Decentralized and Coordinated V-f Control for Islanded Microgrids
The Problem
Insufficient distributed energy resources (DERs) create challenges to islanded microgrids that are unsupported by a main utility grid. These challenges include improper load sharing, DC side instability, and large voltage and frequency (V-f) deviation, which can lead to unnecessary load shedding.
The Solution
Researchers at the University of Tennessee, Oklahoma State University and Missouri S&T have developed a decentralized control method for coordinating output of grid-forming (GFM) inverters and controlling load demand in islanded microgrids under insufficient DER supply. This control framework is composed of a power and V-f regulator that generates supplementary signals for the primary controller. A power regulator controls the output of grid-forming inverters according to the real-time capacity constraints of DERs, while the V-f regulator improves V-f deviation by leveraging load sensitivity.
Benefits
| Benefit |
|---|
| Quickly and accurately regulates output of each GFM inverter according to real-time capacity constraints without requiring knowledge of other inverters |
| Improves V-f deviation of the microgrid |
| Reduces involuntary load shedding |
More Information
- Gregory Sechrist
- Technology Manager
- 865-974-1882 | gsechris@tennessee.edu
- UTRF Reference ID: 22154
- Patent Status:
Innovators
Dr. Fangxing (Fran) Li
James W. McConnell Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at The University of Tennessee Knoxville. He is also an adjunct researcher at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Dr. Fangxing (Fran) Li received his PhD from Virginia Tech University in 2001. His research interests include renewable energy integration, distributed energy resources, and power system computational methods. He is an adjunct researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the campus director of Center for Ultra-Wide-Area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks (CURENT).
Read more about Dr. Fangxing (Fran) LiDr. Hantao Cui
Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Dr. Hantao Cui is a senior member of IEEE. While at UT he authored the power system modeling and analysis software ANDES and was Chief Technologist of the CURENT Large-Scale Testbed. His research interests include software, computing, dynamic performance, and cybersecurity for energy systems.
Read more about Dr. Hantao CuiDr. Rui Bo
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Missouri S&T
Dr. Rui Bo received his PhD from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2009. His research interests include computation, optimization and economics in power system operation and planning, high performance computing and its application in power systems, electricity market simulation, and evaluation and design.
Read more about Dr. Rui Bo