Flexible voltage support control with imbalance mitigation capability for inverter-based distributed generation power plants under grid faults

Abstract

The high penetration level of inverter-based distributed generation (DG) power plants is challenging the low-voltage ride-through requirements, especially under unbalanced voltage sags. Recently, a flexible injection of both positive- (PS) and negative-sequence (NS) reactive currents has been suggested for the next generation of grid codes. This can enhance the ancillary services for voltage support at the point of common coupling (PCC). In light of this, considering distant grid faults that occur in a mainly inductive grid, this paper proposes a complete voltage support control scheme for the interface inverters of medium or high-rated DG power plants. The first contribution is the development of a reactive current reference generator combining PS and NS, with a feature to increase the PS voltage and simultaneously decrease the NS voltage, to mitigate voltage imbalance. The second contribution is the design of a voltage support control loop with two flexible PCC voltage set points, which can ensure continuous operation within the limits required in grid codes. In addition, a current saturation strategy is also considered for deep voltage sags to avoid overcurrent protection. Finally, simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.