Advanced Control and Management Techniques for Power Converters in Microgrids

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past two decades, significant research efforts have been focused on studying electrical microgrids in the context of energy management and distribution. The growing demand for energy and concerns about climate change have prompted researchers to explore new generation systems, transmission strategies, and energy management. This exploration is happening across various contexts, from urban to aerospace. Microgrids, termed as such, have emerged as conceptual remedies to incorporate various energy source types and electrify remote areas. Microgrids are electrical distribution networks, composed of groupings of converters, loads, and storage systems interconnected via power lines.

Characterized by unpredictable generation, they present a new challenge to safe and efficient operation and control. This highlights the need to develop low-level control algorithms for converters, as well as a high-level supervisor tasked with orchestrating and managing various controllers. This strategy aims to address issues related to distribution, conversion, energy limitation, and management.

Advanced linear and nonlinear control techniques have been developed, primarily focusing on controlling converter switches. Examples include high-gain control, sliding mode control, and families of switched controllers based on Lyapunov function minimization. Additionally, intelligent management techniques such as model predictive control, consensus control, and fuzzy control aid in handling these complex power networks.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

• DC microgrids;
• Hybrid microgrids (DC and AC microgrids);
• Switched systems;
• Current sharing;
• Voltage regulation;
• Uncertain systems;
• Advanced and robust control of converters;
• Sliding mode control of converters;
• High-gain control of converters;
• Distributed control;
• Supervisory control;
• Model predictive control;
• Consensus control;
• Fuzzy control.

Dr. Giacomo Canciello
Guest Editor

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• DC microgrids
• hybrid microgrids (DC and AC microgrids)
• switched systems
• current sharing
• voltage regulation
• uncertain systems
• advanced and robust control of converters
• sliding mode control of converters
• high-gain control of converters
• distributed control
• supervisory control
• model predictive control
• consensus control
• fuzzy control