Optimal Cooperative Secondary Control for Islanded DC Microgrids via a Fully Actuated Approach

DC-DC converter-based multi-bus DC microgrids(MGs) in series have received much attention, where the conflict between voltage recovery and current balancing has been a hot topic. The lack of models that accurately portray the electrical characteristics of actual MGs while is controller design-friendly has kept the issue active. To this end, this paper establishes a large-signal model containing the comprehensive dynamical behavior of the DC MGs based on the theory of high-order fully actuated systems, and proposes distributed optimal control based on this. The proposed secondary control method can achieve the two goals of voltage recovery and current sharing for multi-bus DC MGs. Additionally, the simple structure of the proposed approach is similar to one based on droop control, which allows this control technique to be easily implemented in a variety of modern microgrids with different configurations. In contrast to existing studies, the process of controller design in this paper is closely tied to the actual dynamics of the MGs. It is a prominent feature that enables engineers to customize the performance metrics of the system. In addition, the analysis of the stability of the closed-loop DC microgrid system, as well as the optimality and consensus of current sharing are given. Finally, a scaled-down solar and battery-based microgrid prototype with maximum power point tracking controller is developed in the laboratory to experimentally test the efficacy of the proposed control method.

Research on the Stability Analysis Method of DC Microgrid Based on Bifurcation and Strobe Theory

During the operation of a DC microgrid,the nonlinearity and low damping characteristics of the DC bus make it prone to oscillatory instability.In this paper,we first establish a discrete nonlinear system dynamic model of a DC microgrid,study the effects of the converter sag coefficient,input voltage,and load resistance on the microgrid stability,and reveal the oscillation mechanism of a DC microgrid caused by a single source.Then,a DC microgrid stability analysis method based on the combination of bifurcation and strobe is used to analyze how the aforementioned parameters influence the oscillation characteristics of the system.Finally,the stability region of the system is obtained by the Jacobi matrix eigenvalue method.Grid simulation verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Automatic SOC Equalization Strategy of Energy Storage Units with DC Microgrid Bus Voltage Support

In this paper,an improved sag control strategy based on automatic SOC equalization is proposed to solve the problems of slow SOC equalization and excessive bus voltage fluctuation amplitude and offset caused by load and PV power variations in a stand-alone DC microgrid.The strategy includes primary and secondary control.Among them,the primary control suppresses the DC microgrid voltage fluctuation through the I and II section control,and the secondary control aims to correct the P-U curve of the energy storage system and the PV system,thus reducing the steady-state bus voltage excursion.The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy effectively achieves SOC balancing and enhances the immunity of bus voltage.The proposed strategy improves the voltage fluctuation suppression ability by approximately 39.4%and 43.1%under the PV power and load power fluctuation conditions,respectively.Furthermore,the steady-state deviation of the bus voltage,△U_(dc) is only 0.01–0.1 V,ensuring stable operation of the DC microgrid in fluctuating power environments.

Attack-resilient control for converter-based DC microgrids

In light of the growing integration of renewable energy sources in power systems,the adoption of DC microgrids has become increasingly popular,due to its simple structure,having no frequency,power factor concerns.However,the dependence of DC microgrids on cyber-networks also makes them susceptible to cyber-attacks.Potential cyberattacks can disrupt power system facilities and result in significant economic and loss of life.To address this concern,this paper presents an attack-resilient control strategy for microgrids to ensure voltage regulation and power sharing with stable operation under cyber-attack on the actuators.This paper first formulates the cyber-security problem considering a distributed generation based microgrid using the converter model,after which an attack-resilient control is proposed to eliminate the actuator attack impact on the system.Steady state analysis and root locus validation illustrate the feasibility of the proposed method.The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is demonstrated through simulation results.

