Systems and methods for operatively coupling a micro-grid to a bulk grid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10797488-B2
Application number	US-201615243974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2016
Priority date	Aug 23, 2016
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A method for operatively coupling a plurality of generating units in at least one micro-grid to a bulk grid, where the at least one micro-grid is configurable to be operatively coupled to the bulk grid via a point of interconnection breaker is presented. The method includes, using a control unit operatively coupled to the at least one micro-grid and the bulk grid, determining one or more bulk grid side parameters and one or more micro-grid side parameters, comparing one or more of the one or more micro-grid side parameters with corresponding one or more bulk grid side parameters, and synchronizing each of the plurality of generating units in the at least one micro-grid with the bulk grid based on the comparison. Further, the method includes connecting simultaneously, using the point of interconnection breaker, each of the plurality of generating units to the bulk grid based on the synchronization.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operatively coupling a plurality of generating units in at least one micro-grid to a bulk grid, wherein the at least one micro-grid is configurable to be operatively coupled to the bulk grid at a point of interconnection via a point of interconnection breaker, the method comprising:
determining, using a control unit, one or more bulk grid side parameters and one or more micro-grid side parameters, wherein the control unit is operatively coupled to the at least one micro-grid and the bulk grid, and wherein the one or more bulk grid side parameters and the one or more micro-grid side parameters comprise at least one of a voltage, a frequency, and a phase angle;
comparing, using the control unit, one or more of the one or more micro-grid side parameters with corresponding one or more bulk grid side parameters, wherein comparing the one or more micro-grid side parameters to the one or more bulk grid side parameters comprises identifying an occurrence of a deviation of one or more of the one or more micro-grid side parameters from corresponding one or more of the one or more bulk grid side parameters;
determining, using the control unit, for each of the plurality of generating units, a deviation in frequency and a deviation in phase angle between the bulk grid side parameters and the micro grid side parameters for the generating unit;
determining, using the control unit, for each of the plurality of generating units, a speed variation for the generating unit based on the deviation in phase angle and the deviation in frequency for the generating unit, wherein determining the speed variation for each of the plurality of generating units comprises:
multiplying, using a first proportional subunit, the deviation in phase angle for the generating unit by a first proportional gain constant to generate a first proportional output value;
multiplying, using a second proportional subunit, the deviation in frequency for the generating unit by a second proportional gain constant to generate a second proportional output value;
summing, using a summing subunit, the first proportional output value and the second proportional output value to generate an error signal; and
integrating, using an integral subunit, the error signal to generate the speed variation for the generating unit;
synchronizing, using the control unit, each of the plurality of generating units in the at least one micro-grid with the bulk grid by modifying a speed of each of the plurality of generating units by the associated determined speed variation; and
connecting simultaneously, using the point of interconnection breaker, each of the plurality of generating units to the bulk grid based on the synchronization, wherein connecting simultaneously comprises coupling each of the plurality of generating units to the bulk grid in real-time, and wherein coupling in real-time comprises coupling when the plurality of generating units of the micro-grid are operational and providing power to loads.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein connecting simultaneously each of the plurality of generating units to the bulk grid comprises transitioning the point of interconnection breaker from a first state to a second state to operatively couple the plurality of generating units to the bulk grid, and wherein the second state is different from the first state.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first state of the point of interconnection breaker comprises an open state, and wherein the second state of the point of interconnection breaker comprises a closed state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more input parameters comprise at least one of a mechanical speed, a field, a torque, an excitation current, or combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein synchronizing each of the plurality of generating units with the bulk grid comprises reducing the deviation between the one or more of the one or more micro-grid side parameters and the corresponding one or more of the one or more bulk grid side parameters to an optimal value.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the optimal value comprises a zero value.

7. A system for operatively coupling a plurality of generating units in at least one micro-grid to a bulk grid, comprising:
a point of interconnection breaker disposed between the bulk grid and the at least one micro-grid, wherein the point of interconnection breaker is configured to operatively couple the at least one micro-grid to the bulk grid at a point of interconnection;
a control unit operatively coupled to the bulk grid and the at least one micro-grid, wherein the control unit is configured to:
determine one or more bulk grid side parameters and one or more micro-grid side parameters, wherein the one or more bulk grid side parameters and the one or more micro-grid side parameters comprise at least one of a voltage, a frequency, and a phase angle;
compare the one or more micro-grid side parameters with corresponding one or more bulk grid side parameters;
identify an occurrence of a deviation of one or more of the one or more micro-grid side parameters from corresponding one or more of the one or more bulk grid side parameters;
determine, for each of the plurality of generating units, a deviation in frequency and a deviation in phase angle between the bulk grid side parameters and the micro grid side parameters of for the generating unit;
determine, using the control unit, for each of the plurality of generating units, a speed variation for the generating unit based on the deviation in phase angle and the deviation in frequency for the generating unit, wherein to determine the speed variation for each of the plurality of generating units, the control unit is configured to:
multiply, using a first proportional subunit, the deviation in phase angle for the generating unit by a first proportional gain constant to generate a first proportional output value;
multiply, using a second proportional subunit, the deviation in frequency for the generating unit by a second proportional gain constant to generate a second proportional output value;
sum, using a summing subunit, the first proportional output value and the second proportional output value to generate an error signal; and
integrate, using an integral subunit, the error signal to generate the speed variation for the generating unit;

synchronize each of the plurality of generating units with the bulk grid by modifying a speed of each of the plurality of generating units by the associated determined speed variation; and
connect simultaneously each of the plurality of generating units to the bulk grid based on the synchronization such that each of the plurality of generating units is coupled to the bulk grid in real-time, when the plurality of generating units of the micro-grid are operational and providing power to loads.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of generating units comprises a non-synchronous generator, a synchronous generator, or a combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the point of interconnection breaker has a first state and a second state, and wherein the second state is different from the first state.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the control unit is further configured to transition the point of interconnection breaker from the first state to the second state to operatively couple the plurality of generating units of the at least one micro-grid to the bulk grid.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more input parameters comprise at least one of a mechanical speed, a field, a torque, an excitation current, or combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 7

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Veda Santosh Sambamoorthy
• Premerlani William James

Classifications

• H02J2105/16

  being internal to power sources or power generation plants · CPC title

• H02J3/42 Primary

  with automatic parallel connection when synchronisation is achieved · CPC title

• H02J3/06 Primary

  Controlling the transfer of power between connected networks; Controlling load sharing between connected networks · CPC title

• H02J3/38 Primary

  Arrangements for feeding a single network from two or more generators or sources in parallel; Arrangements for feeding already energised networks from additional generators or sources in parallel · CPC title

• H02J3/381 Primary

  Dispersed generators · CPC title