2020 IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Smart Grid and Renewable Energy (PESGRE2020)
Virtual Inertia from Renewable Energy Sources:
Mathematical Representation and Control Strategy
Ritwik Ghosh Narsa Reddy Tummuru
SCEE SCEE
IIT Mandi IIT Mandi
Himachal Pradesh, India Himachal Pradesh, India
d17015@students.iitmandi.ac.in tummuru@iitmandi.ac.in
Abstract— Renewable Energy Sources (RES) make the
frequency events worse due to lack of rotating inertia. Commonly
RES are connected with the power grid as a current source and
work in Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) mode.
Therefore, RES do not participate in grid frequency regulation.
The inertia towards grid frequency control is contributed solely
by conventional power plants. With the increase in RES, the
mechanical inertia per unit operating electrical power is getting
reduced and making the electrical grid less stable towards any
frequency event. This paper presents an analytical method to
calculate the equivalent inertia constant (ࡴࢋ ሻ in terms of MJ per
MVA for converter-based RES which use a dc-link capacitor as
the energy storage element for providing synthetic or virtual
inertia towards the grid frequency regulation. The mathematical
analysis is useful for designing the synthetic inertia system and to
calculate the maximum possible equivalent inertia constant
ሺࡴࢋ࢓ࢇ࢞ ሻǡ which an existing renewable energy source can achieve.
A control strategy is developed, based on swing equation with the
help of the mathematical analysis, presented in this paper. A real-
time simulation study, using OPAL-RT (OP4510) on a power
system, with thirty percent penetration of RES, validates the
mathematical analysis, presented in this paper. It is noticed that
the value of the dc-link capacitor of RES needs to be incredibly
large to provide inertia which is equivalent to the mechanical
inertia of the synchronous machine.
Keywords— Droop Control, Grid Frequency Regulation,
Renewable Energy Resources, Synchronverter, Synthetic Inertia,
Virtual Inertia, Virtual Inertia Constant, Virtual Synchronous
Generator.
I. INTRODUCTION
Increasing penetration of RES is making frequency issues
worse due to lack of rotating inertia and hence the inherent
capability of load sharing like conventional power plants [1].
RES can mimic the frequency droop characteristic of the
synchronous machine [2] and can act like a Virtual
Synchronous Generator (VSG) or Synchronverter. It helps
RES to participate in frequency regulation.
RES have few limitations. Firstly the input power depends
only on the availability of power or energy from nature.
Human can forecast it to some extent but can't control it
anyway. Secondly, they don’t have synchronously coupled
mechanical inertia. In the near future RES will contribute most
of the energy or complete energy for many of the countries.
RES need to be accompanied by an energy storage element
and virtual inertia control to act like a synchronous machine.
Hybrid energy storage system is very effective to implement
virtual inertia [3]. There are reasons which make the frequency
response of RES slower even if virtual inertia control is
integrated with it. The voltage and frequency droop of a
conventional synchronous machine is an inherent physical
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Bharat Singh Rajpurohit Antonello Monti
SCEE ACS
IIT Mandi EON Energy Research Center
Himachal Pradesh, India Aachen, Germany
bsr@iitmandi.ac.in amonti@eonerc.rwth-aachen.de
property but in VSG the virtual droop is imposed using a
controller, based on the Rate of Change of Frequency
(ROCOF), ݀߱ Τ݀‫ ݐ‬of the system. ݀߱ Τ݀‫ ݐ‬is obtained from
systems using PLL. Due to the reason, the inertia response of
a VSG largely depends on PLL performance. Virtual
Synchronous Control can be possible without PLL. Dynamic
response of the dc-link voltage can be used for the purpose of
synchronization of RES with the the grid [4]. Droop control
depends on phasorial electrical quantities, which makes it
slower. Control strategy based on instantaneous time domain
signals, has the potential to provide a faster control. [5], [6]
have used the non linear dynamics of Van der Pol oscillator
for the purpose of synchronization of RES with the the grid.
They have named it Virtual Oscillator Control (VOC). Fig. 1.
shows a typical response of a conventional power systems
under a under-frequency event. To participate in primary
frequency support an energy storage element with higher
power density like a super capacitor is more effective. A
higher energy density storage element like a battery is mostly
preferable for secondary frequency support [3]. The prime
objective of this paper is to provide a mathatical representation
of synthetic inertia interms of Virtual inertia constant. This
paper also presents a synthetic inertia control strategy, based
on the swing equation with the help of the mathematical
analysis, mentioned earlier. The mathematical analysis is
useful for optimal estimation of the value of the dc-link
capacitor, the maximum allowable change in dc-link voltage
and the value of the dc-link voltage for providing a support
towards frequency regulation, which is equivalent to the
rotating inertia of a synchronous machine, having a certain
inertia constant (‫ܪ‬ሻ.

