Dynamic Analysis Framework for Smart Inverter Controls in Power‐Flow Solutions Using Signal‐flow‐path Search

ABSTRACT

A dynamic analysis framework is proposed for smart‐inverter controls using a series of power‐flow solutions. The conventional steady‐state power‐flow calculation is extended by coupling successive network solutions with controller transfer relations derived through a signal‐flow‐path search and Mason's gain formula. The controller states, inverter active‐ and reactive‐power injections, and local point‐of‐connection voltage feedback are updated at each accepted coupling point. A configurable event‐coupling step is used to increase the temporal resolution during a command transition. The proposed framework enables planning‐oriented controller‐response analysis without a detailed electromagnetic‐transient simulation or globally coordinated inverter control. The numerical agreement is assessed using an 11‐bus single‐inverter benchmark with DIgSILENT PowerFactory as the reference, and the application is demonstrated on a Taipower 38‐bus feeder under the Chinese National Standard 15382 control rules. Across three point‐of‐connection locations, the selected 0.005 s event‐step cases resulted in an active‐power mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.86%–1.06%, reactive‐power MAPE of 0.030%–0.033%, and voltage MAPE below 0.52%. The results indicate that the controller dynamics and grid‐code thresholds can be incorporated into an existing power‐flow environment for dynamic operating‐response assessments.