Zonal DC Microgrid

The Zonal DC Microgrid is a next generation educational and research platform that replicates a 2 zone, distributed DC power system capable of simulating real world fault handling, isolation, and resilience strategies. Installed at IIT Roorkee, this system is equipped with multiple DC buses, adjustable voltage levels, and independent load/source configurations in each zone. The platform allows students and researchers to generate faults intentionally in one zone and observe how the other zone remains unaffected, paving the way for smart grid and resilient infrastructure training.

Key Features

Two Independently Operable Zones
The microgrid is structured into two fully independent operational zones, each equipped with: Dedicated DC buses for localized power distribution; Controllable DC sources such as PV, fuel cells, or batteries; Configurable loads including programmable electronic loads and resistive/inductive elements.
Multiple Voltage Levels
Each zone can operate at selectable DC voltage levels, typically:24V which is ideal for low-power IoT or small-scale renewable applications; 48V which is standard for telecom, mobility, and energy storage systems; 96V – suitable for industrial, higher power research applications.These voltage levels can be switched or set based on the system’s needs, making the microgrid suitable for diverse experimentation scenarios.
Supports Various DC Energy Sources
The system supports plug-and-play interfacing with a wide range of DC sources, including: Fuel Cells for green hydrogen or direct DC generation; PV Emulators simulating solar generation under variable conditions; Wind Turbine Emulators based on DFIG or PMSG architectures; Battery Packs or Emulators for charge/discharge cycle studies. This ensures the platform can replicate real-world renewable microgrid configurations for accurate testing and educational use.
Topology Reconfiguration Capabilities
Users can configure and study multiple distribution topologies such as: Ring Topology, Mesh Topology, Radial Topology, Loop Topology hybrid between ring and radial for selective redundancy.Topology can be changed manually via switches or programmatically through GUI based commands, enabling dynamic configuration during live experiments.
Bus Isolation & Load Prioritization
Built-in mechanisms for: Selective bus isolation, which automatically or manually disconnects faulted or low priority zones without impacting the healthy zone. Load prioritization, which allows tiered power allocation based on importance (e.g., critical loads vs. non-critical loads).
Real-Time Monitoring Interface
A graphical user interface (GUI) provides comprehensive real-time visibility into both zones, including: Voltage, current, and power, Energy consumption and generation trends, Load conditions with status indicators

Learning Module

Distributed DC Grid & Microgrid Design

Explore grid topologies (ring, radial, meshed) and their impact on energy efficiency.
Integrate energy storage systems and power electronics (DC-DC converters, inverters).
Understand fault detection techniques and self-healing mechanisms for enhanced resilience.
Implement techniques for maintaining voltage stability across multiple zones of the grid.
Learn load distribution methods to prevent overloading and ensure balanced energy usage.
Develop real-time adaptive voltage regulation and energy management algorithms.
Design and test custom grid topologies and develop fault-handling strategies.

Voltage Regulation & Load Balancing

Implement techniques for maintaining voltage stability across multiple zones of the grid.
Learn load distribution methods to prevent overloading and ensure balanced energy usage.
Develop real-time adaptive voltage regulation and energy management algorithms.

Resilience Testing & Fault Handling

Test system response to short circuits, open circuits, and overloads.
Simulate fault scenarios using tools like MATLAB or PSCAD.
Optimize system recovery and self-correction under fault conditions

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