Stability Analysis in Large-scale Centralized Bidirectional Inverter-based Stations Connected to Bulk Power Systems through AC and DC Connections

Abstract

Massive controlled DC resources (CDCRs), such as battery energy storage systems, are connected to AC power systems through bidirectional inverters for power balance requirements. This study investigates converter-driven stability (CDS) issues in the sub-synchronous frequency range caused by large-scale bidirectional inverter-based stations (IBSs). The impacts of the AC and DC connections of IBSs on subsynchronous oscillations (SSOs) are compared by examining three factors: the number of CDCRs, power flow direction, and control parameters of the inverters. For AC connections, IBSs may induce instability as the number of CDCRs increases, regardless of the power flow direction. To maintain stability, the maximum power amplitude of the IBS is calculated. It is found that switching to DC connections can reduce these instability risks if the DC line resistance is much less than the AC line reactance. Moreover, the method of tuning control parameters is demonstrated to be more effective in improving power-related critical stability under DC connections. Therefore, The DC-IBS is preferred for high-voltage transmission. Finally, the conclusions are validated in power systems connected with both AC- and DC-IBSs under various network topologies and system scales.