712 research outputs found

    High Voltage DC-biased Oil Type Medium Frequency Transformer; A Green Solution for Series DC Wind Park Concept

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    The electric energy generated by remote offshore wind parks is transported to the consumers using high voltage submarine cables. On the generation site, such transmissions are realized today by collecting the energy produced by several wind turbines in a bulky and expensive transformer placed on a dedicated platform. An alternative solution has been proposed recently, which allows to reduce the installation and maintenance costs by eliminating such a platform. It is suggested to equip each wind turbine in the wind park by an individual DC/DC converter and connect them in series to reach the DC voltage level required for an efficient HVDC energy transportation to the shore. The DC/DC converter is supposed to be a Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter, which can be made reasonably small to be placed on the wind turbine tower or even in its nacelle. The key element of the converter defining its size and mass is a special transformer, which operates at voltages comprising a high (switching) frequency component superimposed on a high DC offset voltage. DC insulation design of such a transformer and investigation of the effects of a high DC insulation level on the other electromagnetic properties of the transformer is the subject of the present research.In order to verify the concept a prototype of the transformer was built, and its evaluation presented. The unit has been manufactured for the rated power of 50 kW and rated voltages 0.4/5 kV including DC offset of 125 kV and square-shaped oscillations with the frequency of 5 kHz. The magnetic system was made of ferrite material and consisted of 10 shell-type core segments. The magnetic properties have been verified by measuring magnetization and losses at various frequencies in the range 1-10 kHz to cover the operational range of the DAB. The types and dimensions of the windings and their conductors were chosen to minimize the proximity and eddy current effects at higher frequencies. To reduce the size of the transformer and to allow for its efficient cooling, the active part was immersed in oil and cellulose-based materials (paper and pressboard) were used to build the high voltage insulation system. The principles for dimensioning the insulation of the transformer are discussed. The criteria used for selecting insulating distances were based on the consideration of the electric field strength obtained from FEM simulations and using the non-linear Maxwell-Wagner model accounting for local variations of the electric field caused by accumulation of interfacial charges induced by DC stresses. The properties of the materials needed for the calculations were obtained by measuring their dielectric constants and electric conductivities. The methodology used for the measurements conducted for conventional mineral oil and eco-friendly biodegradable transformer oils and, respectively, for oil-impregnated paper/pressboard, is presented. The methodologies used for obtaining parameters of the built transformer prototype needed for its integration in the power electric circuit of the DAB are introduced. A method developed for accurate calculations of the leakage inductance for the shell-type multi core transformers with circular windings is described. Two innovative methods for evaluations of parasitic capacitances based on high frequency equivalent circuits of the transformer are presented. The results of their verifications against performed Frequency Response Analysis measurements and FEM calculations as well as their accuracy are discussed.Thermal performance of the developed transformer prototype is analysed based on the results of computer simulations of heat transfer in its active part under rated load. Identified hot spots and solutions for their elimination are presented.Finally, the expected dimensions, weight, and efficiency of an actual DC/DC converter with the rated parameters corresponding to a 6 MW, 1.8 kV real wind turbine having a 250 kV offset DC voltage are estimated assuming that the developed transformer prototype is scalable. It is shown that the proposed solution allows for installing the full-scale converter having 2.2 Tons in weight and 1.8 m3 in volume on the bottom of the wind turbine’s tower

    Medium Voltage Solid-State Transformer:An IEC60076-3 based design

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    A novel high-voltage gain step-up DC–DC converter with maximum power point tracker for solar photovoltaic systems

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    In order to generate electricity from solar PV modules, this study proposed a novel high-voltage gain step-up (HVGSU) DC–DC converter for solar photovoltaic system operation with a maximum power point (MPP) tracker. The PV array can supply power to the load via a DC–DC converter, increasing the output voltage. Due to the stochastic nature of solar energy, PV arrays must use the MPPT control approach to function at the MPP. This study suggests a novel HVGSU converter that uses the primary boost conversion cell and combines switched capacitors and voltage multiplier cells. The proposed topology is upgradeable for high-voltage gain step-up and can be incorporated as well. A clamp circuit reuses the energy that leaks out so that the switch voltage stress and power loss are kept to a minimum. One thing that makes it stand out is that the voltage stress on the diodes and switch stays low and constant even as the duty cycle changes. Additionally, the inductor greatly reduces the diodes’ reverse recovery losses. There is a lot of information about steady-state analyses, operation principles, and design guidelines. A prototype circuit is built to test the maximum power point tracking operation with voltage conversion from 20–40 V to 380 V at 150 W. The results of the experiments support the theoretical analysis and claimed benefits. The proposed converter has the ability to track the maximum power point and a high conversion efficiency over a wide range of power. A weighted efficiency of 90–96% is shown by the prototype

