELNS) and loss of load probability (LOLP) are accommodated as the reliability constraints. Binding either or both reliability indices ensures the security of operation incorporating the stochastic... 

A highly sensitive and selective colorimetric method for detection of copper ions, based on anti-aggregation of D-penicillamine (D-PC) induced aggregated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was developed. Copper ions can hinder the aggregation of AuNPs induced by D-PC, through formation of mixed-valence complex with D-PC that is a selective copper chelator. In the presence of a fixed amount of D-PC, the aggregation of AuNPs decreases with increasing concentrations of Cu2+ along with a color change from blue to red in AuNPs solution and an increase in the absorption ratio (A520/A 650). Under the optimum experimental conditions (pH 7, [AuNPs] =3.0 nmol L-1 and [NaCl]=25 mmol L-1), a linear calibration... 

In this paper, the path independent interaction integral has been implemented in the framework of the extended finite element method for mixed mode adiabatic cracks under thermo-mechanical loadings particularly in orthotropic non-homogenous materials. The mesh insensitivity and increased accuracy due to the thermal and displacement asymptotic analytical solutions are discussed and the contour independency of the interaction integral is investigated in different examples. Finally, the problem of crack propagation in orthotropic FGM materials under the thermal loading is investigated to assess the accuracy and robustness of proposed approach  

In this paper, a new all-optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) in a TDM system is proposed and analyzed. The scheme relies on using fiber optical parametric amplifier (FOPA) device models and theories. In the proposed OPLL, the local clock pulse stream and the received data signal pulses are fed into the FOPA as its pump and amplified signals, respectively. The power of the resulting, relatively, strong idler signal depends on the phase difference between the local clock and the received data signal pulses, and it is used to reveal the OPLL's error signal. We characterize the mathematical structure of the proposed OPLL and identify its three intrinsic sources of phase noises namely, randomness of... 

This research studies multi-objective master production schedule (MPS) and advanced order commitment (AOC) in two-stage supply chains. Simulation-based experimental analysis evaluates the impact of environmental and MPS design factors on schedule cost and instability. The results provide insight into multi-objective MPS design considerations through rolling schedule policies. The study reveals that the manufacturers production smoothness utility coefficient and its interaction with other experimental factors considerably impact on the systems performance. In addition, it introduces a simulation framework with embedded mixed integer programming models that could be used as a framework for... 

In this work, a general semi-analytical method for the determination of the elastic fields within an anisotropic homogeneous elastic solid with an inclined edge or interior crack is developed. In this method, the displacement field is represented as a sum of a function and a finite series of functions with unknown coefficients. The functions are constructed in such a way that all the essential homogeneous and inhomogeneous boundary conditions are satisfied exactly and, moreover, the displacement discontinuity across the crack faces as well as the exact singular behaviour of the stress field at the crack-tip are captured. The unknown coefficients are determined by utilizing the principle of... 

Pure Zn and Zn matrix composite coatings containing nano-sized SiC particles with an average size of 50 nm were prepared from the zinc sulfate bath. The effects of the pulse frequency, maximum current density and duty cycle on the amount of particles embedded were examined. Electron microscopic studies revealed that the coating morphology was modified by the presence of SiC nanoparticles. In the presence of SiC nanoparticles deposit grows in outgrowth mode resulting in a very rough and porous microstructure. However, at very low and very high duty cycles a smooth and pore free microstructure was obtained. Corrosion resistance properties of the coatings were studied using potentiodynamic... 

The rising velocity of air bubbles in surfactant solutions is a sensitive measure for the formation of a dynamic adsorption layer (DAL) at the bubble surface. Due to a certain surface coverage by adsorbed species the bubble surface starts to become immobilized and the rising velocity is retarded. There is a large difference in the retardation effect in presence of the protein β-lactoglobulin (BLG) alone and its mixed solutions with surfactants. In presence of added surfactants BLG forms complexes, which adsorb and retard the bubble rising velocity according to their respective surface activity and adsorption kinetics. While the nonionic surfactant C12DMPO does not show significant increase... 

Several phantoms have been fabricated for reflection measurements from human tissues in the range of 26.5-40 GHz. For the first time, a novel composition is introduced for fabrication of low-cost simple tissue-equivalent phantoms. The effective medium theory is applied to estimate the dielectric properties of phantoms consisting of polyethylene (PE) powder and the results are verified by dielectric properties measurement on the proposed phantoms. It is shown that mixing theory can estimate the dielectric properties of the PE-based phantoms with minimum error. Therefore, the amount of the ingredients can be estimated theoretically