Research Areas

1) Power systems dynamics - load modeling;

2) Renewable energy integration;

3) Synchrophasor technology and smart grids;

4) Intelligent oil field;

5) Electric machines - design, analysis and condition monitoring;

6) Power electronic devices in power systems;

7) Protection of power systems and components.

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Research Funding at Memorial University of Newfoundland

1) NSERC Collaborative Research and Development Grant (CRD), "Autonomous operation of high efficiency ESP drive systems for improved oil recovery" with Avalon Controls Limited, NL Innovation Council, CAD $42,500, Jan. 2019 - Jan. 2020 (PI).

2) Mission Innovation (MI)-India - Smart Grid, "Stability analysis, protection, and coordinated control of networked microgrids", awarded (I am a MI Country collaborator, the PI is Dr. Saikat Chakrabarti from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India).

3) NSERC Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) grant, “OPAL-RT Real-Time Simulator for Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Research”, CAD $146,665, April 1 2018 – March 31 2019 (PI)

4) NSERC Engage Grant, “Minimum Separation Distance between Transmission Lines and Underground Pipelines Considering Electromagnetic Interference”, CAD $25,000, March. 2018 – Nov. 2018 (PI).

5) Memorial University of Newfoundland Seed, Bridge and Multidisciplinary Fund, “Sensorless Temperature and Vibration Estimation for Induction Motors”, CAD $10,000, Jan. 2018 – Jan. 2020 (PI)

6) IEEE Grant, "Condition Monitoring and Fault Diagnosis for Induction Motors", USD $25,000, Sept. 2017 - Oct. 2018 (PI).

7) NSERC Engage Grant, “Investigation of Zero Sequence Harmonics in the Power System of Calgary International Airport”, CAD $25,000, Feb. 2017 – Oct. 2017 (PI).

8) NSERC Discovery Grant, “Advanced Dynamic Load Modeling for Modern Smart Grid”, CAD $180,000 (CAD $36,000 per year for 5 years), Apr. 2016 – Mar. 2021 (PI).

9) Research and Development Corporation (RDC) Ignite R&D Fund, “Integration of Renewable Energy Sources into Power Grid – Probabilistic Planning and Power Quality”, CAD $100,000, May 2016 – Oct. 2019 (PI).

10) Memorial University of Newfoundland Seed, Bridge and Multidisciplinary Fund, “Innovative Downhole Monitoring Tool Design for Electrical Submersible Pump Systems in Oil Field Facilities”, CAD $10,000, Jan. 2016 – Jan. 2018 (PI).

11) NSERC Connect Grant, “Exploring Energy and Power in the West”, CAD $3,175, Nov. 2015 – Jan. 2016 (PI).

12) Memorial University of Newfoundland Start-up Fund, CAD $30,000, Jul. 2015 – Aug. 2018 (PI).

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Travel Grants at Memorial University of Newfoundland

1) "IAS Anniversary Travel Grant for Young Engineers", awarded by IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) for 2016 IEEE 52nd Industrial and Commercial Power System (I&CPS) Conference, 2016.

2) On March 8, 2017, the M.Eng. student Amir Ahadi was awarded an IEEE IES Student Paper Travel Assistance (IES SPTA) Award for the following paper:

Amir Ahadi*, Syed Enam Reza*, and Xiaodong Liang, “Probabilistic Reliability Evaluation for Power Systems with High Penetration of Renewable Power Generation”, Annual IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES)’s 18th International Conference on Industrial Technology (IEEE ICIT'17), Toronto, March 22-25, 2017.

Amir received a recognition diploma plus up-to USD $2,000 travel costs reimbursement.

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Research Funding at Washington State University

1) Oregon BEST/Department of Energy/Bonneville Power Administration Research Grant, “Phasor Measurement Units Data Analysis for Event Detection”, USD $17,395, Aug. 2013 – Aug. 2015 (Co-PI). (PI - Scott A. Wallace, and Co-PI - Xinghui Zhao).

2) AltaLink Management Ltd. Research Grant, “A Universal Test Platform and softPMU”, USD $18,000, Jul. 2014 – Apr. 2015 (PI).

3) Department of Energy/Bonneville Power Administration Technology Innovation Fund, “Beyond Finding Faults: Multidimensional Learning on PMU Data for Event Detection, Characterization, and Prediction”, USD $233,944, Oct. 2014 – Sept. 2016 (Co-PI). (PI - Xinghui Zhao, Co-PI - Scott A. Wallace).

4) Washington State University Vancouver Mini Grant, “Dynamic Load Modeling Using Measurement-Based Approach and PMU Measurement Data”, USD $4,200, May 15, 2014 - May 14, 2015 (PI).

5) Washington State University Start-up Funding, USD $120,000, Aug. 2013 – May 2015 (PI).

6) Washington State University Vancouver External Mentoring Program, USD $3,950, Nov. 2014 – Jun. 2015, (Principal Applicant).

7) Oregon BEST - NW Energy XP Award, “Grid Impacts of Embedded Energy Storage for Distributed PV Systems with Advanced Inverter Controls”, used to support research for one undergraduate student, USD $14,300, Apr. 2014 – May 2015, (Principal Supervisor).

8) Oregon BEST - NW Energy XP Award, “Analysis and Design of a Low Cost, High Power Density Inverter for Micro-Grid Solar PV Application”, used to support research for two undergraduate students, USD $28,600, Oct. 2014 – Oct. 2015 (Principal Supervisor).

9) School of Engineering and Computer Science Undergraduate Summer Research Fund at Washington State University Vancouver, "Development of Dynamic Modeling Method", USD $1,000, May 2014 – Aug. 2014 (Principal Supervisor for one undergraduate research assistant).

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Industry Partners

We have collaborated in the past or are currently collaborating with the following industry partners: Bonneville Power Administration; AltaLink; Schneider Electric Canada; Manitoba Hydro; Avalon Controls Limited.

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Software for Research

MATLAB/Simulink, PSS/E, ANSYS, PSCAD, and ETAP