Control of modular multilevel cascade converters for offshore wind energy generation and transmission

Diaz, Matias; Rojas, Felix; Donoso, Felipe; Cardenas, Roberto; Espinoza, Mauricio; Mora, Andres; Wheeler, Patrick

Abstract

The trend of multimegawatt (Multi-MW) wind turbines, especially for offshore installations, has positioned Modular Multilevel Cascade Converters (MMCCs) as a promising solution for Wind Energy Conversion Systems (WECSs). Additionally, High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission is likely to be the preferred option for future offshore wind farms. In both applications, Modular Multilevel Converters are an appropriate solution due to its characteristics such as high-voltage operation, controllability, redundancy, power quality and reliability. This paper presents the application of the Modular Multilevel Matrix Converter to locally interface a single wind turbine to a medium-voltage ac point of connection. Moreover, the Modular Multilevel Converter is proposed to link the wind farm to the grid onshore through an HVDC transmission line. Both converters are regulated using decoupled Vector Control Strategies. Experimental results obtained with a 27 Modular Multilevel Matrix Converter connected to a 30 power cell Back-to-Back Modular Multilevel Converter are presented to validate the effectiveness of the Proposed Control Strategies.

• Conference Name: 2018 Thirteenth International Conference on Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energies (EVER)
• Conference Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
• Start Date: Apr 10, 2018
• End Date: Apr 12, 2018
• Acceptance Date: Feb 2, 2018
• Online Publication Date: May 24, 2018
• Publication Date: May 21, 2018
• Deposit Date: Aug 7, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 7, 2018
• Pages: 1-10
• Book Title: 2018 Thirteenth International Conference on Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energies (EVER)
• ISBN: 978-1-5386-5967-0
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/EVER.2018.8362406
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/953157
• Publisher URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8362406/
• Additional Information: © 2018 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.