Fail-safe operating method for a decentralized power generation plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11360157-B2
Application number	US-202016893276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2020
Priority date	Dec 6, 2017
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A fail-safe operating method for a decentralized power generation plant DG includes determining a leakage capacitance of a generator of the DG before connecting the DG. The method also includes comparing the determined leakage capacitance with a predetermined first limit value, and connecting the DG to a grid only if the determined leakage capacitance is smaller than the predetermined first limit value. A decentralized power generation plant is configured to perform the method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fail-safe operating method for a decentralized power generation plant (DG), comprising:
determining a leakage capacitance of a generator of the DG before connecting the DG to a grid,
comparing the determined leakage capacitance with a predetermined first limit value, and
connecting the DG to the grid only if the determined leakage capacitance is smaller than the predetermined first limit value.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determination of the leakage capacitance is carried out together with a determination of an insulation resistance of the generator.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein after connecting the DG to the grid, the method further comprises:
determining a capacitive leakage current component of a residual current of the DG continuously or repeatedly, and
disconnecting the DG from the grid when a second limit value is exceeded by the capacitive leakage current component.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the second limit value is selected to be less than or equal to half of a nominal tripping threshold of a residual current circuit breaker of the DG.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein after connecting the DG to the grid, the method further comprises:
determining a capacitive leakage current component of a residual current of the DG continuously or repeatedly, and
reducing a generator voltage of the generator when a second limit value is exceeded by the capacitive leakage current component.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the second limit value is determined with the following acts:
determining a capacitive leakage current component at which a residual current circuit breaker of the DG trips, and
determining the second limit value which is reduced by a predetermined amount or by a predetermined percentage compared to the capacitive leakage current component at which the residual current circuit breaker of the DG trips.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the second limit value is selected to be less than or equal to half of a nominal tripping threshold of a residual current circuit breaker of the DG.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the second limit value is determined with the following acts:
determining a capacitive leakage current component at which the residual current circuit breaker of the DG trips, and
determining the second limit value which is reduced by a predetermined amount or by a predetermined percentage compared to the capacitive leakage current component at which the residual current circuit breaker of the DG trips.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
lowering the predetermined first limit value in response to a tripping of a residual current circuit breaker of the DG as a function of a difference between the determined leakage capacitance and the first limit value.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the leakage capacitance is determined by presetting at least two voltage values by presetting a sinusoidal voltage characteristic by an inverter bridge of the DG.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the inverter bridge on a grid side thereof is connected to a neutral conductor of the grid during the determination of the leakage capacitance.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first limit value is selected based on current weather data and/or weather forecast data.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein in the case of connection to the grid and if the determined leakage capacitance is below the first limit value by less than a predetermined distance value, selecting a time at which the DG is disconnected from the grid again based on the weather forecast data.

14. A monitoring system for a decentralized power generation plant (DG), comprising:
an insulation monitoring device configured to determine a leakage capacitance associated with a power generator before connecting the DG to a grid;
a circuit breaker device configured to receive the determined leakage capacitance or signal associated therewith and close a circuit breaker to connect the DG to the grid if the determined leakage capacitance is less than a predetermined first limit value.

15. The monitoring system of claim 14 , wherein the circuit breaker device is further configured to, when the DG is connected to the grid, open the circuit breaker device and disconnect the DG from the grid if the determined leakage capacitance is greater than a predetermined second limit value.

16. The monitoring system of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined first limit value is programmable.

17. The monitoring system of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined first limit value is a function of a weather data or a weather forecast data.

Assignees

• Sma Solar Technology Ag

Inventors

• Viotto Michael
• Putz Martin
• Tschendel Christian

Classifications

• H02H3/337

  avoiding disconnection due to reactive fault currents · CPC title

• H02H7/20

  for electronic equipment (for converters H02H7/10; for electric measuring instruments G01R1/36; for DC voltage or current semiconductor regulators G05F1/569; for amplifiers H03F1/52; for electronic switching circuits H03K17/08) · CPC title

• H02J3/004

  Generation forecast, e.g. methods or systems for forecasting future energy generation · CPC title

• H02S50/00

  Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification · CPC title

• G01W1/10

  Devices for predicting weather conditions (computers per se G06; display devices G09) · CPC title