A comparison of medium voltage high power DC/DC converters with high step-up conversion ratio for offshore wind energy systems

As one of the most important renewable energy sources, wind is widely utilized now. As well as onshore trend, offshore wind farms have also been continuing its growth rapidly due to much better wind conditions. One of the interesting options for offshore wind farms is a wind farm with an internal medium voltage DC (MVDC)-grid collection connected to a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission. Medium voltage high power DC/DC converters with high step-up conversion ration are the key components in the MVDC-grid collection offshore wind farms. In this paper, a review of medium voltage high power DC/DC converter topologies with high step-up conversion ratio is presented. The advantages and disadvantages of these converters are discussed. Finally, this paper lists some major challenges for the high power MVDC converters.