SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A POWER GENERATION SYSTEM BASED ON A DETECTED ISLANDING EVENT

• US 20150249416A1
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Barker, Sidney Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,520,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/00 Controlling wind motors supplying or distributing electrical power H02J, e.g. arrangements for adjusting, eliminating or compensating reactive power in networks H02J3/18; controlling electric generators H02P, e.g. arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output H02P9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/255 connected to electrical distribution networks; Arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/067 on occurrence of a load dump control on sudden change of load H02P9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/388 Islanding, i.e. disconnection of local power supply from the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/42 by static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/007 Control circuits for doubly fed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/04 Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/10 Control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients, e.g. sudden application of load, sudden removal of load, sudden change of load
• 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

In one aspect, a method for controlling the operation of a power generation system configured to supply power to an electrical grid may generally include detecting an occurrence of an islanding event associated with the power generation system and adjusting a regulator gain applied within a regulator of the power generation system to an islanding gain value in response to the detection of the islanding event, wherein the islanding gain value exceeds a maximum gain value defined for the regulator in the event of an occurrence of any ride-through transient event. In addition, the method may include controlling a power converter of the power generation system based on a control signal generated by the regulator as the power generation system is being isolated from the electrical grid and shutting down the power generation system upon isolation of the power generation system from the electrical grid.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the operation of a power generation system configured to supply power to an electrical grid, the method comprising:

detecting an occurrence of an islanding event associated with the power generation system;

adjusting a regulator gain applied within a regulator of the power generation system to an islanding gain value in response to the detection of the islanding event, wherein the islanding gain value exceeds a maximum gain value defined for the regulator in the event of an occurrence of any ride-through transient event;

controlling a power converter of the power generation system based on a control signal generated by the regulator as the power generation system is being isolated from the electrical grid, the control signal being generated within the regulator as a function of the islanding gain value; and

shutting down the power generation system upon isolation of the power generation system from the electrical grid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power generation system has a short circuit ratio ranging from about 1.0 to about 3.0.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the regulator comprises a phase-locked loop (PLL) regulator of the power generation system.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising adjusting a frequency limit applied within the PLL regulator to an islanding frequency limit in response to the detection of the islanding event, wherein the islanding frequency limit exceeds a maximum frequency limit defined for the PLL regulator in the event of the occurrence of any ride-through transient event or is less than a minimum frequency limit defined for the PLL regulator in the event of the occurrence of any ride-through transient event.

5. The method of claim 4, whether the islanding frequency limit is applied within the PLL regulator when generating the control signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the regulator comprises a voltage regulator of the power generation system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ride-through transient event corresponds to a low voltage ride-through event, a high voltage ride-through event or a zero ride-through event.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising opening at least one of a breaker or a contactor of the power generation system in order to isolate the power generation system from the electrical grid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the power generation system comprises a wind turbine system.

10. A method for controlling the operation of a power generation system configured to supply power to an electrical grid, the method comprising:

detecting an occurrence of an islanding event associated with the power generation system;

adjusting a frequency limit applied within a phase-locked loop (PLL) regulator of the power generation system to an islanding frequency limit in response to the detection of the islanding event, wherein the islanding frequency limit exceeds a maximum frequency limit defined for the PLL regulator in the event of an occurrence of any ride-through transient event or is less than a minimum frequency limit defined for the PLL regulator in the event of the occurrence of any ride-through transient event;

controlling a power converter of the power generation system based on a control signal generated by the PLL regulator as the power generation system is being isolated from the electrical grid, the islanding frequency limit being applied within the PLL regulator when generating the control signal; and

shutting down the power generation system upon isolation of the power generation system from the electrical grid.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the power generation system has a short circuit ratio ranging from about 1.0 to about 3.0.

12. A power generation system, the system comprising:

a generator;

a power converter coupled to the generator; and

a computing device configured to control the operation of the power converter, the computing device storing instructions that, when implemented by one or more processors, configure the computing device to;

detect an occurrence of an islanding event associated with the power generation system;

adjust a regulator gain applied within a regulator to an islanding gain value in response to the detection of the islanding event, wherein the islanding gain value exceeds a maximum gain value defined for the regulator in the event of an occurrence of any ride-through transient event;

control the power converter based on a control signal generated by the regulator as the power generation system is being isolated from the electrical grid, the control signal being generated within the regulator as a function the islanding gain value; and

shut down the power generation system upon isolation of the power generation system from the electrical grid.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the power generation system has a short circuit ratio ranging from about 1.0 to about 3.0.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the regulator comprises a phase-locked loop (PLL) regulator implemented within or coupled to the controller.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a frequency limit applied within the PLL regulator to an islanding frequency limit in response to the detection of the islanding event, wherein the islanding frequency limit exceeds a maximum frequency limit defined for the PLL regulator in the event of the occurrence of any ride-through transient event or is less than a minimum frequency limit defined for the PLL regulator in the event of the occurrence of any ride-through transient event.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the islanding frequency limit is applied within the PLL regulator when generating the control signal.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the regulator comprises a voltage regulator implemented within or coupled to the controller

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the ride-through transient event corresponds to a low voltage ride-through event, a high voltage ride-through event or a zero ride-through event.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to open at least one of a breaker or a contactor of the power generation system in order to isolate the power generation system from the electrical grid.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the generator comprises a doubly-fed induction generator.