Distributed Periodic Event-Triggered Optimal Control of DC Microgrids Based on Virtual Incremental Cost

This article presents a distributed periodic eventtriggered(PET)optimal control scheme to achieve generation cost minimization and average bus voltage regulation in DC microgrids.In order to accommodate the generation constraints of the distributed generators(DGs),a virtual incremental cost is firstly designed,based on which an optimality condition is derived to facilitate the control design.To meet the discrete-time(DT)nature of modern control systems,the optimal controller is directly developed in the DT domain.Afterward,to reduce the communication requirement among the controllers,a distributed event-triggered mechanism is introduced for the DT optimal controller.The event-triggered condition is detected periodically and therefore naturally avoids the Zeno phenomenon.The closed-loop system stability is proved by the Lyapunov synthesis for switched systems.The generation cost minimization and average bus voltage regulation are obtained at the equilibrium point.Finally,switch-level microgrid simulations validate the performance of the proposed optimal controller.

A Grid Interface Current Control Strategy for DC Microgrids

In this paper,a grid interface current control strategy is presented for a DC microgrid,which aims to reduce the disturbance from PV generation and the load variation to the main grid without a grid interface converter.The grid interface current is directly controlled by a battery DC-DC converter within the DC microgrid.Based on a comprehensive analysis of the battery DC-DC converter and interface current control,the control system has been mathematically modelled.This enabled two transfer functions to be derived that reflect the dynamic response of the inductor current to the duty cycle variation(inner loop),and the dynamic response of the grid interface current to the inductor current variation(outer loop).Experimental study has been done to assess the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.The experimental results indicate that the proposed control strategy has a good performance to control the grid interface current without an interface converter,regardless the variations of both PV and the load conditions.

Adaptive Decentralized Output-Constrained Control of Single-Bus DC Microgrids

A single-bus DC microgrid can represent a wide range of applications. Control objectives of such systems include high-performance bus voltage regulation and proper load sharing among multiple distributed generators(DGs) under various operating conditions. This paper presents a novel decentralized control algorithm that can guarantee both the transient voltage control performance and realize the predefined load sharing percentages. First, the output-constrained control problem is transformed into an equivalent unconstrained one. Second, a two-step backstepping control algorithm is designed based on the transformed model for bus-voltage regulation. Since the overall control effort can be split proportionally and calculated with locally-measurable signals, decentralized load sharing can be realized. The control design requires neither accurate parameters of the output filters nor load measurement. The stability of the transformed systems under the proposed control algorithm can indirectly guarantee the transient bus voltage performance of the original system. Additionally, the high-performance control design is robust, flexible, and reliable. Switch-level simulations under both normal and fault operating conditions demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Control-Based Stabilization of DC Microgrid for More Electric Aircraft

Electrifying the on-board subsystems of aircraft becomes an inevitable process as being faced with the environmental pollution,along with the proposed concept called more electric aircraft(MEA).With the increasing number of on-board power electronic based devices,the distribution system of the aircraft can be regarded as an onboard microgrid.As it is known that the load power electronic converters can exhibit constant power load(CPL)characteristics and reduce the system stability,it is necessary to accurately predict and enhance the system stability in designing process.This paper firstly analyzes the stability of an on-board DC microgrid with the presence of CPL.Then,discusses the reasons behind instability and proposes a control strategy to enhance system stability.Finally,the simulation results are worked out to validate the analysis and the effect of the proposed control strategy.

Stability Analysis of DC Microgrid Clusters Based on Step-by-step System Matrix Building Algorithm

DC microgrids(DCMGs)are made up of a network of sources and loads that are connected by a number of power electronic converters(PECs).The increase in the number of these PECs instigates major concerns in system stability.While interconnecting the microgrids to form a cluster,the system stability must be ensured.This paper proposes a novel stepby-step system matrix building(SMB)algorithm to update the system matrix of an existing DCMG cluster when a new microgrid is added to the cluster through a distribution line.The stability of the individual DCMGs and the DCMG cluster is analyzed using the eigenvalue method.Further,the particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm is used to retune the controller gains if the newly formed cluster is not stable.The simulation of the DCMG cluster is carried out in MATLAB/Simulink environment to test the proposed algorithm.The results are also validated using the OP4510 real-time simulator(RTS).

