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Microgrids are designed to connect different types of AC and DC loads, which require robust power controllers to achieve an efficient power transfer. However, the effects of both AC and DC disturbances in the same type of controller make achieving stability a design challenge, especially in coupled systems where disturbances affect both the upstream and downstream in the microgrid. This paper presents an analysis of a second-order sliding-mode control (SOSMC) applied to a microgrid with direct-current (DC) and alternating-current (AC) power converters. The aim is to simulate the second-order sliding-mode control with buck converters that feed constant DC–DC and DC–AC power loads. The controller was tested in consideration of a unique sliding surface facing external disturbances, such as variations in the frequency of AC converters, sudden changes in upstream voltages, and constant power loads (CPL). The influence of the gain values (K) on the controller was also analyzed. The results show that the controller is robust regarding its sensitivity to external disturbances and steady-state error. However, the importance of the constant "K" in the model states that there exist K-limit values where if "K" is too low, a slowdown is presented, and the response against disturbances can be critical, and if is too high, an overshoot is presented in the output voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an experimental validation of a non-linear sliding-mode control based on a washout filter when is submitted to alterations in the load, control parameter, and voltage reference. The numerical and the experimental tests are compared to visualize the nonlinear effects caused by the power electronic converters and a comparison of the errors obtained for both test is presented. The results show that similar behaviors are presented in both cases with low error in the controlled variable vc. Furthermore, when representing bifurcations, both tests show similar behaviors, although the experimental test has a low displacement in the signal. This method is useful to monitor non-linear effects of micro grid and to design new filters or modify settings in the parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power converters (PCs) with their control techniques help regulate voltages of nodes in microgrids with different types of loads such as resistive, inductive, nonlinear, constant power, or critical loads. However, constant power loads (CPLs) affect the stability of the voltage in the output of PCs and are usually difficult to regulate with traditional control techniques. The sliding-mode control (SMC) with the washout filter technique has been recently proposed to address this issue, but studies that consider the phenomenon and parameters present in real systems are required. Therefore, this paper focuses on evaluating the dynamic behavior of an SMC based on a washout filter using three different loads: A constant impedance load (CIL), a nonlinear CPL, and a combination of CIL and CPL. The CIL considered a resistance connected to the circuit, whereas the nonlinear CPL was designed by using a buck converter with zero average dynamics and fixed-point induction control techniques (ZAD-FPIC). The tests consisted of creating some variations in the reference signals to identify the output voltage and the error that the control brings according to the different loads. Besides, this study focuses on representing the dynamic behavior of signals when loads change, considering quantization effects, system discretization, delay effects, and parasitic resistors. Additionally, bifurcation diagrams are created by changing the control parameter k and plotting the regulated voltage and the error produced in the output signals. To illustrate the advantages of the SMC with the washout filter technique, a comparison was made with other techniques such as the proportional–integral–derivative (PID) and conventional SMC by varying the load. The results showed that SMC with the washout filter technique was superior to the PID and the conventional SMC because it stabilizes the signal faster and has a low steady-state error. Additionally, the control system regulates well the output voltage with the three types of load and the system remains stable when changing the parameter k for values greater than 1, with a low error in the steady-state operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]