Providing Virtual Inertia Through Power Electronics

Abstract

VSC-HVDC (voltage source converter based HVDC) system with its inherent merits for renewable energy integration has captured increasing research attentions. However, compared with AC systems dominated by synchronous generators (SGs), VSC-HVDC systems with general vector control cannot provide inertia for the grid due to lack of kinetic energy. This tends to degrade the safety and stability of the grid with the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources. To cope with this issue, virtual synchronous generator (VSG) has been proposed. In this thesis, firstly, a comprehensive introduction of various typologies of VSG schemes is made to illustrate their deficiencies and merits. The simulation results established in Simulink/Plecs show that VSG can not only participate into the regulation of frequency and voltage in case of power disturbances but guarantee the inertia provision for the grid. Although the integration of VSG control enhances the inertia and damping response of inverts, researches show that plenty of issues relative with VSG should be ameliorated. The fluctuation performances of SGs are introduced into the output active power and current of inverters when incorporates VSG control. This threatens the stability and safety of VSG operation, for power electronic based inverters are more vulnerable during the oscillations of current and frequency. Hence, to solve these issues, various enhanced VSG strategies have been constructed to improve its robustness and output performance. In this thesis, the structures and properties of enhanced VSG schemes are fully discussed. The results show that the dynamic properties of VSG during transient periods are enhanced in comparison of that of normal VSG. Modular multilevel converters (MMC) and alternate arm converters (AAC), as the representatives for enhanced topologies of VSC-HVDC system, have more complicated inner structures in comparison with 2/3 level converters. In this thesis, VSG control is applied into MMC/AAC models to strengthen their power and frequency regulation ability. In addition, a four-terminal multi terminal direct current (MTDC) system is incorporated with VSG control to provide primary frequency and voltage response for the grid. The results show that the integration of VSG improves the stability operation and inertia response of MMC/AAC/MTDC systems