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Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems

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A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Power Electronics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 38649

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Emilio Gomez-Lazaro

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Guest Editor

Renewable Energy Research Institute, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM), 02071 Albacete, Spain
Interests: power system operation with large amounts of variable generation; design and modelling; maintenance of renewable energy power installations; microgrids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Andres Honrubia-Escribano

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Guest Editor

Renewable Energy Research Institute, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales de Albacete, Department of Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Control Communications, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Interests: electrical engineering; energy storage systems; integration of distributed generation; modeling of renewable power plants; model validation; solar photovoltaics; wind power
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Variable renewable energy (VRE) generation is currently emerging as of key importance due to its substantial impact on power systems. Specifically, wind and solar PV energy should be addressed due to their importance in the energy mix of current and future power systems. This revolution has been possible thanks to advances in power electronic converters. Power converters can be found in the electric grid, distributed generation systems, and as part of renewable energy power plants. This Special Issue deals with these power electronic converters, showcasing their unique properties, which have triggered great interest in researchers. Power converters in this field include multilevel, multi-input, modular, matrix, soft switching, and Z-source converters. Furthermore, current energy storage technologies are able to improve the technical and economic performance of the whole power system when integrated with the power converter.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present solutions to challenges related to VRE modeling, specifically wind and solar PV generation. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

Detailed VRE modeling (wind turbines, wind power plants, and solar PV power plants) to provide accurate response and design, with analysis focused on the power converter;
Simplified VRE modeling (wind turbines, wind power plants, and solar PV power plants) with application to power system studies; model assessment in accordance with national and international Standards, such as IEC 61400-27 or WECC, with a focus on the power converter;
Modeling of new control strategies for power converters;
Model validation;
Grid support and ancillary services provided by wind and solar PV generation with power converters;
Power quality;
Novel approaches to maintenance for power converters;

The combination of power electronics with storage systems of all sizes (from home to utility scale) to manage hybridized power systems.

Prof. Dr. Emilio Gomez-Lazaro
Assoc. Prof. Andres Honrubia-Escribano
Guest Editors

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Keywords

power converters
wind power plants
solar PV power plants
variable renewable energy integration
storage technologies
model validation

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2153 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Robust Predictive Control Scheme for Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Generators Based Modern Wind Turbines

by Mohamed Abdelrahem, Christoph Hackl and Ralph Kennel

Electronics 2021, 10(13), 1596; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics10131596 - 2 Jul 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2109

Abstract

In this article, a deadbeat predictive control (DB-PC) strategy for permanent-magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs)-based modern wind turbines is proposed. The main advantages of the DB-PC technique are its excellent dynamics and its constant switching frequency. However, the main idea of DB-PC is obtaining the actuation voltage for the next sample from the mathematical model of the generator. Therefore, the DB-PC is highly sensitive to mismatches in the parameters of the PMSG. In order to obviate this problem, a disturbance estimator (extended Kalman filter (EKF)) is employed in this work to enhance the robustness of the proposed DB-PC scheme by estimating the total disturbance due to parameter mismatches and adding it to the calculation of the actuation voltage. Furthermore, the same EKF observe the rotor speed and position of the PMSG, i.e., mechanical sensors are not required. Moreover, the EKF is able to reduce the harmonic distortion in the stator currents of the PMSG. The proposed DB-PC strategy is implemented in the laboratory. The experimental results proved the superiority of the proposed DB-PC strategy over the traditional DB-PC technique. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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18 pages, 5716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Parasitic Resistances on the Input Resistance of Buck and Boost Converters in Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Systems

by Marcin Walczak and Leszek Bychto

Electronics 2021, 10(12), 1464; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics10121464 - 18 Jun 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2820

Abstract

DC/DC converters are widely used in photovoltaic (PV) systems to maximize the power drained from solar panels. As the power generated by a PV panel depends on the temperature and irradiance level, a converter needs to constantly modify its input resistance to remain at the maximum power point (MPP). The input resistance of a converter can be described by a simple equation that includes the converter load resistance and the duty cycle of the switching signal. The equation is sufficient for an ideal converter but can lead to incorrect results for a real converter, which naturally features some parasitic resistances. The goal of this study is to evaluate how the parasitic resistances of a converter influence its input resistance and if they are relevant in terms of MPPT system operation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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27 pages, 5896 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Stand-Alone Hybrid Power Plant Based on SiC Solar PV and Wind Inverters with Smart Spinning Reserve Management

by Susana Martín-Arroyo, José Antonio Cebollero, Miguel García-Gracia and Álvaro Llamazares

Electronics 2021, 10(7), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics10070796 - 27 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3431

Abstract

Stand-alone hybrid power plants based on renewable energy sources are becoming a more and more interesting alternative. However, their management is a complex task because there are many variables, requirements and restrictions as well as a wide variety of possible scenarios. Though a proper sizing of the power plant is necessary to obtain a competitive cost of the energy, smart management is key to guarantee the power supply at a minimum cost. In this work, a novel hybrid power plant control strategy is designed, implemented and simulated under a wide variety of scenarios. Thereby, the proposed control algorithm aims to achieve maximum integration of renewable energy, reducing the usage of non-renewable generators as much as possible and guaranteeing the stability of the microgrid. Different scenarios and case studies have been analyzed by dynamic simulation to verify the proper operation of the power plant controller. The main novelties of this work are: (i) the stand-alone hybrid power plant management regarding a battery energy storage system as a part of the spinning reserve, (ii) the characterization of the largest loads as non-priority loads, (iii) the minimization of the needed spinning reserve and fuel consumption from diesel generators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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22 pages, 15763 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Grid Voltage Estimation Based on Integral Resonant Current Controller for LCL-Filtered Grid-Connected Inverter without AC Voltage Sensors

by Thuy Vi Tran and Kyeong-Hwa Kim

Electronics 2020, 9(12), 2051; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9122051 - 2 Dec 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2718

Abstract

A high reliability of a grid-connected inverter (GCI) system at reasonable cost is a critical requirement for maximizing renewable energy potential in the electrical energy market. Several grid voltage sensorless control approaches have been investigated not only to eliminate the vulnerability of faulty sensors but also to further reduce the GCI commercial price. In this paper, a frequency adaptive integral-resonant full-state feedback current control scheme with the facilitation of a full-state observer is adopted for a grid-connected inductive–capacitive–inductive (LCL) filtered inverter without sensing the grid voltages. The proposed scheme actively damps the filter resonance and ensures the robustness of the inverter system against unexpected severe grid conditions with low cost and simplified hardware construction. The synchronization of the inverter with the main grid is accomplished by the proposed current controller-based grid voltage estimator, in which the grid frequency and phase angle can be detected effectively. In addition, the actual grid voltages are precisely regenerated to ensure the stable performance of the full-state observer. A safe start-up procedure is also presented for the grid voltage sensorless control of the LCL-filtered inverter to avoid a critical overcurrent and long settling time during the start-up instant, offering a stable and reliable inverter system operation with low computational burden. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed voltage sensorless current control scheme are validated by the simulation and experimental results under non-ideal grid conditions such as the harmonic distortion, grid frequency variation, and sudden grid phase angle jump. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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18 pages, 2881 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Hybrid DC–DC Quadrupler Boost Converter for Photovoltaic Panels Integration into a DC Distribution System

by Ahmad Alzahrani

Electronics 2020, 9(11), 1965; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9111965 - 20 Nov 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2991

