Stabilization of Grid Frequency Through Dynamic Demand Control

TLDR

Frequency stability in electricity networks is essential to the maintenance of supply quality and security. This paper investigates whether a degree of built‑in frequency stability could be provided by incorporating dynamic demand control into certain consumer appliances. Dynamic demand controllers in appliances monitor frequency and switch on or off to balance appliance needs and grid demand, and a simplified grid model incorporating generator inertia, governor action, load‑frequency dependence, and such refrigerators was simulated to evaluate responses to sudden generation loss and wind power fluctuations. The studies indicated a significant delay in frequency‑fall and a reduced dependence on rapidly deployable backup generation.

Abstract

Frequency stability in electricity networks is essential to the maintenance of supply quality and security. This paper investigates whether a degree of built-in frequency stability could be provided by incorporating dynamic demand control into certain consumer appliances. Such devices would monitor system frequency (a universally available indicator of supply-demand imbalance) and switch the appliance on or off accordingly, striking a compromise between the needs of the appliance and the grid. A simplified computer model of a power grid was created incorporating aggregate generator inertia, governor action and load-frequency dependence plus refrigerators with dynamic demand controllers. Simulation modelling studies were carried out to investigate the system's response to a sudden loss of generation, and to fluctuating wind power. The studies indicated a significant delay in frequency-fall and a reduced dependence on rapidly deployable backup generation.