Rapid implementation and Performance Improvement of SolidState Transformer for On Grid Renewable Energy Integration

Abstract

To meet the rising demand for electricity, renewable energy sources have been newlineintegrated into the existing power system network. Renewable energy sources (RES) newlinesuch as wind, solar- PV, etc., are generally integrated into the power grid through the newlineconventional transformers at the point of common coupling. Despite the fact that these newlinetransformers have worked well up until recently, their performance may deteriorate when newlinemore RESs are added to the systems. Traditional transformers cannot handle reactive newlinepower, harmonics and high current loads; hence these transformers are replaced with newlinesolid-state transformers (SST). newlineThis research focuses on Xilinx System Generator (XSG) based rapid implementation newlineof SST. Here, a Single Active Bridge (SAB) is used for integrating RES with the utility newlinegrid. For safe starting and mode selection with effective protection schemes of the SST, newlinea dedicated algorithm has been developed and implemented in XSG along with the newlinecontrollers. The various controllers for the stable operation of the SST are implemented newlinein the XSG. A 3 kVA, 415 V, three-phase laboratory prototype of the SST has been newlinefabricated. A series of experiments have been conducted on the laboratory prototype of newlinethe SAB-based SST by considering a three-phase output voltage of 415 V (L-L), 50 Hz. newlineThe waveforms are observed for the steady state and dynamic state conditions of the SST newlineunder different modes of operation of the power management scheme. The observed newlinewaveforms prove that the control strategy effectively regulates the HVDC-link voltage at newline600 V for the sudden change in load. The faster control execution coupled with parallel newlineoperation at a clock frequency of 40 MHz on a controller platform enables reliable newlineoperation of the system, which is highly susceptible to sudden dynamic conditions. A newlinestudy on the effect of the cooling system on the efficiency of the SST has been conducted newlineand the results are reported. newline