Distributed control and optimization strategies are a promising alternative approach to centralized control within microgrids. In this paper, a multi-agent system is developed to deal with the distributed secondary control of islanded microgrids. Two main challenges are identified in the coordination of a microgrid: (i) interoperability among equipment from different vendors; and (ii) online re-configuration of the network in the case of alteration of topology. To cope with these challenges, the agents are designed to communicate with physical devices via the industrial standard IEC 61850 and incorporate a plug and play feature. This allows interoperability within a microgrid at agent layer as well as allows for online re-configuration upon topology alteration. A test case of distributed frequency control of islanded microgrid with various scenarios was conducted to validate the operation of proposed approach under controller and power hardware-in-the-loop environment, comprising prototypical hardware agent systems and realistic communications network.

Continuum media from classical mechanics cannot appropriately reproduce the evolution of materials exhibiting strong heterogeneities in the strain field, e.g. strain localization. Models without a microscale representation cannot properly reproduce the microscale mechanisms that trigger the strain localization, in addition, first gradient relations don't present any length parameter in the formulation. This results in a model without a characteristic length that cannot exhibit any objective band width. In this paper, techniques to introduce an internal length will be enumerated. Microstuctured materials will be retained and in particular Second Gradient model will be exposed and used along with a FEMxDEM approach. Numerical results showing the abilities of the enriched model will conclude the text.

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