This paper presents the design and development of an Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) device aimed at achieving precise hole creation in diverse metal materials. The EDM device was conceptu- alized and constructed based on specific requirements identified by the group. The design process encompassed four main stages: dielectric fluid selection, electrode design, control system develop- ment and power supply. In the dielectric fluid stage, the importance and criteria for selecting an appropriate fluid were discussed, resulting in the choice of distilled water for its superior dielectric properties. The electrode design stage followed a similar methodology, leading to the selection of a copper rod as the optimal electrode material. The control system stage detailed the development of an open-loop, manual, and closed-loop control system, emphasizing the utilization of Klipper software for precise electrode control. The power supply section outlined three primary circuits: the power source, power amplification circuit, and square wave generator circuit. Detailed schematics, component justifications, and optimization values for key parameters were provided to enhance power supply efficiency. Experimental evaluation demonstrated the capability of the EDM device to effectively create holes in various metals using an open-loop control system. Additional experiments focused on parameter variations within the power supply setup further illustrated their impact on machining performance. The discussion highlights the challenges encountered throughout the project, particularly the constraints imposed by limited time, which prevented the realization of all initially set requirements. Despite these challenges, the EDM device successfully met most of the specified objectives, showcasing promising results for future refinements and applications in precision machining.

The thermal rating of power cables is a critical aspect of electrical cable design that determines their safe operational limits. Traditional rating methods rely on worst-case assumptions for weather conditions, such as constant ambient temperatures or steady-state loading with a 100% load factor. Given the significant thermal masses and variations in ambient conditions, these assumptions often do not reflect actual operational scenarios. As the integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources into power systems increases, the dynamic nature of these systems becomes more pronounced. Consequently, the thermal rating of the power cables must be considered dynamic to accommodate these changing conditions. In this thesis, an improvement of dynamic cyclic rating predictions is explored for cable temperatures using the Finite Element Method (FEM). This improvement is performed by incorporating detailed weather and environmental data into the model. The study begins with a comprehensive literature review that provides an overview of existing dynamic rating systems and their applications. Subsequently, an analytical and numerical thermal model was developed and compared with COMSOL and CIGRE standards. It is concluded that the developed numerical model demonstrates greater accuracy and usefulness. This numerical model is integrated into a web-based tool called Ampwise, which serves as the basis for all future improvements. Cable data from the Windpark Fryslân project is used to validate the predicted temperature against the measured cable temperature. The research demonstrates that incorporating weather data significantly improves the precision of dynamic cyclic ratings, especially the inclusion of the real external air temperature and solar radiation of the location. Validation of the predicted conductor temperatures against measured DTS cable temperatures from the Windpark Fryslân project showed a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.9 °C and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.3 °C. These results show the enhanced accuracy and reliability of the dynamic cyclic ratings when real weather data are incorporated. However, the rate of change in the real temperature is significantly higher than the predicted temperature, leading to short-term differences between the predicted and actual temperatures. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to assess the impact of various factors. The analysis highlights the importance of correct initial conditions, particularly ground temperature gradients and seasonal environmental variations. The thesis concludes that integrating weather and environmental data into dynamic rating models is crucial to achieving reliable and precise cable performance predictions over an extended period, thus supporting better operational decisions and infrastructure management.

