IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,855,458
Granted Patent B2
US 11,855,458 · App. 16/957,080 · Granted Dec 26, 2023

Current injection in wind power plants

Inventors: Leif Svinth Christensen (Thorsø, DK); Brian W. Andersen (Ringkøbing, DK); Federico Rueda Londono (Aarhus C, DK)
Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
H02J3/16F03D7/0284H02J3/001H02J3/381H02J13/00002H02J13/00006F05B2270/337H02J3/50H02J2300/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,855,458
App. No.
16/957,080
Granted
Dec 26, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for controlling a renewable energy generator, the renewable energy generator being connected to a Point of Interconnection of an external power grid by a connecting network, wherein the connecting network has an associated impedance level. The method comprising: monitoring at least one parameter of the connecting network and the voltage level at the Point of Interconnection; generating, during normal operating conditions, at least one current injection profile based upon the at least one measured parameter and a predetermined injection profile; and operating the renewable energy generator, during a grid fault, to output current according to the at least one current injection profile, so as to achieve a current set point at the Point of Interconnection.

Claims (54)

1. A method for controlling a renewable energy generator connected to a Point of Interconnection of an external power grid by a connecting network, the method comprising:

during normal operating conditions before occurrence of a grid fault:

monitoring at least one parameter of the connecting network;

modifying, by a power plant controller of a power plant comprising the renewable energy generator, a predetermined injection profile based on the at least one parameter to generate a current injection profile, wherein the current injection profile indicates output current as a function of measured voltage;

communicating the current injection profile and a reference value to a controller of the renewable energy generator;

storing, by the controller of the renewable energy generator, the current injection profile; and

operating the renewable energy generator according to the reference value provided by the power plant controller rather than the stored current injection profile; and

during the grid fault:

measuring at least one of a voltage across a terminal of the renewable energy generator or a voltage at the connecting network;

calculating, by the controller of the renewable energy generator rather than the power plant controller, an output current based on (i) the at least one of the voltage across the terminal of the renewable energy generator or the voltage of the connecting network and (ii) the stored current injection profile communicated by the power plant controller during normal operating conditions; and

operating, by the controller of the renewable energy generator rather than the power plant controller, the renewable energy generator to produce the output current.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the current injection profile comprises calculating a result of a voltage function.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the voltage function comprises at least one weight value and receives, as an input, a voltage measured at a point between the renewable energy generator and a low voltage transformer of the connecting network.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the current injection profile comprises an active current injection profile, and wherein the voltage function is a third-order polynomial.

5. The method of claim 4 ,

wherein the current injection profile further comprises a reactive current injection profile corresponding to a second voltage function, and

wherein the second voltage function is a first-order polynomial.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the current injection profile comprises a reactive current injection profile, and wherein the voltage function is a first-order polynomial.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined injection profile is an earlier iteration of the current injection profile.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein modifying the predetermined injection profile is performed at intervals during normal operating conditions, such that the current injection profile is updated iteratively.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter is a voltage level measured at a point in the connecting network.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the point in the connecting network is between a low-voltage transformer and the renewable energy generator.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter is an impedance of the connecting network.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating a stored current injection profile after generating the current injection profile.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

setting a default current injection profile as the predetermined injection profile for a first iteration of modifying the predetermined injection profile.

14. A renewable energy power plant comprising:

a plurality of renewable energy generators;

a power network connecting the plurality of renewable energy generators to a Point of Interconnection (PoI) to an external power grid; and

a power plant controller configured to, during normal operating conditions before occurrence of a grid fault:

monitor at least one parameter of the power network;

modify a predetermined injection profile based on the at least one parameter to generate a current injection profile, wherein the current injection profile indicates output current as a function of measured voltage;

communicate the current injection profile and a reference value to a controller of a renewable energy generator of the plurality of renewable energy generators;

store the current injection profile; and

operate the renewable energy generator according to the reference value provided by the power plant controller rather than the current injection profile; and

wherein during the grid fault:

at least one of a voltage across a terminal of the renewable energy generator or a voltage at the power network is measured;

the controller of the renewable energy generator calculates an output current based on (i) the at least one of the voltage across the terminal of the renewable energy generator or the voltage of the power network and (ii) the stored current injection profile communicated by the power plant controller during normal operating conditions; and

the controller of the renewable energy generator operates the renewable energy generator to produce the output current.

15. A computer program stored on a machine-readable medium and comprising program code instructions which, when executed, perform an operation for controlling a renewable energy generator that is connected to a Point of Interconnection of an external power grid by a connecting network, the operation comprising:

during normal operating conditions before occurrence of a grid fault:

monitoring at least one parameter of the connecting network;

modifying, by a power plant controller of a power plant comprising the renewable energy generator, a predetermined injection profile based on the at least one parameter to generate a current injection profile, wherein the current injection profile indicates output current as a function of measured voltage;

communicating the current injection profile and a reference value to a controller of the renewable energy generator;

storing, by the controller of the renewable energy generator, the current injection profile; and

operating the renewable energy generator according to the reference value provided by the power plant controller rather than the current injection profile; and

during the grid fault:

measuring at least one of a voltage across a terminal of the renewable energy generator or a voltage at the connecting network;

calculating, by the controller of the renewable energy generator rather than the power plant controller, an output current based on (i) the at least one of the voltage across the terminal of the renewable energy generator or the voltage of the connecting network and (ii) the stored current injection profile communicated by the power plant controller during normal operating conditions; and

operating, by the controller of the renewable energy generator rather than the power plant controller, the renewable energy generator to produce the output current.

16. The computer program of claim 15 , wherein generating the current injection profile comprises calculating a result of a voltage function.

17. The computer program of claim 16 , wherein the voltage function comprises at least one weight value and receives, as an input, a voltage measured at a point between the renewable energy generator and a low voltage transformer of the connecting network.

18. The computer program of claim 16 , wherein the current injection profile is an active current injection profile, and wherein the voltage function is a third-order polynomial.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2020
From: CHRISTENSEN, LEIF SVINTH; ANDERSEN, BRIAN W.; LONDONO, FEDERICO RUEDA
To: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
Reel/Frame 054556/0923 →
Priority Claims (1)
DK PA 2017 70971 · Dec 21, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200350765A1 · Nov 5, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,592,583