Modemless Multiple Access Communications over Powerlines for DC Microgrid Control

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel communication method for DC microgrids that leverages power electronic converters and the multiple access nature of powerlines to enable distributed control without traditional communication infrastructure.

Contribution

It proposes modulating converter control parameters for communication, enabling distributed optimal economic dispatch in DC microgrids without additional communication hardware.

Findings

Effective in transmitting generator capacity information

Enables detection of aggregate generation capacity

Balances trade-offs between communication quality and control performance

Abstract

We present a communication solution tailored specifically for DC microgrids (MGs) that exploits: (i) the communication potential residing in power electronic converters interfacing distributed generators to powerlines and (ii) the multiple access nature of the communication channel presented by powerlines. The communication is achieved by modulating the parameters of the primary control loop implemented by the converters, fostering execution of the upper layer control applications. We present the proposed solution in the context of the distributed optimal economic dispatch, where the generators periodically transmit information about their local generation capacity, and, simultaneously, using the properties of the multiple access channel, detect the aggregate generation capacity of the remote peers, with an aim of distributed computation of the optimal dispatch policy. We evaluate the potential of the proposed solution and illustrate its inherent trade-offs.