Virtual Synchronous Generators and Adaptive Inertia: Frequency Stabilization in Converter-dominated Power Systems

Abstract:
The Virtual Synchronous Machine (VSM) is a promising control concept that enables converter-coupled resources to provide instantaneous reserve as an ancillary service to the system. As conventional power plants are increasingly replaced by converter-coupled resources, the physical inertia provided by the large rotating masses of the synchronous generators needs to be substituted with adequate control schemes to enhance the frequency stability of the system. This work presents the experimental investigation of a VSM concept with adaptive inertia in realistic conditions within a controlled laboratory environment. The results show the ability of the approach to stabilize grid frequency and explore the effect of different parameter choices on the performance.