Distributed State of Charge-Based Droop Control Algorithm for Reducing Power Losses in Multi-Port Converter-Enabled Solar DC Nano-Grids

Samende, Cephas; Bhagavathy, Sivapriya M.; McCulloch, Malcolm

Abstract

This paper aims to address the power loss problem of multi-port converter-enabled solar DC nano-grids (or simply nano-grids) that are designed to provide energy access in rural areas. Nano-grids are low voltage DC energy systems that are built for energy access by gradually interconnecting households that have solar panels, batteries and multi-port converters. Due to low distribution voltage levels (≤120 V), scattered households in rural areas and bidirectional power exchange between the households, power losses such as distribution line losses, battery charge/discharge losses and converter losses are significant in nano-grids. As batteries are distributed in each household and the nano-grid network configuration is dynamic in nature owing to the gradual interconnection of households, addressing the power loss problem using conventional optimization techniques is a challenge. To address the challenge, we propose a novel distributed state of charge-based droop control algorithm that does not require prior knowledge of the nano-grid network configuration. The proposed algorithm minimizes the power losses by reducing the magnitude of power flow in the nano-grid at each time instant through battery state of charge balancing. Numerical and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Citation

Samende, C., Bhagavathy, S. M., & McCulloch, M. (2021). Distributed State of Charge-Based Droop Control Algorithm for Reducing Power Losses in Multi-Port Converter-Enabled Solar DC Nano-Grids. IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 12(6), 4584-4594. https://doi.org/10.1109/TSG.2021.3089362

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 14, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Deposit Date: Jun 5, 2023
• Journal: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SMART GRID
• Print ISSN: 1949-3053
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 4584-4594
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TSG.2021.3089362