Enhanced Grid-Following (E-GFL) Inverter: A Unified Control Framework for Stiff and Weak Grids

This article presents an extensive framework focused on the control design, along with stability and performance analyses, of grid-following (GFL) inverters. It aims to ensure their effective operation under both stiff and weak grid conditions. The proposed framework leverages the coupled algebraic structure of the transmission line dynamics in the dq frame to express and then mitigate the effect of coupled dynamics on the GFL inverter's stability and performance. In addition, we simplify the coupled multi-input multi-output (MIMO) closed-loop system of the GFL into two separate single-input single-output (2-SISO) closed loops for easier analysis and control design. We present the stability, robust stability, and performance of the original GFL MIMO closed-loop system through our proposed 2-SISO closed-loop framework. This approach simplifies both the control design and its analysis. Our framework effectively achieves grid synchronization and active damping of filter resonance via feedback control. This eliminates the need for separate phase-locked loop and virtual impedance subsystems. We also utilize the Bode sensitivity integral to define the limits of GFL closed-loop stability margin and performance. These fundamental limits reveal the necessary tradeoffs between various performance goals, including reference tracking, closed-loop bandwidth, robust synchronization, and the ability to withstand grid disturbances. Finally, we demonstrate the merits of our proposed framework through detailed simulations and experiments. These showcase its effectiveness in handling challenging scenarios, such as asymmetric grid faults, low-voltage operation, and the balance between harmonic rejection and resonance suppression.