The thermal rating of power cables is a critical aspect of electrical cable design that determines their safe operational limits. Traditional rating methods rely on worst-case assumptions for weather conditions, such as constant ambient temperatures or steady-state loading with a 100% load factor. Given the significant thermal masses and variations in ambient conditions, these assumptions often do not reflect actual operational scenarios. As the integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources into power systems increases, the dynamic nature of these systems becomes more pronounced. Consequently, the thermal rating of the power cables must be considered dynamic to accommodate these changing conditions. In this thesis, an improvement of dynamic cyclic rating predictions is explored for cable temperatures using the Finite Element Method (FEM). This improvement is performed by incorporating detailed weather and environmental data into the model. The study begins with a comprehensive literature review that provides an overview of existing dynamic rating systems and their applications. Subsequently, an analytical and numerical thermal model was developed and compared with COMSOL and CIGRE standards. It is concluded that the developed numerical model demonstrates greater accuracy and usefulness. This numerical model is integrated into a web-based tool called Ampwise, which serves as the basis for all future improvements. Cable data from the Windpark Fryslân project is used to validate the predicted temperature against the measured cable temperature. The research demonstrates that incorporating weather data significantly improves the precision of dynamic cyclic ratings, especially the inclusion of the real external air temperature and solar radiation of the location. Validation of the predicted conductor temperatures against measured DTS cable temperatures from the Windpark Fryslân project showed a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.9 °C and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.3 °C. These results show the enhanced accuracy and reliability of the dynamic cyclic ratings when real weather data are incorporated. However, the rate of change in the real temperature is significantly higher than the predicted temperature, leading to short-term differences between the predicted and actual temperatures. In addition, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to assess the impact of various factors. The analysis highlights the importance of correct initial conditions, particularly ground temperature gradients and seasonal environmental variations. The thesis concludes that integrating weather and environmental data into dynamic rating models is crucial to achieving reliable and precise cable performance predictions over an extended period, thus supporting better operational decisions and infrastructure management.

The goal of this project is to create a power supply for an electrical discharge machine (EDM). This machine can drill holes and create shapes in metal objects by evaporating material using discharges from the electrode to the workpiece. The electrode should be supplied with a high-voltage pulse wave in order to initate sparks. The power supply produces this waveform by turning a DC source on and off using a transistor as a switch. A current-limiting resistor that is placed between the source of the MOSFET and the electrode prevents short circuits during discharges. The circuit was first created with a DC voltage of 15V. A gate driver circuit to drive this MOSFET was designed to reduce power losses and to make the frequency and duty cycle adjustable. Then the design was improved by adding a diode to remove oscillations caused by the parasitic inductance of the power resistor. Afterwards, the circuit was built on a custom PCB to reduce parasitics. A filtering capacitor was added to remove high-frequency noise, after which a stable 15V pulse signal was obtained. A microcontroller is employed to regulate the pulse duration, detect spark occurrences, and relay this information to a speed regulator. This establishes a closed-loop system aimed at optimizing the overall system operation. To achieve this, circuitry is employed to convert the power supply output into a digital format, enabling the utilization of the microcontroller’s specialized hardware for rapid sampling.

The goal of this project is to create a power supply for an electrical discharge machine (EDM). This machine can drill holes and create shapes in metal objects by evaporating material using discharges from the electrode to the workpiece. The electrode should be supplied with a high-voltage pulse wave in order to initate sparks. The power supply produces this waveform by turning a DC source on and off using a transistor as a switch. A current-limiting resistor that is placed between the source of the MOSFET and the electrode prevents short circuits during discharges. The circuit was first created with a DC voltage of 15V. A gate driver circuit to drive this MOSFET was designed to reduce power losses and to make the frequency and duty cycle adjustable. Then the design was improved by adding a diode to remove oscillations caused by the parasitic inductance of the power resistor. Afterwards, the circuit was built on a custom PCB to reduce parasitics. A filtering capacitor was added to remove high-frequency noise, after which a stable 15V pulse signal was obtained. A microcontroller is employed to regulate the pulse duration, detect spark occurrences, and relay this information to a speed regulator. This establishes a closed-loop system aimed at optimizing the overall system operation. To achieve this, circuitry is employed to convert the power supply output into a digital format, enabling the utilization of the microcontroller’s specialized hardware for rapid sampling.

