Computational Math of the Power Grid

Spring 2012

MW 11:00 - 12:15, 834 Mudd

grid 




Introductory notes (mostly from Wikipedia)

Supplementary materials



HW



This course focuses on the backbone of modern power grids: transmission systems.  We will examine a number of interesting problems arising in the operation, design and analysis of transmission systems from the perspective of Computational Mathematics and Operations Research.  The initial lectures will draw from the textbook;  some of the later lectures will consist on presentations by student teams.  Additionally, the course will have a computational component in the form of a final project.

Students interested in this course should have a working background on Linear Algebra, some knowledge of Physics and Calculus, and should be able to program at least in Matlab and preferably also in some high-level language such as C, C++ or Java.

We will rely on the following textbook:  "Power Systems Analysis," by A. R. Bergen and V. Vittal (2nd edition, Prentice-Hall).

Additional material from several sources will also be provided.

A broad outline of the course is as follows:
  • Introduction: the physics of power flows
  • Modeling transmission systems using AC power flow equations
  • Linearized power flow systems
  • Solution methods for full AC power flow systems
  • Comparison of linearized and AC power flow systems
  • Stability analysis and the N-k problem
  • Modeling the behavior of renewables in a transmission system
  • Modeling and analyzing cascading failures of transmission systems




Last revised: Feb 1 2012