Water cycle algorithm-based optimal control strategy for efficient operation of an autonomous microgrid

• Published in: IET generation, transmission & distribution Vol. 12; no. 21; pp. 5739 - 5746
• Main Authors: Hasanien, Hany M, Matar, Mahmoud
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 27.11.2018
• Subjects: autonomous microgrid; autonomous operation; decentralised operation; distributed power generation; genetic algorithms; genetic algorithm‐based PI controller; integral squared error; islanded system; microgrid load; microgrid operation; multiple electronically interfaced distributed generation units; operating conditions; optimal control; PI control; power distribution control; proportional–integral controllers; Research Article; simulation‐based optimisation approach; water cycle algorithm‐based optimal control strategy; WCA‐based optimal PI control scheme; power distribution control; autonomous operation; PI control; autonomous microgrid; genetic algorithm-based PI controller; operating conditions; water cycle algorithm-based optimal control strategy; optimal control; WCA-based optimal PI control scheme; genetic algorithms; distributed power generation; microgrid operation; proportional–integral controllers; multiple electronically interfaced distributed generation units; decentralised operation; simulation-based optimisation approach; microgrid load; integral squared error; islanded system
• ISSN: 1751-8687; 1751-8695
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-gtd.2018.5715

This study presents a novel water cycle algorithm (WCA)-based optimal control strategy with the purpose of obtaining an efficient operation of an autonomous microgrid. The proposed control strategy is based on the proportional–integral (PI) controllers, which are optimally designed by the WCA. The optimisation process depends on the simulation-based optimisation approach and the criteria of integral squared error are chosen as an objective function. The control scheme is applied to an autonomous, decentralised, operation of a microgrid with multiple electronically interfaced distributed generation units and their local loads. In the islanded mode, the proposed controller is used to control the voltages of the islanded system despite the microgrid load and topological variability and uncertainties. The frequency of the islanded system is dictated through the use of an internal oscillator. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is compared with that obtained using the genetic algorithm-based PI controller. The validity of the proposed control strategy is extensively checked based on simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC environment under different operating conditions of the microgrid. With the application of the WCA-based optimal PI control scheme, the microgrid operation can be further enhanced.