RESEARCH GROUPS
Brunel Institute of Power Systems Group(BIPS)
Research Aims and Strategies:
The commercial and industrial research clients of the group, particularly the electricity supply industry, will continue to undergo dynamic change in the coming years. This is a consequence of de-regulation, changing priorities on energy sources and the emission of pollutants, and the world-wide introduction of new market regimes. The group aims to continue to provide technological solutions at the forefront of research in these areas. Current research funding has been obtained approximately one third from UK government sources (EPSRC) and two thirds from UK and international industry
Research themes and description of activities:
Power systems analysis for transmission and distribution networks, including steady-state and dynamic analysis, linear and non-linear operation. Investigation of algorithms for congestion monitoring in transmission networks. Simulation and analysis of new energy markets. Portfolio and strategy optimisation taking into account risk and uncertainty. Optimisation of the design and operation of electrical networks. Modelling and optimal control of FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems). Condition monitoring of power station and power system plant. Development of advanced mathematical models of underground electric cables.
Research Data:
Total Grant Income: £ 1,382 kNumber of Projects: 14
Number of Refereed Journal Papers: 97
Number of Refereed Conference Papers (and Book Chapters): 64
Number of Research Students:
PhD current 15, PhD completed 19, MPhil current 2, MPhil completed 6
PhDs Awarded: 19
RAs and RFs: 9
National and International Collaborations:
Tsing Hua University, China; University of Plzen, Czech Republic, University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
Key Industrial Collaborators: National Grid Company, British Energy, ALSTOM, BNFL.
Research Impact:
Computer models and optimisation algorithms produced by the group have been implemented in over 35 utility companies, in 7 countries. New algorithms resulting from the research, and described in publications, have taken up and further developed by many researchers, internationally
Inter- Multi- and Cross-disciplinary Aspects:
The research of the group draws on the disciplines of electrical power engineering, control engineering, optimisation theory, computational algorithms and methods and information technology. Much of the research is multi-disciplinary, with individual research projects requiring skills in two or more disciplines.
Future Plans and Developments:
The group plans to maintain and extend its international collaborations. It is intended to foster partnerships within the group and collaboration with other groups. In particular, research on novel heuristic optimisation techniques should have benefits for many of the technological applications areas of interest to the group. Energy utilities continue to undergo rapid technological change as a consequence of international de-regulation and the increasing importance of alternative and renewable sources. The research group intends to respond to evolving research requirements in these fields and also (where possible) to anticipate future needs, for example producing novel algorithms for the operation of power systems as energy markets, incorporating risk management under technical and financial uncertainties