Finite-Time Approximate Consensus and its Application to Distributed Frequency Regulation in Islanded AC Microgrids

In this paper, we propose an iterative algorithm that allows a set of interconnected nodes to reach approximate consensus in a finite number of steps, i.e., allows the nodes to reach agreement to within a pre-specified bound in finite time. While this algorithm could be used in many applications, we discuss it within the context of a distributed control architecture for frequency regulation in islanded AC microgrids. Our approach to achieving finite-time approximate consensus builds upon ratio consensus, a distributed iterative algorithm in which each node maintains two state variables where the ratio of the states converges asymptotically to a constant that is equal for all the nodes. Simulation results illustrating the operation of our proposed algorithm for two networks are included.