Philip Carne Kjær

Improved digital current control methods in switched reluctance motor drives

This paper proposes a method to avoid current feedback filters in fast digital-based current loops in switched reluctance drives. Symmetrical pulsewidth modulation (PWM) and synchronized sampling of the phase current allow a noise-free current sampling with no antialiasing filter. This paper also proposes more efficient methods to chop the two transistors in the asymmetric inverter used with switched reluctance drives. A fast field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based test system is used for validation of the new methods. Test results show a significant improvement in dynamic and steady-state current loop control compared with traditional methods. The new chopping method is found to reduce the switching losses and increase the drive efficiency.

Negative Sequence Current Control in Wind Power Plants With VSC-HVDC Connection

Large offshore wind power plants may have multi-MW wind turbine generators (WTG) equipped with full-scale converters (FSC) and voltage source converter (VSC) based high voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission for grid connection. The power electronic converters in the WTG-FSC and the VSC-HVDC allow fast current control in the offshore grid. This paper presents a method of controlling the negative sequence current injection into the offshore grid from the VSC-HVDC as well as WTG-FSCs. This would minimize the power oscillations and hence reduce the dc voltage overshoots in the VSC-HVDC system as well as in the WTG-FSCs; especially when the offshore grid is unbalanced due to asymmetric faults. The formulation for negative sequence current injection is mathematically derived and then implemented in electromagnetic transients (EMT) simulation model. The simulated results show that the negative sequence current control mitigates the power oscillations and therefore limits the dc voltage excursions in the VSC-HVDC system during the asymmetric faults.

Fault-tolerant operation of single-phase SR generators

This paper studies fault-tolerant operation of multipole single-phase switched reluctance generators (SRGs), in particular, an 8/8-pole switched reluctance machine. The multipole single-phase SRG system is advantageous for reduced cost and higher efficiency compared to polyphase equivalents. However, using the classical phase-leg topology, a phase fault may prevent generating operation completely, since redundancy in the number of phases does not exist like polyphase systems. A new power converter topology which connects two coil banks in parallel is proposed for higher fault tolerance with minimum additional cost. Faulty coils can be disconnected with the proposed converter and the SRG can continue generating operation after coil faults with reduced output power. Output power per coil current under faults is studied. Open- and short-circuit coils are studied through linear analysis, finite-element analysis and static torque measurement. Generated currents under faults with the proposed converter are measured. The capability of the system to disconnect faulty coils dynamically is also shown.

Regulation and frequency response service capability of modern wind power plants

Wind speed variability generates the main challenges for grid integration of wind power. Worldwide, requirements governing generator connection to the transmission grid evolve as the modern energy industry continues to develop. With increased wind power penetration, wind power plants are required to provide grid support and control actions similar to conventional power plants. Dedicated control systems for wind power plants employing variable-speed wind turbines can provide advanced control features for the transmission network operator. The paper summarizes the control characteristics of a modern wind power plant. It identifies the capability of modern wind power plants to offer fast regulation and frequency response services. Advanced functionalities for regulation and response to grid disturbances are also addressed.

A primary-switched line-side converter using zero voltage switching

A new primary-switched AC/DC power converter and its modulation are presented. It employs a single- or three-phase transformer, with a matrix converter (primary) and a conventional two-level converter (secondary). This allows galvanic isolation at medium-frequency zero-voltage primary commutation and five line-side voltage levels. Two distinct modulation methods are explained in detail, and it is shown how a combination of these allows optimal operation in terms of efficiency and voltage harmonics. Measured waveforms on a 30-kW prototype confirm the expected performance.

Design and Analysis of a Slope Voltage Control for a DFIG Wind Power Plant

This paper addresses a detailed design of a wind power plant and turbine slope voltage control in the presence of communication delays for a wide short-circuit ratio range operation. The implemented voltage control scheme is based upon the secondary voltage control concept, which offers fast response to grid disturbances, despite the communication delays, i.e., this concept is based on a primary voltage control, located in the wind turbine, which follows an external voltage reference sent by a central controller, called secondary voltage control, which is controlling the voltage at the point of connection with the grid. The performance has been tested using PSCAD/EMTDC program. The plant layout used in the simulations is based on an installed wind power plant, composed of 23 doubly fed generator wind turbines. The resulting performance is evaluated using a compilation of grid code voltage control requirements. The results show that fast response to grid disturbances can be achieved using the secondary voltage control scheme, and the fulfillment of the design requirements can be extended for a wide range of short-circuit ratios.

Instability of Wind Turbine Converters During Current Injection to Low Voltage Grid Faults and PLL Frequency Based Stability Solution

In recent grid codes for wind power integration, wind turbines are required to stay connected during grid faults even when the grid voltage drops down to zero; and also to inject reactive current in proportion to the voltage drop. However, a physical fact, instability of grid-connected converters during current injection to very low (close to zero) voltage faults, has been omitted, i.e., failed to be noticed in the previous wind power studies and grid code revisions. In this paper, the instability of grid side converters of wind turbines defined as loss of synchronism (LOS), where the wind turbines lose synchronism with the grid fundamental frequency (e.g., 50 Hz) during very deep voltage sags, is explored with its theory, analyzed and a novel stability solution based on PLL frequency is proposed; and both are verified with power system simulations and by experiments on a grid-connected converter setup.

Methodology for assessment of inertial response from wind power plants

High wind power penetration levels result in additional requirements from wind power in order to improve frequency stability. Replacement of conventional power plants with wind power plants reduces the power system inertia due to the wind turbine technology. Consequently, the rate of change of frequency and the maximum frequency deviation increase after a disturbance such as generation loss, load increase, etc. Having no inherent inertial response, wind power plants need additional control concepts in order to provide an additional active power following a disturbance. Several control concepts have been implemented in the literature, but the assessment of these control concepts with respect to power system requirements has not been specified. In this paper, a methodology to assess the inertial response from wind power plants is proposed. Accordingly, the proposed methodology is applied to one of the inertial response control concepts from the literature.

Ancillary services provided from wind power plant augmented with energy storage

This paper presents a scheme to augment a wind power plant with energy storage and apply combined controls for provision of frequency support, inertial response and power oscillation damping. Practical experience from a power plant configured with 12MW wind generation and 1.6MW energy storage is discussed, including sample results from tests of the ancillary services functionality.

Power Oscillation Damping From VSC–HVDC Connected Offshore Wind Power Plants

The implementation of power oscillation damping service on offshore wind power plants connected to onshore grids by voltage-source-converter-based high voltage direct current transmission is discussed. Novel design guidelines for damping controllers on voltage-source converters and wind power plant controllers are derived, using phasor diagrams and a test network model and are then verified on a generic power system model. The effect of voltage regulators is analyzed, which is important for selecting the most robust damping strategy. Furthermore, other often disregarded practical implementation aspects regarding real wind power plants are discussed: 1) robustness against control/communication delays; 2) limitations due to mechanical resonances in wind turbine generators; 3) actual capability of wind power plants to provide damping without curtailing production; and 4) power-ramp rate limiters.