    A Current-Source Modular Converter for Large-Scale Photovoltaic Systems

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    The world is shifting toward renewable energy sources (RESs) to generate clean energy and mitigate the stress of global warming caused by CO2 emissions in recent decades. Among several RES types, large-scale photovoltaic (LSPV) plants are a promising source for meeting ambitious clean energy targets and being part of power generation. With the progress of high-power modular inverters, new opportunities have arisen to integrate them into LSPV systems connected to medium-voltage (MV) grids to obtain high efficiency and reliability, better system flexibility, and improved electrical safety compared with string or central inverters. This thesis presents and implements a new current source three-phase modular inverter (TPMI) based on a novel dual-isolated SEPIC/CUK (DISC) converter. The TPMI is designed with a single power processing stage comprised of seriesconnected DISC submodules (SMs) to deliver MV into the utility grid. It outperforms conventional high-power inverters in terms of modularity, scalability, galvanic isolation compliance, and distributed maximum power point tracking (MPPT) capabilities. The DISC converter employed as an SM in the proposed TPMI generates bipolar output (i.e., both positive and negative voltages). In addition to having step-up and step-down capabilities with a continuous input current, this converter shares an input side inductor, thereby reducing the number of components. The DISC structure, modulation method, operation, novel state-space model, and parameter design procedure are analysed in details. Then, simulation results are presented to validate the theoretical and analytical analyses of the DISC converter. The proposed TPMI inverter is subsequently integrated into the LSPV grid connection to prove its suitability for such applications. In the theoretical analysis, the advantages of TPMI structure over conventional topologies are discussed. Then, the modulation technique, and operational concept are presented, followed by a dedicated control strategy is implemented by adding a system and SM-level controllers. The system controller is required for the generation of uniform duty ratios for all SMs in order to regulate the power transfer. The SM level controller is introduced to ensure equal current and voltage distribution between SMs and to compensate for minor discrepancies between the various parameters. The entire TPMI system is demonstrated through MATLAB and Simulink simulations, with the objective being to deliver the rated (1 MW) power from the PV modules under normal operation, uniform shading, and partial shading conditions and to match PV generation with the grid’s power demands. A downscaled 3-kW TPMI inverter was developed in the laboratory to validate its feasibility experimentally with its control strategy in different operating conditions. Finally, the TPMI performance is compared with selected current source inverter topologies, which shows that TPMI obtains good efficiency within the context of existing state-of-the-art current source converters. Then, the TPMI structure is modified by redesigning its DISC SMs, which provides several benefits, including a reduction in the number of switch devices operating at high frequency, thus decreasing switching losses, and an increase in efficiency. In this study, a half-cycle modulation (HCM) scheme is developed for the switches, and the operation of a modified DISC SM is analysed. Simulation and experimental results validate the performance of the modified TPMI topology and demonstrate its suitability for LSPV applications. According to the results of the comparison, the maximum power efficiency of the modified TPMI structure is 95.5%, which represents an improvement over the original TPMI structure

    Accurate Battery Modelling for Control Design and Economic Analysis of Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage Systems in Smart Grid

