Search Results (18)

Obvious size-dependent bending responses are observed in porous polymer beams, particularly as their thickness approaches the scale of the lattice constant. However, the relationship between the size dependency and the microstructure remains unclear. Direct numerical simulations are computationally expensive due to the complexity of the microstructures, while classical multiscale methods, which neglect the surface effect, yield results that deviate significantly from actual behavior. In this study, an equivalent model for porous polymer beams incorporating surface-driven moment of inertia is developed to capture the size-dependent Young’s modulus by introducing a surface strength factor and surface thickness. Then, an online prediction framework based on the offline dataset generated by the moment-of-inertia-dependent surface homogenization method was established for size-dependent bending response. The proposed framework is evaluated in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency. Results show that the classical multiscale homogenization method can produce relative errors as high as 1108%, whereas the surface homogenization method maintains relative errors below 4%. Moreover, the computational cost is substantially reduced compared to direct numerical simulations. This work not only uncovers the underlying moment-of-inertia-dependent surface mechanism of the size-dependent behavior in metamaterial beams but also delivers an accurate and efficient tool for their structural design and performance prediction. Full article

The increasing penetration of converter-interfaced generation raises critical concerns for power system stability, especially during rapid transients and system split events that are not yet adequately addressed in current grid code compliance tests. This paper assesses the resilience of a Virtual Synchronous Machine (VSM) in comparison with a grid-following photovoltaic (PV) inverter through a combined framework of standardized benchmark tests and realistic system split scenarios. In benchmark testing, the VSM provided synthetic inertia by delivering a transient-power burst from a 0.30 p.u. setpoint to 0.545 p.u. (on a 20 MVA base, representing 54.5% of rated capacity) under a $-0.4$ Hz/s frequency ramp, corresponding to an equivalent inertia constant of approximately 15 s. With the limited frequency-sensitive mode–underfrequency (LFSM-U) function enabled, it sustained additional active power up to 0.61 p.u. once the frequency fell below 49.8 Hz. The PV inverter, by contrast, demonstrated compliance with conventional grid requirements: it curtailed power through LFSM-O during overfrequency conditions and injected 0.25 p.u. of reactive current during a fault ride-through (FRT) event at 1.129 p.u. voltage. In system split tests, the VSM absorbed surplus PV generation, stabilizing frequency after a transient rise to 52.8 Hz and containing voltage excursions beyond 1.2 p.u. During imbalance stress, it absorbed 1.266 MW against its 1.0 MW rating for approximately 2–3 s, corresponding to a 26.6% overload that falls within typical IGBT transient thermal capability but would require supervisory intervention (e.g., PV curtailment or load management) if sustained. These results demonstrate that while the PV inverter contributes valuable voltage support, only the grid-forming VSM maintains frequency stability and ensures secure islanded operation. The novelty of this study lies in integrating standardized compliance tests with system split scenarios, providing a comprehensive framework for evaluating grid-forming controls under both regulatory and resilience-oriented perspectives and informing the evolution of future grid codes. Full article

Vibration energy harvesting from ambient mechanical sources offers a sustainable alternative to batteries for powering low-power electronics in remote environments, yet challenges persist in achieving broadband efficiency, low-frequency operation, and concurrent vibration suppression. Here, we introduce a pyramidal piezoelectric sandwich beam (PPSB) with periodic elastic constraints, leveraging homogenized lattice truss cores for enhanced electromechanical coupling. Using Lagrange equations, we derive the coupled dynamics, validated against finite element simulations with resonant frequency errors below 3%. Compared to equivalent-stiffness uniform beams, the PPSB exhibits 3.42-fold higher voltage and 11.68-fold greater power output, attributed to optimized strain distribution and resonance amplification. Parametric analyses reveal trade-offs: increasing core thickness or spring stiffness elevates resonant frequencies but reduces voltage peaks due to stiffness–strain imbalances; conversely, a larger beam length, truss radius or tilt angle will reduce the natural frequency while increasing the output through inertia and shear enhancement. Piezoelectric constants and load resistance minimally affect mechanics but optimize electrical impedance matching. This single-phase, geometrically tunable design bridges gaps in multifunctional metamaterials, enabling self-powered sensors with vibration attenuation for aerospace, civil infrastructure, and biomedical applications, paving the way for energy-autonomous systems. Full article

