Investigating Cloud-Powered Digital Twin Power Flow Research and Implementation

1. Introduction

Dispatcher Power Flow (DPF) stands as a fundamental network analysis component within advanced energy management systems (EMS) software (Kangetal, 2009; Weyuker, 1998). It serves as a critical tool for examining the power flow distribution prior to accident prediction and correction. DPF aids in exploring the operational status of the power grid and provides a means to validate the reliability and feasibility of the dispatching plan. Consequently, the development of flexible, interoperable, and maintainable DPF software carries immense importance for power grid management (Guoyong et al., 2017). Power flow calculation, one of the three major computations in power systems, plays a pivotal role in ensuring the normal operation of the power system (Zhong-Zhong et al., 2018). Existing DPF software falls short of meeting the dispatcher's requirements, and the limitations of traditional DPF software are becoming increasingly evident. These limitations encompass the following:

• 1.

  Traditional DPF software is confined to specific operating systems, taking the form of desktop applications, which results in poor interoperability, high development expenses, and a lack of cross-platform compatibility.

• 2.

  Traditional software lacks convenience for remote operators to access and view.

• 3.

  The representation of analysis results lacks intuitiveness.

• 4.

  Traditional DPF software incurs significant backup costs, proving challenging to update and maintain, requiring installation and debugging processes.

As one of the most crucial advanced application software components for power grid energy management systems, DPF software is in dire need of upgrades and enhancements.

In response to the shortcomings of traditional DPF software, this paper introduces CS-DPF, which integrates cloud computing technology and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) (Mazzarolo et al., 2015). Operational outcomes demonstrate that CS-DPF offers the advantages of flexibility, interoperability, and ease of maintenance. It can be utilized across various platforms, devices, and web browsers, effectively resolving the issues associated with traditional dispatching flow software.

2. Literature Survey

This literature survey provides a diverse collection of works spanning the domains of software engineering, power systems, and cloud computing, offering valuable insights and references for further research and exploration in these areas.