The goal of this project is to create a power supply for an electrical discharge machine (EDM). This machine can drill holes and create shapes in metal objects by evaporating material using discharges from the electrode to the workpiece. The electrode should be supplied with a high-voltage pulse wave in order to initate sparks. The power supply produces this waveform by turning a DC source on and off using a transistor as a switch. A current-limiting resistor that is placed between the source of the MOSFET and the electrode prevents short circuits during discharges. The circuit was first created with a DC voltage of 15V. A gate driver circuit to drive this MOSFET was designed to reduce power losses and to make the frequency and duty cycle adjustable. Then the design was improved by adding a diode to remove oscillations caused by the parasitic inductance of the power resistor. Afterwards, the circuit was built on a custom PCB to reduce parasitics. A filtering capacitor was added to remove high-frequency noise, after which a stable 15V pulse signal was obtained. A microcontroller is employed to regulate the pulse duration, detect spark occurrences, and relay this information to a speed regulator. This establishes a closed-loop system aimed at optimizing the overall system operation. To achieve this, circuitry is employed to convert the power supply output into a digital format, enabling the utilization of the microcontroller’s specialized hardware for rapid sampling.

The goal of this project is to create a power supply for an electrical discharge machine (EDM). This machine can drill holes and create shapes in metal objects by evaporating material using discharges from the electrode to the workpiece. The electrode should be supplied with a high-voltage pulse wave in order to initate sparks. The power supply produces this waveform by turning a DC source on and off using a transistor as a switch. A current-limiting resistor that is placed between the source of the MOSFET and the electrode prevents short circuits during discharges. The circuit was first created with a DC voltage of 15V. A gate driver circuit to drive this MOSFET was designed to reduce power losses and to make the frequency and duty cycle adjustable. Then the design was improved by adding a diode to remove oscillations caused by the parasitic inductance of the power resistor. Afterwards, the circuit was built on a custom PCB to reduce parasitics. A filtering capacitor was added to remove high-frequency noise, after which a stable 15V pulse signal was obtained. A microcontroller is employed to regulate the pulse duration, detect spark occurrences, and relay this information to a speed regulator. This establishes a closed-loop system aimed at optimizing the overall system operation. To achieve this, circuitry is employed to convert the power supply output into a digital format, enabling the utilization of the microcontroller’s specialized hardware for rapid sampling.

The goal of this project is to create a power supply for an electrical discharge machine (EDM). This machine can drill holes and create shapes in metal objects by evaporating material using discharges from the electrode to the workpiece. The electrode should be supplied with a high-voltage pulse wave in order to initate sparks. The power supply produces this waveform by turning a DC source on and off using a transistor as a switch. A current-limiting resistor that is placed between the source of the MOSFET and the electrode prevents short circuits during discharges. The circuit was first created with a DC voltage of 15V. A gate driver circuit to drive this MOSFET was designed to reduce power losses and to make the frequency and duty cycle adjustable. Then the design was improved by adding a diode to remove oscillations caused by the parasitic inductance of the power resistor. Afterwards, the circuit was built on a custom PCB to reduce parasitics. A filtering capacitor was added to remove high-frequency noise, after which a stable 15V pulse signal was obtained. A microcontroller is employed to regulate the pulse duration, detect spark occurrences, and relay this information to a speed regulator. This establishes a closed-loop system aimed at optimizing the overall system operation. To achieve this, circuitry is employed to convert the power supply output into a digital format, enabling the utilization of the microcontroller’s specialized hardware for rapid sampling.

The goal of this project is to create a power supply for an electrical discharge machine (EDM). This machine can drill holes and create shapes in metal objects by evaporating material using discharges from the electrode to the workpiece. The electrode should be supplied with a high-voltage pulse wave in order to initate sparks. The power supply produces this waveform by turning a DC source on and off using a transistor as a switch. A current-limiting resistor that is placed between the source of the MOSFET and the electrode prevents short circuits during discharges. The circuit was first created with a DC voltage of 15V. A gate driver circuit to drive this MOSFET was designed to reduce power losses and to make the frequency and duty cycle adjustable. Then the design was improved by adding a diode to remove oscillations caused by the parasitic inductance of the power resistor. Afterwards, the circuit was built on a custom PCB to reduce parasitics. A filtering capacitor was added to remove high-frequency noise, after which a stable 15V pulse signal was obtained. A microcontroller is employed to regulate the pulse duration, detect spark occurrences, and relay this information to a speed regulator. This establishes a closed-loop system aimed at optimizing the overall system operation. To achieve this, circuitry is employed to convert the power supply output into a digital format, enabling the utilization of the microcontroller’s specialized hardware for rapid sampling.

