Voltage regulation in DC microgrids with various circuit configurations

Abstract

Various configurations can be considered for a dc Microgrid (MG) comprising distributed generation (DGs) units and loads. Renewable energy sources and energy storage systems of plug-and-play nature can change the configuration of the MG at any time. Each configuration has a distinct and unique mathematical representation that influences the operation of the MG. However, the voltage throughout the MG must be regulated within acceptable limit regardless of the configuration, load demand, and the utilized control principle. This paper presents various configurations of dc MGs and analyzes their characteristic with respect to voltage regulation, and circulating currents among DGs. A suitable voltage regulation technique is proposed which can be applied for various MG configurations. A data communication technology required for the employment of the proposed technique is discussed as well. The dynamic performance of various dc MG circuit configurations, operating with the proposed methods, is evaluated through simulation analyses, realized in MATLAB/Simulink®.