Control method for protecting switching devices in power converters in doubly fed induction generator power systems

• US 10,103,663 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wagoner, Robert Gregory, Holliday, III, Cornelius Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US15/489,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20180302010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 322 61, 290 44
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0244 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/0272 by measures acting on the electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/1216 for AC-AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/15 for wind-driven turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 3/00 Arrangements for stopping or slowing electric motors, generators, or dynamo-electric converters stopping of synchronous motors with electronic commutators except reluctance motors, H02P6/24; stopping dynamo-electric motors rotating step by step H02P8/24; vector control H02P21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/007 Control circuits for doubly fed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects

Abstract

Systems and methods for protecting switching devices in a power converter in doubly fed induction generator power systems are provided. A DFIG system can include a DFIG generator and a power converter comprising a line side converter and a rotor side converter connected by a DC bus. Each of the line side converter and rotor side converter can include a plurality of bridge circuits. Each bridge circuit can include a plurality of switching devices. A method can include monitoring, by a control device, a voltage of the DC bus of the power converter. The method can further include implementing, by the control device, a switching device protection measure based at least in part on the voltage of the DC bus of the power converter. The switching device protection measure can be operable to protect the switching devices by operating the switching devices within a safe operating area.

Claims

1. A method for operating a power converter in a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) system, the DFIG system comprising a DFIG generator and a power converter comprising a line side converter and a rotor side converter connected by a DC bus, each of the line side converter and rotor side converter comprising a plurality of bridge circuits, each bridge circuit comprising a plurality of switching devices, the method comprising:

monitoring, by a control device, a voltage of the DC bus;

determining, by the control device, a current limit for at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on the voltage of the DC bus; and

controlling, by the control device, the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on the current limit,

wherein when a current flowing through the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter exceeds the current limit, controlling, by the control device, the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on the current limit comprises disabling the at least one bridge circuit by the control device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the voltage of the DC bus is a voltage less than or equal to a first threshold;

determining, by the control device, the current limit for at least one bridge circuit in the power converter further comprises;

setting, by the control device, the current limit at a first value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein when the voltage of the DC bus is a voltage greater than the first threshold, determining, by the control device, a current limit for at least one bridge circuit in the power converter further comprises:

setting, by the control device, the current limit for the at least one bridge circuit at a second value; and

wherein the second value comprises a value less than the first value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second value is determined, by the control device, based at least in part on the voltage of the DC bus.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein when the voltage of the DC bus exceeds a second threshold, controlling, by the control device, the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on the current limit further comprises:

disabling the at least one bridge circuit by the control device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a current limit for at least one bridge circuit in the power converter further comprises:

determining, by the control device, a current limit for each bridge circuit in the power converter; and

controlling the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on the current limit further comprises;

controlling, by the control device, each bridge circuit in the power converter based on the respective current limit for each bridge circuit.

7. A control system for a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) system, the DFIG system comprising at least a DFIG generator and a power converter comprising a line side converter and a rotor side converter connected by a DC bus, each of the line side converter and rotor side converter comprising a plurality of bridge circuits, the control system comprising:

a control device configured to perform operations, the operations comprising;

determine a voltage of the DC bus;

determine a current limit for at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on the voltage of the DC bus; and

control the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on the current limit;

wherein when a current flowing through the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter exceeds the current limit, controlling the at least one bridge circuit in the power converter based at least in part on a current limit comprises disabling the at least one bridge circuit.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein when the voltage of the DC bus is a voltage less than or equal to a first threshold;

determining a current limit for at least one bridge circuit in the power converter comprises setting the current limit at a first value.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein when the voltage of the DC bus is a voltage greater than the first threshold, determining a current limit for at least one bridge circuit in the power converter comprises setting the current limit for the at least one bridge circuit at a second value;

and

wherein the second value comprises a value less than the first value.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the second value is determined based at least in part on the voltage of the DC bus.

11. A doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) system, comprising:

a DFIG generator;

a power converter comprising a line side converter and a rotor side converter connected by a DC bus, each of the line side converter and rotor side converter comprising a plurality of bridge circuits, each bridge circuit comprising a plurality of switching devices;

a dynamic brake connected to the DC bus; and

a control device configured to perform operations, the operations comprising;

monitor a voltage of the DC bus of the power converter; and

control each of the line side converter, the rotor side converter, and the dynamic brake to a respective operational state based at least in part on the voltage of the DC bus;

wherein the operational state for the line side converter and the rotor side converter comprises either an on state or an off state,

wherein when operated in the on state, switching is enabled in the plurality of bridge circuits of the respective converter;

wherein when operated in the off state, switching is disabled in the plurality of bridge circuits of the respective converter;

wherein the operational state for the dynamic brake comprises either a braking state or a non-braking state;

wherein energy on the DC bus is dissipated in the dynamic brake in the braking state; and

wherein energy on the DC bus is not dissipated in the dynamic brake on the non-braking state.

12. The DFIG system of claim 11, wherein when DC bus voltage is below a first threshold, controlling, by the control device, each of the line side converter, the rotor side converter, and the dynamic brake to a respective operational state based at least in part on the voltage of the DC bus comprises controlling the line side converter and the rotor side converter to the on state and controlling the dynamic brake to the non-braking state;

wherein when the DC bus voltage is above a second threshold, controlling, by the control device, the rotor side converter and the dynamic brake to a respective operational state comprises controlling the rotor side converter to the off state and controlling the dynamic brake to the braking state;

wherein when the DC bus voltage is less than or equal to a third threshold, controlling, by the control device, the line side converter to a respective operational state comprises controlling the line side converter to the on state;

wherein when the DC bus voltage is greater than the third threshold, controlling by the control device, the line side converter to a respective operational state comprises controlling the line side converter to the off state.

wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold; and

wherein the third threshold is greater than the second threshold.

13. The DFIG system of claim 12, wherein following the control device controlling the rotor side converter to the off state and controlling the dynamic brake to the braking state, when the DC bus voltage drops below a fourth threshold, the control device is further configured to control the rotor side converter to the on state and control the dynamic brake to the non-braking state;

wherein the fourth threshold is greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold.

14. The DFIG system of claim 12, wherein following the control device controlling the line side converter to the off state, when the DC bus voltage drops below a fourth threshold, the control device is further configured to control the line side converter to the one state;

wherein the fourth threshold is greater than the second threshold and less than the third threshold.