Parallel current-controlled synchronverters for voltage and frequency regulation in weak grids

Abstract

The emulation of synchronous machines is becoming an attractive solution to provide virtual inertia and voltage support to weak grids and microgrids, representing an alternative to conventional current-injection control strategies. However, synchronverters operate as voltage sources and this makes it difficult to limit the current when an event like voltage sag takes place. Here, a method to limit the output current of synchronverters in parallel connection is proposed. First of all, a fictitious reference current is generated, and its value is then followed by an internal current controller. A method to avoid the loss of synchronism when the current saturates is proposed and studied in detail. Also, the implementation of the controller is addressed carefully. All the control system improvements are tested on a prototype consisting of two 15 kVA synchronverters connected in parallel to a configurable weak grid.

Keywords

• power grids
• frequency control
• electric current control
• voltage control
• synchronous machines
• voltage-source convertors
• power system control
• internal current controller
• current saturates
• control system improvements
• parallel current-controlled synchronverters
• frequency regulation
• weak grids
• synchronous machines
• virtual inertia
• voltage support
• voltage sources
• voltage sag
• parallel connection
• reference current
• voltage regulation