Developing a coordinated control for hybrid ac/dc microgrids with renewable sources-battery storage under dynamic generation and load conditions

About the Project

Due to the ongoing high penetration of renewable energy sources into the grid, the energy landscape is going through a major transformation. Since many small-scale renewable energy sources are built near the load points, the requirement of decentralized microgrid control is inevitable.

To facilitate that several studies are reported in the literature in recent years. In [1], a wind/hydrogen/supercapacitor hybrid power system was proposed to coordinate different sources to make the power injected into the grid controllable. However, the dynamic load changes were not considered. In several works, [2-4] hybrid ac/dc microgrid that can operate in grid-tied or islanded modes were proposed. Although the presented control mechanisms are efficient, fluctuating natures of renewable sources were ignored for the simplicity of the designed algorithm.

Recently, some research efforts have been made to develop more advanced energy management strategies. For example, energy management and control systems are developed for AC/DC hybrid microgrids [5-6]. Despite their effectiveness, more optimized control mechanisms can be developed using metaheuristic algorithms. Designing coordinated controls for the microgrid is still an open problem due to numerous operating variables are being involved.

Thus, there are many opportunities to do innovative research and develop control mechanisms depending on different scenarios and operating conditions.

Academic qualifications
First degree (at least a 2:1 classification) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering

English language requirement
IELTS score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 6.0 in each of the four components). Other, equivalent qualifications will be accepted. Full details of the University’s policy are available online.

Essential attributes:

• Modelling in Simulink
• Matlab Coding
• Control System Design

Desirable attributes:

• Prior experience in PV system Design; Grid-connected energy storage System design

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

• Completed application form
• CV
• 2 academic references, using the Postgraduate Educational Reference Form (download)
• Research project outline of 2 pages (list of references excluded). The outline may provide details about
  1. Background and motivation of the project. The motivation, explaining the importance of the project, should be supported also by relevant literature. You can also discuss the applications you expect for the project results.
  2. Research questions or objectives.
  3. Methodology: types of data to be used, approach to data collection, and data analysis methods.
  4. List of references.

The outline must be created solely by the applicant. Supervisors can only offer general discussions about the project idea without providing any additional support.

• Statement no longer than 1 page describing your motivations and fit with the project.
• Evidence of proficiency in English (if appropriate)

PhD Start Date: October 2026

Funding Notes
International applicants should note that visa application costs and the NHS health surcharge are additional costs to be taken into consideration, and successful applicants will need to cover these expenses themselves.