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Reliability enhancement of microgrids is challenged by environmental and operational failures. Centrally controlled microgrids are susceptible to failures at high probability due to a single-point-of-failure, e.g. the central controller. True decentralization of microgrid architecture entails elimination of the central controller, attaining a parallel configuration for the system. In this paper, decentralized microgrid control architecture is proposed as a solution for reliability degradation over the time, and analyzes the reliability aspects of centralized and decentralized control architectures for microgrids. Degree of importance of a single controller in centralized and decentralized architectures is determined and validated by Markov Chain Models (MCM). Results confirm that higher reliability is achieved when true decentralization of control architecture is adopted. Challenges of implementing a true decentralized control architecture are discussed. Hardware-In-the-Loop simulation results for microgrid controller failure scenarios for both architectures are presented and discussed.
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This content will become publicly available on April 9, 2026
Laboratory Testing of Resilience Effects of Water Microgrids for Sustainable Water Supply
Traditional centralized water systems are facing sustainability challenges due to climate and socioeconomic changes, extreme weather events, and aging infrastructure and their uncertainties. The energy sector has addressed similar challenges using the microgrid approach, which involves decentralized energy sources and their supply, improving system resilience and sustainable energy supply. This study investigated the resilience effects of water microgrids, which feature operational interactions between centralized and local systems for sustainable water supply. A lab-scale water distribution model was tested to demonstrate centralized, decentralized, and microgrid water systems under the disruption scenarios of pump shutdown, pump rate manipulation, and pipe leaks/bursts. The water microgrids integrate centralized and local systems’ operations, while the decentralized system operates independently. Then, functionality-based resilience and its attributes were evaluated for each disruption scenario. The results reveal that, overall, the microgrid configuration, with increased water supply redundancy and flexible operational adjustment based on system conditions, showed higher resilience, robustness, and recovery rate and a lower loss rate across disruption scenarios. The resilience effect of water microgrids was more evident with longer and more severe disruptions. Considering global challenges in water security under climate and socioeconomic changes, the findings suggest insights into a hybrid water system as a strategy to enhance resilience and water use efficiency and provide adaptive operations for sustainable water supply.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2301663
- PAR ID:
- 10589571
- Editor(s):
- Angelakis, Andreas
- Publisher / Repository:
- MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Sustainability
- Volume:
- 17
- Issue:
- 8
- ISSN:
- 2071-1050
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 3339
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- hybrid water system decentralized water system water distribution system urban water infrastructure laboratory testbed alternative water resources water use efficiency water sustainability
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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