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Atomic Anatomy of Low-Inertia Power Systems

Subham Sahoo, Arpan Malkhandi, Kristian Skafte Jensen

TL;DR

This work addresses stability challenges in low-inertia power systems arising from high renewable penetration. It introduces a Bohr-inspired anatomical analogy that partitions inertia into a heavy nucleus (synchronous machines) and orbiting electrons (virtual inertia from converters), analyzed via semi-classical methods and a center-of-mass framework. Key contributions include establishing a nucleus–electron duality, linking orbital radii to an equivalent electrical impedance $r_i$, and deriving corollaries that connect energy absorption to voltage dynamics, demonstrated on IEEE 9-bus/39-bus simulations; the approach points toward stability analysis via pre-quantization and geometric quantization. The proposed atomic-model perspective offers a physically intuitive, potentially computationally efficient building block for planning and stability assessment in future low-inertia grids, guiding deployment of VSGs and other converter-based resources.

Abstract

In this article, we determine a fundamental anatomical modeling parallelism between low-inertia power systems and Bohr's atomic model. The proposed atomic architecture will serve as a microscopic building block, where we validate the structural analogy of low-inertia power systems using semi-classical quantum approximations in IEEE 9-bus & 39-bus systems. As a future scope of work, detailed modeling & system stability will be investigated by using pre-quantization and geometric quantization methods.

Atomic Anatomy of Low-Inertia Power Systems

TL;DR

This work addresses stability challenges in low-inertia power systems arising from high renewable penetration. It introduces a Bohr-inspired anatomical analogy that partitions inertia into a heavy nucleus (synchronous machines) and orbiting electrons (virtual inertia from converters), analyzed via semi-classical methods and a center-of-mass framework. Key contributions include establishing a nucleus–electron duality, linking orbital radii to an equivalent electrical impedance , and deriving corollaries that connect energy absorption to voltage dynamics, demonstrated on IEEE 9-bus/39-bus simulations; the approach points toward stability analysis via pre-quantization and geometric quantization. The proposed atomic-model perspective offers a physically intuitive, potentially computationally efficient building block for planning and stability assessment in future low-inertia grids, guiding deployment of VSGs and other converter-based resources.

Abstract

In this article, we determine a fundamental anatomical modeling parallelism between low-inertia power systems and Bohr's atomic model. The proposed atomic architecture will serve as a microscopic building block, where we validate the structural analogy of low-inertia power systems using semi-classical quantum approximations in IEEE 9-bus & 39-bus systems. As a future scope of work, detailed modeling & system stability will be investigated by using pre-quantization and geometric quantization methods.
Paper Structure (7 sections, 7 equations, 4 figures, 2 tables)

This paper contains 7 sections, 7 equations, 4 figures, 2 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. The Bohr Atomic Model
  3. Structural Duality
  4. Mass Identification in Systems & Converters
  5. Center of Mass for Particle Systems
  6. Structural Insights
  7. Conclusions and Future Scope of Work

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: The atomic solar system -- Atomic nucleus depicting a SM and two of the possible orbits for an electron, denoting a VSG. When the activation energy $\Delta E$ is released by an electron, it moves from one orbit to another -- similar to how the terminal voltage across a VSG changes under a step change in reference energy.
  • Figure 2: Anatomical model of IEEE 9-bus system psc -- with increase in number of VSGs, the center of mass (significant reduction in system mass) displaces close to SMs.
  • Figure 3: Simulation results of the voltages at bus 4, 7 & 9 in IEEE 9-bus system after clearance of fault in bus 8 for: (a) case II, (b) case IV -- corollary III is established with a clear illustration of the orbits for VSGs and nucleus always attained at a discrete distance of large quantum numbers.
  • Figure 4: Simulation results of the voltages at bus 4, 7 & 9 in IEEE 9-bus system after clearance of fault in bus 8 for: (a) Case VII with homogeneous parameters for VSGs, (b) case VIII with heterogeneous parameters for VSGs -- it establishes that the heterogeneous $J$ further deviates from the center of mass comprising a significant distribution of kinetic energy leading to more oscillations and less damping.