DC and AC Microgrids are key elements to integrate renewable and distributed energy resources as well as distributed energy storage systems. In the last years, efforts toward the standardization of these Microgrids have been made. In this sense, this paper present the hierarchical control derived from ISA-95 and electrical dispatching standards to endow smartness and flexibility to microgrids. The hierarchical control proposed consist of three levels: i) the primary control is based on the droop method, including an output impedance virtual loop; ii) the secondary control allows restoring the deviations produced by the primary control; and iii) the tertiary control manage the power flow between the microgrid and the external electrical distribution system. Results from a hierarchical-controlled microgrid are provided to show the feasibility of the proposed approach.

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Hierarchical control of droop-controlled DC and AC microgrids — a general approach towards standardization

The enabling of ac microgrids in distribution networks allows delivering distributed power and providing grid support services during regular operation of the grid, as well as powering isolated islands in case of faults and contingencies, thus increasing the performance and reliability of the electrical system. The high penetration of distributed generators, linked to the grid through highly controllable power processors based on power electronics, together with the incorporation of electrical energy storage systems, communication technologies, and controllable loads, opens new horizons to the effective expansion of microgrid applications integrated into electrical power systems. This paper carries out an overview about microgrid structures and control techniques at different hierarchical levels. At the power converter level, a detailed analysis of the main operation modes and control structures for power converters belonging to microgrids is carried out, focusing mainly on grid-forming, grid-feeding, and grid-supporting configurations. This analysis is extended as well toward the hierarchical control scheme of microgrids, which, based on the primary, secondary, and tertiary control layer division, is devoted to minimize the operation cost, coordinating support services, meanwhile maximizing the reliability and the controllability of microgrids. Finally, the main grid services that microgrids can offer to the main network, as well as the future trends in the development of their operation and control for the next future, are presented and discussed.

Control of Power Converters in AC Microgrids

The analysis of the small-signal stability of conventional power systems is well established, but for inverter based microgrids there is a need to establish how circuit and control features give rise to particular oscillatory modes and which of these have poor damping. This paper develops the modeling and analysis of autonomous operation of inverter-based microgrids. Each sub-module is modeled in state-space form and all are combined together on a common reference frame. The model captures the detail of the control loops of the inverter but not the switching action. Some inverter modes are found at relatively high frequency and so a full dynamic model of the network (rather than an algebraic impedance model) is used. The complete model is linearized around an operating point and the resulting system matrix is used to derive the eigenvalues. The eigenvalues (termed "modes") indicate the frequency and damping of oscillatory components in the transient response. A sensitivity analysis is also presented which helps identifying the origin of each of the modes and identify possible feedback signals for design of controllers to improve the system stability. With experience it is possible to simplify the model (reduce the order) if particular modes are not of interest as is the case with synchronous machine models. Experimental results from a microgrid of three 10-kW inverters are used to verify the results obtained from the model

Modeling, Analysis and Testing of Autonomous Operation of an Inverter-Based Microgrid

The increasing interest in integrating intermittent renewable energy sources into microgrids presents major challenges from the viewpoints of reliable operation and control. In this paper, the major issues and challenges in microgrid control are discussed, and a review of state-of-the-art control strategies and trends is presented; a general overview of the main control principles (e.g., droop control, model predictive control, multi-agent systems) is also included. The paper classifies microgrid control strategies into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary, where primary and secondary levels are associated with the operation of the microgrid itself, and tertiary level pertains to the coordinated operation of the microgrid and the host grid. Each control level is discussed in detail in view of the relevant existing technical literature.

Trends in Microgrid Control

In this paper, the idea of operating an inverter to mimic a synchronous generator (SG) is motivated and developed. We call the inverters that are operated in this way synchronverters. Using synchronverters, the well-established theory/algorithms used to control SGs can still be used in power systems where a significant proportion of the generating capacity is inverter-based. We describe the dynamics, implementation, and operation of synchronverters. The real and reactive power delivered by synchronverters connected in parallel and operated as generators can be automatically shared using the well-known frequency- and voltage-drooping mechanisms. Synchronverters can be easily operated also in island mode, and hence, they provide an ideal solution for microgrids or smart grids. Both simulation and experimental results are given to verify the idea.

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Synchronverters: Inverters That Mimic Synchronous Generators

This paper presents a novel control strategy for parallel inverters of distributed generation units in an AC distribution system. The proposed control technique, based on the droop control method, uses only locally measurable feedback signals. This method is usually applied to achieve good active and reactive power sharing when communication between the inverters is difficult due to its physical location. However, the conventional voltage and frequency droop methods of achieving load sharing have a slow and oscillating transient response. Moreover, there is no possibility to modify the transient response without the loss of power sharing precision or output-voltage and frequency accuracy. In this work, a great improvement in transient response is achieved by introducing power derivative-integral terms into a conventional droop scheme. Hence, better controllability of the system is obtained and, consequently, correct transient performance can be achieved. In addition, an instantaneous current control loop is also included in the novel controller to ensure correct sharing of harmonic components when supplying nonlinear loads. Simulation and experimental results are presented to prove the validity of this approach, which shows excellent performance as opposed to the conventional one.

A wireless controller to enhance dynamic performance of parallel inverters in distributed generation systems

In this paper, the control strategy for a flexible microgrid is presented. The microgrid presented here consists of several line-interactive uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems connected in parallel. The control technique is based on the droop method to avoid critical communications among UPS units. Thus, a flexible microgrid is obtained to operate in either grid-connected or islanded mode. A small-signal analysis is presented in order to analyze the system stability, which gives rules to design the main control parameters. Simulation and experimental results are presented, showing the feasibility of the proposed controller.

Control Strategy for Flexible Microgrid Based on Parallel Line-Interactive UPS Systems

In this paper, a method for the parallel operation of inverters in an ac-distributed system is proposed. This paper explores the control of active and reactive power flow through the analysis of the output impedance of the inverters and its impact on the power sharing. As a result, adaptive virtual output impedance is proposed in order to achieve a proper reactive power sharing, regardless of the line-impedance unbalances. A soft-start operation is also included, avoiding the initial current peak, which results in a seamless hot-swap operation. Active power sharing is achieved by adjusting the frequency in load transient situations only, owing to which the proposed method obtains a constant steady-state frequency and amplitude. As opposed to the conventional droop method, the transient response can be modified by acting on the main control parameters. Linear and nonlinear loads can be properly shared due to the addition of a current harmonic loop in the control strategy. Experimental results are presented from a two-6-kVA parallel-connected inverter system, showing the feasibility of the proposed approach

Wireless-Control Strategy for Parallel Operation of Distributed-Generation Inverters

The aim of this work is the application of the feedback linearization theory to a single-phase shunt active power filter, since this technique has been successfully applied to other areas of power electronic. The active filter is linearized by means of a nonlinear transformation of the system model, deduced from the application of Tellegen's theorem to the system. After that, a sliding mode controller is proposed to impose a desired dynamic behavior on the system, giving robustness and insensitivity to parameter variations. Moreover, the proposed controller ensures proper tracking of the reference signals and simplifies the overall control design. The controller was implemented into a low cost DSP. Experimental and simulation results are provided.

L.G. de Vicuna

Papers

Hierarchical control of droop-controlled DC and AC microgrids — a general approach towards standardization

A wireless controller to enhance dynamic performance of parallel inverters in distributed generation systems

Control Strategy for Flexible Microgrid Based on Parallel Line-Interactive UPS Systems

Wireless-Control Strategy for Parallel Operation of Distributed-Generation Inverters

Feedback Linearization of a Single-Phase Active Power Filter via Sliding Mode Control