Hybridization of energy storage units is a topic of interest in the nowadays context of transition towards more sustainable ways of energy production and consumption. Extensive research continues to be devoted to this topic, whereas various technical solutions have already been successfully implemented for a plethora of applications. This paper aims in a first step at overviewing the necessity of storage units in an increasingly renewable-based, decentralized energy production, then at explaining the role of hybridization of different storage technologies for more versatility and flexibility in what is generally known as a smart grid context. Then, the focus is on how to make the different energy storage sources to optimally and robustly cooperate towards a common goal. It is about obtaining a “fusion” of different heterogeneous sources. The answer to this problem obviously requires advanced control approaches being employed. An overview of most effective and widely used control strategies is envisaged – accompanied by some illustrative application results – out of which robust control techniques are given a special attention. This paper ends by attempting a look towards the future, namely by identifying some open questions and research directions worthy to further investigate.
To make possible powering all appliances installed into a camper van room, an efficient power supply system must be designed. It should be able to collect energy from either the power grid or the solar panel system or other renewable energy, when the camper is parked into a camping spot. The energy is also needed when the camper is stopped into the wild. Moreover, the battery can be charged from the car alternator, while the camper van is moving from one place to another. This paper aims to provide necessary information about constructing a charging system for the battery which powers the electronics into the camper van room, focusing on comparing different approaches. It is demonstrated that using only three solar panels with a cumulative power of 250Wh, enough energy for powering all appliances of high necessity for a camper van is obtained.
Increasing energy demand requires the application of smart Direct current [DC] grids. To empower the creation of these DC systems the need of a smart converter is required. This paper proposes a smart and configurable educational code using a half-bridge topology as a converter. The Universal One Leg and Universal Four Leg are used as the configurable hardware, the universal code will be implemented on an Arduino Internet of Things [IoT] and can be configurable Over-The-Air [OTA]. This combination of flexible hardware and software allows bidirectional energy flow to control and manage appliances. In code, a selection of the functionality can be made. Such as basic buck or boost mode to have a stable voltage or current flowing through the converter. But also smarter functions such as Battery Management Systems [BMS] and Maximum Power Point Trackers [MPPT] systems can be selected. The converter can behave as such a converter and adding more of these converters in a system parts a system response can be measured. All data through this converter will be collected on the server side and can be analyzed through a simple dashboard. Main goal for this converter is to use it as a way to implement a DC micro-grid, although it can also be used to teach students about micro-grids in practical lessons. This document will discuss the architecture and functionality of the code and show results measured in a lab environment.
In this paper the results of research in optimizing a waveguide antenna, by applying optimization techniques based on genetic algorithms, are presented. The optimization process consists in identifying the radiating elements that have to be eliminated from a fully populated configuration (elements that cancel receive the excitation value equal to 0, and those that remain active receive the excitation value equal to 1).
Low Noise Block (LNB) circuits are an essential component of satellite receiving systems in televisions. LNB converts high-frequency satellite signals into a lower frequency range for transmission to the receiver. Also, LNB ensures low-noise signal reception, enables polarization control, supports multiple frequency bands, and amplifies signals. The LNB power circuits provide power to the LNB. Voltage-controlled boost converters are commonly used in these circuits; the current limiting feature used in these circuits can be insufficient to handle sudden current spikes, leading to feedback from end users. They are not immune to short circuits because of installation problems with satellite cables, which are a common failure mode that potentially damages the LNB power or other components in the television, resulting in a loss of satellite signal. Hence, leading to a poor user experience and harming the manufacturer’s reputation. Replacing a damaged LNB power circuit is also difficult b ecause i t i s o ften i ntegrated i nto t he T V’s d esign and is not easily replaceable. To mitigate this problem, a parallel resonant converter approach is introduced that limits the output current up to a pre-defined l evel b y f requency c ontrol, which provides an alternative to voltage-controlled boost converters. Parallel resonant converter circuits operate as current sources so maximum current cannot exceed this defined operation frequency point under any circumstances. In this study, the mathematical equations of the proposed circuit were obtained, and then the operating conditions were determined. The operation frequency ranges were interpreted graphically using Matlab, and the parallel resonant converter design was evaluated using simulation model by using MATLAB’s Simulink Toolbox. These results show that the parallel resonant converter approach maintaining a stable current and reducing the risk of short circuit damage. The proposed design is expected to reduce repair costs due to LNB power circuits for TV manufacturers.