Resilence Control of DC Microgrid Integrated with Multi-Nanogrids Considering Connected-Islanded States

In this paper, a DC microgrid (DCMG) integrated with a set of nano-grids (NG) is studied. DCMG exchanges predetermined active and reactive power with the upstream network. DCMG and NGs are coordinately controlled and managed in such a way the exchanged P-Q power with external grid are kept on scheduled level following all events and operating conditions. The proposed control system, in addition to the ability of mutual support between DCMG and NGs, makes NGs support each other in critical situations. On the other hand, in all operating conditions, DCMG not only feeds three-phase loads with time-varying active and reactive power on the grid side but also injects constant active power into the grid. During events, NGs support each other, NGs support DCMG, and DCMG supports NGs. Such control strategies are realized by the proposed control method to increase resilience of the system. For these purposes, all resources and loads in DCMG and NGs are equipped with individual controllers. Then, a central control unit analyzes, monitors, and regularizes performance of individual controllers in DCMG and NGs. Nonlinear simulations show the proposed model can effectively control DCMG and NGs under normal and critical conditions.

Distributed Secondary Control Based on Dynamic Diffusion Algorithm for Current Sharing and Average Voltage Regulation in DC Microgrids

This paper introduces a distributed secondary control scheme for achieving current sharing and average voltage regulation objectives in a DC microgrid.The proposed scheme employs a dynamic diffusion algorithm(DDA)instead of the consensus algorithm to enable distributed communication among converters.To help understand DDA,the relation of DDA and other diffusion algorithms is discussed in detail and its superiority is shown by comparison with diffusion and consensus algorithms.Furthermore,considering the discrete nature and different sampling time of the digital controller and communication network,a z-domain model of the entire DC microgrid is established.The influence of communication and secondary control parameters on the system stability is investigated.Based on the established model,the tolerable communication rates are obtained.Real-time simulations conducted on the OPAL-RT platform validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme,showcasing its advantages in terms of convergence speed and stability.

Transient Characteristics and Accommodative Current Limiting Strategy for Bidirectional Interlinking Converters in Hybrid AC/DC Microgrids

Bidirectional interlinking converter(BIC)is the core equipment in a hybrid AC/DC microgrid connected between AC and DC sub-grids.However,the variety of control modes and flexible bidirectional power flow complicate the influence of AC faults on BIC itself and on DC sub-grid,which potentially threaten both converter safety and system reliability.This study first investigates AC fault influence on the BIC and DC bus voltage under different BIC control modes and different pre-fault operation states,by developing a mathematical model and equivalent sequence network.Second,based on the analysis results,a general accommodative current limiting strategy is proposed for BIC without limitations to specific mode or operation condition.Current amplitude is predicted and constrained according to the critical requirements to protect the BIC and relieving the AC fault influence on the DC bus voltage.Compared with conventional methods,potential current limit failure and distortions under asymmetric faults can also be avoided.Finally,experiments verify feasibility of the proposed method.

Performance Analysis of Grid Connected and Islanded Modes of AC/DC Microgrid for Residential Home Cluster

This paper presents performance analysis on hybrid AC/DC microgrid networks for residential home cluster. The design of the proposed microgrid includes comprehensive types of Distributed Generators (DGs) as hybrid power sources (wind, Photovoltaic (PV) solar cell, battery, fuel cell). Details about each DG dynamic modeling are presented and discussed. The customers in home cluster can be connected in both of the operating modes: islanded to the microgrid or connected to utility grid. Each DG has appended control system with its modeling that will be discussed to control DG performance. The wind turbine will be controlled by AC control system within three sub-control systems: 1) speed regulator and pitch control, 2) rotor side converter control, and 3) grid side converter control. The AC control structure is based on PLL, current regulator and voltage booster converter with using of photovoltaic Voltage Source Converter (VSC) and inverters to connect to the grid. The DC control system is mainly based on Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller and boost converter connected to the PV array block and in order to control the system. The case study is used to analyze the performance of the proposed microgrid. The buses voltages, active power and reactive power responses are presented in both of grid-connected and islanded modes. In addition, the power factor, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) and modulation index are calculated.

