Load Sharing Scheme Incorporating Power Security Margins for Parallel Operation of Voltage Source Inverters

Abstract

The interconnection of distributed energy resources (DERs) in microgrids (MGs) operating in both islanded and grid-connected modes require coordinated control strategies. DERs are interfaced with voltage source inverters (VSIs) enabling interconnection. This paper proposes a load demand sharing scheme for the parallel operation of VSIs in an islanded voltage source inverter-based microgrid (VSI-MG). The ride-through capability of a heavily loaded VSI-MG, where some of the VSIs are fully loaded due to the occurrence of an event is investigated. In developing analytical equations to model the VSI, the concept of virtual synchronous machines (VSM) is applied to enable the VSI mimic the inertia effect of synchronous machines. A power frame transformation (PFT) that takes the line ratios of the MG network into account is also incorporated to yield satisfactory transient responses of both network frequency and bus voltages in the MG network. A Jacobian-based method is then developed to take into account the operational capacity of each VSI in the VSI-MG. The resulting amendable droop control constrains the VSIs within their power capabilities when an event occurs. Simulation results presented within demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure which has great potential to facilitate efforts in maintaining system reliability and resiliency.

Keywords

• AC microgrid
• distributed energy resources
• droop control
• transient stability
• power sharing
• voltage source inverter (VSI)