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Results for “low-frequency AC transmission”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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8 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

High-Power and Flexible Low-Frequency AC Transmission for Renewable Integration

This project develops a steady-state, dynamic, and production cost models of a multi-terminal, high-power, flexible low-frequency ac (LF-HVac) transmission system with grid-forming converters. Through both numerical analysis and EMTP simulation, the project goal is to demonstrate the feasibility of such an innovative and transformative LF-HVac system to support bulk integration of large-scale, cheap, and steady renewable resources from remote locations such as offshore wind farms to meet recent clean energy goals from DOE. The proposed adoption of low-frequency ac transmission aims to improve power transfer capability for remote large-scale renewable integration. In addition, the control for power electronics converters provides grid-support functions to improve the flexibility and resilience the existing 60-Hz HVac system. Future projects on this topic can be supported by both Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DOEEE) and Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability (DOEOE) offices.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Loss Minimization With Optimal Power Dispatch in Multi-Frequency HVac Power Systems

Low-frequency high-voltage ac transmission scheme has recently been proposed as an alternative approach for bulk power transmission. This paper proposes a multi-period optimal power flow (OPF) for a multi-frequency HVac transmission system that interconnects both conventional 50/60-Hz and low-frequency grids using back-to-back converters with a centralized control scheme. The OPF objective is to minimize system losses by determining the optimal dispatch for generators, shunt capacitors, and converters. The OPF constraints include the operational constraints of all HVac grid and converter stations. The resulting mixed-integer nonlinear programing problem is solved using a proposed framework based on the predictor-corrector primal-dual interior-point method. The proposed OPF formulation and solution approach are verified using a multi-frequency HVac transmission system that is modified from the IEEE 57-bus system. Here, the results with the optimal dispatch from the proposed method during a simulated day show a significant loss reduction and an improved voltage regulation compared to those when an arbitrary dispatch is chosen.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

Fault Clearing Operation in Low-Frequency High-Voltage AC Systems

Abstract—Low-frequency high-voltage ac (LF-HVac) system has been proposed as an alternative to HVdc and HVac systems to reduce transmission losses and improve grid flexibility. LF-HVac system employs back-to-back (BTB) converters to interconnect and control the voltage and power interchange between two power grid operating at different frequencies. While there are multiple studies on LF-HVac system in the literature, the fault clearing method in the LF-HVac system has not been analyzed. Therefore, this paper focuses on fault clearing operation in LFHVac system and proposes a novel method to reduce fault current by changing operating frequency of power source and converter. The performance of the proposed method is validated using detailed models of BTB converters developed in PSCAD/EMTDC. The ability to change operating frequency at the onset of a fault condition allows breakers to rapidly clear the fault and recloses. The results obtained by using the proposed method substantially diminish the fault current.

Kim, Woosung↗
NASA NTRS1992

Multimegawatt dynamic NEP PMAD study

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center (NASA LeRC) is developing a FORTRAN-based model of a complete nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) vehicle to be used for piloted or cargo missions to the Moon or Mars. The proposed vehicle will use either a Brayton or K-Rankine power conversion cycle, and either ion or magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters. In support of this effort, Rocketdyne evaluated various power management and distribution (PMAD) approaches and selected a low-frequency design that is based on the direct use of the alternator voltage and frequency for power transmission. This approach was compared with dc and high-frequency ac designs, and selected on the basis of mass, efficiency, and qualitative assessment of power quality, reliability and development costs. This low-frequency architecture will be used as the reference in future NEP PMAD studies and for the subsequent FORTRAN model development.

Metcalf, Kenneth J.↗
DOE OSTI2020

DC Link Voltage Balancing of the Active Front-End for the Extreme Fast Charging Stations

One of the most important challenges of the extreme fast charging (XFC) stations is to balance the DC link voltages of the active front-end (AFE). The multilevel cascaded H-bridge (CHB) converter is a great topology for the AFE applications due to the high power density, low total harmonic distortion (THD), and a low number of active and passive components. In this paper, a technique is proposed for balancing DC-link capacitor voltages of a three-phase CHB converter, when a phase shiftPWM modulation technique is used on all cells of the converter. To reach this goal, the redundant states of the CHB converters are used for generating different AC voltage levels by sorting the voltages of the converters. The proposed voltage balancing technique uses the principles that are employed for the DC link voltage balancing of the low-frequency modulation techniques to balance the DC link voltages of the CHB converter. As shown in this paper, the DC link voltages of the CHB converter can accurately be balanced very fast without using PI controllers, which are used in the conventional DC link voltage balancing techniques. A controller also is proposed which will be used to control the dq currents of the CHB converter. To verify the advantages of the proposed technique, the simulation results of the proposed technique will be carried out in a three-phase 7-cell CHB AFE.

