V-327, ”Windpower fault clearance”

Project leader: Lars Messing, Gothia Power AB
 

Timeplan: jan 2010-jun 2012
 

Finance:1 875 kSEK from Vindforsk III and 350 kSEK ias in kind
 

Description:

The aim of this project is to provide the basis for design, construction and handling of fast selective and reliable fault clearance systems for wind power plants and connecting networks.

During the next coming years there will be a significant change in power generation composition. The degree of wind power will increase significantly. The new wind power plants will be connected to the existing transmission, subtransmission, and distribution networks. The conditions for short-circuit and earth fault detection and proper clearance will be will be radically changed:

• When a short-circuit or an earth fault occurs, fault current will be fed from several sources. This is a change compared to the present situation, where fault current is normally radially fed from the supplying substation to the fault point.
   
• The fault current from a wind power generator can be relatively small. There will be difficulties to distinguish between fault current and normal load current from the wind power generator.
   
• The wind power generators differ from conventional power plant generators. Mainly two systems are used: DFIG (Doubly Fed Induction Generator) and full power converter generators. The amplitude and duration of the fault current fed to the power network will differ from fault currents from conventional synchronous generators.
   

The fault clearance system must have a high reliability to assure 1) personal safety, and 2) operational safety for the wind power plants themselves as well as for the entire power system. It is of utmost importance that the fault clearance system is optimally designed and handled, to assure fast, selective and reliable fault clearance.

The project shall result in two reports:

1. Description of the present procedures and requirements for the fault clearance system design of wind power plants and connecting networks.
    
2. Description of a future concept for the fault clearance system of wind power plants and connecting networks.
    

 

Reference group

Peter Blomqvist, Arise Windpower

Kjell Gustafsson, Statkraft

John Kemmlert, Svenska Kraftnät

Johan Öckerman, Vattenfall

Ulf Thomasson, Fortum

Anton Dahlgren , E.ON

Anders Pettersson, Skellefteå Kraft

Matz Tapper, Svensk Energi

Söhnke Schierloh, Enercon

 

 

Presentations

Links: