The interaction of batteries and fuel cells with electrical distribution systems: Line commutated converter interface

An assessment of the operational features of battery storage and fuel cell systems connected to a distribution substation bus was the objective of a Purdue University study [1], The investigation was performed using detailed computer simulations of representative systems. For portions of the study, the representation was similar to the configuration anticipated for the Battery Energy-Storage Test (BEST) facility. Both line and force commutated converter interfaces were considered in the overall study, with lead acid batteries, advanced batteries and fuel cells as the dc sources. Computer results of steady state and transient operation enabled evaluation of the performance and design requirements with respect to harmonic filtering, power factor control, dc source interface and converter control. A related Westinghouse study has compared line commutated with various force commutated schemes, from an economic and reliability viewpoint. Conclusions reached in this paper and a companion paper [2] are based on both the Purdue investigation and the Westinghouse study. This paper considers system operation with a conventional line commutated converter while the companion paper considers the use of a proposed force commutated converter circuit.