ͷͲǤʹ ‹‡
 ͳͲ•‡…͵Ͳ•‡…͸Ͳ•‡…͵Ͳ‹
ͷͲǤͲ
”‡“—‡…›ȋœȌ

ͶͻǤͺ

ͶͻǤͷ

ͶͻǤʹ
”‹ƒ”› ‡…‘†ƒ”›
‡•’‘•‡ ‡•’‘•‡
Fig. 1. The response of a conventional power systems under an under-
frequency event
This paper is organized in the following manner. Section
II presents the mathematical analysis for calculating
1
 2020 IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Smart Grid and Renewable Energy (PESGRE2020)

equivalent inertia constant, ‫ܪ‬௘ . The method for estimating the ʹ‫ܪ‬௘ ߂݂
maximum possible inertia constant, ‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫ rom a converter ܲ ‫ כ‬ൌ ܲெ௉௉் െ ݂݅‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௜௡ ൏ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ൏ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ (4)
݂௡௢௠ ߂‫ݐ‬
based renewable energy source is also presented in this
section. Section III present a control strategy for providing ܲ ‫ כ‬ൌ ܲெ௉௉் ݂݅‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௜௡ ൐ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ‫ݒݎ݋‬ௗ௖ ൐ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ (5)
inertial support towards grid frequency regulation using RES. Fig. 2. shows the block diagram of the VSG. RES feed the
Realtime simulation results and discussion is presented in maximum available power, ܲெ௉௉் to the grid through a dc-dc
section IV. The paper is finally concluded in section V. and dc-ac converter. The virtual inertia control is implemented
by the three phase converter. The dc-link capacitor, as an
II. MATHEMATICAL REPRESENTATION OF EQUIVALENT energy storage element, enables the system to provide virtual
VIRTUAL INERTIA OF RES inertia by feeding accelerating power ܲ௔ . ‫ܮ‬௙ is the filter
A conventional power plant contains droop characteristic inductor and ܴ௙ is the small resistance of the filter inductor.
inherently due to the presence of mechanical inertia. This
paper uses per unit (pu) system representation for †…Ǧƒ…‘˜‡”–‡”
Rf Lf
mathematical analysis.
vdcp a1 b1 c1 vga
ʹ‫߱݀ ܪ‬ ia
ܲ௔ ሺ‫ݑ݌‬ሻ ൌ ܲ௠ െ ܲ௘ ൌ  (1) Cdcp
va
Rf Lf
߱௦ ݀‫ݐ‬ †…
ib
vgb
 vb
†… vc ic
ܲ௠ ൌ Mechanical Power Input; ܲ௘ ൌ Electrical Power Output; Rf Lf
Cdcn
ܲ௔ ൌ Accelerating Power; ߱௦ ൌ Synchronous Speed ; ‫ ܪ‬ൌ a2 b2 c2 vgc
Inertia Constant of the Synchronous Machine.  vdcn
™‹–Š
ܵ‫݀݁݁݌ܵݏݑ݋݊݋ݎ݄ܿ݊ݕܵݐܽݕ݃ݎ݁݊ܧܿ݅ݐ݁݊݅ܭ݀݁ݎ݋ݐ‬ሺ‫ܬܯ‬ሻ
‫ܪ‬ൌ ‡”‰›–‘”ƒ‰‡ˆ‘”
ܴܽ‫݄݁݊݅ܿܽܯ݄݁ݐ݂݋݃݊݅ݐ‬ሺ‫ܣܸܯ‬ሻ ”‘˜‹†‹‰‹”–—ƒŽ‡”–‹ƒ
At steady state i.e. when ܲ௠ ൌ  ܲ௘ the rotor rotate at
Fig. 2. Block diagram of the virtual synchronous generator
synchronous speed, ߱௦ . The rotor is synchronously coupled
with the electrical system. When there is a mismatch between
A frequency event is considered where the change in
ܲ௠ and ܲ௘ , the rotor absorbs (ܲ௠ ൐  ܲ௘ ) or release (ܲ௠ ൏  ܲ௘ )
frequency is ο݂Ǥ If the inertia constant of a synchronous
kinetic energy due to the presense of mechanical inertia. This
machine is ‫ ܪ‬the change in kinetic energy of rotor is ο‫ܧ‬Ǥ From
act of rotor, changes the rotor speed and hence, changes the
(1) we can write
electrical frequency. The governor system senses the change
