Wind turbines voltage support in weak grids

This paper investigates how Full-Scale Converter (FSC) wind turbines can contribute to voltage support in weak grids. A novel voltage support strategy is proposed, which optimizes the voltage support during the fault. This strategy is compared to the voltage support required by two grid codes, the Danish and the German E.ON ones. The influence of a number of parameters, as the network X/R ratio, the voltage support controller gain and the post-fault power ramp is investigated. A sensitivity analysis with regard to uncertainties in the knowledge of the X/R ratio is performed. Finally, the voltage support provided by a wind power plant (WPP) is compared to that provided by a conventional power plant with synchronous generation. Simulation results indicate that a FSC WPP if properly controlled is able to provide a post-fault voltage support comparable to the one provided by a synchronous generator.

[1]  Yasser Ashkhane.  A new approach to improve voltage stability in a network with fixed speed wind turbines , 2011, 2011 19th Iranian Conference on Electrical Engineering.

[2]  M. Kayikci,et al.  Reactive Power Control Strategies for DFIG-Based Plants , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion.

[3]  I. Erlich,et al.  Impact of large offshore wind farms on power system transient stability , 2009, 2009 IEEE/PES Power Systems Conference and Exposition.

[4]  T. Thiringer,et al.  Voltage and Transient Stability Support by Wind Farms Complying With the E.ON Netz Grid Code , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems.

[5]  I. Erlich,et al.  Comparison of the grid support capability of DFIG-based wind farms and conventional power plants with synchronous generators , 2009, 2009 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting.

[6]  I. Erlich,et al.  Response of DFG-based wind farms operating on weak grids to voltage sags , 2011, 2011 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting.

[7]  E. Muljadi,et al.  Effect of Variable Speed Wind Turbine Generator on Stability of a Weak Grid , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion.

[8]  Stavros A. Papathanassiou,et al.  A review of grid code technical requirements for wind farms , 2009 .