As the global shift towards renewable energy accelerates, it is crucial to address the inherent challenges and fully leverage its potential. Electric power systems have undergone significant transformations, transitioning from traditional generation methods to those incorporating renewable energy sources and power electronic interfaces (PEI). This transition necessitates extensive research to ensure future grid stability and reliability. This thesis work aimed to enhance a Root Mean Square (RMS) synthetic model of the future 380 kVDutch power system and conducted comprehensive research using this model. A scenario analysis was conducted to evaluate various future scenarios for the Dutch power system, highlighting deviations and uncertainties. The national scenario from the II3050-2 project was selected as the baseline for further work. This approach ensured a comprehensive understanding of potential future developments and their implications for policy and planning. The synthetic model was developed by updating the existing model with new dynamic models and parameters as defined by IEEE and CIGRE standards and aligning it with future public projections and investment plans for the Dutch power system towards 2050, rooted in the scenario analysis. This included upgrading infrastructure such as transmission lines and substations and incorporating new generation and flexibility resources. The model was designed to enhance the dynamic characteristics and facilitate extensive research by integrating DigSilent PowerFactory, Python, and Excel. Three different case studies were performed using the enhanced synthetic model to analyze the system’s response to various perturbations. These studies evaluated the impact of varying levels of renewable generation and load, the role of grid-forming converters, and the effects of different kinetic energy and inertia constant levels on system stability with respect to frequency and rotor angle stability. The findings underscored the significant potential of grid-forming converters to enhance frequency stability and system damping, the influence of controller parameters on system performance, and the critical role of kinetic energy and inertia in maintaining system resilience. By leveraging the capabilities of PowerFactory, Python, and Excel, the research demonstrated the utility of the enhanced synthetic model in facilitating a broad range of stability studies and other analyses. This work provides a valuable foundation for future research and regulatory planning, contributing to the ongoing efforts of Dr. J.L. Rueda Torres’ team. The findings have been submitted to international journals and conferences, emphasizing the importance of continued technological adaptation and research to ensure stable and resilient power grids. Future work should focus on developing smart control strategies, optimizing dynamic control settings, investigating the impacts of kinetic energy and inertia constants, enhancing the synthetic dynamic model with additional features, and assessing the role of flexibility resources in future scenarios. This research offers crucial insights into the evolving dynamics of power systems and sets the stage for further advancements to ensure their stability and resilience.

As the global shift towards renewable energy accelerates, it is crucial to address the inherent challenges and fully leverage its potential. Electric power systems have undergone significant transformations, transitioning from traditional generation methods to those incorporating renewable energy sources and power electronic interfaces (PEI). This transition necessitates extensive research to ensure future grid stability and reliability. This thesis work aimed to enhance a Root Mean Square (RMS) synthetic model of the future 380 kVDutch power system and conducted comprehensive research using this model. A scenario analysis was conducted to evaluate various future scenarios for the Dutch power system, highlighting deviations and uncertainties. The national scenario from the II3050-2 project was selected as the baseline for further work. This approach ensured a comprehensive understanding of potential future developments and their implications for policy and planning. The synthetic model was developed by updating the existing model with new dynamic models and parameters as defined by IEEE and CIGRE standards and aligning it with future public projections and investment plans for the Dutch power system towards 2050, rooted in the scenario analysis. This included upgrading infrastructure such as transmission lines and substations and incorporating new generation and flexibility resources. The model was designed to enhance the dynamic characteristics and facilitate extensive research by integrating DigSilent PowerFactory, Python, and Excel. Three different case studies were performed using the enhanced synthetic model to analyze the system’s response to various perturbations. These studies evaluated the impact of varying levels of renewable generation and load, the role of grid-forming converters, and the effects of different kinetic energy and inertia constant levels on system stability with respect to frequency and rotor angle stability. The findings underscored the significant potential of grid-forming converters to enhance frequency stability and system damping, the influence of controller parameters on system performance, and the critical role of kinetic energy and inertia in maintaining system resilience. By leveraging the capabilities of PowerFactory, Python, and Excel, the research demonstrated the utility of the enhanced synthetic model in facilitating a broad range of stability studies and other analyses. This work provides a valuable foundation for future research and regulatory planning, contributing to the ongoing efforts of Dr. J.L. Rueda Torres’ team. The findings have been submitted to international journals and conferences, emphasizing the importance of continued technological adaptation and research to ensure stable and resilient power grids. Future work should focus on developing smart control strategies, optimizing dynamic control settings, investigating the impacts of kinetic energy and inertia constants, enhancing the synthetic dynamic model with additional features, and assessing the role of flexibility resources in future scenarios. This research offers crucial insights into the evolving dynamics of power systems and sets the stage for further advancements to ensure their stability and resilience.