in rotor speed and change the mechanical input ܲ௠ accordingly ʹ‫ܪ‬ ʹ‫ܪ‬ (6)
ο‫ ܧ‬ൌ න ܲ௔ ݀‫ ݐ‬ൌ න ݂݀ ൌ ο݂ Ȁ
to achieve a steady state again. The frequency droop is ݂௡௢௠ ݂௡௢௠
inversely proportional to the capacity of the generator. Bigger
generators have smaller droop and smaller generator have If the dc-link capacitor provides the same accelerating
higher droop and this characteristic enables inherent and energy,ο‫ ܧ‬under the same change in frequency,ο݂, we can
automatic load sharing capability to the generators, connected write
parallely in a electrical power systems. ͳ ͳ ܿ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖
The power electronic converter, which feeds the energy ο‫ ܧ‬ൌ ο ൬ ܿ‫ ݒ‬ଶ ൰ ൌ   Ȁ (7)
ܲோாௌ ʹ ௗ௖ ܲோாௌ
from RES to the grid needs to follow the same droop and
inertia characteristic of a synchronous generator to provide where,ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ = Change in dc-link voltage due to the change
proper synthetic inertia. Due to this, the converter with virtual in stored energy,ο‫ܲ;ܧ‬ோாௌ ൌ Rated Power of the RES
inertia support is called Virtual Synchronous Generator If the RES provides equivalent inertia towards frequency
(VSG). If the equivalent inertia constant of the renewable regulation, from (6) and (7) it can be stated that
source is ‫ܪ‬௘ the reference power, ܲ ‫ כ‬to the Virtual
‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ʹ‫ܪ‬
Synchronous Machine (VSM) can be written as follows ൌ ο݂ (8)
ܲோாௌ ݂௡௢௠ ܿ
ʹ‫ܪ‬௘ ݂݀ (2)
ܲ ‫ כ‬ሺ‫ݑ݌‬ሻ ൌ ܲெ௉௉் െ
݂௡௢௠ ݀‫ݐ‬ Hence, the equivalent inertia constant,‫ܪ‬௘ of the RES can
where, ‫ܪ‬௘ ൌEquivalent Inertia Constant;݂௡௢௠ ൌ Nominal be written as ,
Frequency; ܲெ௉௉் ൌ Maximum Power which can be harvested ݂௡௢௠ ܿ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖
from the RES at the particulat time instant. Ultra capacitor can ‫ܪ‬௘ ൌ  ‫ܬܯ‬Ȁ‫ܣܸܯ‬ (9)
ʹܲோாௌ ο݂
be used to support the demand of accelerating power, ܲ௔ [3].
There is a constrain for this operation. The dc-link voltage It is clear from (9) that to achieve constant equivalent
needs to be maintained within a certain range to maintain inertia constant i.e. ‫ܪ‬௘ , the normalized rate of change of dc-
ο௩
linear modulation and to avoid over voltage stress on link voltage with respect to frequency i.e. ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ೏೎ needs to be
ο௙
semiconductor switches [3]. Hence, if the dc-link voltage constant. With a proper controller as describes in section III a
value touches the upper or the lower limit of dc-link voltage constant ‫ܪ‬௘ can be achieved easily.
the system stops working as a Virtual Synchronous Generator Every power plant connected to the grid has a permissible
(VSG) and turns into a normal RES. range of operating frequency. Suppose a VSG is operating at
‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௜௡ ൏ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ൏ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ (3) its highest possible equivalent inertia constant,‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫ . When