Robust backstepping global integral terminal sliding mode controller to enhance dynamic stability of hybrid AC/DC microgrids

In this paper,a Backstepping Global Integral Terminal Sliding Mode Controller(BGITSMC)with the view to enhancing the dynamic stability of a hybrid AC/DC microgrid has been presented.The proposed approach controls the switch-ing signals of the inverter,interlinking the DC-bus with the AC-bus in an AC/DC microgrid for a seamless interface and regulation of the output power of renewable energy sources(Solar Photovoltaic unit,PMSG-based wind farm),and Battery Energy Storage System.The proposed control approach guarantees the dynamic stability of a hybrid AC/DC microgrid by regulating the associated states of the microgrid system to their intended values.The dynamic stabil-ity of the microgrid system with the proposed control law has been proved using the Control Lyapunov Function.A simulation analysis was performed on a test hybrid AC/DC microgrid system to demonstrate the performance of the proposed control strategy in terms of maintaining power balance while the system’s operating point changed.Furthermore,the superiority of the proposed approach has been demonstrated by comparing its performance with the existing Sliding Mode Control(SMC)approach for a hybrid AC/DC microgrid.

A Review on Challenges in DC Microgrid Planning and Implementation

DC microgrids are gaining more attention with the increased penetration of various DC sources such as solar photovoltaic systems, fuel cells, batteries, etc., and DC loads. Due to the rapid integration of these components into the existing power system, the importance of DC microgrids has reached a salient point. Compared with conventional AC systems, DC systems are free from synchronization issues, reactive power control, frequency control, etc., and are more reliable and efficient.However, many challenges need to be addressed for utilizing DC power to its full potential. The absence of natural current zero is a significant issue in protecting DC systems. In addition,the stability of the DC microgrid, which relies on inertia, needs to be considered during system design. Moreover, power quality and communication issues are also significant challenges in DC microgrids. This paper presents a review of various value streams of DC microgrids including architectures, protection schemes, power quality, inertia, communication, and economic operation. In addition, comparisons between different microgrid configurations, the state-of-the-art projects of DC microgrid, and future trends are also set forth for further studies.

Improving the Performance of DC Microgrids by Utilizing Adaptive Takagi-Sugeno Model Predictive Control

In naval direct current(DC)microgrids,pulsed power loads(PPLs)are becoming more prominent.A solar sys-tem,an energy storage system,and a pulse load coupled directly to the DC bus compose a DC microgrid in this study.For DC mi-crogrids equipped with sonar,radar,and other sensors,pulse load research is crucial.Due to high pulse loads,there is a possibility of severe power pulsation and voltage loss.The original contribution of this paper is that we are able to address the nonlinear problem by applying the Takagi-Sugeno(TS)model formulation for naval DC microgrids.Additionally,we provide a nonlinear power observer for estimating major disturbances affecting DC microgrids.To demonstrate the TS-potential,we examine three approaches for mitigating their negative effects:instantaneous power control(IPC)control,model predictive control(MPC)formulation,and TS-MPC approach with compensated PPLs.The results reveal that the TS-MPC approach with adjusted PPLs effectively shares power and regulates bus voltage under a variety of load conditions,while greatly decreasing detrimental impacts of the pulse load.Additionally,the comparison confirmed the efficiency of this technique.Index Terms-DC microgrids(MG),model predictive control(MPC),pulsed power loads(PPLs),nonlinear power observer,Takagi-Sugeno(TS)fuzzy model.

