Small signal modeling and analysis of Synchronverters

Zhou Wei,Chen Jie and Gong Chunying

Department of Electrical Engineering,
Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics,
Nanjing, China,
Email:zhouwei0309@nuaa.edu.cn

Abstract—Synchronverters are inverters that mimic the impedance is used for reference to get the small signal model
synchronous generators. The synchronverter can be easily of the synchronverter. Also the transfer functions from the
operated in both island mode and on-grid mode, which is very power angle, the voltage amplitude to active, reactive power
suitable for the Micro-grid. A new method to get the small signal can be easily gotten. With the transfer functions, the key
model of the synchronverter is proposed in this paper. The
parameters of the synchronverter can be well designed to get
decoupling of the active power and reactive power of the
synchronverter will also be discussed. The mathematic model of better performance. Also, the decoupling of the active and
synchronverters are briefly talked about first; then the small reactive power is explained in the frequency domain. The
signal modeling of synchronverters , also the method of choosing small signal model and the analysis can provide convenience
the suitable operational parameters of synchronverters are for future research.
proposed. At last, a 5kW+5kvar laboratory prototype is designed
to prove the validity of the small signal model. Simulation and
experimental results verified the validity of the presented II. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SYNCHRONVERTERS TECHNOLOGY
method.
Synchronverter is an inverter that applied the mathematical
Index Terms — Synchronverters, parameters tuning, small model of synchronous machines into controllers of the
signal model, decoupling of active and reactive power. conventional three-phase full-bridge inverter topology. The
power part is shown in Fig.1.
I. INTRODUCTION
Owing to the inevitable global resource crisis, more and
more renewable sources such as wind power, solar power,
tidal power and so on are being used to share the electrical
energy. All of these energy sources should be connected to the
public-utility grid via inverters. Due to the inevitable
fluctuation of the renewable sources, the power injected to the
grid is random. To get the most power, the traditional inverters
are usually operating in the MPPT mode, which don’t take
care of the system stability. The synchronverters that mimic
synchronous generators (SG) with the energy storage can
behave in the same way as large synchronous generators do, Fig.1 Power part of synchronverters
which could assure a smooth transition to the grid. If a The simplified mathematic model of SG can be described
synchronverter is connected to the grid, no difference would as[1]:
be felt from the grid side between this system and an SG[1-3]. ⎧ J ω = Tm − Te + Dp (ωr − ω )
As a result, the control algorithms using in the power system ⎪ k
don’t need to be changed too much. ⎪⎪e = ω M f i f sin θ (1)
As is known to all, the SG is a complex nonlinear system. ⎨T = M i i, sin k θ
But when designing the synchronverter, we could choose the ⎪ e f f

simplified mathematical model to make the synchronverters ⎪ k

control more easily. However, due to the existence of
trigonometric functions used in the time domain, we can
hardly get the small signal model of the synchronverters in the
frequency domain. So the improved model should be found
out to solve the problem.
In this paper, the formula of power transferred in the
⎪⎩Q = −ω M f i f i, cos θ
Where ω, Tm, Te, e, and Q are the virtual angular speed ,
the mechanical torque applied to the synchronverter , the
electromagnetic torture, the three-phase generated potential
voltage, and the reactive power, respectively. J is the
imaginary moment of inertia of all the parts rotating with the
rotor. if is the field excitation current and Mf is the mutual As shown in Fig.4, the potential voltage in the bridge arm
inductance between the stator windings and the field winding. of the synchronverter is E∠θ0, and the grid voltage is U∠0,
i is the output inductor current. the impedance between them is :
k
sin θ is defined as: K
Z = r + jX = Z ∠φ (3)
⎡ sinθ ⎤
sinθ = ⎢sin(θ −2π /3)⎥⎥
k ⎢ (2)
⎢⎣sin(θ + 2π /3)⎥⎦ E ∠θ 0 U ∠0
The controller is shown in Fig.2. There are an active power
channel and a reactive power channel. The active power
Fig.4 Power transferred between synchronverters and the
channel follows (1), the frequency droop control loop with the
utility grid
friction coefficient Dp as the feedback gain. The reactive The active power and the reactive power transferred
power channel uses voltage-droop control loop with the between them can be gotten:
voltage droop coefficient Dq and integral coefficient K. With
the controller as core, the synchronverter can regulate the ⎧ 1
⎪⎪ P = Z [( EUcosθ 0 − U ) cosφ + EUsinθ 0sinφ ] (4)
2
active power and the reactive power independently.
⎨
Dp wr ⎪Q = 1 [( EUcosθ − U 2 ) sinφ − EUsinθ cosφ ]
wsyn − ⎪⎩ Z
0 0