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 2020 IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Smart Grid and Renewable Energy (PESGRE2020)

the deviation in operating frequency is maximum i.e.ο݂௠௔௫ , †…ǦŽ‹ƒ’ƒ…‹–‘” ‘–‘”

the VSG needs to provide the maximum accelerating energy, PMPPT Pg
ο‫ܧ‬௠௔௫ . vdc Pa Pm ωs Te Pg
ʹ‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫
ο‫ܧ‬௠௔௫ ൌ ο݂௠௔௫ ‫ܬܯ‬Ȁ‫ܣܸܯ‬ (10)
݂௡௢௠ ‡”‰› ‡”‰›
To provide maximum accelerating energy the deviation of –‘”ƒ‰‡ –‘”ƒ‰‡
dc-link voltage has to be maximum i.e. ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ . Commonly Fig. 3. Implementation of inertia in RES using a dc-link capacitor
ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ is restricted to 15% of the rated dc-link
voltage,‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ to maintain linear modulation and to prevent ܲெ௉௉் is controlled by the MPPT controller. It is possible
semiconductor switches from overstress [3]. to implement synthetic inertia by controlling dc-link voltage,
ܿ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ .
ଶ
ሼሺ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ ൅ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ ሻଶ െ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ ሽ (11)
ο‫ܧ‬௠௔௫ ൌ The reference dc-link voltage, ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௘௙ can be generated
ʹܲோாௌ
using (9). The optimum value of equivalent inertia constant
In (11) the unit of ο‫ܧ‬௠௔௫ is ‫ܬܯ‬Ȁ‫ ܣܸܯ‬and ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ is the i.e. ‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫ can be calculated using (12).
rated dc-link voltage. Fig.4. shows the schematic diagram of the control strategy
Using (10) and (11) it can be written that ‫כ‬
for generating reference dc-link voltage,‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ .
݂ܿ௡௢௠ vga
‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫ ൌ ሺʹ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ ൅ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ ሻο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ (12) f Δf vdc Δvdc Δvdc
Ͷܲோாௌ ο݂௠௔௫ vgb PLL He v*dc
vgc
In (12) the unit of ‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫ is in  Ȁ.
fnom 2PRES vdc vdcrated
It is clear from (12) that equivalent inertia constant can be
increased by increasing the value of rated dc-link voltage and c fnom
dc-link capacitor. Fig. 4. Generation of reference dc-link voltage
A power system is considered for simulation study
where‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ ൌ4000 Ǣ ݂௡௢௠ ൌ ͷͲ œǢ ο݂௠௔௫ ൌ ͲǤͷ œǢ The control technique to generate reference dc-link voltage
஼ ஼೏೎೛ can be further simplified. From (9) it can be written that
ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ ൌ͸ͲͲǢܿ ൌ ೏೎೙ ൌ ൌͳ͵ Ǣܲோாௌ ൌ͵Ǥ
ଶ ଶ
The maximum possible equivalent inertia constant ‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ʹ‫ܪ‬௘ ܲோாௌ
 ൌ  (13)
is calculated to 0.559 MJ/MVA using (12). Clearly, the ο݂ ݂௡௢௠ ܿ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖
equivalent inertia constant is way less than the range of the Now,
inertia constant of a conventional synchronous machine i.e. 2 ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ൌ ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ ൅ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖
MJ/MVA to 9 MJ/MVA [8].
In under frequency event, the dc-link voltage allowed to Maximum allowable change in dc- link voltage, ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫
be lowered to ͲǤͺͷ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ . Hence, the maximum percentage is just 15% of rated voltage, ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ i.e.
of store energy which can be used to provide inertia can be
ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௠௔௫ ൑ ͲǤͳͷ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ
calculated as
ଶ
‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ െ ሺͲǤͺͷ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ ሻଶ So, (13) can be approximated to
ο‫ܧ‬௠௔௫ ሺ‫ݑ݌‬ሻ ൌ ଶ
‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ʹ‫ܪ‬௘ ܲோாௌ
 ൎ  (14)
= 0.2775 ο݂ ݂௡௢௠ ܿ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖௥௔௧௘ௗ
Similarly for over frequency event ο‫ܧ‬௠௔௫ ሺܲǤ ܷሻ is equal to The right-hand side of (14) is a constant term so,
0.3225. Hence not even one third of the total stored energy can
ο‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ ൎ  ݇௘ ο݂ (15)
be used to provide inertia using dc-link capacitor.
Constant, ݇௘ is the allowable change in voltage per unit
III. CONTROL STRATEGY FOR SYNTHETIC INERTIA change in frequency. For example, if the virtual inertia system
is designed to support up to a maximum change in frequency
Fig. 3. Shows that the dc-link capacitor needs to provide of േ 0.5 œ and a maximum allowable change in dc-link
the accelerating power, ܲ௔ , to provide synthetic inertia.
voltage is 600 ǡ–Š‡…‘•–ƒ–ǡ݇௘ can be taken 1200ȀœǤ
Accelerating power, ܲ௔ is provided by the rotor in case of a
 Fig. 5. shows the simplified control technique to generate
synchronous machine.
For synchronous machine reference dc-link voltage. The Virtual Synchronous Generator
‫כ‬
as shown in Fig. 2. is driven by a current controller. ‫ݒ‬ௗ௖ is used
ʹ‫݂݀ ܪ‬ ‫כ‬
ܲ௚ ൌ ܲ௠ െ to generate the reference current ݅௜௡௩ Ǥ Fig. 6. shows the
݂௡௢௠ ݀‫ݐ‬
schematic diagram of the complete current control strategy.
where ܲ௠ ൌ Mechanical Power Input,ܲ௚ ൌ Electrical
Power Output to Grid. vga Δvdc
f Δf
For RES vgb PLL v*dc
ʹ‫ܪ‬௘ ݂݀ vgc
ܲ௚ ൌ ܲெ௉௉் െ
݂௡௢௠ ݀‫ݐ‬ fnom ke vdcrated
where ܲெ௉௉் ൌ Power Input from Renewable Source. Fig. 5. Simplified control technique to generate reference dc-link voltage

