Ritwik Majumder

Improvement of Stability and Load Sharing in an Autonomous Microgrid Using Supplementary Droop Control Loop

This paper investigates the problem of appropriate load sharing in an autonomous microgrid. High gain angle droop control ensures proper load sharing, especially under weak system conditions. However, it has a negative impact on overall stability. Frequency-domain modeling, eigenvalue analysis, and time-domain simulations are used to demonstrate this conflict. A supplementary loop is proposed around a conventional droop control of each DG converter to stabilize the system while using high angle droop gains. Control loops are based on local power measurement and modulation of the d-axis voltage reference of each converter. Coordinated design of supplementary control loops for each DG is formulated as a parameter optimization problem and solved using an evolutionary technique. The supplementary droop control loop is shown to stabilize the system for a range of operating conditions while ensuring satisfactory load sharing.

Power Management and Power Flow Control With Back-to-Back Converters in a Utility Connected Microgrid

This paper proposes a method for power flow control between utility and microgrid through back-to-back converters, which facilitates desired real and reactive power flow between utility and microgrid. In the proposed control strategy, the system can run in two different modes depending on the power requirement in the microgrid. In mode-1, specified amount of real and reactive power are shared between the utility and the microgrid through the back-to-back converters. Mode-2 is invoked when the power that can be supplied by the distributed generators (DGs) in the microgrid reaches its maximum limit. In such a case, the rest of the power demand of the microgrid has to be supplied by the utility. An arrangement between DGs in the microgrid is proposed to achieve load sharing in both grid connected and islanded modes. The back-to-back converters also provide total frequency isolation between the utility and the microgrid. It is shown that the voltage or frequency fluctuation in the utility side has no impact on voltage or power in microgrid side. Proper relay-breaker operation coordination is proposed during fault along with the blocking of the back-to-back converters for seamless resynchronization. Both impedance and motor type loads are considered to verify the system stability. The impact of dc side voltage fluctuation of the DGs and DG tripping on power sharing is also investigated. The efficacy of the proposed control arrangement has been validated through simulation for various operating conditions. The model of the microgrid power system is simulated in PSCAD.

Some Aspects of Stability in Microgrids

This paper investigates some aspects of stability in microgrids. There are different types of microgrid applications. The system structure and the control topology vary depending on the application and so does the aspect of stability in a microgrid. This paper briefly encompasses the stability aspects of remote, utility connected and facility microgrids depending on the modes of operation, control topology, types of micro sources and network parameters. The small signal, transient and the voltage stability aspects in each type of the microgrid are discussed along with scope of improvements. With a brief review of the existing microgrid control methods in the literature and different industry solutions, this paper sets up an initial platform for different types of microgrids stability assessment. Various generalized stability improvement methods are demonstrated for different types of microgrids. The conventional stability study of microgrids presented in this paper facilitates an organized way to plan the micro source operation, microgrid controller design, islanding procedure, frequency control and the load shedding criteria. The stability investigations are presented with different control methods, eigen value analysis and time domain simulations to justify different claims.

Droop Control of Converter-Interfaced Microsources in Rural Distributed Generation

This paper proposes new droop control methods for load sharing in a rural area with distributed generation. Highly resistive lines, typical of rural low voltage networks, always create a big challenge for conventional droop control. To overcome the conflict between higher feedback gain for better power sharing and system stability in angle droop, two control methods have been proposed. The first method considers no communication among the distributed generators (DGs) and regulates the converter output voltage and angle ensuring proper sharing of load in a system having strong coupling between real and reactive power due to high line resistance. The second method, based on a smattering of communication, modifies the reference output voltage angle of the DGs depending on the active and reactive power flow in the lines connected to point of common coupling (PCC). It is shown that with the second proposed control method, an economical and minimum communication system can achieve significant improvement in load sharing. The difference in error margin between proposed control schemes and a more costly high bandwidth communication system is small and the later may not be justified considering the increase in cost. The proposed control shows stable operation of the system for a range of operating conditions while ensuring satisfactory load sharing.

Angle droop versus frequency droop in a voltage source converter based autonomous microgrid

This paper compares the performance of angle and frequency droops in an autonomous microgrid that only contains voltage source converter (VSC) interfaced distributed generators (DGs). As a VSC can instantaneously change output voltage waveform, power sharing in a microgrid is possible by controlling the output voltage angle of the DGs through droop. The angle droop is able to provide proper load sharing among the DGs without a significant steady state frequency drop in the system. It is shown that the frequency variation with the frequency droop controller is significantly higher than that with the angle droop controller. The angle droop controller is derived from DC load flow. Both the angle and frequency droop controllers are designed through eigenvalue analysis. The performance of these two controllers is then performed through PSCAD simulations.

