Abstract: A method for controlling a power converter of a wind turbine power system connected to an electrical grid. The wind turbine power system has a generator and the power converter has rotor-side converter and a line-side converter. The method includes monitoring an electrical parameter of at least one of the wind turbine power system or the electrical grid. In response to detecting a transient event in the electrical grid, the method includes temporarily disabling the line-side converter of the power converter from the electrical grid. Either during the transient event or after the transient event is over, the method includes implementing a control action for the line-side converter of the power converter. Further, the method includes enabling the line-side converter of the power converter to the electrical grid.

Abstract: A power generation system (100, 200, 300, 400) is presented. The power generation system includes a prime mover (102), a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) (104) having a rotor winding (126) and a stator winding (122), a rotor-side converter (106), a line-side converter (108), and a secondary power source (110, 401) electrically coupled to a DC-link (128). Additionally, the power generation system includes a control sub-system (112, 212, 312) having a controller, and a plurality of switching elements (130, and 132 or 201). The controller is configured to selectively control switching of one or more switching elements (130, and 132 or 201) based on a value of an operating parameter corresponding to at least one of the prime mover, the DFIG, or the secondary power source to connect the rotor-side converter in parallel to the line-side converter to increase an electrical power production by the power generation system.

Abstract: An electrical power system connectable to a power grid includes a cluster of electrical power subsystems, each of the electrical power subsystems including a power converter electrically coupled to a generator having a generator rotor and a generator stator. Each of the electrical power subsystems defines a stator power path and a converter power path for providing power to the power grid. Each of the electrical power subsystems further includes a transformer. The system further includes a subsystem breaker configured with each of the electrical power subsystems, and a cluster power path extending from each subsystem breaker for connecting the cluster of electrical power subsystems to the power grid. The system further includes a reactive power compensation inverter electrically coupled within the electrical power system, the reactive power compensation inverter operable to increase the reactive power level in the electrical current flowing to the power grid.

Abstract: A system of reactive power compensators for a wind farm includes a multi-winding transformer and a plurality of modular reactive power compensators (MVBs). The multi-winding transformer includes a primary winding and a plurality of secondary windings. The primary winding is configured to be coupled to a point of common coupling (POCC) for the wind farm. The plurality of MVBs are each coupled to a corresponding winding of the plurality of secondary windings.

Abstract: Provided is a control system for a PV array system including a plurality of PV panels. The control system includes a bypass module having a first switch device and a second switch device disposed at at least one PV panel connected with others of the plurality of PV panels along a string, and configured to perform a switching operation when PV voltage at the at least one PV panel is outside of an acceptable voltage range of the PV array system, and the bypass module short-circuits the PV panel when excess voltage at the PV panel is detected. The control system also including a control module configured to monitor and control operation of the bypass module.

Abstract: There are provided control systems and methods for charging batteries. For instance, there is provided a system for charging at least two batteries. The system can include a set of hardware associated with the at least two batteries, and the at least two batteries can be connected in series. Each battery from the at least two batteries can be associated with a subset of the set of hardware, and one subset of the set of hardware can be configured to control an associated battery independently from another subset of the set of hardware and its associated battery.

Abstract: A power electronics assembly for a power generation system includes a housing and an attenuator card positioned within the housing. The attenuator card may include at least one printed circuit board for a high-voltage attenuator circuit. The power electronics assembly also includes a potting material at least partially filling the housing on one or more sides of the attenuator card, a detachable end cap positioned at a first end of the housing, and multi-phase wiring communicatively coupled to the high-voltage attenuator circuit through the end cap.

Abstract: A method for monitoring and controlling IGBT temperature in a power converter of an electrical power system includes generating a plurality of temperature signals from a plurality of switching devices via a plurality of temperature sensors. The method also includes selecting a primary switching device from the plurality of switching devices to estimate a primary temperature thereof. Further, the method includes determining the primary temperature of the primary switching device via a temperature measurement circuit communicatively coupled to the primary switching device. Moreover, the method includes comparing remaining temperature signals (or a function thereof) to the primary temperature via at least one comparator circuit. If one of the remaining temperature signals (or the function thereof) exceeds the primary temperature, the method also includes implementing a control action to address the increased temperature.

Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine power system connected to an electrical grid includes collecting data relating to one or more parameters of one or more electrical components of the wind turbine power system. The method may also include performing a statistical analysis of the data relating to one or more parameters of the one or more electrical components. Further, the method includes predicting future behavior of the electrical component(s) based on the statistical analysis. Moreover, the method includes determining set points for the electrical component(s) using the predicted future behavior. In addition, the method includes operating the wind turbine power system at the determined set points for the electrical component(s) so as to optimize at least one characteristic of the electrical component(s).

Abstract: A grounding circuit for a backup power source used to power a pitch motor of a pitch system in a wind turbine is provided. The grounding circuit includes one or more switching elements configured to selectively couple the backup power source to a charging circuit based on a state of a first interface element. The grounding circuit further includes one or more switching elements configured to selectively couple the backup power source to ground based on a state of a second interface element. The grounding circuit includes at least one circuit protection device coupled between the backup power source and the charging circuit. When the backup power source is coupled to the charging circuit and subsequently coupled to ground, the at least one circuit protection device is configured to decouple the backup power source from the charging circuit.