Grid-tied converters, cascaded H-bridge, DC link v↗
DOE OSTI2025

Solid State Transformer Architecture and Control Compensation for Common Mode Currents

A high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) or similar geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) has the potential to impact the operation of large-scale electric power grids. By introducing low-frequency common-mode (CM) currents, these events can degrade the performance of critical system components, such as large power transformers by introducing CM currents which can lead to magnetic saturation of the transformer core. In this work, a solid-state transformer (SST) is developed to replace susceptible equipment and improve grid resiliency by safely absorbing these CM disturbances. This device will be referred to as a common-mode solid-state transformer (CM-SST). An SST architecture based on a four-legged AC/DC converter is developed. This architecture enables active control of CM signals without disturbing the AC voltages or the real and reactive power delivery capabilities. A system-level model of this architecture is created, and time-domain simulations are performed to evaluate the SST’s performance in response to simulated CM disturbances. A control strategy for mitigating CM current is also investigated. Hamiltonian surface shaping and power flow control (HSSPFC) is used to design a nonlinear controller for the SST’s output inverter. The objectives of the controller are to suppress CM-induced AC current offsets and regulate AC currents to desired setpoints. Nonlinear system analysis is applied to design and validate the controller. Two cases are tested: (a) the proposed four-leg inverter and (b) a standard three-leg inverter. The results show that the proposed controller rapidly mitigates CM disturbances while maintaining high-quality AC current waveforms in the four-leg configuration. Finally, the hardware performance of an SST prototype is evaluated. In particular, the ability of the SST to safely redirect and absorb CM currents is demonstrated, showing how it can protect neighboring conventional transformers in the system. The study confirms that appropriate control laws allow the SST to protect both itself and adjacent transformers during a HEMP or GMD event.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2023

EMT and Phasor-Domain Co-simulation of a Low Frequency AC Transmission System for Offshore Wind Integration

This work investigates system level interactions of multi-terminal low frequency high-voltage alternating current (LF-HVac) system using back-to back converters and grid-level 60 Hz system. A co-simulation framework by integrating high- fidelity dynamic model of multi-terminal LF-HVac system in electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation platform and phasor model of IEEE 39 bus system in transient-stability (phasor) program. The co-simulation framework for multi-terminal LF- HVac system with offshore wind integrated in a bulk power system is developed successfully and its steady state and dynamic operation is demonstrated and compared with EMT simulation. The co-simulation results show accurate representation of the dynamic responses with reduced computation burden and time compared to EMT platform.

low-frequency transmission, co-simulation, electro↗
DOE OSTI2020

Low-Frequency Stability Analysis of Inverter-Based Islanded Multiple-Bus AC Microgrids Based on Terminal Characteristics

For system planning of three-phase inverter-based islanded ac microgrids, the low frequency instability issue caused by interactions of inverter droop controllers is a major concern. When internal control information of procured commercial inverters is unknown, impedance-based small-signal stability criteria facilitate prediction of resonances in medium and high frequency ranges, but they usually assume the grid fundamental frequency as constant and thus they are incapable of analyzing the low-frequency oscillation of the fundamental frequency in islanded microgrids. Aiming at solving this issue, this paper proposes two stability analysis methods based on terminal characteristics of inverters and passive connection network including the dynamics of the fundamental frequency for analysis of low-frequency stability in islanded multiple-bus microgrids. Based on the Component Connection Method (CCM) to systematically separate inverters from the passive connection network, a general approach is developed to model the microgrid as a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) negative feedback system in the common system d-q reference frame. By applying the generalized Nyquist stability criterion (GNC) to the return-ratio and return-difference matrices of the MIMO system model, the low-frequency stability related to the fundamental frequency can be analyzed using the measured terminal characteristics of inverters. Finally, analysis and simulation of a 37-bus microgrid verify the effectiveness of the proposed stability analysis methods.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