Parallel Operation of Bidirectional Interfacing Converters in a Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid Under Unbalanced Grid Voltage Conditions

Abstract

Today, interests on hybrid ac/dc microgrids, which contain the advantages of both ac and dc microgrids, are growing rapidly. In the hybrid ac/dc microgrid, the parallel-operated ac/dc bidirectional interfacing converters (IFCs) are increasingly used for large capacity renewable energy sources or as the interlinking converters between the ac and dc subsystems. When unbalanced grid faults occur, the active power transferred by the parallel-operated IFCs must be kept constant and oscillation-free to stabilize the dc bus voltage. However, under conventional control strategies in unbalanced grid conditions, the active power transfer capability of IFCs is affected due to the converters’ current rating limitations. Moreover, unbalanced voltage adverse effects on IFCs (such as output power oscillations, dc-link ripples, and output current enhancement) could be amplified by the number of parallel converters. Therefore, this paper investigates parallel operation of IFCs in hybrid ac/dc microgrids under unbalanced ac grid conditions and proposes a novel control strategy to enhance the active power transfer capability with zero active power oscillation. The proposed control strategy employs a new current sharing method which introduces adjustable current reference coefficients for parallel IFCs. In the proposed control strategy, only one IFC, named as redundant IFC, needs to be designed and installed with higher current rating to ensure the constant and oscillation-free output active power of parallel IFCs. Simulation and experimental results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.