Publications

Results 1–25 of 27
Skip to search filters

Mojave firmware 1.09 FW valuation- Firmware 1.09 Results

Gonzalez, Sigifredo G.; Gurule, Nicholas S.

This quick note outlines what we found after our conversion with you and your team. As suggested, we loaded 1547-2003 source requirements document (SRD) and then went back and loaded 1547-2018 SRD. This did result in implementing the new 1547-2018 settings. This short report focuses on the frequency-watt function and shows a couple of screen shots of the parameter settings via the Mojave HMI interface and plots of the results of the inverter with FW function enabled in both default and most aggressive settings response to frequency events. The first screen shot shows the 1547-2018 selected after selecting 1547-2003.

More Details

Performance of a Grid-Forming Inverter under Balanced and Unbalanced Voltage Phase Angle Jump Conditions

Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference

Darbali-Zamora, Rachid; Gurule, Nicholas S.; Hernandez-Alvidrez, Javier; Gonzalez, Sigifredo G.; Reno, Matthew J.

Renewable energy has become a viable solution for reducing the harmful effects that fossil fuels have on our environment, prompting utilities to replace traditional synchronous generators (SG) with more inverter-based devices that can provide clean energy. One of the biggest challenges utilities are facing is that by replacing SG, there is a reduction in the systems' mechanical inertia, making them vulnerable to frequency instability. Grid-forming inverters (GFMI) have the ability to create and regulate their own voltage reference in a manner that helps stabilize system frequency. As an emerging technology, there is a need for understanding their dynamic behavior when subjected to abrupt changes. This paper evaluates the performance of a GFMI when subjected to voltage phase jump conditions. Experimental results are presented for the GFMI subjected to both balanced and unbalanced voltage phase jump events in both P/Q and V/f modes.

More Details

Experimental Evaluation of Grid-Forming Inverters under Unbalanced and Fault Conditions

IECON Proceedings (Industrial Electronics Conference)

Gurule, Nicholas S.; Hernandez-Alvidrez, Javier; Darbali-Zamora, Rachid; Reno, Matthew J.; Flicker, Jack D.

With inverter-based distributed energy resources (DERs) becoming more prevalent in grid-connected or islanded distribution feeders, a better understanding of the performance of these devices is needed. Increasing the amount of inverter-based generation, and therefore reducing conventional generation, i.e. rotating machines and synchronous generators, decreases generation sources with well-known characteristic responses for unbalanced and transient fault conditions. This paper experimentally tests the performance of commercial grid-forming inverters under fault and unbalanced conditions and provides a comparison between grid-forming inverters and their grid-following counterparts.

More Details

Unintentional Islanding Evaluation Utilizing Discrete RLC Circuit Versus Power Hardware-in-the Loop Method

Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference

Gonzalez, Sigifredo G.; Desarden-Carrero, Edgardo; Gurule, Nicholas S.; Aponte-Bezares, Erick E.

The high penetration of photovoltaic (PV) distributed energy resources (DER) facilitates the need for today's systems to provide grid support functions and ride-through voltage and frequency events to minimize the adverse impacts on the distribution power system. These new capabilities and its requirements have created concerns that autonomous unintentional islanding (UI) algorithms are not sufficient to prevent a condition were the loss of utility is detected. Type tests in IEEE 1547-2018 have evolved to thoroughly evaluate DER capabilities and a new method includes power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) testing. Sandia National Laboratories is performing a detailed laboratory comparison of the tuned Resistive, Inductive, Capacitive (RLC) circuit method using discrete elements andthe PHIL that applies the PV inverter equipment under test (EUT), real-time simulator, and a power amplifier. The PHIL method allows UI assessments without the need for potentially expensive, large,heat generating discrete loads.

More Details

Distribution Feeder Fault Comparison Utilizing a Real-Time Power Hardware-in-the-Loop Approach for Photovoltaic System Applications

Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference

Darbali-Zamora, Rachid; Hernandez Alvidrez, Javier H.; Summers, Adam; Gurule, Nicholas S.; Reno, Matthew J.; Johnson, Jay B.

Power outages are a challenge that utility companies must face, with the potential to affect millions of customers and cost billions in damage. For this reason, there is a need for developing approaches that help understand the effects of fault conditions on the power grid. In distribution circuits with high renewable penetrations, the fault currents from DER equipment can impact coordinated protection scheme implementations so it is critical to accurately analyze fault contributions from DER systems. To do this, MATLAB/Simulink/RT-Labs was used to simulate the reduced-order distribution system and three different faults are applied at three different bus locations in the distribution system. The use of Real-Time (RT) Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) simulations was also used to further improve the fidelity of the model. A comparison between OpenDSS simulation results and the Opal-RT experimental fault currents was conducted to determine the steady-state and dynamic accuracy of each method as well as the response of using simulated and hardware PV inverters. It was found that all methods were closely correlated in steady-state, but the transient response of the inverter was difficult to capture with a PV model and the physical device behavior could not be represented completely without incorporating it through PHIL.

More Details
Results 1–25 of 27
Results 1–25 of 27