Wind Turbine Farm Operation With Synchronous Condenser Ride-Through
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wind turbine farms struggle to meet grid operator requirements during grid fault events such as voltage dips and drops, leading to potential mechanical stress and reduced lifetime of turbines, while also incurring high manufacturing costs due to the need for oversized components to handle reactive power demands.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a synchronous condenser connected to a common connection point within the wind turbine farm, which disconnects wind turbines during grid faults and maintains connection to provide reactive and active power support, allowing for robust grid operation and reduced mechanical stress, and using a central controller to manage circuit breakers for controlled reconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wind turbines remain connected during grid faults to continue power injection, then productivity is maintained, but mechanical stress increases and device reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A synchronous condenser is introduced as an intermediary device between the wind turbine farm and the grid. During grid faults, the synchronous condenser remains connected to provide reactive power support and frequency stabilization, while wind turbines are disconnected to avoid mechanical stress. The synchronous condenser acts as a buffer that maintains grid interaction capabilities without exposing the turbines to harmful fault conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary assessment of grid fault conditions through voltage measurement and comparison with predefined thresholds. Based on this preliminary evaluation, the control system proactively disconnects wind turbines before they can be subjected to damaging mechanical stress, while simultaneously preparing the synchronous condenser to take over grid support functions.
2Reliability
If wind turbines are disconnected during grid faults to reduce mechanical stress, then device reliability improves, but productivity decreases due to loss of power injection
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronous condenser is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides reactive power compensation, frequency stabilization, and voltage support during grid faults. This multi-functional capability allows it to replace the grid interaction role of wind turbines during fault conditions, maintaining productivity while protecting turbine reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronous condenser serves as a mediator that maintains the connection between the wind turbine farm and the grid during faults. It absorbs the impact of grid disturbances, allowing turbines to be disconnected for protection while the condenser continues to provide necessary grid support services, thus maintaining overall system productivity.
3Reliability
If synchronous condenser is used to provide reactive power support during grid faults, then device reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronous condenser is equipped with an automatic voltage regulator that enables it to autonomously regulate its reactive power output based on grid conditions. This self-service capability allows the condenser to automatically provide voltage support and reactive power compensation during faults without requiring complex external control systems, thereby improving reliability while limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
4Productivity
If wind turbines are rapidly reconnected after grid faults to restore productivity, then productivity recovers quickly, but mechanical stress increases due to sudden load changes
Solution Approach 1:
Before reconnecting wind turbines after a grid fault, the system performs preliminary assessments including verifying grid voltage stability and determining optimal reconnection timing. This preliminary action allows turbines to be reconnected at favorable moments, avoiding sudden mechanical stress from abrupt load changes while still restoring productivity efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The reconnection process is made dynamic and adaptive rather than fixed. The control system continuously monitors grid conditions and adjusts reconnection timing based on real-time voltage and frequency measurements. This dynamic approach allows optimization of reconnection moments to minimize mechanical stress while maximizing productivity recovery speed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The synchronous condenser enables the wind turbine farm to meet grid code requirements, stabilize frequency and voltage, prevent mechanical stress, and reduce manufacturing costs by sharing reactive power demands, ensuring smooth grid connection transitions and extended turbine lifespan.
Implementation Method 1
the synchronous condenser enables injecting power, i.e. reactive and/or active, to the grid. The active power from the synchronous condenser may provide frequency support while the reactive power provides voltage support.
Implementation Method 2
The inertia from the synchronous condenser may be used to stabilise frequency. The frequency support depends on the inertia constant H, which may be defined for the synchronous condenser as: wherein J is the moment of inertia, ω is the angular speed and MVA is the apparent power of the synchronous condenser.
Implementation Method 3
Each of the plurality of wind turbines are connected to a common connection point by a wind turbine circuit breaker. The circuit breakers are configured to connect/disconnect their respective wind turbine from the common connection point.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
In first aspect, a method of operating a wind turbine farm is provided. The wind farm comprises a plurality of wind turbines, a respective circuit breaker, a synchronous condenser and a synchronous condenser circuit breaker, The synchronous condenser and the plurality of wind turbines are connected to the common connection point by closing the synchronous condenser circuit breaker and respective wind turbine circuit breakers, respectively. The grid voltage is measured at the common connection point and the measured voltage compared with a predetermined normal operation voltage range. I f the measured grid voltage is out of the predetermined normal operation voltage range, the plurality of wind turbines are disconnected from the common connection point by opening each wind turbine circuit breaker and the synchronous condenser is maintained connected to the common connection point. The plurality of wind turbines are reconnected to the common connection point at a predefined reconnection time. A wind farm and a computer program are also provided.