Research on Virtual DC Generator-Based Control Strategy of DCMicrogrid with Photovoltaic and Energy Storage

With the penetration of a large number of photovoltaic power generation units and power electronic converters,the DC microgrid shows low inertia characteristics,which might affect the stable operation of the microgrid in extreme cases.In order to enhance the“flexible features”of the interface converter connected to the DC bus,a control strategy of DCmicrogrid with photovoltaic and energy storage based on the virtual DC generator(VDCG)is proposed in this paper.The interface converters of the photovoltaic power generation system and the energy storage system simulates the inertia and damping characteristics of the DC generator to improve the stability of the DC bus voltage.The impedance ratio of DC microgrid was obtained by establishing the small-signal model of photovoltaic power generation system and energy storage system,and the Nyquist curves was applied to analyze the small-signal stability of the system.Finally,the simulation results were verified with MATLAB/Simulink.The results show that the proposed control strategy can slow down the fluctuation of bus voltage under the conditions of photovoltaic power fluctuation and load mutation,thus enhancing the system stability.

Robust Control Strategy for Inductive Parametric Uncertainties of DC/DC Converters in Islanded DC Microgrid

Direct current(DC) microgrid consists of many parallel power converters that share load currents through the inductance of DC/DC converters. Usually, the inductance parameters are dependent on the physical implementation of the system, and their values may not match their nameplates. Such disparities could lead to unequal response characteristics of the system, which can potentially reduce the performances of the DC microgrid operation. This paper proposes a robust control strategy for inductive parametric uncertainties of DC/DC converters using an optimal control method with integral action. To achieve such a goal, the system model parameters with nominal values are transformed into parametric unmatched uncertainties to form a robust control problem, which is then transformed into a linear quadratic regulator problem. The inductance uncertainties are stabilized with the uncertainty dynamic algebraic Riccati equation(UDARE) using state feedback gain under linear quadratic regulator. The closed-loop control with integral action is adopted to achieve a steady-state error of zero on the DC-link voltage at any uncertainty of the inductive parameter, which subsequently ensures the equal load current sharing. Off-line simulations and real-time validations based on OpalRT have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed robust control strategy.

A Voltage-supportive Controller for Ultra-fast Electric Vehicle Chargers in Islanded DC Microgrids

This paper presents a controller for fast and ultrafast electric vehicle(EV)charging stations.Without affecting the charging efficiency,the proposed controller enables the charger to provide support to the interconnection voltage to counter and damp its transients.Existing solutions are either hardware-based such as using supercapacitors and flywheels which increase the cost and bulkiness of the charging station,or software-based such as P/V droop methods which are still unable to provide a robust and strong voltage support.This paper proposes an emulated supercapacitor concept in the control system of the ultra-fast EV charger in an islanded DC microgrid.Thus,it converts the EV from a static load to a bus voltage supportive load,leading to reduced bus voltage oscillations during single and multiple ultra-fast EV charging operations,and rides through and provides supports during extreme external disturbances.Detailed analysis and design guidelines of the proposed controller are presented,and its effectiveness and improved performance compared with conventional techniques are shown for different case studies.

A Unified Control of Super-capacitor System Based on Bi-directional DC-DC Converter for Power Smoothing in DC Microgrid

To improve the equivalent inertia of DC microgrids(DCMGs),a unified control is proposed for the first time for a bi-directional DC-DC converter based super-capacitor(SC)system,whereby power smoothing and SC terminal voltage regulation can be achieved in a DCMG simultaneously.The proposed control displays good plug-and-play features using only local measurements.For quantitative analysis and effective design of the critical parameter of unified control,two indices,equivalent power supporting time and inertia contributed by the unified controlled SC system,are introduced firstly.Then,with a simple but effective reduced-order model of a DCMG,analytical solutions are obtained for the two indices.In addition,a systematic design method is presented for the proposed unified control.Finally,to verify the proposed unified control,a switching model is developed for a typical DCMG in PSCAD/EMTDC,and theoretical analyses are conducted for different operating conditions.