Decentralized Bus Voltage Restoration for DC Microgrids

TL;DR

This paper introduces a decentralized method for restoring bus voltage in DC microgrids by using local feedback control, eliminating communication links, and enhancing reliability and cybersecurity.

Contribution

A novel decentralized control approach that compensates voltage drops locally without relying on communication or secondary control layers.

Findings

Effective voltage regulation demonstrated in simulations.

Hardware-in-the-loop tests confirm practical viability.

Reduced cybersecurity risks due to communication independence.

Abstract

Regulating the voltage of the common DC bus, also referred to as the load bus, in DC microgrids is crucial for ensuring reliability and maintaining the nominal load voltage, which is essential for protecting sensitive loads from voltage variations. Stability and reliability are thereby enhanced, preventing malfunctions and extending the lifespan of sensitive loads (e.g., electronic devices). Voltage drops are caused by resistances of feeders connecting converters to the common DC bus, resulting in a reduced DC bus voltage compared to the nominal/desired value. Existing techniques to restore this voltage in DC microgrids are mainly centralized and rely on secondary control layers. These layers sense the common DC bus voltage, compare it to the nominal value, and utilize a PI controller to send corrections via communication links to each converter. In this paper, a local and straightforward approach to restoring the bus voltage in DC microgrids is presented, ensuring regulation in a decentralized manner. Voltage drops across resistances of feeders are compensated by an additional control loop feedback within each converter, based on the converter output current and feeder resistance. The proposed approach is verified through simulation and hardware-in-the-loop results, eliminating the need for communication links and hence increasing reliability and reducing cybersecurity threats.