Hierarchical Control for Virtual Oscillator Based Grid-Connected and Islanded Microgrids

Virtual oscillator control (VOC) is a nonlinear time domain controller that achieves significantly faster primary control response in islanded microgrids, compared to droop or virtual synchronous machine (VSM) control. Despite its superior performance, adoption of VOC is limited due to the lack of compatible secondary regulation or grid synchronization techniques. This is attributed to the nonlinear nature of VOC that complicates secondary control design, and the third-harmonic component in VOC output voltage that severely restricts grid-tied operation. To leverage the faster primary control response characteristics of VOC, we propose a compatible hierarchical control structure that enables operation and seamless transition between islanded and grid-connected modes. In the islanded mode, the controller achieves voltage and frequency regulation and grid synchronization; in the grid-tied mode, notch filters are used to suppress harmonic currents and tertiary level power reference tracking is achieved. The proposed controllers are validated through a series of real-time hardware-in-the-loop tests and hardware experiments using laboratory inverter prototype and state-of-the-art controls and communications hardware.