A Parallel Capacitor Control Strategy for Enhanced FRT Capability of DFIG

This paper presents a novel dc-link scheme for enhancing the fault ride-through (FRT) capability of doubly fed induction generator-based wind turbine (DFIG-WT). The proposed system consists of parallel capacitors with a dedicated control strategy designed to provide means for power evacuation during grid fault conditions. This technically simple and cost-effective scheme was developed considering transmission line autoreclosing which may cause multiple fault inceptions. Simulation studies were carried out to compare the performance of the introduced solution with a DFIG-WT, equipped with the dc chopper and crowbar. The simulation results demonstrate the enhanced performance of the proposed approach in maintaining the dc-link voltage, transient rotor voltages, and currents within the permissible operating range during a bolted three-phase-to-ground fault. The proposed schemes were also tested in response to asymmetrical grid faults, and the enhancement in transient response has been verified. An experimental setup was developed to emulate the behavior of the dc-link circuit during fault conditions. These experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the switching parallel capacitors in preventing dc-link overvoltage during imbalance power operation. The discharging capacitor circuit highlighted the capability of tackling the multiple fault inception problems while adhering to grid code requirements.