Methods and systems for controlling a power conversion device

1. A power conversion system configured to provide alternating current (AC) power to a transformer, wherein the transformer comprises a transformer input coupled to said power conversion system and a transformer output coupled to a power grid, said power conversion system comprising:

a power conversion device comprising a device input and a device output, said power conversion device configured to receive power from a power source at said device input, said device output configured for coupling to the transformer input;

at least one sensor coupled at a first point of interconnection between said device output and the transformer input and configured to measure a voltage level at the first point of interconnection; and

a system controller communicatively coupled to said power conversion device and said at least one sensor and configured to vary a reactive power of said power conversion device, determine an impedance of the power grid based at least partially on a change in the voltage level at the first point of interconnection caused by the varied reactive power, determine when determining the impedance of the power grid will not negatively affect operation of said power conversion system, and determine a gain parameter of said power conversion device based at least on the impedance of the power grid.

2. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said system controller is configured to determine the impedance of the power grid during operation of said power conversion system.

3. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said system controller is further configured to control operation of said power conversion device based at least partially on the impedance of the power grid.

4. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said system controller is configured to determine the impedance of the power grid by measuring changes in the voltage level at the first point of interconnection after an increase or decrease in power provided to said power conversion system exceeds a predefined level.

5. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said system controller is configured to determine a strength of the power grid based on the impedance of the power grid.

6. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising, a memory coupled to or included within said system controller and configured to store an equivalent power system model that includes a grid impedance parameter, and wherein said system controller is configured to estimate the voltage level at the transformer output based at least partially on the impedance of the power grid and the equivalent power system model.

7. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the gain parameter controls at least one of a magnitude of reactive power provided to the power grid and a rate of increase of reactive power provided to the power grid.

8. A power conversion system in accordance with claim 6 , wherein said memory is further configured to store one or more gain parameters and one or more associated time-stamps to facilitate at least one of monitoring changes in the one or more gain parameters over time and providing a baseline value to apply to current operation that was determined as suitable at a similar date and/or time in the past.

9. A power generation system, comprising:

a power source;

a power conversion device comprising a device input and a device output, wherein said device input is coupled to said power source;

a transformer comprising a transformer input and a transformer output, wherein said transformer input is coupled to said device output at a first point of interconnection and wherein said transformer output is coupled to a power grid at a second point of interconnection;

at least one sensor positioned between said power conversion device and said transformer and configured to measure a voltage level at the first point of interconnection; and

a system controller coupled to said power conversion device and said at least one sensor and configured to vary a reactive power of said power conversion device, determine an impedance of the power grid based at least partially on a change in the voltage level at the first point of interconnection caused by the varied reactive power, determine when determining the impedance of the power grid will not negatively affect operation of said power generation system, and determine a gain parameter of said power conversion device based at least on the impedance of the power grid.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said system controller further comprises a memory configured to store an equivalent power system model that includes a grid impedance parameter, and wherein said system controller is configured to estimate the voltage level at the second point of interconnection based at least partially on the impedance of the power grid and the equivalent power system model.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said memory is further configured to store a power conversion device control algorithm that includes the gain parameter that controls at least one of a magnitude of reactive power provided to the power grid and a rate of increase of reactive power provided to the power grid.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said system controller is configured to determine the gain parameter during operation of said power generation system based at least partially on the impedance of the power grid.

13. A method for controlling operation of a power conversion device included within a power conversion system, wherein a power source provides power to the device which provides power to a transformer at a first point of interconnection, and wherein the transformer is coupled to the power grid at a second point of interconnection, and wherein at least one sensor is coupled between the device and the transformer, said method comprising:

varying a reactive current output of the power conversion device;

receiving a sensor signal from the at least one sensor, wherein the sensor signal includes data associated with a voltage level at the first point of interconnection;

determining an impedance of the power grid at the second point of interconnection based at least partially on a change in the voltage level in response to the varied reactive current;

determining when determining the impedance of the power grid will not negatively affect operation of said power conversion device;

determining a gain parameter of said power conversion device based at least on the impedance of the power grid; and

controlling operation of said power conversion device based on at least one of the gain parameter and the impedance of the power grid.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein determining the impedance of the power grid comprises determining the impedance during operation of said power conversion system.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein determining when determining the impedance of the power grid will not negatively affect operation of the power conversion system further comprises determining when the power grid is strong enough that varying the reactive current will not cause the voltage level at the first point of interconnect to exceed a predefined trip voltage.