Distribution automation: Applications to move from today's distribution system to tomorrow's smartgrid
In 2008 the Hydro-Québec Distribution roadmap was completed. The resulting roadmap is based on customers' expectations, Hydro-Québec's business drivers, available technologies, Hydro-Québec's context and electrical distribution industry trends. This paper will present the distribution roadmap and then will focus on application and technology strategy to move from today's distribution network to tomorrow's Smartgrid.
Smart Power Router: A Flexible Agent-Based Converter Interface in Active Distribution Networks
Due to the large-scale implementation of distributed generation, the power delivery system is changing gradually from a “vertically” to a “horizontally” controlled and operated structure. This transition has prompted the emergence of the active distribution network (ADN) concept as an efficient and flexible distribution system to deal with various challenging issues. This paper addresses a multiagent system (MAS) as a suitable technology to manage autonomous control actions and perform the coordination in an ADN. In this agent-based ADN a smart power router is implemented, which can flexibly integrate network areas and optimally manage power flows. Operational and control functions of the power router has been investigated in a laboratory experiment. In this lab setup, a configuration of the power router is established in a combination of a three-inverter system and an agent. The experiments show that the ADN can operate in an efficient and flexible way with the support of the power router interface. The control function of the inverters and the operation of MAS are thoroughly verified.
New approach to vision-based BGA package inspection
Ball grid array (BGA) techniques have developed very fast due to the advantages of more I/O ports, small size, and so on. In this paper, a vision-based algorithm for BGA package inspection is proposed to accurately estimate center and diameters of solder-balls of BGA packages, so that defects of BGA packages, such as missing or extra balls, oversize or undersize balls, over-height or under-height balls, and pitch can be detected for ensuring the quality of BGA packages.