Operational Insights into a 4 MVA Microgrid Laboratory for Decentralized Power Electronic Applications

Abstract:
Microgrids are decentralized energy systems connecting sources, loads and storages on a local level. Especially during islanded operation, electric grid stability and quality must be fully ensured by the local components which are typically interconnected via power electronic converters. While microgrid research has been driven forward significantly on a conceptual level during the last years, empirical investigations regarding grid control, stability and quality based on realistic and complex test beds are still lacking. To address this issue, Paderborn University recently established the microgrid laboratory research infrastructure with up to 16 independent grid nodes, a highly variable grid reconfiguration matrix and an installed power of 4 MVA. In this paper we show the basic structure, the hardware setup and control that is used to emulate distributed local power grids. As a basic example for the operation, the application of a finite control set model predictive control performing voltage mode control is shown with its structure and measured results. The active power shares between seven load and seven source nodes are realized using a communication-less frequency droop method. Finally, experimental results are presented showing the response of the system nodes on power reference changes on both source and load side.