Abstract: A method for operating a power generation system that supplies real and reactive power to a grid includes receiving a reactive power demand made on the power generation system at an operating state of the power generation system and a grid state. Further, the method includes decoupling reactive power control and voltage control between a generator and a reactive power compensation device so as to reduce an oscillatory response of a reactive power output from the reactive power compensation device and the generator. Moreover, the method includes operating, via a device controller, the reactive power compensation device in a reactive power control mode to generate at least a portion of the reactive power demand.

Abstract: A method for reactive power control of a wind farm having a plurality of clusters of wind turbines with a cluster transformer connecting each cluster of wind turbines to a power grid is provided. The method includes receiving, via a plurality of cluster-level controllers, a reactive power command from a farm-level controller. The method also includes generating, via the cluster-level controllers, a cluster-level reactive current command for each cluster of wind turbines based on the reactive power command. Further, the method includes distributing, via the cluster-level controllers, a turbine-level reactive current command to turbine-level controllers of the wind turbines based on the cluster-level reactive current command.

Abstract: An electrical power system connectable to a power grid includes at least one cluster of electrical power subsystems. Each of the electrical power subsystems includes a power converter electrically coupled to a generator having a generator rotor and a generator stator. Each of the electrical power subsystems defines a stator power path and a converter power path for providing power to the power grid. The electrical power system also includes a single cluster transformer connecting the at least one cluster of the electrical power subsystems to the power grid. The single cluster transformer includes a plurality of low-voltage (LV) primary windings and at least one medium-voltage/high-voltage secondary (MV/HV) winding.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing voltage collapse of a wind turbine power system includes receiving a power input value and a voltage input value from a point of common coupling of the wind turbine power system. The method also includes determining a limit cycle reference point of the wind turbine power system as a function of the input values. The method further includes comparing the limit cycle reference point to at least one predetermined threshold. If the limit cycle reference point is greater than the at least one predetermined threshold, the method includes determining a delta value for the real and reactive voltage commands of the wind turbine power system. Further, the method includes determining updated real and reactive voltage commands based on the delta value. As such, the method also includes operating the wind turbine power system based on the updated real and reactive voltage commands.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a bank of ultracapacitors configured to power an alternating current (AC) pitch motor of a pitch system in a wind turbine is provided. The method includes obtaining, by one or more control devices, data indicative of a voltage associated with the bank of ultracapacitors. The method includes conducting, by the one or more control devices, a test operation of the bank of ultracapacitors at predetermined intervals of time to determine a capacitance associated with the bank of ultracapacitors. The method further includes performing, by the one or more control devices, one or more control actions based, at least in part, on the capacitance or the data indicative of the voltage.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling voltage of a DC link of a power converter of a wind turbine power system connected to a power grid includes operating the DC link to an optimum voltage set point that achieves steady state operation of the power converter. The method also includes monitoring a speed of the wind turbine power system. Upon detection of one or more speed conditions occurring in the wind turbine power system, the method includes selecting a first maximum voltage set point for the DC link or a second maximum voltage set point for the DC link. Moreover, the method includes increasing the optimum voltage set point to the selected first or second maximum voltage set point of the DC link. In addition, the method includes operating the DC link at the selected first or second maximum voltage set point until the one or more speed conditions passes so as to optimize voltage control of the DC link.

Abstract: An electrical power system includes a cluster of electrical power subsystems, each of the electrical power subsystems including a power converter electrically coupled to a generator having a generator rotor and a generator stator. Each of the electrical power subsystems defines a stator power path and a converter power path for providing power to the power grid. The converter power path includes a partial power transformer. The electrical power system further includes a subsystem breaker configured with each of the electrical power subsystems, and a cluster transformer for connecting each cluster of electrical power subsystems to the power grid. The electrical power system further includes a cluster power path extending between each subsystem breaker and the cluster transformer, and a distortion filter electrically coupled to the cluster transformer. The distortion filter reduces harmonics in current flowing from the electrical power subsystems to the cluster transformer.

Abstract: An electrical power subsystem includes a generator comprising a generator stator and a generator rotor, and a power converter electrically coupled to the generator. The power converter includes a plurality of rotor-side converters electrically coupled in parallel, a line-side converter, and a regulated DC link electrically coupling the plurality of rotor-side converters and the line-side converter. The electrical power subsystem further includes a stator power path for providing power from the generator stator to the power grid, and a converter power path for providing power from the generator rotor through the power converter to the power grid.

Abstract: There is provided a power converter unit that can include an inverter and a plurality of batteries. The power converter unit can include a battery energy storage system (BESS) and an inverter. The BESS and the inverter can share at least one protection circuit.

Abstract: An electrical power system connected to a power grid can include a generator having a stator and a rotor and a power converter. The stator is connected to the power grid via a stator power path. The power converter can include a line-side converter coupled to the power grid via a converter power path and a rotor-side converter coupled to a rotor bus of the rotor and the line-side converter via a DC link. The rotor-side converter is configured to convert a DC power on the DC link to an AC signal for the rotor bus. The power system can also include an active filter having one or more active controlled components. The active filter is coupled in parallel with the rotor-side converter to reduce harmonics of the electrical power system.