Voltage Stabilization in Microgrids via Quadratic Droop Control

We consider the problem of voltage stability and reactive power balancing in islanded small-scale electrical networks outfitted with DC/AC inverters ("microgrids"). A droop-like voltage feedback controller is proposed which is quadratic in the local voltage magnitude, allowing for the application of circuit-theoretic analysis techniques to the closed-loop system. The operating points of the closed-loop microgrid are in exact correspondence with the solutions of a reduced power flow equation, and we provide explicit solutions and small-signal stability analyses under several static and dynamic load models. Controller optimality is characterized as follows: we show a one-to-one correspondence between the high-voltage equilibrium of the microgrid under quadratic droop control, and the solution of an optimization problem which minimizes a trade-off between reactive power dissipation and voltage deviations. Power sharing performance of the controller is characterized as a function of the controller gains, network topology, and parameters. Perhaps surprisingly, proportional sharing of the total load between inverters is achieved in the low-gain limit, independent of the circuit topology or reactances. All results hold for arbitrary grid topologies, with arbitrary numbers of inverters and loads. Numerical results confirm the robustness of the controller to unmodeled dynamics.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

Linearized large signal modeling, analysis, and control design of phase-controlled series-parallel resonant converters using state feedback

This paper proposes a linearized large signal state-space model for the fixed-frequency phase-controlled series-parallel resonant converter. The proposed model utilizes state feedback of the output filter inductor current to perform linearization. The model combines multiple-frequency and average state-space modeling techniques to generate an aggregate model with dc state variables that are relatively easier to control and slower than the fast resonant tank dynamics. The main objective of the linearized model is to provide a linear representation of the converter behavior under large signal variation which is suitable for faster simulation and large signal estimation/calculation of the converter state variables. The model also provides insight into converter dynamics as well as a simplified reduced order transfer function for PI closed-loop design. Experimental and simulation results from a detailed switched converter model are compared with the proposed state-space model output to verify its accuracy and robustness

Parameter Optimisation of a Virtual Synchronous Machine in a Microgrid

Parameters of a virtual synchronous machine in a small microgrid are optimised. The dynamical behaviour of the system is simulated after a perturbation, where the system needs to return to its steady state. The cost functional evaluates the system behaviour for different parameters. This functional is minimised by Parallel Tempering. Two perturbation scenarios are investigated and the resulting optimal parameters agree with analytical predictions. Dependent on the focus of the optimisation different optima are obtained for each perturbation scenario. During the transient the system leaves the allowed voltage and frequency bands only for a short time if the perturbation is within a certain range.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure

Sensorless multi-loop control of phase-controlled series-parallel resonant converter

This paper proposes a multi-loop controller for the phase-controlled series-parallel resonant converter. Output voltage is solely measured for control and inner loop is used to enhance closed loop stability and dynamic performance compared to single-loop control. No additional sensors are used for inner loop variables. These are estimated using a Kalman filter, based on a linearized converter model. The advantage of this sensorless scheme is not only reducing the number of sensors but more significantly providing an alternative to sensing high frequency resonant tank variables which require high microcontroller resolution in real time. First, the converter non-linear large signal behavior is linearized using a state feedback based scheme. Consequently, the converter preserves its large signal characteristics while modeled as a linear system. Comparison is made between the most suitable state variables for feedback, according to a stability study. Finally, simulation and experimental results are demonstrated to validate the improved system performance in contrast with single-loop control

Power Quality Enhancement in Electricity Grids with Wind Energy Using Multicell Converters and Energy Storage

In recent years, the wind power industry is experiencing a rapid growth and more wind farms with larger size wind turbines are being connected to the power system. While this contributes to the overall security of electricity supply, large-scale deployment of wind energy into the grid also presents many technical challenges. Most of these challenges are one way or another, related to the variability and intermittent nature of wind and affect the power quality of the distribution grid. Power quality relates to factors that cause variations in the voltage level and frequency as well as distortion in the voltage and current waveforms due to wind variability which produces both harmonics and inter-harmonics. The main motivation behind work is to propose a new topology of the static AC/DC/AC multicell converter to improve the power quality in grid-connected wind energy conversion systems. Serial switching cells have the ability to achieve a high power with lower-size components and improve the voltage waveforms at the input and output of the converter by increasing the number of cells. Furthermore, a battery energy storage system is included and a power management strategy is designed to ensure the continuity of power supply and consequently the autonomy of the proposed system. The simulation results are presented for a 149.2 kW wind turbine induction generator system and the results obtained demonstrate the reduced harmonics, improved transient response, and reference tracking of the voltage output of the wind energy conversion system.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Robust H8 design for resonant control in a CVCF inverter application over load uncertainties

CVCF (constant voltage, constant frequency) inverters are electronic devices used to supply AC loads from DC storage elements such as batteries or photovoltaic cells. These devices are used to feed different kinds of loads; this uncertainty requires that the controller fulfills robust stability conditions while keeping required performance. To address this, a robust H8 design is proposed based on resonant control to track a pure sinusoidal voltage signal and to reject the most common harmonic signals in a wide range of loads. The design is based on the definition of performance bounds in error signal and weighting functions for covering most uncertainty ranges in loads. Experimentally, the H8 controller achieves high-quality output voltage signal with a total harmonic distortion less than 2%Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version