Abstract

This paper presents a non-isolated DC–DC boost topology with a high-voltage-gain ratio for renewable energy applications. The presented converter is suitable for converting the voltage from low-voltage sources, such as photovoltaic panels, to higher voltage levels. The proposed converter consists of a multiphase boost stage with an interleaving switching technique and a voltage multiplier cell to provide a voltage level at a reduced duty cycle. The interleaved boost stage consists of two legs and can be either fed from single or multiple voltage sources with the ability to control each source separately. The voltage multiplier cell can increase the voltage level by charging and discharging the capacitors. Several advantages are associated with the converter, such as reduced voltage stress on semiconductor elements and a scalable structure, where the number of voltage multiplier cells can be increased. The inductors in the interleaved boost stage share the input current equally, which reduces the conduction loss in the inductors. The input and the output of the converter share the same ground, and all active switches are low-side, which means no feedback or signal isolation is required. The theory of operation and steady-state analysis of the converter operating in the continuous conduction mode is presented. Components selections and efficiency analysis are presented and validated by comparative analysis and simulation results. A 0.195 kW experimental prototype was designed and implemented to convert the voltage from 20 V input source to 400 V output load, at 50 kHz. The test results show a high-performance of the converter as the maximum efficiency point is above 97%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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33 pages, 7117 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling, Analysis and Experimental Validation of the Fuel Cell Association with DC-DC Power Converters with Robust and Anti-Windup PID Controller Design

by Fatima Zahra Belhaj, Hassan El Fadil, Zakariae El Idrissi, Mohamed Koundi and Khawla Gaouzi

Electronics 2020, 9(11), 1889; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9111889 - 11 Nov 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3369

Abstract

Based on full and rigorous study, this paper addresses the issue of ensuring a feasible association in practice between a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) and DC-DC power converters including a buck and boost converter. This association is mathematically modeled, analyzed, and controlled by an optimal PID controller. Using absolute stability tools with a rigorous analytical approach that takes into consideration windup effects, in addition to the nonlinear behavior of the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, sufficient conditions are provided to ensure that the closed-loop system is L₂-stable. These conditions allow the optimal PID controller parameters to be chosen and ensure the closed-loop system stability, by tracking reference outputs, and an optimal performance against perturbations. Formal analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental validation were carried out to verify that the PID controller designed with an anti-windup action is robust and meets all of the pre-defined objectives. Moreover, this study demonstrates that the association between the PEMFC and the DC-DC converters is achieved if only certain conditions are met. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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19 pages, 934 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Requirements for Validation of Dynamic Wind Turbine Models: An International Grid Code Review

by Raquel Villena-Ruiz, Andrés Honrubia-Escribano, Francisco Jiménez-Buendía, Ángel Molina-García and Emilio Gómez-Lázaro

Electronics 2020, 9(10), 1707; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9101707 - 17 Oct 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3648

Abstract

Wind power is positioned as one of the fastest-growing energy sources today, while also being a mature technology with a strong capacity for creating employment and guaranteeing environmental sustainability. However, the stochastic nature of wind may affect the integration of power plants into power systems and the availability of generation capacity. In this sense, as in the case of conventional power plants, wind power installations should be able to help maintain power system stability and reliability. To help achieve this objective, a significant number of countries have developed so-called grid interconnection agreements. These are designed to define the technical and behavioral requirements that wind power installations, as well as other power plants, must comply with when seeking connection to the national network. These documents also detail the tasks that should be conducted to certify such installations, so these can be commercially exploited. These certification processes allow countries to assess wind turbine and wind power plant simulation models. These models can then be used to estimate and simulate wind power performance under a variety of scenarios. Within this framework, and with a particular focus on the new Spanish grid code, the present paper addresses the validation process of dynamic wind turbine models followed in three countries—Spain, Germany and South Africa. In these three countries, and as a novel option, it has been proposed that these models form part of the commissioning and certification processes of wind power plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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22 pages, 1617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A DC-DC Center-Tapped Resonant Dual-Active Bridge with Two Modulation Techniques

by Gengxin Chen, Nuoman Xu, Li Yuan, Muhammad Humayun and Muhammad Mansoor Khan

Electronics 2020, 9(10), 1699; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9101699 - 16 Oct 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2942

Abstract

Power converters with higher efficiency in a wide load range are important for reducing the overall energy consumption of renewable energy generation systems. A center-tapped LC series resonant dual-active bridge (LC-DAB) converter for DC-DC conversion is proposed in this paper. The proposed converter utilizes a center-tapped bridge to block reverse current and eliminate back flow power to reduce conduction losses. Two modulation methods for the proposed topology (i.e., fixed frequency modulation (FFM), and variable frequency modulation (VFM)) are proposed and analyzed. Both modulation methods can realize soft switch over the entire load range to reduce switching losses. In addition, the proposed modulation techniques guarantee soft switching for all devices and synchronous rectifier is realized by the center-tapped bridge to further reduce the conduction losses. Furthermore, a comprehensive comparison in terms of conduction losses and switching losses has been carried out to highlight the superiority of the proposed converter over the existing LC resonant converters. Finally, simulated and experimental results for a

