How Many Grid-Forming Converters do We Need? A Perspective From Small Signal Stability and Power Grid Strength

Grid-forming (GFM) control has been considered as a promising solution for accommodating large-scale power electronics converters into modern power grids thanks to its grid-friendly dynamics, in particular, voltage source behavior on the AC side. The voltage source behavior of GFM converters can provide voltage support for the power grid, and therefore enhance the power grid (voltage) strength. However, grid-following (GFL) converters can also perform constant AC voltage magnitude control by properly regulating its reactive current, which may also behave like a voltage source. Currently, it still remains unclear what are the essential difference between the voltage source behaviors of GFL and GFM converters, and which type of voltage source behavior can enhance the power grid strength. In this paper, we will demonstrate that only GFM converters can provide effective voltage source behavior and enhance the power grid strength in terms of small signal dynamics. Based on our analysis, we further study the problem of how to configure GFM converters in the grid and how many GFM converters we will need. We investigate how the capacity ratio between GFM and GFL converters affects the equivalent power grid strength and thus the small signal stability of the system. We give guidelines on how to choose this ratio to achieve a desired stability margin. We validate our analysis using high-fidelity simulations

Robust Adaptive Control of STATCOMs to Mitigate Inverter-Based-Resource (IBR)-Induced Oscillations

The interaction among inverter-based resources (IBRs) and power network may cause small-signal stability issues, especially in low short-circuit grids. Besides, the integration of static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs) in a multi-IBR system for voltage support can deteriorate small-signal stability. However, it is still challenging to understand the impact mechanism of STATCOMs on IBR-induced oscillation issues and to design STATCOMs' control for damping these oscillation issues in a multi-IBR system, due to complex system dynamics and varying operating conditions. To tackle these challenges, this paper proposes a novel method to reveal how STATCOMs influence IBR-induced oscillation issues in a multi-IBR system from the viewpoint of grid strength, which can consider varying operating conditions. Based on this proposed method, we find critical operating conditions, wherein the system tends to be most unstable; moreover, we demonstrate that robust small-signal stability issues of the multi-IBR system with STATCOMs can be simplified as that of multiple subsystems under critical operating conditions, which avoids traversing all operating conditions and establishing system's detailed models. On this basis, an adaptive control-parameter design method is proposed for STATCOMs to ensure system's robust small-signal stability under varying operating conditions. The efficacy of proposed methods is validated by a 39-node test system

A Self-Organizing Strategy For Power Flow Control Of Photovoltaic Generators In A Distribution Network

The focus of this paper is to develop a distributed control algorithm that will regulate the power output of multiple photovoltaic generators (PVs) in a distribution network. To this end, the cooperative control methodology from network control theory is used to make a group of PV generators converge and operate at certain (or the same) ratio of available power, which is determined by the status of the distribution network and the PV generators. The proposed control only requires asynchronous information intermittently from neighboring PV generators, making a communication network among the PV units both simple and necessary. The minimum requirement on communication topologies is also prescribed for the proposed control. It is shown that the proposed analysis and design methodology has the advantages that the corresponding communication networks are local, their topology can be time varying, and their bandwidth may be limited. These features enable PV generators to have both self-organizing and adaptive coordination properties even under adverse conditions. The proposed method is simulated using the IEEE standard 34-bus distribution network. © 2011 IEEE

Impacts of Grid Structure on PLL-Synchronization Stability of Converter-Integrated Power Systems

Small-signal instability of grid-connected power converters may arise when the converters use phase-locked loops (PLLs) to synchronize with a weak grid, i.e., operating in grid-following mode. Commonly, this stability problem (referred to as PLL-synchronization stability in this paper) was studied by employing a single-converter system connected to an infinite bus, which, however, omits the impacts of the power grid structure and the interactions among multiple converters. Motivated by this, we investigate how the grid structure affects the PLL-synchronization stability of multi-converter systems. Moreover, we provide guidelines on how to improve the PLL-synchronization stability of multi-converter systems by PLL-retuning, proper placement of converters, or enhancing some weak connections in the network. Finally, we validate our findings with simulation results based on a 39-bus test system. Copyright (C) 2022 The Authors.ISSN:2405-896