Application of modular multilevel converter in medium voltage high power permanent magnet synchronous generator wind energy conversion systems

Traditional low voltage high power wind energy conversion system (WECS) requires heavy cables and large step-up grid interfacing transformers. In recent years, power rating of offshore wind turbines already exceeds 10 MW, and medium voltage (MV) converters have become strongly demanded. Modular multilevel converter (MMC) is suitable for MV high power applications. However, there are two technical difficulties for MMC when applied in MV permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) WECS. The first one is the large sub module (SM) voltage fluctuation caused by low frequency and high amplitude PMSG phase current. The other one is the low voltage ride through (LVRT) problem. Overall control strategy based on carrier-phase-shifted -sinusoidal pulse width modulation technique of the MMC WECS is proposed. For the first difficulty mentioned, a second-order circulating current injection method based on closed-loop control is proposed. For the LVRT problem, a distributed braking chopper solution is provided. The effectiveness of the injection method and the distributed braking chopper solution are validated by simulation of a 5 MW/3.3 kV MMC WECS. Influences of the current injection amplitude on SM voltages and arm currents are discussed and a trade-off method is given to optimise system design, which is also verified by simulation.