Martin Šaš Bogović

Battery charging control in a laboratory microgrid

A microgrid is a localized group of electricity sources and loads that normally operates connected to and synchronous with the traditional wide area synchronous grid (macrogrid), but can also disconnect to "island mode" and function autonomously as physical or economic conditions dictate. Battery systems are the most sensitive and expensive parts of the microgrid with limited number of charging and discharging cycles while ensuring highest possible capacity of the batteries at any given moment. Temperature of the batteries, internal resistance and charge and discharge currents are factors that contribute to the efficiency and life span of the batteries. Our goal is to identify the laboratory model of the battery system and find the connection between the temperature, voltage and internal resistance of the battery. We will than use that model to precisely determine the charge and discharge currents on a minutely basis with the end goal being efficiency and life span of the battery. The control algorithm will be implemented in Labview system - design platform.

Keywords: battery parameter estimation, genetic algorithm, MPC, VRLA battery, battery state of health