The integration of large-scale wind power clusters significantly reduces the inertia level of the power system, increasing the risk of frequency instability. Accurately assessing the equivalent virtual inertia of wind farms is critical for grid stability. Addressing the dual bottlenecks in existing inertia assessment methods, where physics-based modeling requires full control transparency and data-driven approaches lack interpretability for inertia response analysis, thus failing to reconcile commercial confidentiality constraints with analytical needs, this paper proposes a symbolic regression framework for inertia evaluation in doubly fed wind farms with limited control information constraints. First, a dynamic model for the inertia response of DFIG wind farms is established, and a mathematical expression for the equivalent virtual inertia time constant under different control strategies is derived. Based on this, a nonlinear function library reflecting frequency-active power dynamic is constructed, and a symbolic regression model representing the system’s inertia response characteristics is established by correlating operational data. Then, sparse relaxation optimization is applied to identify unknown parameters, allowing for the quantification of the wind farm’s equivalent virtual inertia. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated in an IEEE three-machine nine-bus system containing a doubly fed wind power cluster. Case studies show that the proposed method can fully utilize prior model knowledge and operational data to accurately assess the system’s inertia level with low computational complexity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Mask-wearing-induced discomfort often leads to unconscious loosening of the mask to relieve the discomfort, thereby compromising protective efficacy. This study investigated how leakage flows affect mask-associated thermoregulation and vapor trapping to inform better mask designs. An integrated ambience–mask–face–airway model with various mask-wearing misfits was developed. Methods: The transient warming/cooling effects, thermal buoyancy force, tissue heat generation, vapor phase change, and fluid/heat/mass transfer through a porous medium were considered in this model, which was validated using Schlieren imaging, a thermal camera, and velocity/temperature measurements. Leakages from the top and side of the mask were analyzed in comparison to a no-leak scenario under cyclic respiration conditions. Results: A significant inverse relationship was observed between mask leakage and facial temperature/humidity. An equivalent impact from buoyancy forces and exhalation flow inertia was observed both experimentally and numerically, indicating a delicate balance between natural convection and forced convection, which is sensitive to leakage flows and critical in thermo-humidity regulation. For a given gap, the leakage fraction was not constant within one breathing cycle but constantly increased during exhalation. Persistently higher temperatures were found in the nose region throughout the breathing cycle in a sealed mask and were mitigated during inhalation when gaps were present. Vapor condensation occurred within the mask medium during exhalation in all mask-wearing cases. Conclusions: The thermal and vapor temporal variation profiles were sensitive to the location of the gap, highlighting the feasibility of leveraging temperature and relative humidity to test mask fit and quantify leakage fraction. Full article

The low-voltage distribution system (LVDS) is confronted with high-frequency oscillation instability issues due to the negative impedance of constant power loads. To address this, a virtual inertia equivalent modeling method is proposed in this paper, and a reduced-order model along with its transfer function for the LVDS is established. On this basis, a method for solving the feasible region of virtual inertia parameters is proposed. Through this feasible region, reasonable droop coefficients and corner frequencies can be designed from the perspective of small-signal stability. Finally, the switching model of LVDS and its equivalent model are built using the RT-box HITL platform. Multiple sets of experimental results have verified the effectiveness of this feasible region. Full article

As renewable energy integration scales up, power systems increasingly depend on sources interfaced through power electronic converters, which lack rotating mass and substantially diminish system inertia. This reduction in inertia, coupled with the complex and diverse control strategies governing power electronics, presents significant challenges in accurately assessing the equivalent inertia levels within modern power systems. This paper introduces an online method for estimating the inertia time constant of power nodes, grounded in the node power flow equation, to address these challenges. The approach begins by deriving the rotor motion equation for synchronous generators and defining the inertia time constant of power nodes through an analysis of the power flow equations. Real-time frequency and voltage phasor data are collected from system nodes using phasor measurement units. The frequency state of the power equipment is then characterized using a divider formula, and the equivalent reactance between the power equipment and the node is further derived through the node power flow equation. This enables the real-time estimation of the equivalent inertia time constant for power nodes within the system. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulations on the WSCC9 system, confirming its applicability for real-time system analysis. Full article

