Virtual Synchronous Generator Control Strategy Research Articles

A Modified VSG Control Scheme With Virtual Resistance to Enhance Both Small-Signal Stability and Transient Synchronization Stability

The existing studies show that the virtual resistance scheme has positive effects on synchronous resonance (SR) suppression but negative effects on transient synchronization stability of virtual synchronous generator (VSG). To address this contradiction, this article proposes a modified VSG control scheme. The basic idea is that the virtual active power at virtual PCC, instead of real active power, is introduced as the power feedback into the control loop. Then, the effect of virtual resistance on transient stability can be equivalent to that of grid resistance, which improves transient stability. Besides, a proportion integral controller is added at the forward loop to control the real active power to track the power reference. Compared with the existing VSG control methods, the modified VSG control scheme can well solve the conflict caused by virtual resistance between small-signal stability and transient stability. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified by CHIL experimental results.

Improved artificial jellyfish search algorithm: virtual synchronous generator control strategy

This study aims to solve the problem of optimal performance parameter selection of the virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control strategy using an improved artificial jellyfish search (IMJS) algorithm. VSG technology helps the inverter to improve the anti-disturbance ability. The VSG control effect depends on the setting of its performance parameter values. The population initialization strategy and dynamic adaptive factor are used to improve the optimization ability of the artificial jellyfish search algorithm. The IMJS algorithm is used to optimize the VSG, and a control strategy for the VSG based on the IMJS (IMJS-VSG) is proposed to improve the control capability. The results show that the active power achieves smooth changes without oscillations under the IMJS-VSG control strategy when the system is running in grid-connected operation. The system voltage drop under the IMJS-VSG strategy is less than 40% of the VSG strategy when the system is in an islanded operation state.

An adaptive VSG control strategy of battery energy storage system for power system frequency stability enhancement

With the steady deployment of intermittent generation, the inertia of the grid decreases, and the stability problem is becoming increasingly critical within system operation. The virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control is a means to control battery energy storage systems (BESS) to retain the dynamics of conventional synchronous generators and ensure a smooth transition toward converter-dominated power systems. Since the parameters in the VSG control can be varied, it can be turned to be an alternative to obtain an optimal response for the overall performance of frequency when the operating conditions change. In this paper, the adaptive VSG control is proposed to improve the dynamic characteristic of active power at a certain capacity. For this purpose, firstly, the electromechanical transient model of BESS based on VSG control is built. Afterward, the effect of inertia under grid disturbance by transfer function is analyzed, and the influence of key parameters on dynamic stability is identified. Finally, the proposed adaptive VSG control is verified in the modified IEEE 4-machine 2-area system and an actual power grid example. The simulation results show the effectiveness and great potential of this model in improving frequency stability.

Improved virtual synchronous generator control strategy for the flexible interconnection system in distribution transformer areas

• An improved virtual synchronous generator control strategy is proposed for the flexible interconnection system. • The DC side impedance small signal model is built. • The stability of the flexible interconnection system is analyzed mathematically. • The controller hardware-in-the-loop experiment is designed for verification. The flexible interconnection system (FIS) in the distribution transformer areas containing high-penetration distributed photovoltaics plays a significant role in balancing the load and improving new energy consumption. This paper proposes an improved virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control strategy for the FIS. Firstly, the impedance small signal model of the FIS is developed for analyzing the influence of the conventional VSG control strategy on the stability margin of the FIS in the case of bidirectional power flow. Then, the improved VSG control strategy is proposed based on the analysis, which can improve the stability of the FIS in the negative power direction. Finally, the controller hardware-in-loop experiments of the FIS verify the effectiveness of the proposed improved VSG control strategy.