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 2020 IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Smart Grid and Renewable Energy (PESGRE2020)

id without virtual inertia during a frequency event. Before

v*dc PI
iq *
iinv applying Virtual Inertia the equivalent inertia constant,‫ܪ‬௢௟ௗ
dq0
Ͳ i0 abc a1,b1,c1 of the system can be calculated experimentally.
ωt
vdc a2,b2,c2
vga ͸
ƒ–‡
vgb iinv ͷͲǤͲͷ
PLL —Ž•‡•
vgc ωt
ͷͲǤͲͲ
Fig. 6. Block diagram of the current controller for VSG

”‡“—‡…›ȋœȌ
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ‡…‘†ƒ”›‡•’‘•‡
ͶͻǤͻͲ
The real-time simulation study is done in using Opal-RT
(OP4510). The power systems, shown in Fig. 7. is considered ”‹ƒ”›‡•’‘•‡
for the simulation study. MPPT controllers are fast enough to
ͶͻǤͺͲ
consider the RES as a constant power source. Hence the
”‡“—‡…›ƒ–ƒ†‹”
Renewable energy source can be considered as a constant
power dc energy source [9],[10]. In the test system, the strong ͲʹͶ͸ͺͳͲͳʹͳͶ
grid is connected with the weak grid using a weak link. The ‹‡ȋ•‡…Ȍ
aim of virtual inertia control of the VSG is to reduce the Fig. 8. The complete response of the power system under a step change in the
ROCOF and primary frequency deviation by providing inertia load without virtual inertia
to the weak grid. This will support the synchronous machine ͷͲǤͲͷ
of the weak grid in frequency regulation. The specification of
ͷͲǤͲͲ
the power systems is given in Table. I.
‡ƒ
”‹† ‡ƒ‹ –”‘‰
”‹† ”‡“—‡…›ȋœȌ
ͳ ͷ ͸ ͶͻǤͻͲ
ȟˆ
ʹ ͵ Ͷ ͹
›…Š”‘‘—•
ƒ…Š‹‡ ‡ƒ—• –”‘‰—• ͶͻǤͺͲ
ȟ–
‘ƒ† ‘ƒ† ‘ƒ† ͳǤͲͺʹʹǤͲʹʹǤͲͶʹǤͲ͸
˜‡”–‡”
ͳ ʹ ͵ ‹‡ȋ•‡…Ȍ
”ƒ•ˆ‘”‡” 
‡”‰› Fig. 9. The primary response of the power system under a step Change in load
–‘”ƒ‰‡ without virtual inertia