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    Adoption of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (Li-ion BESSs) as a flexible energy source (FES) has been rapid, particularly for active network management (ANM) schemes to facilitate better utilisation of inverter based renewable energy sources (RES) in power systems. However, Li-ion BESSs display highly nonlinear performance characteristics, which are based on parameters such as state of charge (SOC), temperature, depth of discharge (DOD), charge/discharge rate (C-rate), and battery-aging conditions. Therefore, it is important to include the dynamic nature of battery characteristics in the process of the design and development of battery system controllers for grid applications and for techno-economic studies analyzing the BESS economic profitability. This thesis focuses on improving the design and development of Li-ion BESS controllers for ANM applications by utilizing accurate battery performance models based on the second-order equivalent-circuit dynamic battery modelling technique, which considers the SOC, C-rate, temperature, and aging as its performance affecting parameters. The proposed ANM scheme has been designed to control and manage the power system parameters within the limits defined by grid codes by managing the transients introduced due to the intermittence of RESs and increasing the RES penetration at the same time. The validation of the ANM scheme and the effectiveness of controllers that manage the flexibilities in the power system, which are a part of the energy management system (EMS) of ANM, has been validated with the help of simulation studies based on an existing real-life smart grid pilot in Finland, Sundom Smart Grid (SSG). The studies were performed with offline (short-term transient-stability analysis) and real-time (long-term transient analysis) simulations. In long-term simulation studies, the effect of battery aging has also been considered as part of the Li-ion BESS controller design; thus, its impact on the overall power system operation can be analyzed. For this purpose, aging models that can determine the evolving peak power characteristics associated with aging have been established. Such aging models are included in the control loop of the Li-ion BESS controller design, which can help analyse battery aging impacts on the power system control and stability. These analyses have been validated using various use cases. Finally, the impact of battery aging on economic profitability has been studied by including battery-aging models in techno-economic studies.Aurinkosähköjärjestelmien ja tuulivoiman laajamittainen integrointi sähkövoimajärjestelmän eri jännitetasoille on lisääntynyt nopeasti. Uusiutuva energia on kuitenkin luonteeltaan vaihtelevaa, joka voi aiheuttaa nopeita muutoksia taajuudessa ja jännitteessä. Näiden vaihteluiden hallintaan tarvitaan erilaisia joustavia energiaresursseja, kuten energiavarastoja, sekä niiden tehokkaan hyödyntämisen mahdollistaviea älykkäitä ja aktiivisia hallinta- ja ohjausjärjestelmiä. Litiumioniakkuihin pohjautuvien invertteriliitäntäisten energian varastointijärjestelmien käyttö joustoresursseina aktiiviseen verkonhallintaan niiden pätö- ja loistehon ohjauksen avulla on lisääntynyt nopeasti johtuen niiden kustannusten laskusta, modulaarisuudesta ja teknisistä ominaisuuksista. Litiumioniakuilla on erittäin epälineaariset ominaisuudet joita kuvaavat parametrit ovat esimerkiksi lataustila, lämpötila, purkaussyvyys, lataus/ purkausnopeus ja akun ikääntyminen. Akkujen ominaisuuksien dynaaminen luonne onkin tärkeää huomioida myös akkujen sähköverkkoratkaisuihin liittyvien säätöjärjestelmien kehittämisessä sekä teknis-taloudellisissa kannattavuusanalyyseissa. Tämä väitöstutkimus keskittyy ensisijaisesti aktiiviseen verkonhallintaan käytettävien litiumioniakkujen säätöratkaisuiden parantamiseen hyödyntämällä tarkkoja, dynaamisia akun suorituskykymalleja, jotka perustuvat toisen asteen ekvivalenttipiirien akkumallinnustekniikkaan, jossa otetaan huomioon lataustila, lataus/purkausnopeus ja lämpötila. Työssä kehitetyn aktiivisen verkonhallintajärjestelmän avulla tehtävät akun pätö- ja loistehon ohjausperiaatteet on validoitu laajamittaisten simulointien avulla, esimerkiksi paikallista älyverkkopilottia Sundom Smart Gridiä simuloimalla. Simuloinnit tehtiin sekä lyhyen aikavälin offline-simulaatio-ohjelmistoilla että pitkän aikavälin simulaatioilla hyödyntäen reaaliaikasimulointilaitteistoa. Pitkän aikavälin simulaatioissa akun ikääntymisen vaikutus otettiin huomioon litiumioniakun ohjauksen suunnittelussa jotta sen vaikutusta sähköjärjestelmän kokonaistoimintaan voitiin analysoida. Tätä tarkoitusta varten luotiin akun ikääntymismalleja, joilla on mahdollista määrittää akun huipputehon muutos sen ikääntyessä. Akun huipputehon muutos taas vaikuttaa sen hyödynnettävyyteen erilaisten pätötehon ohjaukseen perustuvien joustopalveluiden tarjoamiseen liittyen. Lisäksi väitöstutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin akkujen ikääntymisen vaikutusta niiden taloudelliseen kannattavuuteen sisällyttämällä akkujen ikääntymismalleja teknis-taloudellisiin tarkasteluihin.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

