Fast fault current VIA statcom with electronic tap-changer
File(s)DPSP2022-ConferencePaper_Nikhil Singh.pdf (889.93 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Singh, Nikhil
Collins, Caspar
Green, Timothy
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Reducing levels of fault current infeed as inverter-based resources (IBR) displace synchronous machines are a concern for
system operators. The reduction undermines the ability of a conventional protection system to identify and locate faults in an
effective manner. A possible route to avoid elevated ratings is to recognise that the increased current is generally needed at times
of decreased voltage such that a tap-change transformer could be used to change how the voltage-current rating of an IBR is
presented to the network. This paper proposes a thyristor-based electronic tap-changer (eTC) fitted to the coupling transformer
of a STATCOM. The thyristors of the tap-changer can be commutated rapidly by using the STATCOM to drive phase currents
to zero briefly. The case-study circuit demonstrates delivery of substantial fault current contribution (FCC) of up to 4 pu at the
point of common coupling (PCC) in less than half a cycle (10 ms) after detection of three- and single-phase faults.
system operators. The reduction undermines the ability of a conventional protection system to identify and locate faults in an
effective manner. A possible route to avoid elevated ratings is to recognise that the increased current is generally needed at times
of decreased voltage such that a tap-change transformer could be used to change how the voltage-current rating of an IBR is
presented to the network. This paper proposes a thyristor-based electronic tap-changer (eTC) fitted to the coupling transformer
of a STATCOM. The thyristors of the tap-changer can be commutated rapidly by using the STATCOM to drive phase currents
to zero briefly. The case-study circuit demonstrates delivery of substantial fault current contribution (FCC) of up to 4 pu at the
point of common coupling (PCC) in less than half a cycle (10 ms) after detection of three- and single-phase faults.
Date Issued
2022-07-27
Date Acceptance
2022-01-05
Citation
2022, pp.1-6
Publisher
Institution of Engineering aand Technology
Start Page
1
End Page
6
Copyright Statement
© 2022 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9841698
Grant Number
EP/T021780/1
Source
IET Developments in Power System Protection (DPSP 2022)
Publication Status
Published
Start Date
2022-03-07
Finish Date
2022-03-10
Coverage Spatial
Hybrid Conference, Newcastle, UK
Date Publish Online
2022-07-27