As the global shift towards renewable energy accelerates, it is crucial to address the inherent challenges and fully leverage its potential. Electric power systems have undergone significant transformations, transitioning from traditional generation methods to those incorporating renewable energy sources and power electronic interfaces (PEI). This transition necessitates extensive research to ensure future grid stability and reliability. This thesis work aimed to enhance a Root Mean Square (RMS) synthetic model of the future 380 kVDutch power system and conducted comprehensive research using this model. A scenario analysis was conducted to evaluate various future scenarios for the Dutch power system, highlighting deviations and uncertainties. The national scenario from the II3050-2 project was selected as the baseline for further work. This approach ensured a comprehensive understanding of potential future developments and their implications for policy and planning. The synthetic model was developed by updating the existing model with new dynamic models and parameters as defined by IEEE and CIGRE standards and aligning it with future public projections and investment plans for the Dutch power system towards 2050, rooted in the scenario analysis. This included upgrading infrastructure such as transmission lines and substations and incorporating new generation and flexibility resources. The model was designed to enhance the dynamic characteristics and facilitate extensive research by integrating DigSilent PowerFactory, Python, and Excel. Three different case studies were performed using the enhanced synthetic model to analyze the system’s response to various perturbations. These studies evaluated the impact of varying levels of renewable generation and load, the role of grid-forming converters, and the effects of different kinetic energy and inertia constant levels on system stability with respect to frequency and rotor angle stability. The findings underscored the significant potential of grid-forming converters to enhance frequency stability and system damping, the influence of controller parameters on system performance, and the critical role of kinetic energy and inertia in maintaining system resilience. By leveraging the capabilities of PowerFactory, Python, and Excel, the research demonstrated the utility of the enhanced synthetic model in facilitating a broad range of stability studies and other analyses. This work provides a valuable foundation for future research and regulatory planning, contributing to the ongoing efforts of Dr. J.L. Rueda Torres’ team. The findings have been submitted to international journals and conferences, emphasizing the importance of continued technological adaptation and research to ensure stable and resilient power grids. Future work should focus on developing smart control strategies, optimizing dynamic control settings, investigating the impacts of kinetic energy and inertia constants, enhancing the synthetic dynamic model with additional features, and assessing the role of flexibility resources in future scenarios. This research offers crucial insights into the evolving dynamics of power systems and sets the stage for further advancements to ensure their stability and resilience.