Online Grid Impedance Estimation-Based Adaptive Control of Virtual Synchronous Generators Considering Strong and Weak Grid Conditions

The conventional virtual synchronous generator (VSG) is typically designed to meet certain operational and control requirements in the islanded mode. However, once the VSG is switched to grid-connected mode (GCM), the robust operation cannot be guaranteed under different grid conditions. It can lead to poor dynamic performance, especially in strong grids, such as significant oscillation, long settling time, and large overshoot. To improve the VSG performance in the GCM, this article first analyzes in depth the inherent coupling between the active and reactive power and its dependence on grid conditions, such as the short circuit ratio and the grid impedance ratio. Subsequently, an adaptive VSG (AVSG) control strategy based on online grid impedance estimation is proposed to ensure robust operation of the VSG considering both strong and weak grid conditions. This technique allows the operator to specify the desired settling time of the output power and damping ratio. To estimate the grid impedance in real time without additional hardware and reduce the associated impacts on power quality, an online event-based grid impedance estimation algorithm is embedded in the control loop of the AVSG. The simulation and experimental results indicate that, compared with the conventional fixed-parameters-based controller design method, the AVSG exhibits desired performance such as no oscillation, specified time duration for the settling time, and minimal overshoot regardless of the grid conditions.

Inertial imitation method of MMC with hybrid topology for VSC-HVDC.

A new virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control strategy was researched and proposed for a VSC-HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current Based on Voltage Source Converter) transmission system. It can be applied to half-bridge or full-half-bridge hybrid topology modular multi-level converter (MMC) to improve the stability and reliability of the system. First, it is proposed that the energy stored in the equivalent capacitor of MMC power module was used to imitate the rotor inertial of synchronous generator. It can buffer transient power fluctuations and synchronize autonomously with the grid. Then the impedance characteristics of the proposed control method have been deduced and analyzed. The results show that the VSG control loop mainly improves the low frequency characteristics of the converter. Secondly, the ability to suppress transient fault current is weak. So, a method, that the given values of inner current loop are calculated by grid impedance matrix, was used. A double closed loop control structure composed by a power outer loop based on VSG control and a current inner loop is obtained. The simulation results show that it can effectively improve the current control capability during the transient process for systems with a 1:2 ratio of converter capacity to grid capacity (The grid short-circuit capacity is 60MW and the MMC is 30 MW). Finally, a hybrid MMC simulation model was built based on PSCAD and the steady-state and transient fault ride-through simulations were performed. The power adjustment time of MMC under the proposed VSG control is about 1s, while the adjustment time under the conventional control strategy is greater than 4s.

SOC Balanced Power Distribution Control Strategy of a DC–DC Converter with Virtual Synchronous Generator

The DC microgrid does not need to consider frequency when accessing distributed energy, but the distributed energy access port does not have inertia and damping characteristics, so there are problems of voltage instability and power fluctuation. In this paper, the bidirectional DC–DC converter is the main object; based on the virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control strategy, the inertia regulation is added to adjust the bus voltage dynamically. In addition, a balancing strategy is proposed to ensure the balanced distribution of the state of charge (SOC) and power for multiple batteries. Finally, a simulink is built to prove the viability and availability of the VSG control strategy.

Adaptive Virtual Synchronous Generator Based on Model Predictive Control with Improved Frequency Stability

With the massive integration of renewable energy into the grid, grid inertia and its stability continue to decrease. To improve inertia and facilitate grid restoration, a control strategy for radial basis function virtual synchronous generators based on model predictive control (MPC-VSG-RBF) is proposed in this paper. In this method, virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control strategy is introduced into the model predictive control (MPC), so that the reference value of the inner loop current can vary with the grid voltage and frequency. Using the radial basis function (RBF) neural network to adjust the VSG virtual inertia online can solve the large fluctuation of frequency and power caused by excessive load fluctuation. The simulation model was built based on MATLAB and compared and analyzed with the MPC control method. The simulation results show that: when the output power of the inverter changes, the model predictive control of the adaptive virtual synchronous generator can increase the inertia and stability of the power grid; by adjusting the moment of inertia, the system damping ratio is improved to effectively suppress the transient process overshoot and oscillation in medium power.

A Novel Distributed Secondary Control of Heterogeneous Virtual Synchronous Generators via Event-Triggered Communication

At present, the distributed cooperative control method has been widely adopted in the secondary control of the conventional droop-based microgrid (MG). However, its application in the secondary control of Virtual Synchronous Generator (VSG) is relatively lagging. Based on the conventional virtual governor, this paper designs the frequency distributed secondary control strategy of VSG based on the theory of nonlinear heterogeneous multi-agents and presents the distributed active power sharing control strategy. The frequency will converge to the frequency reference value through the consensus protocol, instead of relying on the virtual frequency modulation coefficient. To reduce the communication burden, a control strategy based on event-triggered is adopted in the distributed secondary control. The distributed control is used in frequency strategy, compared with the VSG secondary control proposed previously, the distributed generations (DGs) can collaboratively work. Compared with the existing conventional droop-based distributed secondary control, the proposed scheme retains the characteristics of VSG and can provide virtual inertia to MG. An islanded microgrid test system was established to verify the proposed control strategy. The results show that the proposed control strategy can restore the frequency to the reference value and accurately share the active power, while greatly reducing the communication burden.

