Analysis of Switching Transients during Energization in Large Offshore Wind Farms

• Main Authors: Gang Liu, Yaxun Guo, Yanli Xin, Lei You, Xiaofeng Jiang, Ming Zheng, Wenhu Tang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-02-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: vacuum circuit breaker (VCB); switching transient; prestrikes; high frequency; PSCAD/EMTDC; offshore wind farm (OWF)
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/2/470

In order to study switching transients in an offshore wind farm (OWF) collector system, we employ modeling methods of the main components in OWFs, including vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs), submarine cables, and wind turbine transformers (WTTs). In particular, a high frequency (HF) VCB model that reflects the prestrike characteristics of VCBs was developed. Moreover, a simplified experimental system of an OWF electric collection system was set up to verify the developed models, and a typical OWF medium voltage (MV) cable collection system was built in PSCAD/EMTDC based on the developed models. Finally, we investigated the influences of both the initial closing phase angle of VCBs and typical system operation scenarios on the amplitude and steepness of transient overvoltages (TOVs) at the high-voltage side of WTTs.