As renewable energy sources like wind and solar power increasingly replace traditional energy sources and are integrated into the power grid, the issue of insufficient system inertia is becoming more apparent. This paper presents an online adaptive time window inertia constant identification method based on ambient measurements to identify the equivalent inertia constant of the time-varying inertia at Point of Interface (POI) level. The proposed method takes advantage of the online inertia estimation and the data-driven equivalent inertia constant identification techniques to simultaneously achieve online tracking and accuracy. With this regard, this paper first describes the inertia providers in modern system. Then, based on the frequency and power data measured by the Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU), this paper provides an improved data-driven equivalent inertia constant identification method. Subsequently, the paper proposes an ambient data smoothing method to cope with the numerical errors and provides, as a byproduct, an adaptive time window inertia constant identification. The adaptive time window is designed to enhance the accuracy of the method. Finally, the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method of tracking synthetic inertia are validated by the simulation tests based on a grid in northwest China with high renewable energy penetration and a Virtual Power Plant (VPP). The experimental results show that the accuracy of this method is within $5\%$. Full article

The flywheel is a widespread mechanical component used for the storage of kinetic energy and angular momentum. It typically consists of cylindrical inertia rotating about its axis on rolling bearings, which involves undesired friction, lubrication, and wear. This paper presents an alternative mechanism that is functionally equivalent to a classical flywheel while relying exclusively on limited-stroke flexure joints. This novel one-degree-of-freedom zero-force mechanism has no wear and requires no lubrication: it is thus compatible with extreme environments, such as vacuum, cryogenics, or ionizing radiation. The mechanism is composed of two coupled pivoting rigid bodies whose individual angular momenta vary during motion but whose sum is constant at all times when the pivoting rate is constant. The quantitative comparison of the flexure-based flywheel to classical ones based on a hollow cylinder as inertia shows that the former typically stores 6 times less angular momentum and kinetic energy for the same mass while typically occupying 10 times more volume. The freedom of design of the shape of the rigid bodies offers the possibility of modifying the ratio of the stored kinetic energy versus angular momentum, which is not possible with classical flywheels. For example, a flexure-based flywheel with rigid pivoting bodies in the shape of thin discs stores 100 times more kinetic energy than a classical flywheel with the same angular momentum. A proof-of-concept prototype was successfully built and characterized in terms of reaction moment generation, which validates the presented analytical model. Full article

Modern power systems include synchronous generators (SGs) and inverter-based resources (IBRs) that provide fast frequency support (FFS) to the system. To evaluate the FFS ability of both SGs and IBRs under a unified framework, this paper proposes a method that evaluates the FFS ability of each generation unit via its dynamic trajectories of the active power output and the frequency following a contingency. The proposed method quantified FFS ability via two indexes, namely, the equivalent inertia constant and the equivalent droop, of each generation unit. The Tikhonov regularization algorithm is employed to estimate the FFS ability indexes. The New England 10-machine system serves to validate the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed method and illustrate the different FFS ability of the grid−forming and grid−following IBRs. Full article

Synchronous generator-based power stations, with their inherent inertia, can maintain frequency stability during sudden load switching, while distributed generating station-driven microgrids suffer from a lack of natural inertia. Cascaded power, voltage, and current controllers are a widespread control strategy used to regulate the power output of distributed generating stations to maintain frequency and voltage within stable limits. Virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control for the power controller is used as a potential solution to emulate inertia. To derive maximum benefit from VSG, proper tuning of its multiple parameters is required. In this direction, earlier works proposed the equivalence between the droop and VSG schemes, which suggested that the droop coefficient value could be directly used in the design of VSG. As an improvement to these conventional works, the proposed work in this paper identifies that VSG delivers a better response when an equalizing constant is used to adjust the droop coefficient value than using it directly. This paper proposes implementing the VSG with an equalizing constant as a new design parameter. A description of designing the parameters of this improved VSG considering the equalizing constant is also discussed in this paper. The performance of the conventional VSG and the proposed improved VSG are compared. From the results, it is observed that, at load switching, the output frequency of the proposed method in all test cases has settled at less than 3 s, while the conventional method took a maximum of 6 s in critical cases. Further, the output frequency’s maximum peak with the proposed method is 3 Hz less than the conventional method. These, along with other metrics, validate the importance of the proposed improved VSG-based control scheme for the enhancement of transient responses in microgrids. Full article