1 + w 1 θ After perturbing, the small signal description can be gotten

Tm S about the quiescent operating point Q(EQ,θ0):
− Js
Te
⎧⎪ Pˆ = Aθˆ + Deˆ
⎨ (5)
e
PWMGenerator
⎪⎩Qˆ = Beˆ − Cθˆ
Q
−
1
M f if
iL Where, i.e.,
Qset Ks Vr U UQ
− A = Q EQsin(φ − θ 0 ) ； B = sin(φ − θ 0 ) ；
Dq
Amplitude
Vfb Z Z
Detector
U U
C = Q EQ cos(φ − θ 0 ) ； D = Q cos (φ − θ 0 ) 。
Fig.2 Controller of synchronverters Z Z
When operating in the grid-connected mode, the θ0, UQ
III. SMALL SIGNAL MODELING OF SYNCHRONVERTERS and EQ vary in a small range. So, the four coefficients
U grid (A,B,C,D) can be regarded as constant values. The
iL relationship between the perturbation of active power, reactive
power and the angle, voltage are linear. By using (5), the small
signal model of synchronverters can be constructed as shown
in Fig.5.

k Tˆe
M f if
cos θ ω̂ θˆ
QSet ∑ Tˆm P̂
k
sin θ P ∑
Ep θ Q M f if
/
ωr
Td Q̂Set ω Q̂
Tm ê
Te ω
Fig.5 Small signal model of synchronverters
The input signals consist of the perturbations of the
Fig.3 Time domain model of synchronverter mechanical torque and the reactive power, and the output
signals include the perturbations of the active and reactive
Fig.3 gives out the model of the synchronverters in the power. By using the Mason's gain formula, the transfer
time domain. It figures out the relationship of the electrical function of the active and reactive power loop can be gotten
part and the mechanical part. Obviously, the existence of the respectively:
trigonometric functions in the active and reactive power loop
makes it hard to get the small signal model in the frequency
domain.
 ⎧ Pˆ K ω M f if Ds 2 + AK ω s + ω 2 ( AB + CD)
⎪ˆ =
⎪ Tm D(s)
⎨ (6)
⎪ Qˆ = J ω Bs + ω ( AB + CD)
2 2

⎪ Qˆ D( s )
⎩ set
⎧ Qˆ M f if BK ω s 2 − Cω Ks
⎪ˆ =
⎪ Tm D( s ) (7)
⎨
⎪ Pˆ = JDω s + DDPω s
2 2 2

⎪ Qˆ D( s )
⎩ Set
where the Eigen equation is:
D( s) = JKω s 3 + ( DPω K + JBω 2 + M f if DK ) s 2
(8)
+ ( AK + DP Bω 2 ) s + ( ABω + CDω )
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
The transfer functions from Qset ( s) , Tm ( s) to P( s) , Q( s) Fig.6 Family of root locus diagrams for varied Dp
describe how the disturbances in the mechanical torque Tm We can find out that all the roots are in the left-hand s-
and the reactive power setting point Qset lead to the plane, which means that the system can maintain steady when
disturbances in the output active P and reactive power Q. the parameters vary in a large range. So the robustness of the
When synchronverters operating in the steady state, we system is good. In general, the tuning of the value of the Dp
can find out that: and the integral coefficient K of the reactive power loop can
⎧⎪ Qˆ be obtained by the “optimal second-order system” method,
Pˆ
⎨ˆ =0 =0 (9) namely choosing the damping ratio of the system ξ=0.707,
⎪⎩ Tm S =0 QˆSet S = 0 which makes the system response faster with smaller
overshoot. From Fig.6, we can also conclude that the smaller
which proves that the active power loop and the reactive of Dp, the natural oscillation angular frequency of the closed-
power loop are decoupled, as the synchronous generators do. loop eigenvalue where ξ=0.707 in the root locus is larger, that
means the system responses faster. Considering the margin of
the frequency deviation of the system, we choose the Dp=6.By
IV. OPERATING PARAMETER TUNING choosing the eigenvalue of the root locus where ξ=0.707, we
The value of the imaginary moment of inertia J consults get the K=540.
the synchronous generator. When it is larger, it will take more
The Dq is the ratio of the rated change of reactive power
time to become stable; when it is smaller, it will be easily
∆Q to the change of voltage ∆v, i.e.,
disturbed. The constant Dp represents the mechanical-friction
coefficient plus the frequency-drooping coefficient. To make ΔQ
the change in angular frequency ω causes by the change of the Dq = (10)
total torque ∆T within limits, i.e., Δv
ΔTmax
Dp > (10)
Δω V. SIMULATION RESULTS
For the synchronverter whose rated active power is 5kW, The full structure of synchronverters is shown in Fig.7. We
the frequency should vary in the limits of ±0.5Hz. So, the use Matlab to build the model. The parameters of the
minimum value of Dp is 5. synchronverters used in the simulations are give in Tab.1.

