2019 Transformer Resilience and Advanced Components Program Review

The Transformer Resilience and Advanced Components (TRAC) program supports research and development (R&D) activities to advance technologies and approaches that maximize the value and lifetimes of existing grid components. This work will enable the next-generation of grid hardware to become more adaptive, flexible, reliable, and cost-effective compared to technologies available today.

The TRAC program has two primary goals:

Increase the resilience of aging assets and identify new requirements for future grid components
Accelerate the research, development, and field validation of next-generation grid technologies

TRAC program reviews solicit feedback from formal peer reviewers and attendees to ensure that program activities remain centered in high-impact focus areas, thereby optimizing the use of federal resources to fill critical R&D gaps. TRAC program management use the expert feedback to improve the program quality, and project principal investigators review the evaluations to improve project efforts. In addition, the review provides attendees with an opportunity to learn more about the TRAC program’s vision, direction, and ongoing activities.

The program review also serves as a mechanism to further solidify the advanced grid component research community. In-person meetings provide the opportunity for researchers and industry professionals to foster dialogue, exchange ideas, and build connections. Having a forum for these interactions is critical to the advancement and adoption of innovative technology solutions, especially grid hardware. Lasting and effective change requires a diverse and engaged community; the TRAC program aims to catalyze and nurture this community, which spans diverse stakeholders from material scientists and system designers to equipment manufacturers and utility engineers.

The 2019 TRAC Program Review was held on August 13-14, 2019 in Knoxville, TN.

Information, presentations, and additional content from the 2019 program review are available for download below:

Project Presentations:

Topic	Presentation(s)
TRAC Program and Portfolio Overview	Kerry Cheung, PhD
Modeling and Analysis	Suman Debnath, ORNL Models Methods, & Tools to Analyze High-Penetration of Power Electronics in Grids; HVdc Models and Methods – Extension Bjorn Vaagensmith, INL Evaluation of Grid Equipment Design Requirements for Improved Resilience Zhi Li, ORNL Continuously Variable Series Reactor (CVSR) for Distribution System Applications; Tapless Regulating Power Transformer (TAREX) Paul Ohodnicki, NETL Development of Automated Design and Optimization Tools for High Frequency Magnetic Components and Migration to Open Source and High Performance Computing Environments
Next-Gen Components 1	Parag Upadhyay, ABB Novel Concept for Flexible and Resilient Large Power Transformers Ibrahima Ndiaye, GE Global Research Design, Deployment and Characterization of the World’s First Flexible Large Power Transformer Deepak Divan, Georgia Tech Research Center Demonstration of a 5 MVA Modular Controllable Transformer (MCT) for a Resilient and Controllable Grid Alex Huang, UT Austin Modular Hybrid Solid State Transformer for Next Generation Flexible and Adaptable Large Power Transformer
Next-Gen Components 2	Madhu Chinthavali, ORNL Solid State Power Substation (SSPS) Architecture Design Subhashish Bhattacharya, North Carolina State University Flexible Large Power Solid State Transformer Sudip Mazumder, NextWatt Next-generation modular flexible low-cost silicon carbide (SiC) based high-frequency-link transformer Burak Ozpineci, ORNL Environmentally Neutral Automated Building Electric Energy (ENABLE) Platform
Sensing and Characterization	Sigifredo Gonzalez, SNL Advanced Sensors Field Validation (MagSense) Timothy McIntyre, ORNL GMLC SAW Sensor Field Validation Paul Ohodnicki, NETL Optical Fiber Sensor Technology Development and Field Validation for Distribution Transformer and Other Grid Asset Health Monitoring Paul Ohodnicki, NETL Establishment of a Medium Voltage (MV) Core Loss Test System (CLTS) and Application Relevant Characterization of MV Dielectric and Insulation Materials
Materials and Manufacturing	Alexander Plotkowski, ORNL Microstructure Optimization of Electrical Steel Through Understanding Solidification Dynamics in Additive Manufacturing Iver Anderson, Ames National Laboratory Al/Ca Composite Conductor Characterization Jesse Reeves, INL Robust Insulation for Resilient Transformers and Power Electronics Paul Ohodnicki, NETL Soft Magnetic Alloy Advanced Manufacturing Through In-Line RF Processing; Metal / Oxide Nanocomposite Materials for High Frequency and High Power Magnetics Jonathan Bock, SNL Class II High Temperature Ceramic Capacitor Development