Perturbation-Based Load Sensitivity Identification for Smart Transformer-Based Load Control

Abstract

In recent years, the electricity supply has become more volatile, and advanced real-time controllers are needed to manage the grid safely. Demand-side management represents a promising solution, where regulating load consumption through controlled voltage variations offers a valuable approach, which can be applied using power electronics actuators. This approach relies on understanding how power consumption reacts to changes in voltage magnitude or frequency. One proposed method is perturbation-based load sensitivity identification, which introduces controlled perturbation into the grid, for instance through a Solid-State Transformer, and calculates load parameters via power measurements. However, existing methods often require synchronization with the perturbation actuator and lack resiliency to noise or uncorrelated power variations, limiting their practical applicability. This paper proposes a novel approach for perturbation-based load sensitivity identification, utilizing a pre- and post-filtering process. This method has been tested under realistic grid conditions, with autonomous computation of the load sensitivity, triggered by variation-based perturbation detection. It offers more global and flexible control possibilities, and eliminates the need for complex communication layers.