A bunch of root locus curves with different Dp can be Tab. 1 Parameters of the main inverter
drawn as in Fig.6 according to the Eigen equation (7). Parameters Values Parameters Values
3
S/kVA 5 J/(kg/m ) 0.01
Lf/mH 1.2 K 540
Rf/Ω 0.3 Dp 5
Cf/uF 10 Dq 200
Vdc/V 720 fs/kHz 20
 PCC
La uoa
Lb uob
U dc Lc uoc
ia，b，c P
C a C b Cc
Q
ua，b，c
Pset
θinv ωinv +
∑
1
∑ ωr
Js P
αβ ∑ ωinv
(b)
abc ωinv Qset
E M f if
1
Ks
∑ Q Vr

∑ ua，b，c

Fig.7 Full structure of synchronverter

To get the responses of the system, the setting active and
reactive power are changed as shown in Tab.2. Further more,
we make the unexpected islanding process by turning off the
switch connected to the utility grid to test the synchronverter. (c)
Tab. 2 Changes of the active and reactive power
t/s 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3.2
P/kW 0 2.5 2.5 5 5 2.5 Unexpected
Q/kVar 0 0 3 3 0 0 islanding

The simulation waveforms of the synchronverters are

shown in Fig.8, respectively.

(d)
Fig.8 Simulation results
The Fig.8(a) shows the power tracking results. When the
setting active power and reactive power are changed, the
synchronverter responses quickly to the step change without
any tracking error. More over, the change of the active power
doesn’t cause the reactive power to change, which proves that
they are decoupled.
Fig.8(b) and Fig.8(c) show how the frequency and the
potential voltage change during the change of the active and
(a) reactive power. Take t=0.5s for example, the setting active
power changes from 0 to 2.5kW, the synchronverter should
increase the power angle to transfer more active power to the
grid. To realize it, the frequency should be added as the
frequency of the grid is constant for the moment. Meanwhile,
to make the reactive power remain the value before, the
potential voltage should become larger.
Fig.8(d) shows the change of the inductor current. When
the active power changes, the active current part becomes
larger by maintaining the reactive current part unchanged.
 Also, at t = 3.2s, the switch connecting to the grid was
turned off unexpectedly. The system didn’t break down, which
shows the ability of crossing the unexpected islanding process.
So the synchronverters provide an excellent solution for
micro-grids. Simulations have already verified the ideas
described earlier.
VI. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
A 5kW+5kvar laboratory prototype is designed to prove
the validity of the small signal model. The power part is still
the three-phase full-bridge inverter topology. The control
algorithm is the same as in Fig.7, and the parameters of the
prototype are the same as in Tab.1. The main controller is
TMS320F28335. The sampling frequency is 20 kHz, and the
switching frequency is 20 kHz. The experiments were carried
out as the simulations do.
Fig.9 Change of the active and reactive power
Fig.9 shows how the experimental synchronverters
response to the step changes of power without tracking error.
Fig.10 shows the output current and voltage of the
synchronverters. When only active power was transferred to
the grid, the phase of the current and the voltage are the same
(see Fig.10(a)). When both active and reactive power are
transferred to the grid, the phases are different with the power
angle(see Fig.10(b)).
uoa[200V/div]
ia[20A/div]
(a)
(b)
Fig.10 Ouput voltage and current of synchronverter
VII. CONCLUSION
In this paper, the modeling process of the synchronverter is
proposed, and the operating parameters are optimized. The
similarity between the synchronverter and the SG makes
inverter more grid-friendly. The ability of the power
decoupling and crossing unexpected islanding process are
verified in detail. Such abilities make synchronverters
appropriate to be applied in smart-grids and micro-grids. The
simulations and experimental results have been provided to
prove the ideas.
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