Synchronized converters are being studied as a viable alternative to address the transition from synchronous generation to power-electronics-based generation systems. One of the important features that make the synchronous generator an unrivaled alternative for power generation is its stability properties and inherent inertial response. This work presents a stability analysis of a synchronverter-based system conducted through the bifurcation theory to expose its stability regions in a grid-connected configuration with an aggregate load model conformed by a ZIP model and an induction motor model. One and two-parameter bifurcation diagrams on the gain, load, and Thévenin equivalent plane are computed and analyzed. All the results confirm the strong stability properties of the syncronverter. Some relevant findings are that the reduction in a droop gain or time constant results in Hopf bifurcations and inertia reduction, but the increase in the time constant leads to decoupling between the reactive and active power loops. It is also found that the increment of a specific time constant (${\tau }_f>0.02$ s) increases the stability region on the droop gains plane to all positive values. It is also found that a low lagging power factor reduces the feasible operating and stable operating regions. For a lagging power factor above 0.755, subcritical Hopf bifurcation disappears, and also, the feasible operating solution overlaps the stability region. Finally, it is also found how the Thévenin equivalent affects the stability and that the stability boundary is delimited by Hopf bifurcations. The bifurcation diagrams are numerically computed using XPP Auto software. Full article

Invertor as a virtual synchronous generator (VSG) to provide virtual inertia and damping can improve the stability of a microgrid, in which the damping is one of the fundamental problems in dynamics. From the view of the Hamiltonian dynamics, this paper researches the damping formation mechanism and damping injection control of VSG. First, based on the energy composition and dynamic characteristics of VSG, the differential equations system of VSG is established and is transformed into the generalized Hamiltonian system. Second, the effects of the three parameters of VSG, the damping coefficient D, active power droop coefficient, and time constant of excitation T_E on damping characteristics are researched from a dynamic perspective, and simulation research is carried out with an isolated microgrid. Lastly, the control design method of Hamiltonian structure corrections used to add the damping factor and design the equivalent control inject damping to improve the stability of the isolated microgrid. Research shows that the voltage and frequency stability of the isolated microgrid can be effectively improved by selecting three key parameters of VSG and damping injection control. The innovations of this paper are 1. The Hamiltonian model of the inverter is deduced and established by taking the inverter as a virtual generator. 2. Based on the Hamiltonian model, damping characteristics of inverter in the microgrid are studied. 3. Hamiltonian structure correction method is applied to the inverter, and equivalent damping injection is designed to improve the stability of the microgrid. Full article

With the increasing wind power in power systems and the wide application of frequency regulation technology, the accurate calculation of the limit wind power capacity in systems is critical to ensure the stability of the frequency and guide the planning of wind power sources. This paper proposes an analytical method for calculating the maximum wind generation penetration under the constraints of frequency regulation control and frequency stability taking doubly fed induction generator as an example. Firstly, the frequency-domain dynamic model of the doubly fed induction generator is established considering the supplementary frequency proportion-differentiation control under small disturbance. The equivalent inertia time constant of the doubly fed induction generator is calculated. On this basis, the frequency response model of the power system with the consideration of wind power integration in frequency regulation control is constructed. Then, the frequency-domain analytical solution of the system frequency is obtained. Finally, with the constraint by the steady-state deviation and dynamic change rate of the system frequency, the maximum wind generation penetration is analytically solved. The accuracy of the proposed analytical calculation method for the limit value of the percentage of wind power is verified by MATLAB/Simulink. Full article

By combining the flapping and rotary motion, a bio-inspired flapping wing rotor (FWR) is a unique kinematics of motion. It can produce a significantly greater aerodynamic lift and efficiency than mimicking the insect wings in a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). To produce the same lift, the FWR’s flapping frequency, twist angle, and self-propelling rotational speed is significantly smaller than the insect-like flapping wings and rotors. Like its opponents, however, the effect of variant flapping frequency (VFF) of a FWR, during a flapping cycle on its aerodynamic characteristics and efficiency, remains to be evaluated. A FWR model is built to carry out experimental work. To be able to vary the flapping frequency rapidly during a stroke, an ultrasonic motor (USM) is used to drive the FWR. Experiment and numerical simulation using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are performed in a VFF range versus the usual constant flapping frequency (CFF) cases. The measured lifting forces agree very well with the CFD results. Flapping frequency in an up-stroke is smaller than a down-stroke, and the negative lift and inertia forces can be reduced significantly. The average lift of the FWR where the motion in VFF is greater than the CFF, in the same input motor power or equivalent flapping frequency. In other words, the required power for a VFF case to produce a specified lift is less than a CFF case. For this FWR model, the optimal installation angle of the wings for high lift and efficiency is found to be 30° and the Strouhal number of the VFF cases is between 0.3–0.36. Full article