As the global shift towards renewable energy accelerates, it is crucial to address the inherent challenges and fully leverage its potential. Electric power systems have undergone significant transformations, transitioning from traditional generation methods to those incorporating renewable energy sources and power electronic interfaces (PEI). This transition necessitates extensive research to ensure future grid stability and reliability. This thesis work aimed to enhance a Root Mean Square (RMS) synthetic model of the future 380 kVDutch power system and conducted comprehensive research using this model. A scenario analysis was conducted to evaluate various future scenarios for the Dutch power system, highlighting deviations and uncertainties. The national scenario from the II3050-2 project was selected as the baseline for further work. This approach ensured a comprehensive understanding of potential future developments and their implications for policy and planning. The synthetic model was developed by updating the existing model with new dynamic models and parameters as defined by IEEE and CIGRE standards and aligning it with future public projections and investment plans for the Dutch power system towards 2050, rooted in the scenario analysis. This included upgrading infrastructure such as transmission lines and substations and incorporating new generation and flexibility resources. The model was designed to enhance the dynamic characteristics and facilitate extensive research by integrating DigSilent PowerFactory, Python, and Excel. Three different case studies were performed using the enhanced synthetic model to analyze the system’s response to various perturbations. These studies evaluated the impact of varying levels of renewable generation and load, the role of grid-forming converters, and the effects of different kinetic energy and inertia constant levels on system stability with respect to frequency and rotor angle stability. The findings underscored the significant potential of grid-forming converters to enhance frequency stability and system damping, the influence of controller parameters on system performance, and the critical role of kinetic energy and inertia in maintaining system resilience. By leveraging the capabilities of PowerFactory, Python, and Excel, the research demonstrated the utility of the enhanced synthetic model in facilitating a broad range of stability studies and other analyses. This work provides a valuable foundation for future research and regulatory planning, contributing to the ongoing efforts of Dr. J.L. Rueda Torres’ team. The findings have been submitted to international journals and conferences, emphasizing the importance of continued technological adaptation and research to ensure stable and resilient power grids. Future work should focus on developing smart control strategies, optimizing dynamic control settings, investigating the impacts of kinetic energy and inertia constants, enhancing the synthetic dynamic model with additional features, and assessing the role of flexibility resources in future scenarios. This research offers crucial insights into the evolving dynamics of power systems and sets the stage for further advancements to ensure their stability and resilience.

Fault ride-through capability studies of MMCHVDC connected wind power plants have focused primarily on the DC link and onshore AC grid faults. Offshore AC faults, mainly asymmetrical faults have not gained much attention in the literature despite being included in the future development at national levels in the ENTSO-E HVDC code. The proposed work gives an event-triggered control to stabilize the system once the offshore AC fault has occurred, identified, and isolated. Different types of control actions such as proportional-integral (PI) controller and super-twisted sliding mode control (STSMC) are used to smoothly transition the post-fault system to a new steady state operating point by suppressing the negative sequence control. Initially, the effect of a negative sequence current control scheme on the transient behavior of the power system with a PI controller is discussed in this paper. Further, a non-linear control strategy (STSMC) is proposed which gives quicker convergence of the system post-fault in comparison to PI control action. These post-fault control operations are only triggered in the presence of a fault in the system, i.e., they are event-triggered. The validity of the proposed strategy is demonstrated by simulation on a 525 kV, three-terminal meshed MMC-HVDC system model in Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS).

Fault ride-through capability studies of MMCHVDC connected wind power plants have focused primarily on the DC link and onshore AC grid faults. Offshore AC faults, mainly asymmetrical faults have not gained much attention in the literature despite being included in the future development at national levels in the ENTSO-E HVDC code. The proposed work gives an event-triggered control to stabilize the system once the offshore AC fault has occurred, identified, and isolated. Different types of control actions such as proportional-integral (PI) controller and super-twisted sliding mode control (STSMC) are used to smoothly transition the post-fault system to a new steady state operating point by suppressing the negative sequence control. Initially, the effect of a negative sequence current control scheme on the transient behavior of the power system with a PI controller is discussed in this paper. Further, a non-linear control strategy (STSMC) is proposed which gives quicker convergence of the system post-fault in comparison to PI control action. These post-fault control operations are only triggered in the presence of a fault in the system, i.e., they are event-triggered. The validity of the proposed strategy is demonstrated by simulation on a 525 kV, three-terminal meshed MMC-HVDC system model in Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS).