1: Utilizing GIS to Estimate the Availability of Woody Biomass in Virginia for Bioenergy Production

The goal of this research was to collect information on the types, quantities and location of wood residues and other woody materials produced in Virginia that could be available for use as bio-energy or other applications. Areas of interest include materials from waste generated from forest products companies by SIC codes by County. Once the information was collected, it was incorporated into a GIS format so that strategies can be developed that will utilizes these materials, which should reduce wildfire risk, environmental concerns and wood waste, while providing management opportunities to improve the health and sustainability of the forests in Virginia. By identifying the location and quantities of various woody materials, this research also has the potential to develop new markets and increase jobs in a number of rural areas. The GIS based information also allows for easier updates of information in the future. This research provides valuable information toward the expanded use of bio-energy in Virginia. This research was sponsored by the Virginia Dept. of Forestry, and the Virginia Dept. of Mines Minerals and Energy and the Virginia Forest Products Association.

Omid Parhizkar, parhiza@vt.edu, 231-7107, Dept: Wood Science and Forest Products Mail code: 0503, Affiliation: graduate student

Bob Smith, rsmith4@vt.edu, 231-9759, Dept: Wood Science and Forest Products Mail code: 0503, Affiliation: faculty

4: North American Power Grid Situation Awareness System

Virginia Tech, working with TVA, recently completed the first phase of a nation-wide power frequency monitoring network (FNET). This measurement system is now continuously collecting GPS-time-synchronized, high-dynamic precision power system frequency data from all three interconnections. A suite of applications for a modern grid have been developed. The objective is to develop and demonstrate the sensing and measurement technology based tool for North American power grid situation awareness. The characteristics of power system electromechanical dynamics and oscillations are complex, and they are an integral part of most major system disturbances. System frequency (and its rate of change) is one of the most important measures of the electric power system dynamics. Understanding these characteristics is essential for preventing catastrophic power system blackouts. Insights learned from measurements will make it possible to devise early warning systems and activate control actions to help reduce catastrophic power system failures.

Yilu Liu, fdr@vt.edu, 231 3393, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0111, Affiliation: faculty

27: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Design and Management of a Secure and Efficient Distributed Generation Power System

Our poster highlights research performed by an interdisciplinary team, funded by the NSF, that is creating a conceptual foundation for designing and managing distributed generation (DG) technologies for a secure, efficient, and restructured electric utility system. DG technologies consist of small-scale, modular generation equipment (such as microturbines, photovoltaic arrays, wind turbines, internal-combustion engines, and fuel cells) that can be located near the demand for power. They provide extra reliability and security to electricity users who no longer need to depend on grid-supplied energy. Our research team (working in the realms of policy, consumer affairs, business, power engineering, and electrical engineering) has been investigating a host of technical, business, and social issues relating to DG systems. One major contribution consists of a computer simulation software package, the Virginia Tech Energy Modeling System (VTEGMS), which will serve as a robust tool for research and educational case studies in the field of power systems design, engineering and management. In conjunction with case studies, text and lecture materials, this computer simulation forms a flexible educational support system. Team members have also begun creating theoretical approaches and prototype devices that allow DG owners to simplify the process of connecting electricity generators to the grid. Perhaps surprisingly, our research shows that successful implementation of DG technologies is being inhibited not so much by technical problems, but by subtle social factors. For example, while we have developed engineering and market-based approaches that encourage widespread DG use, it appears that regulatory policy and a public opposition to several forms of DG technologies may be the largest impediment. From consumer responses to a draft version of a tool to determine consumer knowledge and attitudes toward DG technologies, we realize that many consumers have little knowledge of DG. Our work has significant policy implications. It demonstrates that technical and business innovations must be integrated into a framework that considers consumer behavior and a history of public apathy and lack of knowledge about the electric power system.