    Magnetic Integration Techniques for Resonant Converters

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    This thesis sets out a series of new transformer topologies for magnetic integration in different resonant converters. Resonant converters like LLC converters require a high number of magnetic components, leading to low power density and high cost. These magnetic components can usually be integrated into a single transformer to increase power density, efficiency, manufacturing simplicity and to reduce cost. This strategy is known as integrated transformer (IT). The work described in this thesis has sought to deliver improvements in implementing this strategy. The benefits of resonant converters compared to pulse-width-modulated (PWM) converters are discussed. To show the drawbacks of PWM converters, two hard-switched DC-DC converters and two soft-switched DC-DC converters using state-of-the-art wide bandgap (WBG) gallium nitride devices are constructed and investigated. The LLC resonant converter is fully discussed for unidirectional and bidirectional applications. The different techniques for magnetic integration that can be applied to the LLC resonant converter are reviewed. Amongst these techniques, the inserted-shunt integrated transformers, which have gained popularity recently, are made a focus of the thesis. In general, the important challenges concerning the inserted-shunt integrated transformers are the need for bespoke material for the shunt, unwanted high leakage inductance on the secondary side, and that integrated magnetics are not usually suitable for bidirectional converters such as CLLLC converters. Two new topologies (IT1 and IT2) for inserted-shunt integrated transformers are presented that do not need bespoke material for the shunt and can be constructed from materials available commercially in large and small quantities. However, the manufacturing of these proposed topologies is challenging since magnetic shunts are made by joining several smaller magnetic pieces to form a segmented piece. A further new topology (IT3) is presented that not only does not need bespoke material for the shunt but also benefits from simple manufacturing. However, inserted-shunt integrated transformer, including all three proposed topologies (IT1-IT3), still suffer from increased leakage inductance on the secondary side, leading the control and design of the resonant converters to difficulty. Another topology (IT4) is therefore proposed that can be constructed easily with commercially available materials and does not increase the leakage inductance on the secondary side. However, all four proposed topologies (IT1-IT4) and other topologies with an inserted-shunt are not suitable for use in bidirectional LLC-type resonant converters when different primary and secondary leakage inductances are needed, such as where variable gain is required. Finally, a topology (IT5) is proposed that can be used in bidirectional LLC-type converters while it still benefits from simple manufacturing and using commercially available materials. All the proposed topologies (IT1-IT5) are discussed in detail and their design guidelines and modelling are provided. The theoretical analysis is confirmed by finite-element (FEM) analysis and experimental results. A unidirectional LLC resonant converter and a bidirectional CLLLC resonant converter are implemented to investigate the performance of the proposed integrated transformers (IT1-IT5) in practice. It is shown that the converters can operate properly while all their magnetic components are integrated into the proposed transformers

    Design of a 350 kW DC/DC Converter in 1200-V SiC Module Technology for Automotive Component Testing

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    In this paper, the design and implementation of a DC/DC converter for automotive component testing with state-of-the art performance is described. The converter is the core of a battery emulator for the characterization and development of automotive batteries, electronic chargers, traction inverters, DC-DC converters, E-motors and E-axles. Cutting edge performance, flexibility and compactness are obtained by exploiting 1200-V SiC modules, high switching frequency, planar transformer technology, suitable topology solutions and fast digital control strategies. The implemented system is a liquid-cooled, bidirectional converter with galvanic isolation capable of 350 kW continuous output power, output voltage range 48-1000 V, continuous output current up to 800 A (1600 A peak), voltage/current ramp-up time below 10/2 ms and 0.1% current/voltage accuracy. The entire instrument is implemented in a standard full-height 19-inch rack cabinet

    Characterization of turn off losses in Gallium Nitride switching devices-based power electronics converters

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    This thesis focuses on design and development of half bridge single phase inverter using Gallium Nitride switches. It includes step by step design of the hardware including PCB design, hardware test setup and its implementation. The thesis discusses double pulse test which is used to study the dynamic characteristics of the Gallium Nitride switches. Common mode noise is also measured at the same time. The effect of change in gate resistance on the switching losses and EMI is observed. Thus, the objective is to study the tradeoff between switching losses of the switches and electromagnetic interference in half bridge inverter. After successful implementation of the setup, the results obtained from the double pulse test were analyzed and findings were addressed. These findings can be used as a reference in order to select optimized values of gate driver components and parameters of the switches for a desired application. This approach will help in power electronic applications where priority is given to either minimizing the switching losses or EMI
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