Wind Turbine Protection Help 1

[hibb]

We are putting up 2-1800kW Wind turbines and connecting them to a 12.5kV distribution feeder. I need help from anyone out there on the best way to set up fault protection on these units and on our feeder breaker. From what I have heard so far, these turbines can be considered like a large induction generator/motor.
Any tips,links,experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[busbar]

There are two facets to equipment protection. An agreement between the independent power producer and wheeling utility will cover the utilities’ concern is that the connected equipment will not affect the safety and stability of their system, but in some cases interconnection and generating equipment protection are not the same.

In the US, utilities and Public Utilities Commissions often publish web-accessible descriptions of minimum protective schemes. Induction machines are typically easier to protect than equivalently sized synchronous machines, so there will be protective elements for IPP-domain equipment that will be of no concern to the wheeling utility. One example is

http://www.pge.com/customer_services/business/tariffs/pdf/ER21.pdf

 

[alehman]

This describes some of the concepts involved.

http://www.basler.com/php/download.php?file=GreenPower.pdf&id=262&type=res

 

[electricuwe]

There are lots of different designs for the electric circuit of a wind turbine, most of them employing some kind of power electronic converter.

Just a short list of possible solutions:
-induction generator
-induction generator with AC-Controller
-induction generator with voltage sourec converter
-double fed induction machine
-synchronous generator with volatge source converter

So protecion requirements might be different from a large induction motor.

 

[SidiropoulosM]

The protection system used will depend on what type of units you're using. Are they doubly fed induction generators? The manufacturer of the turbines should be able to give you the recommended protection scheme.

As for the utility, they won't be concerned about impacts on the network, since your output is only 3.6 MW. They make ask you to have a unity power factor, or at least a 0.95 p.f.

For larger wind farms the "voltage ride through capability" of the turbines becomes a major issue, because induction generators tend to trip for any voltage dips. If their output is large, the tripping can have significant adverse effects on the network.

 

[jbartos]

Suggestion: Visit

http://www.nrel.gov/wind/pdfs/34381.pdf

for: a safety and function test report that includes a one line diagram

http://www.awea.org/standards/iec_stds.html

for: IEC Wind Turbine Standards

http://www.uwig.org/distributionimpacts.html

for: "IEEE 1547 is the recently approved DG interconnection standard."
etc. for more info

 

[jbartos]

Suggestion: Visit

http://www.oksolar.com/wind/

etc. for more info

 

[hibb]

Thanks for your helpful suggestions.

 

[jbartos]

Suggestion: If within the IEEE Std jurisdiction, follow:
buff I E E E BOOK™
Published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 242™ IEEE Recommended Practice for
Protection and Coordination of Industrial and Commercial
Power Systems IEEE Std 242-2001™ (Revision of IEEE Std 242-1986™)

 

[dbassett]

I have over 25 years of experience in this area from the Utility perspective. You may want to get a copy of IEEE 1547, this is the requirements for units below 10 MW. You could go to many utility websites and see what their requirements are. Also, some RTOs have these posted on their website. I wrote the requirements for my company. These are availalbe at:

http://www.pplweb.com,

and at the home page type in generation in the search field. The first document should be the one you want. It is 80 pages printed out. Your equipment would be a TYPE 2 on our system.

Good Luck.

 

[jbartos]

Suggestion: Induction generators shall be treated as induction motors for fault calculations.