Application of MMC-RPC in High-Speed Railway Traction Power Supply System Based on Energy Storage

In order to effectively improve the power quality and utilize railway regenerative braking energy in high-speed railway traction power supply system, this paper adopts the Modular Multilevel Converter type Railway Power Conditioner (MMC-RPC) with distributed super-capacitor (SC) energy storage (ES) scheme. Firstly, the single-phase MMC mathematical model is established, and the power compensation characteristics of MMC-RPC are derived. Secondly, the Virtual Synchronous Generator (VSG) control strategy is adopted to provide inertial support. Compared with the double closed loop (DCL) control, it has better anti-disturbance and dynamic performance. Then, based on the VSG control, a two-stage circulating current suppression strategy is proposed, in which Quasi-Proportional Complex Integral (QPCI) control is used to suppress the bridge arm circulating current, and integrated Proportional Integral-Quasi Proportional Resonant (PI-QPR) control is an improvement of the VSG control to further suppress the circulating current inside the VSG. Furthermore, the virtual DC motor (VDCM) strategy was proposed to control the charge and discharge of the distributed SC connected to MMC-RPC to recycle railway braking energy. Finally, simulation results of the VSG small signal model and the MMC-RPC simulation model on the Matlab/Simulink platform verify the effectiveness, stability of VDCM and improved VSG controls in the MMC-RPC.

Extended State Observer Based-Backstepping Control for Virtual Synchronous Generator

The penetration of distributed generators (DGs)-based power electronic devices leads to low inertia and damping properties of the modern power grid. As a result, the system becomes more susceptible to disruption and instability, particularly when the power demand changes during critical loads or the system needs to switch from standalone to a grid-connected operation mode or vice versa. Developing a robust controller to deal with these transient cases is a real challenge. The inverter control method via the virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control method is a better way to supply the system’s inertia and damping features to boost system stability. Therefore, a nonlinear control strategy for VSG with uncertain disturbance is proposed in this paper to enhance the system stability in the islanded, grid-connected, and transition modes. Firstly, the mechanical equations for a VSG’s rotor, which include virtual inertia and damping coefficient, are presented, and the matching mathematical model is produced. Then, the nonlinear backstepping controller (BSC) method combined with the extended state observer (ESO) is constructed to compensate for the uncertainty. The Lyapunov criteria were used to prove the method’s stability. Considering the issue of uncertain items, a second-order ESO is built to estimate uncertainty and external disruption. Finally, the suggested control strategy is validated through three simulation experiments; the findings reveal that the proposed control method has an excellent performance with fast response and tracking under various operating situations.

Control Strategy and Corresponding Parameter Analysis of a Virtual Synchronous Generator Considering Frequency Stability of Wind Power Grid-Connected System

The doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) based on the control strategy of constant parameter virtual synchronous generator (VSG) can cause problems of sharp frequency variations in the grid-connected system, long adjustment times, and large overshoot of the active power output from the DFIG. Aiming at dealing with the above-mentioned problems, a VSG control strategy with an independent flexible link (IFLVSG) is proposed in this paper without changing the parameters and structure of the VSG, so that the moment of inertia and damping coefficient can be flexibly adjusted according to the change of the system frequency, so as to improve the system frequency stability. To form a complete selection scheme for control parameters in IFL, the state space equation including IFLVSG control is established, and the advantages of exponential IFL are highlighted by using the sensitivity calculation method. At the same time, in order to improve the analysis efficiency, the main control parameters affecting the frequency stability of the system are selected according to the sensitivity value. Finally, the root locus analysis method is used to reveal the influence law of the main control parameters on the frequency stability of the system. The formed scheme provides a theoretical basis for the selection of control parameters.

