Stability analysis of grid-connected inverter under full operating conditions based on small-signal stability region

Abstract

Impedance analysis is a practical approach for assessing the small-signal stability of renewable energy power systems. However, existing research predominantly focuses on specific operating conditions, neglecting the fundamental principles governing stability evolution under time-varying operating conditions. This paper presents a methodology to develop the small-signal stability region (SSSR) for grid-connected inverters using the impedance method. A comprehensive stability analysis for grid-connected inverter systems is performed based on the stability region. Firstly, the multi-parameter SSSR of the grid-connected inverter is defined according to both the aggregated impedance criterion and the generalized Nyquist criterion. Furthermore, a polynomial approximation expression for the SSSR boundary is derived. Secondly, the sensitivity analysis of operating points and control parameters is performed under full operating conditions to investigate their impact on stability based on the quantified boundary. The analyses reveal that the stability of the grid-connected inverter system near the SSSR boundary decreases with increasing active power and decreasing reactive power but exhibits an initial increase followed by a decrease with a larger PLL bandwidth. Finally, the accuracy of the stability region and the influence of key parameters are verified through case studies and experiments. The study in this paper can be used for quantitative analysis of stability margins and decision guidance of control optimization for grid-connected inverters.