Droop vs. virtual inertia: Comparison from the perspective of converter operation mode

Abstract

Virtual Inertia Emulation (VIE) and traditional Active Power Droop Control (APDC) are among the most common approaches for regulating the active power output of inverter-based generators. Furthermore, it has been shown that, under certain conditions, these two methods can be equivalent. However, neither those studies, nor the analyses comparing the two control schemes with respect to their dynamical properties, have investigated the impact of the converter operation mode. This paper explores the subject by investigating the two control approaches under such conditions, and determining when this assumption does not hold. Using time-domain simulations with a detailed Voltage Source Converter model, we compare VIE and APDC qualitatively and reformulate the respective conditions for equivalence.