THE IMPACT OF BoBC IN OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY

CONVERSION SYSTEM

Abstract
Offshore windfarms is an emerging technology in the wind energy conversion
system. For onshore wind farms high voltage overhead lines are used for
transmitting power from the wind farm to the grid. However this option is not
possible in the case of an offshore windfarm as large part of the distance to
connection point must be covered by submarine cables. The application of
high voltage dc (HVDC) transmission for integrating large scale and/or offshore wind generation systems with the electric grid is attractive in comparison
to extra high voltage (EHV) ac transmission due to a variety of reasons like
efficiency, economics etc. In the case of HVDC transmission a converter is
connected between the wind farm and the utility grid. Even though CSCs and
VSCs are widely used for the realization of large HVDC systems, as an
alternative approach Bridge of Bridge converter (BoBC) is introduced recently.
In this work the performance of the VSC and BoBC are compared and
analyzed. The simulation is done using PSCAD/EMTDC software. Compared
with the onshore wind farms, the offshore wind farms have access to
significantly better wind energy resources and hence offer larger energy
generating capability. Therefore offshore wind farms are gaining importance
and the BoBC proves to be better than the VSC for similar applications.

Paper Publication
1. Sheeba Percis, L. Ramesh, Dr. S. P. Chowdhury, Dr. S. P.
Chowdhury. The Technical Impacts prediction of Small
Scale DG in Low Voltage Distribution Networks
International Conference on Renewable Energy , Anna
University Chennai ,India ,August 2010 , Page 20-25.
2. Sheeba Percis, L. Ramesh, Impact of BoBC in Off-shore
Wind Energy Conversion System , IEEE and IET
International Conference on Computer Communication
(ICCCET 2011) ,National College of Engineering ,
Tirunelveli, India ,March 2011,Page 50-56.
3. Sheeba Percis,Detection of flaws in rolling of steel
sheets using Image processing, National Conference on
Future challenges and Budding Intelligent Techniques in
Electrical & Electronics Engineering (NCEEE 2010),
Sathyabama University,Chennai ,India , April 2010, Page
78-81.

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

Introduction
Literature review
Methodology
Results and Discussion
Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
Wind - Promising renewable energy
resource.
Wind energy conversion systems
sustainable energy.
Off-shore WECS are better than onshore WECS.
Long distance transmission HVDC
stands ahead of HVAC.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Limited availability of onshore sites and better
off-shore wind conditions are the driving force
for off shore WECS.
With a HVDC system power flow can be
controlled rapidly.
Development & availability of power electronic
devices is the underpinning technology for
integration of large wind farms with electricity
grid.
VSC based HVDC transmission is a good
solution for connection of large off-shore sites
over long distances.

METHODOLOGY

System Design

STAGE I: Design of VSC

STAGE II: Design of BoBC
STAGE III: Realization of HVDC system
SOFTWARE USED: PSCAD/EMTDC

Voltage Source Converter

Ea

C .44 [kV]

C
0.1 [H]
1.0[uF]

1.0[uF]

1.0[uF]

#2
.44 [kV]

Ea

B
C

R=0

0.1 [H]

#1

1.0[uF]

100.0 [MVA]

0.1 [H]
B

Features Of VSC
Consists of six arms with series
connected sub-modules.
Fully controlled switches accompanied
with anti-parallel diodes are used.
Bi-directional current flow is obtained.
Operated in four quadrants.
Control of real and reactive power is
possible.
A dc bus capacitor is used to provide
stiff dc.
PWM is used.

Bridge Of Bridge Converter

Main : Graphs
Ea

0 .1 [H ]

0 .1 [H ]

0 .1 [H ]

1.0 [uF]

0 .1 [H ]
D

0 .1 [H ]
D

1.0 [uF]0.1 [H]

0.1 [H]

I
1.0 [uF]

I
1.0[uF]

0.1 [H]

I
1.0 [uF]

I
1.0 [uF]

0 .1 [H ]

.44 [kV]

R =0

.44 [kV]

#2

1.0 [uF]

100.0 [MVA]
#1

0.1 [H]
1.0 [uF]

0.1 [H]

I
1.0 [uF]

1.0[uF]

0.1 [H]

I
1.0 [uF]

Ea

1.0 [uF]

Features of BOBC
Has six arms with sub-modules
connected in series.
Sub-modules are stand alone power
converters.
Any number of sub-modules can be
connected and desired voltage rating
is obtained.
Instead of PWM if discrete voltage
steps are used low harmonics and
switching losses are achieved.