1.5

kW prototype are presented to validate the theoretical analysis and performance of the proposed converter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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24 pages, 4913 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Implementation of the Primary and/or Inertial Frequency Control in Variable Speed Wind Turbines in an Isolated Power System with High Renewable Penetration. Case Study: El Hierro Power System

by Guillermo Martínez-Lucas, José Ignacio Sarasúa, Juan Ignacio Pérez-Díaz, Sergio Martínez and Danny Ochoa

Electronics 2020, 9(6), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9060901 - 28 May 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3206

Abstract

With high levels of wind energy penetration, the frequency response of isolated power systems is more likely to be affected in the event of a sudden frequency disturbance or fluctuating wind conditions. In order to minimize excessive frequency deviations, several techniques and control strategies involving Variable Speed Wind Turbines (VSWTs) have been investigated in isolated power systems. In this paper, the main benefits and disadvantages of introducing VSWTs—both their inertial contribution and primary frequency regulation—in an exclusively renewable isolated power system have been analyzed. Special attention has been paid to the influence of the delays of control signals in the wind farm when VSWTs provide primary regulation as well as to the wind power reserve value which is needed. To achieve this objective, a methodology has been proposed and applied to a case study: El Hierro power system. A mathematical dynamic model of the isolated power system, including exclusively renewable technologies, has been described. Representative generation schedules and wind speed signals have been fixed according to the observed system. Finally, in order to obtain conclusions, realistic system events such as fluctuations in wind speed and the outage of the generation unit with the higher assigned power in the power system have been simulated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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20 pages, 9585 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling and Stability Analysis of Parallel Inverters in Island Microgrid

by Xiaohuan Wang, Hongyang Qing, Peng Huang and Chunjiang Zhang

Electronics 2020, 9(3), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics9030463 - 10 Mar 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4270

Abstract

The island microgrid is composed of a large number of inverters and various types of power equipment, and the interaction between inverters with different control methods may cause system instability, which will cause the power equipment to malfunction. Therefore, effective methods for analyzing the stability of the microgrid system have become particularly important. Generally, impedance modeling methods are used to analyze the stability of power electronic converter systems. In this paper, the impedance models of a PQ-controlled inverter and droop-controlled inverter are established in d-q frame. In view of the difference of output characteristics between the two control methods, the island microgrid is equivalent to a double closed-loop system. The impedance model of the parallel system is derived and the open loop transfer function of the system is extracted. Based on the generalized Nyquist criterion (GNC), the stability of parallel system working in island microgrid mode is analyzed using this proposed impedance model. The simulation and experiment results are presented to verify the analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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15 pages, 860 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

A Novel Compact dq-Reference Frame Model for Inverter-Based Microgrids

by Carlos A. Macana, Eduardo Mojica-Nava, Hemanshu R. Pota, Josep M. Guerrero and Juan C. Vasquez

Electronics 2019, 8(11), 1326; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics8111326 - 11 Nov 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5032

Abstract

The development and the experimental validation of a novel dynamic model of an islanded three-phase Inverter-based Microgrid (IMG) is presented in this paper. The proposed model reproduces the relevant system dynamics without excessive complexity and enough accuracy. The dynamics of the IMG are captured with a compact and scalable dynamic model, considering inverter based distributed generators with d-current droop primary and proportional resonant inner controllers. The complete development of the model, the practical assumptions, and the accurate proportional power sharing of the primary control technique are shown. The accuracy performance was verified in experiments performed at the Aalborg Intelligent Microgrids Laboratory for an islanded IMG case. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Modeling and Control of Power Electronic Converters for/in Renewable Energy Systems)

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