Voltage Ride-Through in Large Loads- A Dual PQ Approach

TL;DR

This paper investigates voltage ride-through in large loads like data centers, highlighting limitations of reactive power methods and proposing a dual active-reactive power approach with non-grid resources for improved stability.

Contribution

It introduces a novel dual PQ approach utilizing non-grid resources to enhance voltage ride-through capabilities in large loads.

Findings

Reactive power alone may be insufficient for voltage ride-through in large loads.

Non-grid resources with dynamic P and Q are necessary for effective ride-through.

Extreme voltage dips can make maintaining acceptable load voltage practically impossible.

Abstract

This paper provides a detailed investigation of voltage ride-through in large loads, such as Artificial Intelligence data centers. Voltage ride-through capability of large loads during transient disturbances in the power grid is important because of the potential impact on the stability and reliability of the Bulk Power System. A mathematical analysis is presented and it is shown how the traditional approach, based on reactive power compensation, may not be adequate for voltage ride-through in large loads. Ultimately, due to capacity limits of the load's power distribution infrastructure and grid's constraints, there is a limit to using reactive power as a corrective tool. A new dual active and reactive power (PQ) approach is proposed in which non-grid resources with dynamic P and Q capabilities are shown to be needed to help with voltage ride-through. Additionally, the analysis illustrates that at extreme voltage dips in the power grid maintaining an acceptable level of load voltage can become practically or theoretically unattainable, which may lead to the load's disconnection from the grid. Analytical results are provided with practical numerical examples.