Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Ahmadreza Ghaznavi
• SMT Almodarresi

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

This research investigates the delay sensitivity of discrete-time consensus among agents which communicate over a scale-free network with hubs. In this paper, a novel hierarchical consensus algorithm, based on the idea of virtual communication graph degree reduction, is proposed. As a result, a significant consensus speed gain is obtained which provides a potential time margin for applying cyber-physical techniques that cause systematic input delay. This approach provides robustness and resiliency in case of any communication topology disturbance during cyber- physical attacks or plug-and-play events. The feasibility of plug- and-play, which has the potential to increase the input delay, is presented based on the gained margin as a sample scenario. The algorithm application in the coordination of distributed photovoltaic resources of several nano-grids communicating over a scale-free network, is assessed via simulation as well.

Keywords

• Discrete-time consensus
• delay
• DC nano-grid
• hierarchical control
• multi-agent system
• network with hub
• plug- and-play
• robust/resilient consensus
• scale-free network