Electrical and Computer Engineering Seminar
VRB Energy Storage Performance Characterization
for Microgrid Applications
Dr. Mariesa L. Crow
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Weds, March 9, 4:10pm in Packard 416
Refreshments will be served at 4pm
Abstract:
Energy storage technology is a critical aspect of future development of portable, scalable microgrid
technology. One of the most important parameters in microgrid operation is the ability to predict the
power and energy characteristics of any energy storage system. To achieve optimal use of renewable
energy resources and energy storage, the energy storage system must be modeled accurately and
must include all parasitic and operational losses from environmental controls. Furthermore, the
energy storage operation must be modeled in conjunction with the particular renewable resource with
which it will be used. This seminar will discuss recent efforts to characterize the Vanadium Redox
Battery (VRB) for microgrid applications. An electrical model of the VRB will be developed including
charge and discharge efficiencies, balance of plant parasitics, and integration with photovoltaic
systems. The model will be validated via a field demonstration at Fort Leonard Wood Army Base in
Missouri. This model will be used as a basis for the development of a microgrid control strategy for
heterogeneous energy storage systems, on and off-grid operation, and renewable energy.
Mariesa L. Crow is the Fred Finley Distinguished Professor of Electrical
Engineering at Missouri S&T. She received her BSE in Electrical Engineering
from the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the
University of Illinois -Urbana/Champaign. Her area of professional interest is
computational methods and power electronics applications to renewable energy
systems and energy storage. She has been PI or Co-PI on $21 million in
externally funded research sponsored by the National Science Foundation,
DOE, DOD, DOT, DOEd, the State of Missouri and several utilities. She has
authored over 200 technical articles and several textbooks and book chapters.
She is the IEEE Power & Energy Society VP of Publications. She is a Registered Professional
Engineer in the State of Missouri and a Fellow of the IEEE.