Method for charging a DC link of a wind turbine power electronic converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429142-B2
Application number	US-201414525614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2014
Priority date	Nov 6, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for charging a DC link of a power converter included in a wind turbine generator, the wind turbine generator comprising a generator side converter connected to an electrical generator and a grid side converter connectable, or connected, to an electrical grid through a grid circuit breaker, and a converter controller arranged to control at least the DC link, the DC link having a DC voltage level, the wind turbine generator comprising a wind turbine rotor arranged to rotate the electrical generator, wherein the method comprises rotating the wind turbine rotor whereby the electrical generator generates electrical power, rectifying the electrical power through at least one diode of the generator side converter in order to pre-charge the DC link to a DC voltage level, closing the grid circuit breaker when the DC voltage level is greater than a threshold level. The invention also relates to a wind turbine generator with a converter controller for controlling pre-charging of a DC link.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for charging a DC link in a wind turbine generator, the wind turbine generator comprising:
a generator side converter connected to an electrical generator,
a grid side converter connected to an electrical grid through a grid circuit breaker, wherein the grid side converter is coupled to the generator side converter via the DC link, and
a converter controller arranged to control at least the DC link, the DC link having a DC voltage level, the wind turbine generator comprising a wind turbine rotor arranged to rotate the electrical generator,
wherein the method comprises:
rotating the wind turbine rotor whereby the electrical generator generates electrical power;
rectifying the electrical power through at least one diode of the generator side converter in order to pre-charge the DC link to a first voltage threshold without actively controlling the generator side converter;
rectifying the electrical power through the generator side converter in order to pre-charge the DC link from the first voltage threshold to a second voltage threshold by actively controlling the generator side converter; and
closing the grid circuit breaker when the DC voltage level on the DC link is greater than or equal to the second voltage threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
controlling the generator side converter in a boost control mode by actively controlling the generator side converter, when the DC voltage level is greater than a passive rectifier threshold level corresponding to the first voltage threshold, to reach the second voltage threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
controlling the grid side converter, after the grid circuit breaker is closed, so that the DC voltage level is within an operational range.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wind turbine rotor comprises at least one actuator for changing a pitch angle of a blade, the method further comprising:
adjusting the at least one actuator in order to change the blade pitch angle for controlling the electrical power.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the generator is a permanent magnet type of generator, or a synchronous generator.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
starting the wind turbine generator after a grid fault.

7. A wind turbine generator comprising:
a power converter comprising a generator side converter connected to an electrical generator and a grid side converter connectable to an electrical grid through a grid circuit breaker, and a DC link between the generator side converter and the grid side converter, the DC link having a DC voltage level;
a wind turbine rotor mechanically connected to the electrical generator; and
a converter controller configured to:
enable the wind turbine rotor to rotate, whereby power is produced by the electrical generator and rectified through at least one diode of the generator side converter in order to pre-charge the DC link, wherein pre-charging the DC link comprises:
increasing the DC voltage level to a first voltage threshold without the generator side converter being actively controlled, and
actively controlling the generator side converter to increase the DC voltage level from the first voltage threshold to a second voltage threshold.

8. The wind turbine generator according to claim 7 wherein the electrical generator is a permanent magnet type of generator or a synchronous generator.

9. The wind turbine generator according to claim 7 , wherein the converter controller is configured to:
control the generator side converter in a boost control mode by actively controlling the generator side converter, when the DC voltage level of the DC link is greater than a passive rectifier threshold level corresponding to the first voltage threshold, to reach the second voltage threshold.

10. The wind turbine generator according to claim 7 , wherein the converter controller is configured to:
close the grid circuit breaker when the DC voltage level on the DC link is greater than or equal to the second voltage threshold.

11. The wind turbine generator according to claim 10 , wherein the converter controller is configured to:
control the grid side converter, after the grid circuit breaker is closed, so that the DC voltage level is within an operational range.

12. The wind turbine generator according to claim 7 , wherein the converter controller is configured to:
pre-charge the DC link after a grid fault.

13. A system comprising:
an electrical generator;
a power converter comprising a generator side converter connected to the electrical generator and a grid side converter connectable to an electrical grid through a grid circuit breaker, and a DC link between the generator side converter and the grid side converter, the DC link having a DC voltage level;
a wind turbine rotor mechanically connected to the electrical generator; and
a controller configured to:
enable the wind turbine rotor to rotate, whereby power is produced by the electrical generator and rectified through at least one diode of the generator side converter in order to pre-charge the DC link, wherein pre-charging the DC link comprises:
increasing the DC voltage level to a first voltage threshold without the generator side converter being actively controlled, and
actively controlling the generator side converter to increase the DC voltage level from the first voltage threshold to a second voltage threshold.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the electrical generator is a permanent magnet type of generator or a synchronous generator.

15. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
control the generator side converter in a boost control mode by actively controlling the generator side converter, when the DC voltage level of the DC link is greater than a passive rectifier threshold level corresponding to the first voltage threshold, to reach the second voltage threshold.

16. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
close the grid circuit breaker when the DC voltage level on the DC link is greater than or equal to the second voltage threshold.

17. The system according to claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to:
control the grid side converter, after the grid circuit breaker is closed, so that the DC voltage level is within an operational range.

18. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to:
pre-charge the DC link after a grid fault.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As
• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Yu Weifu
• Tripathi Anshuman
• Kandasamy Ravi

Classifications

• H02P9/04

  Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator · CPC title

• H02M1/36

  Means for starting or stopping converters · CPC title

• H02M5/4585

  having a rectifier with controlled elements · CPC title

• F03D7/026

  for starting-up · CPC title

• H02J3/36

  Arrangements for transfer of electric power between AC networks via high-voltage DC [HVDC] links; Arrangements for transfer of electric power between generators and networks via HVDC links · CPC title