TESTED RESULTS
0.350

Ea

1.00

0.300

Ea

0.80

0.250

0.60

0.200
y

0.40
0.150

0.20

0.100
0.050

0.00

0.000

-0.20

Output voltage of VSC

Output voltage
of BoBC

For an input of 0.44kV, the VSC gives an

output of 0.3369kV.
Q=15.799 kVAR
For an input of 0.44kV, the BoBC gives an
output of
0.432kV.

AC Side Reactive
Component - VSC
Main : Graphs
16.0

14.0
12.0
10.0

8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
-2.0
0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

Q=15.799KVAR

0.40

0.50

...
...
...

Realization OF HVDC
System
C1 Cable2

Edc1

A
B
0.1 [H]

#1

0.1 [H]

.44 [kV]

theta

Alpha1OFF
theta

440.0
RMS Voltage

V
I

Pulse

150.0
V

Pulse
I

theta

D
V

Pulse
D

1.6[uF]

1.0[uF]

1.0[uF]

1.0[uF]

Alpha1ON

Sqrt (2)

T
C

2
Edc1
Q

cos(th)

sin(th)

Pulse

C2

Pulse

th

Pulse

VCO

Edc2

C
Cable2

Vc

Pulse

60.0

C2

Cable2 C1
#2

C .44 [kV]

A Pulse

Pulse
I

Pulse
I

100.0 [MVA]

0.1 [H]
B

Pulse

Pulse

Eout
T
B

T
C

T
A

Edc2
Eout

Pulse
theta

H
OFF
L
H
ON
L

150.0

Alpha2OFF
theta
Alpha2ON

theta

H
OFF
L
H
ON
L

150.0

Alpha3OFF
theta
Alpha3ON

H
OFF
L
H
ON
L

HVDC SYSTEM USING

VSC

Alpha1ON

Alpha2ON

Alpha3ON

Alpha1OFF

Alpha2OFF

Alpha3OFF

theta
A
B
C

Edc1

HVDC System Using BoBC

I

0.1 [H]

1.0 [uF]

Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

0.1 [H]

1.0[uF]

0.1 [H]

Pulse

1.0 [uF]

Pulse

Pulse

cos(th)
C1

Cable2

Vc

60.0

th

VCO

sin(th)

C
Cable2

C2

theta
V

theta

Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

T
A

Edc2

T
B

150.0
Sqrt (2)

theta

H
ON
Alpha1ON
L

2
240.0
RMS Voltage

0.1[H]

0.1 [H]
D

T
C

P+jQ

150.0

1.0 [uF]

theta
Alpha1ON

Alpha2ON

Alpha3ON

Alpha1OFF

Alpha2OFF

Alpha3OFF

Alpha2OFF

150.0

L
H

OFF
Alpha3OFF
L
H
ON
Alpha3ON
L

B
C
C

H
OFF

ON
Alpha2ON
L

theta

theta
A
Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

theta

theta

Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

D
Pulse

0.1[H]
Pulse

Pulse

Pulse

1.0 [uF]

1.0 [uF]

Eout

Eout

0.1 [H]

1.0[uF]

1.0 [uF]

1.0 [uF]

0.1 [H]

0.1[H]

Edc1

.44 [kV]

#2

C .44 [kV]

1.0 [uF]

C1

C2

Pulse

#1

1.0 [uF]

Cable2

100.0 [MVA]

Pulse

1.0 [uF]
A

0.1 [H]

OFF
Alpha1OFF
L

0.1 [H]

0.233[ohm]
V

0.1 [H]

Pulse

Pulse

Edc2

Output With HVDC System

Output of HVDC-VSC

Output of HVDC-BoBC

The efficiency of the HVDC-BOBC is 87 percent and hence the HVDC

system using BOBC is more efficient than the system using VSC.

Comparison
In VSC, RC networks are needed for
voltage sharing. BoBC does not demand
this.
In VSC, the number of series connections
are restricted due to the RC networks.
BoBC is not affected in this manner.
AC side reactive components.
Fault tolerance.
During fault, energy stored in dc bus
capacitance of VSC feeds the fault.
BoBC is comparatively less costly and
more efficient.

CONCLUSION
Off-shore WECS is an emerging
solution for green energy.
As distance becomes longer, AC has
technical limitations.
Based on PSCAD/EMTDC simulation
results BoBC is found to be better than
VSC in performance.
BoBC based HVDC off-shore WECS is
highly efficient and cost effective.

REFERENCES
1.

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Integration of Wind Energy Systems with Electricity Grids,Energies 2010,3,1303-1319,ISSN 19961073.
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Meshed AC Networks
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18 & 19 March 2011

ICCCET 2011 - National College of

Engineering

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