Power Quality Management Strategy for High-Speed Railway Traction Power Supply System Based on MMC-RPC

This paper adopts the Modular Multilevel Converter Type Railway Power Conditioner (MMC-RPC) equipment to effectively manage the power quality of the high-speed railway traction power supply system including the reactive power and negative sequence component. Firstly, the single-phase model of the MMC was established to deduce the working characteristics of the MMC-RPC and its compensation principle for the traction power supply system with the v/v wiring transformer. Secondly, the adaptive VSG control strategy was adopted for the inverter of the MMC-RPC to provide dynamic inertial and damping support for the traction power supply system based on the virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control. Compared with the traditional double closed-loop (DCL) and VSG controls, it has better anti-disturbance and dynamic performance. The root locus analysis of control parameters based on a small signal model shows that VSG control can provide more stability margin. Furthermore, Differential Flatness Control (DFC) was used in the inner-loop controller to ensure the stable control of the inverter and the stability was verified by the Lyapunov stability analysis. For the rectifier of the MMC-RPC, a hierarchical three-level control strategy with system-level control, cluster-group voltage control, and inter-cluster voltage control for keeping the voltage balance was adopted. Finally, simulation results on the Matlab/Simulink platform verified the effectiveness and stability of the joint control applied in the MMC-RPC.

An Energy Storage Assessment: Using Frequency Modulation Approach to Capture Optimal Coordination

To reduce the allocation of energy storage capacity in wind farms and improve economic benefits, this study is focused on the virtual synchronous generator (synchronverter) technology. A system accompanied by wind power, energy storage, a synchronous generator and load is presented in detail. A brief description of the virtual synchronous generator control strategy is given. The capacity allocation is based on different optimization goals and the optimal energy storage capacity configuration of the coordinated frequency modulation (FM) control strategy. The detail of the dual-loop control strategy is carried out by establishing the grid-connected transfer function model of the synchronverter energy storage and a theoretical model of life cycle cost is established. The optimal control strategy of coordinated FM for wind storage is implemented using MATLAB software. The simulation showed that the proposed strategy provided the energy storage capacity at high wind speed, which is configured to be 5.9% of the installed capacity of the wind turbine, marking a reduction of 26% compared with the 8% capacity required for independent support. In addition, the proposed method has improved the energy storage capacity configuration of the coordinated FM control strategy.

A Novel VSG Control Strategy for UPS Voltage Source Inverter with Impulsive Load

This paper proposes a novel control strategy to alleviate the impulsive current for Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), which is designed based on the theory of virtual synchronous generator (VSG) and dynamic switching method. The power quality of UPS will become distortion when the instantaneous impulsive load is imposed on UPS. Especially, the output current of UPS will increase quickly in short time. In order to maintain the uninterrupted output voltage and reduce the distortion of output voltage of UPS under the action of instantaneous impulse load, Dynamic switching method is proposed to resist impulse load with large scale impulse current, Meanwhile, the VSG control strategy is adopted to deal with the slow power switching and provide virtual inertia for the system, so that the output voltage of UPS can remain uninterrupted and stable. Finally, simulation and experimental results show that this method can effectively suppress the impulse current, reduce the output voltage distortion of UPS inverter, and ensure the good performance of On-line UPS under impulse load.

An IPAVSG Control Strategy for Microgrid With Multi-Parallel VSG System

Virtual synchronous generator (VSG) is widely used in various distributed power generation systems due to great simulated inertia and damping support performance. However, when the microgrid (MG) composed of multi-parallel VSG is in both grid-connected and islanded modes with various large disturbances, the control strategy with fixed parameters cannot guarantee the stable operation of the MG under all disturbances. To this end, an improved parameter-adaptive virtual synchronous generator (IPAVSG) control strategy is proposed in this paper to ensure that the virtual inertia and damping are adaptively optimized with the system operating state during the disturbance process. Therefore, the dynamic performance of the power frequency regulation and transient stability are significantly improved. Meanwhile, in order to realize the output active power of each VSG is distributed among the loads according to the ratio of its rated capacity, the active power decoupling control is designed to eliminate the influence of the virtual damping on the output active power of the VSG in islanded MG. The effectiveness and practicability of the proposed control strategy are verified through several experiments.