A Hybrid Microgrid With DC Connection at Back to Back Converters

The necessity of an AC or DC microgrid is governed by available micro sources and connected loads. A hybrid structure can ensure a sustainable configuration blending both the forms. In this paper, a hybrid microgrid structure for a grid connected microgrid with DC connection at back to back (B2B) converters is proposed. While a B2B connection between two AC systems could bestow a reliable, isolated and efficient coupling, an extra DC bus connection can facilitate use of the DC micro sources. The DC bus can supply the local DC loads and can also trade part of the power with the AC grids. The voltage support at the DC link (of the B2B converters) can be used for the DC bus formation. Different power management strategies with fixed power references or decentralized power distribution in AC/DC sides are proposed and validated with simulations in PSCAD.

Control and protection of a microgrid with converter interfaced micro sources

This paper describes protection and control of a microgrid with converter interfaced micro sources. The proposed protection and control scheme consider both grid connected and autonomous operation of the microgrid. A protection scheme, capable of detecting faults effectively in both grid connected and islanded operations is proposed. The main challenge of the protection, due to current limiting state of the converters is overcome by using admittance relays. The relays operate according to the inverse time characteristic based on measured admittance of the line. The proposed scheme isolates the fault from both sides, while downstream side of the microgrid operates in islanding condition. Moreover faults can be detected in autonomous operation. In grid connected mode distributed generators (DG) supply the rated power while in absence of the grid, DGs share the entire power requirement proportional to rating based on output voltage angle droop control. The protection scheme ensures minimum load shedding with isolating the faulted network and DG control provides a smooth islanding and resynchronization operation. The efficacy of coordinated control and protection scheme has been validated through simulation for various operating conditions.

Sensitivity analysis of voltage imbalance in distribution networks with rooftop PVs

A comprehensive voltage imbalance sensitivity analysis and stochastic evaluation based on the rating and location of single-phase grid-connected rooftop photovoltaic cells (PVs) in a residential low voltage distribution network are presented. The voltage imbalance at different locations along a feeder is investigated. In addition, the sensitivity analysis is performed for voltage imbalance in one feeder when PVs are installed in other feeders of the network. A stochastic evaluation based on Monte Carlo method is carried out to investigate the risk index of the non-standard voltage imbalance in the network in the presence of PVs. The network voltage imbalance characteristic based on different criteria of PV rating and location and network conditions is generalized. Improvement methods are proposed for voltage imbalance reduction and their efficacy is verified by comparing their risk index using Monte Carlo simulations.

Control of parallel converters for load sharing with seamless transfer between grid connected and islanded modes

This paper describes control methods for proper load sharing between parallel converters connected to microgrid supplied by distributed generators. The model of the microgrid power system is simulated in PSCAD. It is assumed that the microgrid supplies a load both in grid connected and islanded modes. Both passive loads and inertial loads are considered. A control strategy is proposed to improve the system performance through seamless transfer between islanded and grid connected modes. The controller is capable of handling constant impedance, as well as motor loads. The smooth transition between the grid connected and off grid mode is achieved by changing the control mode from voltage control in islanded mode to state feedback control in grid connected mode. Its efficacy has been validated through simulation for various operating conditions.

Power Sharing and Control in Distributed Generation With Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper proposes application of wireless sensor networks in distributed generation. Furthermore, in order to have a reliable communication with minimal end-to-end delay during the event of next hop node failure, the paper proposes a Find Reliable Link (FRL) scheme. Power sharing can be improved significantly in a conventional decentralized power control by correcting the distributed generators reference signals with wireless sensor networks as proposed in this paper. Even a low bandwidth communication among the distributed generators and control center can overcome the system operation challenges posed by network line parameters, failure of distributed generators and power shortage in the system. In order to ensure reliable communication between the sensor nodes or distributed generators and control center, the paper proposes the FRL scheme. The scheme aims to enable the system to make a quick recovery from sensor node failures or link failure due to obstacles thereby reducing the end-to-end delay. The proposed communication scheme is verified by implementing it in Qualnet 5.0. A detail data traffic analysis is presented to demonstrate how reliability is improved in the proposed communication method. Closed loop simulation of communication network with distributed power sources also validates the reliability of the proposed schemes.