Grid Modernization Technologies
Hardware Technologies
Locating Potential Transformer Failures in the Power Grid (2017-111)
This invention is used to locate the position of partial discharge events in the power grid based on the information from a set of ultra-high frequency (UHF) sensors from the transformer. Monitoring for partial discharge events helps ensure power grid reliability, as these events are a symptom of insulation weakness and the most common cause of transformer failure.
Inventor: Jonathan Wang, Kesheng Wu, Alex Sim
Contact: Shanshan Li
Fast, Accurate Estimation of Renewable Energy Generation on the Distribution Grid (2016-077)
This invention estimates renewable energy generation from behind the meter, i.e., residential and small commercial locations on distribution feeders. The technology utilizes real world measurements obtained from a distribution grid substation is two times more accurate than existing technologies.
Inventor: Emma M. Stewart
Contact: Shanshan Li
Longer Cycle Life, Lower Cost All-Organic Redox Flow Batteries (2016-126)
This invention pairs redox-active oligomers with size-selective, porous membranes that block the migration of active molecules while allowing the transport of supporting ions. The technology demonstrated a 9000-fold reduced rate of active material loss compared to traditional separators, offering a solution for low cost, long duration energy storage.
Inventor: Brett Helms
Contact: Shanshan Li
Cerium Hydrogen Redox Flow Batteries (2016-051)
This invention optimizes cell materials, electrolyte composition, and operating protocol to make the cerium-hydrogen redox flow cell a good candidate for large scale energy storage. The flow cell can also be used in chemical production methods in which the Ce4+ ion is produced electrochemically.
Inventor: Michael Tucker
Contact: Shanshan Li
Soluble Redox Mediators for Metal-Sulfur Batteries for Efficient Charge Transfer (2014-148)
This invention is a class of self-assembled organic semiconductor nanowires for liquid or flow-based electrochemical cells. These nanowires have three-dimensional electrical conductivity and self-healing properties.
Inventor: Brett Helms
Contact: Shanshan Li
Flow-Through Battery Electrode for Long Duration Energy Storage (2022-038)
This invention is a new electrode design to Ni-Zn flow batteries that significantly increases the energy density. The design makes electrode production easily scalable for grid-scale long duration storage, and the elimination of separators from the cell design makes the electrodes directly recyclable at end-of-life.
Inventor: Daniel Collins-Wildman
Contact: Shanshan Li
Ceramic Composite for High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage (2022-031)
This invention is a conductive ceramic composite material that can store energy as heat up to 1800 oC for tens to hundreds of hours. The material can be charged efficiently via Joule heating and then the energy can be discharged either directly as heat or converted back to electricity through thermophotovoltaics or an appropriate heat engine.
Inventor: Sean Lubner
Contact: Shanshan Li
Composite Material for Salt Hydrate Thermochemical Energy Storage (2022-148)
This invention is a composite material for stable, long-term thermochemical energy storage that can be fabricated through a dry-mixing process. The dry-mixing process is scalable and eliminates the agglomeration problem that reduces the cycling stability of other thermochemical energy storage materials, demonstrated in the stable performance of this material for over 500 cycles.
Inventor: Andrew Martin
Contact: Shanshan Li
Software Technology
Distributed Optimal and Predictive Energy Resource (open source)
This technology provides a predictive control solution for distributed energy resources and integrated energy systems: This package is an optimal control framework for behind-the-meter battery storage, photovoltaic generation, and other distributed Energy Resources.
Inventor: Christoph Gehbauer, Jean Lassere
Contact: Shanshan Li
Smart Control of Distributed Energy Resources (open source)
This Modelica model library was developed to facilitate the simulation and optimization of distributed energy resources such as photovoltaics, battery storage, smart inverters, electric vehicles, and electric power systems.
Inventor: Christoph Gehbauer, J. Müller, T. Swenson
Contact: Shanshan Li
DER-CAM
The Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model (DER-CAM) is a powerful and comprehensive decision support tool that primarily serves the purpose of finding optimal distributed energy resource (DER) investments in the context of either buildings or multi-energy microgrids.
Inventor: Nicholas DeForest
Contact: Shanshan Li
Least-cost Optimal Distribution Grid Expansion (LODGE) v1
This tool finds the least-cost portfolio of traditional distribution system upgrades to integrate new loads and behind-the-meter DERs in combination with advanced non-wire alternative (NWA) planning solutions, such as utility-owned storage and distributed PV.
Inventor: Miguel Heleno
Contact: Shanshan Li
Reconductoring Economic and Financial Analysis Tool (REFA) v1.0
This tool is designed to help transmission planners better understand the financial, environmental and economic benefits of reconductoring upgrades, using traditional or advanced conductors. More specifically, the tool enables grid planners and utilities to demonstrate the entire lifetime value of reconductoring projects, providing potential justifications for projects with higher Capex. Existing tools are designed to compare technical aspects of different conductor applications, which typically do not allow a cost-benefit analysis over the lifetime of the conductor’s operations.
Inventor: Miguel Heleno
Contact: Shanshan Li
Reinforcement Learning for Distribution Grid Optimization (PyCIGAR)
This invention is a deep reinforcement learning for DER cyber-attack mitigation: deep reinforcement learning as a tool to learn the optimal parameters for the control logic of a set of uncompromised DER units to actively mitigate the effects of a cyber-attack on a subset of network DER.
Inventor: Sean Peisert, Daniel Arnold
Contact: Shanshan Li
Analytics for Stream-Processing Architecture for Real-time Cyber-physical Security (Analytic-SPARCS)
This technology is a stream-processing architecture for real-time cyber-physical security. (SPARCS)
Inventor: Sean Peisert
Contact: Shanshan Li