Control algorithms for power converters and stability analyses for grids

Description

IMDEA Energy has developed novel control algorithms for power converters to guarantee the stability of power system and flexibility needed for the integration of renewable sources and energy storage systems. The algorithms are verified using small signal modelling techniques, computer simulation and lab Power-HIL facilities available in the institute.

Further deployment of renewable energy technologies and decarbonization of energy supply mix in electricity networks are both pending on a consensual solution for a series of complex legal, economic and technical issues. This fact underlines the importance of introducing novel flexible power network architectures and development of new network control algorithms for power converters serving as interface for renewable power sources and energy storage.

IMDEA Energy institute focusing on the electricity network management has developed new control algorithms for control of power converter in grid and microgrid applications:

• Grid-feeding and Grid-forming algorithms for renewable and storage applications in microgrids and distribution networks
• Transient stability assessment and inertial services with renewable and storage converters.
• Voltage stability assessment and control for microgrids and distribution network.
• Analyses and control of hybrid AC, DC and mixed power networks
• Integration of energy storage to electricity networks. Aggregated control of distributed energy storage.
• Algorithms for HVDC links and Power Oscillation Damping
• Real-time algorithms for testing electrical energy conversion and power interfaces. Power electronics converters emulating operation and dynamics of real AC and DC power networks.
• Control algorithm testing and validation in Power-HIL environment (SEIL laboratory).

Advantages and Innovations

• Detailed network stability assessment including small-signal and transient stability analyses
• Custom made control algorithms for grid converters to meet future power Grid Codes (frequency and voltage regulation)
• Design and analysis of hybrid AC and DC power networks
• Possibility to test all control algorithms and compliance of Grid Codes in real-time and by using real power processing in SEIL lab.
• A unique test environment for integration of conventional generation and renewable and storage technologies
• Simple code generation and code transfer to any control platform

Market Applications

• Development of control systems for power converters serving as interfaces for renewable and energy storage
• HVDC control including algorithms for Power-Oscillation Damping
• Frequency and voltage stability assessment for power converter dominated electricity networks.
• Testing power converter compliance with Grid Codes
• Testing of centralised and decentralised control algorithms for converters in AC, DC and hybrid power networks
• Control algorithms for distributed energy storage applications
• Real-time validation of control algorithms in Power-HIL environment
• Power quality analysis and testing

Reference

[1] A. Rodríguez-Cabero, J. Roldán-Pérez and M. Prodanovic, “Virtual Impedance Design Considerations for Virtual Synchronous Machines in Weak Grids,” in IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 1477-1489, June 2020. DOI: 10.1109/JESTPE.2019.2912071

Figure 1: Control design for Virtual Synchronous Machine application in Weak-Grids [1]