Direct Power Control Strategies for Grid-Connected Power Converters

Direct Power Control (DPC) techniques regulate active and reactive power exchanged between power converters and the utility grid by manipulating switching states to track power references directly. Eschewing traditional inner current loops, conventional DPC relies on instantaneous power computations, hysteresis comparators and lookup tables to select voltage vectors that minimise power error. Advantages include fast dynamic response and reduced controller complexity, while drawbacks encompass variable switching frequency and power ripple under steady operation. To address these limitations, researchers have developed enhancements such as virtual‐flux estimators, model predictive algorithms and adaptive nonlinear controllers. These advances enable constant switching frequency, improved harmonic performance and robust operation under unbalanced, distorted or weak grid conditions. DPC strategies have become integral to renewable‐energy inverters, active rectifiers, electric‐vehicle chargers and microgrid interfaces, offering rapid power‐quality services and ancillary support to modern networks worldwide.

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Direct Power Control Strategies for Grid-Connected Power Converters publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in direct power control strategies for grid-connected power converters across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Direct Power Control (DPC): A strategy that directly regulates active and reactive power by selecting converter switching states based on instantaneous power errors, without inner current loops.

Instantaneous Power: Real and reactive power calculated at each sampling instant from measured voltages and currents, serving as feedback variables in DPC.

Virtual Flux: An estimated flux linkage used in DPC schemes to infer voltage-space vectors without direct voltage measurement.

Model Predictive Control (MPC): A control method that predicts future system behaviour via a dynamic model and optimises switching actions over a finite horizon to meet multiple objectives.

Point of Common Coupling (PCC): The electrical node at which a converter or microgrid connects to the public supply network, often used for measurements and control reference.

References

1. Point of Common Coupling Voltage Modulated Direct Power Control of Grid‐Tied Photovoltaic Inverter for AC Microgrid Application. International Transactions on Electrical Energy Systems (2023).
2. A Review on Direct Power Control for Applications to Grid Connected PWM Converters. Engineering Technology & Applied Science Research (2015).
3. A Lyapunov-based nonlinear direct power control for grid-side converters interfacing renewable energy in weak grids. Electric Power Systems Research (2023).