Current Reference Control Scheme of Voltage Source Converters to Ensure the Existence of Stable Equilibrium Points During Grid Fault

Maintaining synchronization with the grid during fault ride-through (FRT) is essential for grid-connected voltage source converters (VSCs). However, improper current references can lead to a loss of synchronization during FRT due to the nonexistence of stable equilibrium points (SEPs). While the mechanism of SEPs has been explained, the development of control schemes ensuring their existence remains challenging due to the difficulty of obtaining real-time grid parameters during FRT. To address this issue, this article proposes a novel current reference control scheme that only requires prefault grid parameters. By analyzing the changes in grid parameters caused by faults and characterizing the correspondence between the during-fault and prefault grid parameters, a voltage-dependent current reference control scheme is proposed. Since no real-time grid parameter estimation is needed during FRT, the proposed control scheme is practical and easy to implement. Simulation studies using DIgSILENT PowerFactory demonstrate that the proposed control scheme enables the VSC to maintain synchronization with the grid under the conditions of short-circuit ratio equaling 1.3 and grid voltage dropping to 0.1 p.u. Moreover, experiments further verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed control scheme.

Automated summary

This article proposes a voltage-dependent current reference control scheme that enables a voltage source converter to maintain synchronization with the grid during fault ride-through. By analyzing the changes in grid parameters caused by faults, the control scheme establishes a correspondence between the during-fault and prefault grid parameters. The effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed control scheme are verified through simulation studies and experiments.