‹”–—ƒŽ The rate of change of frequency with respect to time is

›…Š”‘‘—• approximately linear. Hence

‡‡”ƒ–‘”
ܲ௟௢௔ௗ஼௛௔௡௚௘ ο‫ݐ‬
Fig. 7. The power systems for the simulation study ‫ܪ‬௢௟ௗ ൌ ݂  (16)
ʹܲ஻௔௦௘ ο݂ ௡௢௠
TABLE I. SPECIFICATIONS OF THE POWER SYSTEM
›…Š”‘‘—•ƒ…Š‹‡ ͳͲǢ ͳͳ ο‫ ݐ‬ൌ ͲǤͲʹ•‡…; ܲ஻௔௦௘ ൌ ͳͲ; ܲ௟௢௔ௗ஼௛௔௡௚௘ ൌ ͵;
‘ƒ†ͳ ͳͳ ο݂ ൌ ͲǤʹœ; ݂௡௢௠ ൌ ͷͲœ. So, ‫ܪ‬௢௟ௗ ൌ ͳǤͳʹͷ‫ܬܯ‬Ȁ‫ܣܸܯ‬Ǥ
The dc-link voltage is 4000 V and the maximum allowable
‘ƒ†ʹ ͵
change in dc-link voltage is 15% of rated dc-link voltage i.e.
‘ƒ†͵ ͳͲ 600 V.

 ͵Ǣʹ By using a large dc-link capacitor like 13 mF, rated for
†…Ǧ‹ƒ’ƒ…‹–‘” ͳ͵  4000 V we can avail maximum equivalent inertia constant, ‫ܪ‬௘
†…Ǧ‹‘Ž–ƒ‰‡ ͶͲͲͲ is equal to 0.559 MJ/MVA.
ƒ’Ž‹‰‹‡‡”‹‘† ୱൌʹͷɊ•‡… Using the virtual inertia control the new equivalent inertia
”ƒ•ˆ‘”‡” ʹǣ ͳͳǢ ͷǤ
constant, ‫ܪ‬௡௘௪ will be as follows
‡‡‹ ൌͲǤͲͲʹ͵ǡŽൌͲǤͲ͵͸͵ȳǢ
ܲோாௌ
‫ܪ‬௡௘௪ ൌ ‫ܪ‬௢௟ௗ ൅ ‫ܪ‬௘
‡ƒŽǦ‹‡‹—Žƒ–‘” ǦሺͶͷͳͲሻ
ܲ஻௔௦௘
With the support of Virtual Inertia new equivalent inertia
At t = 2 sec load 2 got connected with the grid by Circuit constant, ‫ܪ‬௡௘௪ is equal to 1.2927 MJ/MVA.
Breaker CB3. For making the real-time simulation more With the support of virtual inertia the deviation,ο݂௡௘௪ in
realistic all the parameters of the synchronous machine, frequency can be calculated easily and it is 0.18612 Hz.
transformers, governor system, excitation system and According to the theoritical calculation frequency drop should
transmission line [11], [12] are acquired from standard be reduced by 0.013 Hz.
sources. Fig. 10. shows the primary frequency response of the
Fig. 8. shows the complete frequency response of the power system with and without virtual inertia control. The
power systems under a step change in load without virtual improvement in frequency regulation, as indicated in the
inertia. Fig. 9. Shows the primary response of the system mathematical calculation is clearly visible in the result.

