Search results for "Grid-forming"
showing 10 items of 10 documents
Generalized power-angle control for grid-forming converters: A structural analysis
2022
Several control schemes have been recently proposed and studied as grid-forming controls for power converters. In all these schemes, the power-angle control loop is the part which defines the fundamental capabilities of the grid-forming control: that control loop governs in fact the inherent synchronization mechanism of the power converter, the power sharing with the other generation sources in the system and the oscillatory characteristics of the converter-based resource. This article introduces a general formulation for the power-angle control characterizing the grid-forming concept for power converters. The generalized power-angle control is based on a polynomial fraction formulation, an…
Power System Oscillations with Different Prevalence of Grid-Following and Grid-Forming Converters
2022
The oscillatory behaviour of the power system is an aspect that is significantly affected by the increasing integration of converter-based generation sources. Several works address the impact of non-synchronous generation on the operation of the system from different points of view, but only a few studies focus on power-frequency oscillations with a prevalence of generation sources interfaced through power electronics. A lack of research can be found in particular in the comparative analysis of the two main control strategies for power converters, namely grid-following and grid-forming. The article aims to contribute to this direction, starting from a theoretical analysis of the two control…
Frequency Dynamics in Fully Non-Synchronous Electrical Grids: A Case Study of an Existing Island
2022
The operation of a power system with 100% converter-interfaced generation poses several questions and challenges regarding various aspects of the design and the control of the system. Existing literature on the integration of renewable energy sources in isolated systems mainly focuses on energy aspects or steady-state issues, and only a few studies examine the dynamic issues of autonomous networks operated with fully non-synchronous generation. A lack of research can be found in particular in the determination of the required amount of grid-forming power, the selection of the number and rated power of the units which should implement the grid-forming controls, and the relative locations of …
Synchronizing Interactions Between Different Types of Grid-Forming Converters in Smart Grids
2022
The work investigates the transient synchronizing interactions between different types of grid-forming controls. Two well-known grid-forming schemes are implemented and considered for analysis: a droop-based control and a swing-based control. The two controls are examined for a temporary loss of synchronism. The analysis is performed considering two different conditions for the grid interconnecting the converters: a resistive-inductive grid and a mainly inductive grid. The first case corresponds to actual conditions in low and medium voltage applications. The second case is realized with the implementation of a virtual reactance in the grid-forming control scheme. The analysis of the result…
Grid-forming converters. A critical review of pilot projects and demonstrators
2022
Grid-forming control can be a useful solution for all dynamic issues in weak grids and for providing ancillary services. It represents the new frontier in modern power electronics, responding to the needs of power systems more and more rich in renewables and, for this reason, with lower inertia. Today, the research on grid-forming is mainly oriented to propose new and more effective control schemes and to evaluate their performances with simulation tools, but few works in the literature focus on the results of on-field experimentation. Therefore, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of grid-forming pilot projects and demonstrators developed worldwide. The work describes the mai…
AN ACCURATE MODEL FOR STEADY-STATE AND DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF THE SICILIAN NETWORK WITH HVDC INTERCONNECTIONS
2021
Sicily is one of the first Italian regions for installed power from renewable energy plants, especially photovoltaic and wind plants, and a crucial point for the Mediterranean energy hub. Its role as nexus between the European and the African Continents is becoming more and more significant due to the realization in a short time of the so called Tyrrhenian link and the High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) connection with Tunisia. In this framework, the paper presents a model of the Sicily power generation and transmission system, including the Tyrrhenian link and two equivalent buses representing the Sardinian power network and the rest of the Continental Europe (CE) synchronous area, for both …
Fundamental Analysis of Grid-Forming Converters Enhanced with Feedforward Controls
2022
The grid-forming control for power converters can be enhanced by proper feedforward terms included in the active power control loop. Two basic structures are identified, the feedforward angle and the feedforward frequency. The formal analysis of the transfer functions reveals a structural similarity. The two schemes exhibit however a fundamental difference in their transient capabilities. The grid-forming controls are characterized with the introduction of two specific factors, for the direct assessment of the inertia and the damping which can be provided by the grid-forming converter. The sensitivity analysis of the two feedforward schemes indicates that the enhancement of the transient pe…
A Comparison between RMS and EMT Grid-Forming Implementations in MATLAB/Simscape for Smart Grids Dynamics
2022
The article presents a comparison between phasor RMS and EMT models for grid-forming converters. The specific aspects related to the implementation in Simscape Electrical of MATLAB/Simulink are discussed for both RMS and EMT time-domains. The comparison between the different implementations is performed with the simulation of two widely studied grid-forming schemes, the virtual synchronous machine and the power-synchronization control. The simulation-based comparison examines transient phenomena with different characteristics and time scales, including frequency transients, phase jumps and short-circuit events. Specific indications regarding limitations and suitability of grid-forming model…
Grid-Forming Converters in Weak Grids – The Case of a Mediterranean Island
2019
The existing power network of a Mediterranean island is used as test bed for the study of grid-forming converter dynamics in weak grid conditions. The control scheme adopted for the converter falls in the category of the so called virtual synchronous machines (VSM). Particular attention is committed to the interaction between the converter controls and the synchronous machines dynamics. Time delays typically associated to measurements and filters are considered in the study, and included in the system model with a specific mathematical approach. Time-domain simulations show the occurrence of oscillatory instability in the system, with VSM and synchronous machines swinging against each other…
Sensitivity Analysis and Frequency Dynamics of Grid-Connected Converters with Virtual Inertia
2021
For the participation in the frequency control of the system, power converters can be controlled with different strategies and methods, sharing the common concept of virtual inertia capability. In this work, a sensitivity analysis of two main categories of converter controls with virtual inertia is presented. The considered schemes are a grid-following current vector control with additional virtual inertia block and a grid-forming control scheme based on virtual synchronous machine concept. A proper basis for the comparison is first assessed providing an analytical correlation between the control parameters of the two schemes. For the two control strategies, the sensitivity analysis of the …