Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids

Li Sun; Tiancheng Zhou; Yunshuai Pan

doi:10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049

Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids

Li Sun^*
, Tiancheng Zhou
, Yunshuai Pan

^*Corresponding author for this work

Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

In islanded microgrids, simultaneous black start efficiently restore power systems after outages by using grid-forming (GFM) energy storage systems (ESSs) to self-start and activate grid-following (GFL) photovoltaics (PVs). However, this black start strategy can produce circulating currents that destabilize the system. This paper derives an explicit expression for the currents and examines the influence of electrical parameters, particularly voltage amplitude imbalance. To mitigate these currents, a communication-free, voltage soft start strategy based on local information is proposed. This control effectively reduces circulating current in PV and ESS during black start, even with voltage amplitude imbalances. Simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy and the derived conclusions.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2025 IEEE PES 17th Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 - Conference Proceedings
Publisher	IEEE Computer Society
ISBN (Electronic)	9798331577612
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049
State	Published - 2025
Externally published	Yes
Event	17th IEEE PES Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 - Auckland, New Zealand Duration: 2 Dec 2025 → 5 Dec 2025

Publication series

Name	Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC
ISSN (Print)	2157-4839
ISSN (Electronic)	2157-4847

Conference

Conference	17th IEEE PES Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025
Country/Territory	New Zealand
City	Auckland
Period	2/12/25 → 5/12/25

Keywords

Circulating currents
Microgrids
Simultaneous black start
Voltage soft start

Access to Document

10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049

Cite this

Sun, L., Zhou, T., & Pan, Y. (2025). Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids. In 2025 IEEE PES 17th Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 - Conference Proceedings (Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC). IEEE Computer Society. https://doi.org/10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049

@inproceedings{360a8252fa2e4359896949ae6e2706fd,

title = "Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids",

abstract = "In islanded microgrids, simultaneous black start efficiently restore power systems after outages by using grid-forming (GFM) energy storage systems (ESSs) to self-start and activate grid-following (GFL) photovoltaics (PVs). However, this black start strategy can produce circulating currents that destabilize the system. This paper derives an explicit expression for the currents and examines the influence of electrical parameters, particularly voltage amplitude imbalance. To mitigate these currents, a communication-free, voltage soft start strategy based on local information is proposed. This control effectively reduces circulating current in PV and ESS during black start, even with voltage amplitude imbalances. Simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy and the derived conclusions.",

keywords = "Circulating currents, Microgrids, Simultaneous black start, Voltage soft start",

author = "Li Sun and Tiancheng Zhou and Yunshuai Pan",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 IEEE.; 17th IEEE PES Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 ; Conference date: 02-12-2025 Through 05-12-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049",

language = "英语",

series = "Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC",

publisher = "IEEE Computer Society",

booktitle = "2025 IEEE PES 17th Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 - Conference Proceedings",

address = "美国",

}

Sun, L, Zhou, T & Pan, Y 2025, Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids. in 2025 IEEE PES 17th Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 - Conference Proceedings. Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC, IEEE Computer Society, 17th IEEE PES Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025, Auckland, New Zealand, 2/12/25. https://doi.org/10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049

Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids. / Sun, Li; Zhou, Tiancheng; Pan, Yunshuai.
2025 IEEE PES 17th Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 - Conference Proceedings. IEEE Computer Society, 2025. (Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids

AU - Sun, Li

AU - Zhou, Tiancheng

AU - Pan, Yunshuai

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - In islanded microgrids, simultaneous black start efficiently restore power systems after outages by using grid-forming (GFM) energy storage systems (ESSs) to self-start and activate grid-following (GFL) photovoltaics (PVs). However, this black start strategy can produce circulating currents that destabilize the system. This paper derives an explicit expression for the currents and examines the influence of electrical parameters, particularly voltage amplitude imbalance. To mitigate these currents, a communication-free, voltage soft start strategy based on local information is proposed. This control effectively reduces circulating current in PV and ESS during black start, even with voltage amplitude imbalances. Simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy and the derived conclusions.

AB - In islanded microgrids, simultaneous black start efficiently restore power systems after outages by using grid-forming (GFM) energy storage systems (ESSs) to self-start and activate grid-following (GFL) photovoltaics (PVs). However, this black start strategy can produce circulating currents that destabilize the system. This paper derives an explicit expression for the currents and examines the influence of electrical parameters, particularly voltage amplitude imbalance. To mitigate these currents, a communication-free, voltage soft start strategy based on local information is proposed. This control effectively reduces circulating current in PV and ESS during black start, even with voltage amplitude imbalances. Simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy and the derived conclusions.

KW - Circulating currents

KW - Microgrids

KW - Simultaneous black start

KW - Voltage soft start

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105034743615

U2 - 10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049

DO - 10.1109/APPEEC66370.2025.11382049

M3 - 会议稿件

AN - SCOPUS:105034743615

T3 - Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC

BT - 2025 IEEE PES 17th Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025 - Conference Proceedings

PB - IEEE Computer Society

T2 - 17th IEEE PES Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference, APPEEC 2025

Y2 - 2 December 2025 through 5 December 2025

ER -

Analysis and Mitigation of Circulating Current for Simultaneous Black Start in Islanded Microgrids

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this