Richard Hirsh, richard@vt.edu, 231-5601, Dept: History, Mail code: 0117, Affiliation: faculty

Ralph Badinelli, ralphb@vt.edu, 231-7688, Dept: Business Information Technology, Mail code: 0235, Affiliation: faculty

Irene Leech, ileech@vt.edu, 231-4191, Dept: Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management, Mail code: 0410, Affiliation: faculty

JoAnn Emmel, jemmel@vt.edu, 19259, Dept: Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management, Mail code: 0410, Affiliation: faculty

Virgilio Centeno, virgilio@vt.edu, 231-2045, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0111, Affiliation: faculty

Fei (Fred) Wang, wangfred@vt.edu, 231-8915, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

Michael Gregg, greggmh@vt.edu, 231-9544, Dept: Engineering Education, Mail code: 0218, Affiliation: faculty

Tim Thacker, tthacker@vt.edu, 231-4722, Dept: CPES, Affiliation: graduate student

Boonyarit (Ken) bintiyot@vt.edu, bintiyot@vt.edu, Dept: Business Information Technology, Affiliation: graduate student

Jaime De La Ree, jreelope@vt.edu, 231-6625, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0111, Affiliation: faculty

38: Energy Related Research in Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Center

The Multidisciplinary Analysis and Design Center for Advanced Vehicles was established in1994 to enhance the co-operation between Government Labs, Industry and Virginia Tech to design next generation of highly energy-efficient aerospace and other vehicles by employing emerging high-performance and experimental techniques. These emerging approaches made it possible that one can begin to design a vehicle as a complete system as opposed to individual components or working on just one area. The approach has succeeded beyond our expectations and we are considered as one of the premier research groups in the MAO area (Multi-disciplinary Analysis and Optimization). We have worked on such airplanes as the High-Speed Civil Transport, Strut-Braced Transonic Aircraft, and Blended-wing body aircraft. Recognizing the importance of uncertainty in many of the design variables, we have been working on uncertainty quantification using polynomial chaos and optimization of structures using reliability based methods. Furthermore, we have worked on innovative structural concepts such as unitized structures and light-weight adhesively bonded composite structures for the automobile industry and developing approaches (algorithms, wireless protocols, sensors) for structural health-monitoring (SHM) of radial tires. Structural Health Monitoring insures that components in a system are replaced at appropriate time leading to considerable efficiency. The vision here is the tire (or any component) would tell us when it is time to replace it. Finally, the center has been involved with the design of fiber-optics based miniaturized sensors such as a skin-friction gage to measure the skin-friction on an aircraft. By first understanding, and then minimizing, the drag due to skin-friction, one can design highly efficient aircraft and other vehicles. The research presented here will include the works of several center members, namely, W. H. Mason, Joseph A. Schetz, R. W. Walters, Layne Watson, D. Inman, and R. Batra.

Rakesh K. Kapania, rkapania@vt.edu, 231-4881, Dept: Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Mail code: 0203, Affiliation: faculty

45: Power Electronics, Energy, and Environment

Power Electronics is key enabling technology for every aspect of electric energy, including its generation from alternative resources, its transmission and distribution, as well as its consumption. Study shows a projected modest increase in adoption rate of power electronics for loads alone by 2010 will result in 2.3 billion barrels of crude oil savings per year, hugely impacting the energy sustainability and environment. In order to fully realize the potentials of power electronics, significant technical and economical challenges remain. Fundamental and applied research on power electronics technologies are required to improve performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. This poster will explain the relationships between power electronics, energy and environment. It will highlight research activities and achievements at Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES) in many different application areas including high efficient load management (IT, lighting, variable speed motor drives), transportation (electric cars, airplanes, and ships), and renewable energy systems. CPES is a global leader in power electronics research and only NSF engineering research center at Virginia Tech. We have five partner universities with Virginia Tech as the lead institution, over 80 industry sponsors, 32 faculty members covering 6 disciplines, 10 research staff, and 146 research students. With annual research funding of $7M, we conduct multidisciplinary research in power electronics, ranging from materials, semiconductor devices, packaging, thermal, and sensors, to circuits, controls, and application systems. Since its inception in 1998, CPES has graduated 88 PhD and 147 MS students, published over 1500 technical papers, generated 40 patents, and developed 14 new courses.

