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Highlights: [•] The control of a hybrid storage system using a Three Level NPC converter is analysed. [•] A sinusoidal PWM with an offset injection is used to control the storage system. [•] The operation of the selected converter is analysed in its entire operation range. [•] The operational limits of the Three Level NPC converter are defined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A high penetration rate of the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) can create stability, reliability and power quality problems in the main electrical grid. The microgrid should be a feasible alternative to solve these issues. As it is a weak electrical grid, the microgrid is very sensitive to any variation and consequently an Energy Storage System (ESS) is necessary to reduce their effect. A microgrid needs an ESS with high energy and power densities, but none of the currently available storage technologies satisfies both requirements at the same time. Consequently, it is necessary to associate more than one storage technology creating a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS). The objective of this work is to compare by means of simulations three different topologies that are used to control a HESS formed by a SuperCapacitor (SC) bank and a Vanadium Redox Battery (VRB). The compared topologies are the parallel active topology, the floating topology and the Three-Level Neutral Point Clamped (3LNPC) converter topology. The analysed microgrid is formed by the mentioned HESS and different renewable energy sources. This microgrid is interconnected to a weak grid based on a Diesel Generator (DG). Two case studies have been analysed: the effect of the RES while the microgrid is connected to the weak grid and the effect of the disconnection of the microgrid from the weak grid. The different topologies are compared analysing their capability of facing the mentioned variations, their power losses and their Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). The Matlab/Simulink software and the SimPowerSystems toolbox have been used to carry out the simulations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The increasing use of distributed generators, which are mainly based on renewable sources, can create several issues in the operation of the electric grid. The microgrid is being analysed as a solution to the integration in the grid of the renewable sources at a high penetration level in a controlled way. The storage systems play a vital role in order to keep the energy and power balance of the microgrid. Due to the technical limitations of the currently available storage systems, it is necessary to use more than one storage technology to satisfy the requirements of the microgrid application. This work validates in simulations and experimentally the use of a Three-Level Neutral Point Clamped converter to control the power flow of a hybrid storage system formed by a SuperCapacitor and a Vanadium Redox Battery. The operation of the system is validated in two case studies in the experimental platform installed in ESTIA. The experimental results prove the validity of the proposed system as well as the designed control algorithm. The good agreement among experimental and simulation results also validates the simulation model, that can therefore be used to analyse the operation of the system in different case studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]