Polymorphic Virtual Synchronous Generator: An Advanced Controller for Smart Inverters

Audrey Moulichon, Mazen Alamir, Vincent Debusschere (), Lauric Garbuio and Nouredine Hadjsaid
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Audrey Moulichon: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, G2ELab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Mazen Alamir: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, GIPSA-Lab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Vincent Debusschere: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, G2ELab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Lauric Garbuio: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, G2ELab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Nouredine Hadjsaid: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP, CNRS, G2ELab, 38000 Grenoble, France

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 20, 1-14

Abstract: Virtual synchronous generators (VSGs) are one of the most relevant solutions to integrate renewable energy in weak grids and microgrids. They indeed provide inverters characteristics of rotating machines (inertia for instance) that are useful for stabilizing the system, notably in the context of the high variability of the production. Thanks to the virtual characteristics of the VSG, the virtual parameters of the emulated synchronous machine can be optimally adapted online as a function of the electric environment of the inverter. We call that inverter’s control a polymorphic VSG. The online adaptation of the critical control parameters of the VSG helps reduce the risk of deterioration of the inverter’s constituents that might be induced by harsh events (frequent in weak grids) but, more importantly, improves the robustness of the system. In this paper, four implementations of a polymorphic VSG controller are compared on a simple microgrid study case to a complete VSG model. For the test, polymorphic VSGs have to minimize frequency and voltage oscillations while withstanding short circuits, which is typically a requirement for units in this context. One of the controls is based on recurrent optimization over a prediction time horizon, and two sub-optimal ones target practical implementation in industrial inverters with limited computational power. Results show a clear reduction in incidents in the microgrid thanks to the controllers. The error reduction with the complete polymorphic VSG is up to 100% for the voltage, 32% for the currents, and 79% for the duty ratio. Those values are decreased by 30 to 50% with the sub-optimal controllers but for a reduction in the computational burden of more than 97%. Recommendations are proposed for the development of an auto-adaptive polymorphic VSG from a high technology-readiness-level perspective, i.e., targeting a compromise between error reduction and computational burden.

Keywords: grid-forming inverter; virtual synchronous generator; microgrids; distributed energy resources; predictive controller; self-adaptive control; state-space model; optimal control; model regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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