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Fig. 11. shows the dynamic response of dc-link voltage ‹–Š –Š‡ ‹’Ž‡‡–ƒ–‹‘ ‘ˆ •›–Š‡–‹… ‹‡”–‹ƒ …‘–”‘Žǡ
with and without virtual inertia control. –Š‡
†‘‡•‘–™‘”ƒ•ƒ…‘•–ƒ–’‘™‡”•‘—”…‡Ž‹‡ƒ
ͷͲǤͲͷ …‘˜‡–‹‘ƒŽ Ǥ – ’ƒ”–‹…‹’ƒ–‡• ‹ ˆ”‡“—‡…› ”‡‰—Žƒ–‹‘
‹–Š‹”–—ƒŽ‡”–‹ƒ
‹–Š‘—–‹”–—ƒŽ‡”–‹ƒ „›‹Œ‡…–‹‰–Š‡ƒ……‡Ž‡”ƒ–‹‰’‘™‡”ܲ௔ ǡ’”‘’‘”–‹‘ƒŽ–‘–Š‡
ͷͲǤͲͲ
݀߱ Τ݀‫ݐ‬Ǥ
”‡“—‡…›ȋœȌ

ͶͻǤͻͲ V. CONCLUSION
Two ideas are presented in this paper. First one is the
mathematical representation of virtual inertia for RES in terms
ͶͻǤͺͲ of equivalent inertia constant. An Analysis for estimation of
the maximum possible equivalent inertia constant ሺ‫ܪ‬௘௠௔௫ ሻǡ
ͳǤͲ͸ʹʹǤͲͶʹǤͲͺʹǤͳʹ which an existing renewable energy source can achieve is also
‹‡ȋ•‡…Ȍ
presented in this paper. The mathematical analysis, presented
Fig. 10. The primary response of the power system under a step Change in
load with and without virtual inertia in this paper is useful for the optimal design of a synthetic
inertia system.
”‡“—‡…›

Secondly, this paper presents a control strategy to use the

ȋœȌ

ͷͲǤͲͲ
dc-link capacitor of RES optimally for providing inertia
support.
ͶͻǤͺͲ
The theoretical calculation indicates that very high
capacitor is needed to achieve the equivalent inertia constant,
‘Ž–ƒ‰‡ȋȌ
†…ǦŽ‹

ͶͲͲͲ which is in range of the inertia constant of a conventional

‹–Š‘—–‹”–—ƒŽ‡”–‹ƒ
synchronous machine i.e. generally 2 MJ/MVA to 9 MJ/MVA
͵͹͸Ͳ
[8]. It is because maximum 27.75% to 32.25% of the total
stored energy of dc-link capacitor can be used for providing
ͶʹͶͲ inertia. Hence, providing inertia using dc-link capacitor is a
‘Ž–ƒ‰‡ȋȌ
†…ǦŽ‹

very costly solution at present. Also, it has been seen that a

ͶͲͲͲ very high capacitor in dc-link introduces difficulties in
‹–Š‹”–—ƒŽ‡”–‹ƒ controlling the system. The response of the system becomes
͵͹͸Ͳ
slower.
ͳǤ͸ͳǤͺʹʹǤʹʹǤͶʹǤ͸ʹǤͺ͵ Also, very high value of dc-link capacitance makes the
‹‡ȋ•‡…Ȍ dynamics of the converter system poor.
Fig. 11. The dynamics in dc-link voltage under a frequency event with and The results of the real-time simulation using OPAL-RT
without virtual inertia control
validates the theoretical calculation successfully.
Fig. 11. shows that the dc-link capacitor participated in
frequency regulation with the implementation of virtual inertia ACKNOWLEDGMENT
control. That is the reason for the change in dc-link voltage
with the change of grid frequency. The change in dc-link The authors would like to thank DST, India and DAAD,
Germany for their financial support.
voltage is synchronous to the grid frequency, just like the
change of the rotor speed in case of synchronous machine.
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