CONTROL OF HYBRID FUEL

CELL/ENERGY STORAGE DISTRIBUTED

GENERATION SYSTEMS AGAINST
VOLTAGE SAG IN DISTRIBUTION
SYSTEMS

K.N.TOOSI
UNIVERSITY OF
TECHNOLOGY

2010

Abstract
In this thesis, control of Hybrid Fuel Cell/ Energy Storage Distributed Generation System
(HDGS) has been considered. Hybrid distributed generation system is connected to the grid via
power electronic converters to improve the system integrity, reliability and efficiency. So it is
important that the control strategies are designed to keep the system stable under any
disturbance and parameter variations in the distribution system. The grid-connected power
electronic converters are highly sensitive to grid disturbances and it is important to emphasize
the necessity to reduce the effects of voltage disturbances on their operation. Amongst the wide
range of power quality disturbances, voltage sags severely affect the performance of voltage
source converters (VSC) are voltage sags. Operation of DG units under voltage sags has not
received much attention in the past. The main reason is that many grid operators demand the
immediate disconnection of DG in case of grid disturbances as prerequisite for service
continuing. However, as the power generated by DG units increases, this behavior stresses the
utility grid and could cause power unbalance, which may turn into instability. So, the interaction
between DG units and the grid during voltage sag is very important and it must be considered
when designing a proper control strategy. This is the objective of this thesis to develop a control
strategy for the hybrid distributed generation system consisting of a fuel cell combined with
energy storage under normal and voltage sag conditions. In this thesis, two important problems
have been considered about the control of hybrid fuel cell/ energy storage distributed generation
systems. First, the power control strategy for hybrid fuel cell/ battery energy storage distributed
generation system under normal condition of grid is proposed. Hence, modelings, controller
design of the hybrid distributed generation system are investigated. The dynamic model of the
fuel cell, battery and super capacitor energy storages and the power conditioning units are
described. Then the control design methodology for each component of the hybrid power system
is proposed. The second problem that considered in this thesis is the control of hybrid distributed
generation system during voltage sag. The limitations of active power and reactive power
injection to the grid during voltage sag should be considered carefully. During voltage sag, a
decrease in voltage magnitude affects the grid-connected converter. In this case, the current
controllers limit the power that DG unit can supply to the grid to avoid overloading the
converter. For fuel cell distributed generation systems, the power limitation can be a problem
resulting in slow dynamics of fuel cell power sources. Hence, to respond to a transient power
demand, usually an energy storage device is combined with the fuel cell. The comparison
between battery and super capacitor energy storages shows that the use of super capacitor is
better than battery for power quality problem studies. Hence, in this thesis a control strategy has
been presented for hybrid fuel cell/super capacitor energy storage distributed generation system
during voltage sags. Simulation results are given to show the overall system performance
including power control and voltage sag ride-through capability of the proposed control
strategy.