Fred Wang, wangfred@vt.edu, 231-8915, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

Fred Lee, fclee@vt.edu, 231-7716, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

Dushan Boroyevich, dushan@vt.edu, 231-4381, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

Khai Ngo, kdtn@vt.edu, 231-2360, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

Hardus Odendaal, hardus@ieee.org, 231-6560, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

Ming Xu, mingxu@vt.edu, 231-2969, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

G.Q Lu, gqlu@vt.edu, 231-8686, Dept: Materials Science and Engineering 00, Mail code: 0237, Affiliation: faculty

Rolando Burgos, rolando@vt.edu, 231-1175, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

Shuo Wang, shwang6@vt.edu, 231-7497, Dept: Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mail code: 0179, Affiliation: faculty

47: CRIS, the Institute for Critical Infrastructures

Our poster highlights the work performed by the Institute for Critical Infrastructures, CRIS, of which Virginia Tech is one of the founding institutions. The CRIS Institute, with presence in Europe, North America and Asia, was constituted in January 2001 as an international association having scientific aims, focusing on mitigating the vulnerabilities of the system consisting of embedded ICT systems in future virtual energy systems. All to the effect of meeting the increasing demands of our societies of sustainable energy. CRIS brings together experts to join forces for developing systems for the future in an integrated fashion, combining the capabilities, opportunities, and goals for research in the disciplines above into a unified vision. The expertise in these fields exists in many institutions around the world, and the Institute intends to develop a strategy which will tap into this pool of expertise across national boundaries. The objectives of CRIS are to promote, encourage and develop awareness and knowledge to increase the dependability of the critical infrastructures in society, mainly the power system, communication system and the computer network. The work in all countries is carried out through the following means: A. The taking of all useful measures to support individual researchers and experts, research organizations, universities and institutes to establish membership with CRIS. B. The co-ordination of the activities between the Members. C. The establishment of international working groups - Scientific Divisions - instructed to: a) study specific problems; b) reach agreements in order to make recommendations in their field of expertise; c) co-ordinate multi-national research projects. D. The development and promotion of exchanges, meetings and communications with the members and all international scientific associations. Our Poster will highlight the main topics of the three international conferences (China-2002, France-2004, USA-2006) organized by CRIS (two by Virginia Tech (China, USA).

Arun Phadke, aphadke@vt.edu, 231-7029, Mail code: 0111, Affiliation: faculty

54: Advanced Computational Methods for Modeling Energy Related Processes and Devices

The poster will describe the features and applications of GenIDLEST, a fluid flow and energy equation massively parallel solver. In addition to advanced turbulence modeling options based on Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) and Detached-Eddy Simulations (DES) coupled to the power of high performance computing, it has two-phase dispersed flow capability (particulates) and dynamic meshing capability for simulating energy harvesting structures and other relevant fluid-structure interaction problems. Past and potential applications will be highlighted in areas related to gas turbines, coal gasification and syngas utilization, novel surfaces for heat and mass transfer enhancement in heat exchangers, electronics cooling, and catalytic reactors, renewable energy systems based on wind, hydro and tidal energy, energy efficient vehicles using drag reduction technology, and air circulation and heat transfer in and from enclosures such as buildings, and electronic closets.

Danesh Tafti, dtafti@vt.edu, 231-9975, Dept: Mechanical Engineering, Mail code: 0238, Affiliation: faculty

Ali Rozati, rozati@vt.edu, 231-2349, Dept: Mechanical Engineering, Mail code: 0238, Affiliation: graduate student

Mohammad Elyyan, elyyan@vt.edu, 231-2349, Dept: Mechanical Engineering, Mail code: 0238, Affiliation: graduate student

Pradeep Gopalkrishnan, pradeepg@vt.edu, 231-2349, Dept: Mechanical Engineering, Mail code: 0238, Affiliation: graduate student

70: Intelligent Distributed Autonomous Power Systems (IDAPS)