Microgrid Inverter Control Strategy Based on Virtual Synchronous Generator

Study the control strategy of distributed power supply grid-connected based on virtual synchronous generator. Establish the mathematical model of the inverter grid connection and the mathematical model of the virtual synchronous generator control scheme. Study the grid-connected active and reactive power regulation scheme, and analyze the influence of inertia and damping parameters on grid-connected power tracking in detail. A self-synchronous control strategy without phase-locked loop is designed, which simulates the characteristics of synchronous generator’s speed regulation system and excitation system and can seamlessly switch between two operating states of off-grid and on-grid, which is conducive to the improvement of micro-grid stability. Finally, a simple microgrid system is built on the Matlab/Simulink platform. It is verified that the proposed control strategy has good power tracking characteristics and can enable the distributed power supply to switch quickly in different operating modes.

Inertia-enhanced method for active distribution network based on hierarchical control structure

With the increasing penetration of renewable energy, converters need to help enhance the stability and rigidity of the power system. This paper proposes an inertia-enhanced method with the hierarchical control scheme for active distribution network to support inertia for the utility grid. The paper first analyzes the mechanism and influence of inertia in power systems and quantifies the inertia which an active distribution network can supply. Then, two-layer control structure is designed for favorable control performance. At the primary control layer, a virtual synchronous generator control strategy is adopted for instant inertia support under frequency fluctuation. The objective of primary control is to track the control references rapidly and accurately. At the secondary control layer, the objective is to coordinate the active and reactive power output of distributed generators to keep voltage deviations and power loss of internal distribution network operating at a comparatively appropriate level. The secondary control strategy is based on model predictive control method, which can consider the physical and control constraints of distributed generators and find the optimal reference signals for all the primary controllers to track. The inertia of power system is apparently enhanced with the hierarchical inertia-enhanced scheme. Finally, simulation based on Matlab/Simulink is carried out, and the feasibility and validity of proposed control strategy are verified.

Modeling and Analysis of the Harmonic Interaction between Grid-Connected Inverter Clusters and the Utility Grid

The virtual synchronous generator (VSG) is a promising technology for future utility grids, since it can mimic the output characteristics of a synchronous generator, which provides the necessary inertia to a utility grid. However, the large-scale application of VSGs is limited due to the harmonic interaction between VSGs and the utility grid. Therefore, in order to investigate the stability issue as well as improve the practical application for large-scale power stations, the harmonic interaction mechanism between the VSG cluster and the utility grid is addressed. Firstly, the output impedance model of a single VSG is established, and it is found that the resonance frequency is related to parameters including the output filter, controller, and grid impedance. On this basis, the capacitor current control for a grid-connected inverter based on a VSG is proposed to enhance the resonance suppression. Furthermore, the output impedance of the VSG cluster is established, which reveals the harmonic interaction characteristics between the VSG cluster and the utility grid. In addition, in order to suppress the resonance and improve the stability, an inner-loop control strategy of VSG is introduced. Finally, the simulation and experimental results verified the correctness of the established modeling and analysis of the harmonic interaction between the clustered VSGs and the utility grid. The results show that the proposed impedance model is correct and can predict the resonant point accuracy (which is around 2.3 kHz in the simulation and experimental cases). The total harmonic distortion (THD) can be reduced to 3.2% which meets the requirements of IEEE standard 519.

A Virtual Synchronous Generator Control Strategy for Microgrid Based on Harmonic Current Bypass Control

To improve the voltage and frequency stability and suppress the voltage harmonics of a microgrid, a virtual synchronous generator (VSG) control strategy based on the harmonic current bypass control is proposed in this paper. First, a robust voltage control link is added to the virtual excitation component of the traditional VSG control strategy to reduce the amplitude error of the inverter’s driving voltage caused by the reactive power-voltage droop coefficient. A harmonic current bypass control link is then used to adjust the inverter’s voltage signal to reduce the total harmonic distortion of the microgrid. Finally, a simulation model of the microgrid is established using the MATLAB/Simulink software, and its stability is analyzed. In addition, the proposed control strategy is also compared with the traditional droop control and traditional VSG control strategies, focusing on the frequency instability and harmonic suppression performance of the microgrid. The numerical simulation results verified the effectiveness and superiority of the improved VSG control strategy proposed in this paper.