Autonomous Operation of a Mixed-Source Microgrid as a Remote Field-Oriented Drive

This paper proposes a new algorithm to autonomously operate a mixed-source microgrid – the remote field-oriented synchronous drive. GPS-based global synchronization signals allow a central controller with low-bandwidth communications to act as a synchronous drive by delivering field-oriented current references to converters. It is shown that converters can propagate drive action through the electrical network of a microgrid to actively stabilize voltage and frequency dynamics, improving voltage and frequency quality. Real-time hardware-in-the-loop experimentation is conducted using a PLECS RT Box alongside external digital converter controllers. This allows for investigation of the real-time performance of the proposed algorithm as well as a comparison with traditional governor/exciter control. It is convincingly demonstrated that the remote field-oriented drive can operate alongside existing governor and exciter controls to rapidly damp microgrid voltage and frequency dynamics even during severe disturbances such as the line-start of a large induction motor.