The present interconnected power system, comprising large central station generation serving remote load centers, is antiquated. A modern trend toward flexible topologies and embedded generation, driven by economic factors, demands a new paradigm in the way that energy is delivered. Our research focuses on how electric power systems can be modeled, simulated and analyzed, such that they are more robust and resilient in the face of a disaster. One such approach is to make our systems distributed and autonomous. As a result, they can better secure the operation of other critical infrastructures, such as telecommunications, natural gas pipelines, water and wastewater systems, food supply chains and transportation systems, and facilitate quick recovery. An energy delivery system that is robust against widespread failure has three requirements: The system must be flexible in its ability to adapt automatically to changing loads and variable resource availability. The system must offer protection from single and multiple contingency events, sufficient to ensure the required level of reliability. Elements of the system, including generators, load centers, and control centers, must have the ability to communicate and control downstream in the event of an emergency. To meet robustness and sustainability needs of power systems of the future, the concept of Intelligent Distributed Autonomous Power Systems (IDAPS) is proposed. IDAPS is a cellular network of semi-autonomous and interconnected electric power systems comprising of generation, load and delivery mechanisms. Each cell is equipped with sufficient generation and control capability to maintain its own critical loads, ensuring an uninterrupted supply of electricity to high priority demands. IDAPS meets all three requirements, fulfilling the paradigm of a robust and sustainable electric energy delivery system.

Monica Mallini, mmallini@vt.edu, Dept: Advanced Research Institute, Mail code: 0374, Affiliation: graduate student

Manisa Pipattanasomporn, mpipatta@vt.edu, 703-387-6031, Dept: Advanced Research Institute, Mail code: 0374, Affiliation: faculty

Saifur Rahman, srahman@vt.edu, Dept: Advanced Research Institute, Mail code: 0374, Affiliation: faculty

73: Center for Power Engineering

Our poster highlights the research on wide area measurements and applications performed in Virginia Tech for the past 25 years and its currents relevance in the monitoring, protection, efficient use, and control of the US power grid. The center is integrated by 7 professors of the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering includes two members of the National Academy of Engineers: Arun Phadke and James Thorp. One of the recommendations of the team that review the 2003 blackout was the increase use of phasor measurement units (PMUs). These devices that are presently being installed in almost all utilities in the east coast as part of the Eastern Interconnection Phasor Project were first developed and implemented at the Center for Power Engineering in 1987. Since then the center has lead the research and implementation efforts in the field of wide area measurement (measurement of large interconnecting systems). PMUs take advantage of GPS signals to time synchronize their measurements with high accuracy. Through proper processing of the sampled data these devices are able to angle differences among units located hundreds of miles apart. Angle differences have always been important to power engineers since they reflect the behavior of power flows in the system, but they were impossible to measure due to the widespread nature of the systems. PMUs together with fast communication networks allow utilities not only the ability to measure angle differences but to do so on-line allowing monitoring of the dynamic behavior of power systems. Through the past 25 years the Center for Power Engineering has worked closely with manufacturers and utilities in the development and applications of wide area measurement devices. Current research focuses on the areas of optimal placement, state estimation, enhanced protection and system visualization.

Jaime De La Ree, jreelope@vt.edu, 231-6625, Mail code: 0111, Affiliation: faculty

74: Energy and the Whole Community

Planning for energy in communities focuses on three sectors: buildings, transportation, and electricity. Once thought of as separate, they are converging with potential energy benefits. Building energy design once focused only on thermal envelope considerations. Now, Green Building protocols and some codes adopt a " Whole Building" approach, recognizing the growing energy consumption by appliances, lighting, and equipment in buildings. But the role that buildings play in community energy use goes well beyond the building's use. The building can play a significant role in distributed power generation through roof-top photovoltaics, micro-turbines, and fuel cells. And the location and layout of buildings affects transportation use and opportunities for transit. This poster illustrates the expanded role of buildings and community design, the so-called "Whole Community" approach, which can improve building energy efficiency, develop distributed, and promote efficient transportation.

John Randolph, energy@vt.edu, 7714, Mail code: 0113, Affiliation: faculty