The power industry places specific requirements on a continuous balance between power production and consumption. Power grid instability can have serious technical, financial and social consequences. In the event of imbalance the grid may oscillate, which may lead to failure affecting large areas. In the worst case, lives may be lost. A new publication from SINTEF Academic Press describes a mathematical method to help prevent such instability.
Power supply planning includes analyses which simulate electrical system performance under selected and alternative conditions. Dynamic analyses are used in an effort to ensure that decisions connected with construction and subsequent continuous operation are made in accordance with the agreed quality requirements for the supply system.
The publication, An Intelligible and Practicable Methodology for Power System Dynamic Analysis, by Senior Adviser Arne Johannesen, presents a clear and flexible method for dynamic analysis of power supply systems. The method is based on the definition and development of a system of compact sub-models to describe the components constituting the power system.
The method links the components’ sub-models to create an overall model of the power system in a standardized manner. The analysis concept thereby facilitates “plugging in” new types of system components, following the creation of the necessary sub-models.
“This will make it easier for students and system developers to test models for new components and check how these function in a complete power supply system,” says Sverre Aam, President of SINTEF Energy Research.
The author of the publication, Arne Johannesen, came to SINTEF Energy Research (then the Electrical Power Supply Research Institute) in 1961, and was the first person at the institute to work with computer technology. At this point he had already been addicted to computing for two years, after studying at university in Canada.
“Arne Johannesen’s wide-ranging theoretical insight is unique. He has a special ability to consider both the big picture and the details and has been a major inspiration for his colleagues. Hence he became pivotal in the development of a major specialist environment at SINTEF Energy Research,” says Aam.
