A method of clearing a fault in a high voltage DC electrical network, including power converters interconnected by a DC power transmission, comprising: detecting a fault in the DC power transmission and reconfiguring each power converter to a fault blocking mode drinving the DC fault current towards zero; locating the fault and isolating a faulty portion from a healthy remaining portion; reconfiguring one of the power converters designated as a re-energising power converter from the fault blocking to re-energise the healthy remaining portion; and detecting a rise in the voltage level in the healthy remaining portion above a threshold level and reconfiguring the remaining power converter connected with the healthy remaining portion from the fault blocking to the normal power transmission.

A method of protecting a converter of a wind turbine and a respective protection system are provided. The converter is coupled to a generator of the wind turbine to perform conversion of electrical power produced by the generator, the converter including plural semiconductor components that are operational to provide the conversion of the electrical power. The method includes the performing of a step of estimating a junction temperature of at least one of the semiconductor components by determining a current in the converter associated with power loss in one or more of the semiconductor components; estimating power loss associated with the one or more semiconductor components based on the determined current and on a state of the one or more semiconductor components; and using a thermal model to estimate the junction temperature of the semiconductor components based on the estimated power loss. The estimating step is repeatedly performed.

A method of protecting a converter of a wind turbine and a respective protection system are provided. The converter is coupled to a generator of the wind turbine to perform conversion of electrical power produced by the generator, the converter including plural semiconductor components that are operational to provide the conversion of the electrical power. The method includes the performing of a step of estimating a junction temperature of at least one of the semiconductor components by determining a current in the converter associated with power loss in one or more of the semiconductor components; estimating power loss associated with the one or more semiconductor components based on the determined current and on a state of the one or more semiconductor components; and using a thermal model to estimate the junction temperature of the semiconductor components based on the estimated power loss. The estimating step is repeatedly performed.

The present disclosure includes methods and apparatus for HVDC power distribution. A control apparatus is described for controlling a frequency set-point for a first AC network electrically connected to a first HVDC station to regulate active power. The controller has a frequency controller operable in a first mode of operation to determine a frequency set-point (Fref) for the first AC network based on a measured DC voltage at the first HVDC station. A disturbance detector is configured to monitor the measured value of DC voltage at the first HVDC station (VDC1) for a predetermined characteristic indicative that a variation in measured DC voltage does correspond to a known modulation applied to the DC voltage by a second HVDC station. The frequency controller is configured to determine the frequency set-point (Fref) for the first AC network based on a measured value of DC voltage (VDC1) if said predetermined characteristic is detected, and to control the frequency set-point to a predetermined default frequency if said predetermined characteristic is not detected.

The present disclosure includes methods and apparatus for HVDC power distribution. A control apparatus is described for controlling a frequency set-point for a first AC network electrically connected to a first HVDC station to regulate active power. The controller has a frequency controller operable in a first mode of operation to determine a frequency set-point (Fref) for the first AC network based on a measured DC voltage at the first HVDC station. A disturbance detector is configured to monitor the measured value of DC voltage at the first HVDC station (VDC1) for a predetermined characteristic indicative that a variation in measured DC voltage does correspond to a known modulation applied to the DC voltage by a second HVDC station. The frequency controller is configured to determine the frequency set-point (Fref) for the first AC network based on a measured value of DC voltage (VDC1) if said predetermined characteristic is detected, and to control the frequency set-point to a predetermined default frequency if said predetermined characteristic is not detected.

Aspects are described for hybrid modular multilevel converters that include half-bridge submodules. In some embodiments, a hybrid modular multilevel converter can include a direct current (DC) bus and an alternating current (AC) node. A first arm of the hybrid modular multilevel converter includes a first submodule chain link and a first arm inductor and a second arm includes a second submodule chain link and a second arm inductor. A capacitor connects between a first side of the first arm and a first side of the second arm.

A grid-forming wind turbine control method for a diode rectifier unit-based offshore wind power transmission system. A control system for controlling a grid-side converter has a three-layered structure, where a first layer is a combination of an active power controller and a reactive power controller; a second layer is a voltage controller; and a third layer is a current controller. The actual reactive power is represented by a per-unit value of a capacity of a corresponding wind turbine unit. The wind turbine units have the same reactive-power reference value, which is constant and does not change with time. The reactive power controllers of all wind turbine units have the same structure and parameters.

A power distribution arrangement for distributing AC power to loads requiring AC power is disclosed. The power distribution arrangement comprises a power distribution substation comprising transformers, switches, buses, and feeders, a DC transmission line, and at least one control unit. The control unit may control operation of the switches to selectively connect or disconnect one or more feeders to or from at least one transformer via one or more buses and to selectively connect or disconnect the DC transmission line to or from one or more feeders via at least one bus, whereby AC power is distributed to the loads via the feeders. The control unit may control operation of the switches based on: loading in and a power transfer rating of respective feeders and transformers, and any power transfer via the DC transmission line from the other power distribution substation to the at least one bus.

A method for controlling an electrical power which flows into or out of an electrical subnetwork via a connection point is disclosed. The subnetwork has at least one electrical load, and the electrical load is connected to a control device via a communication connection, the electrical power flowing via the connection point is measured and a maximum power consumption of the electrical load is set by means of the control device on the basis of the electrical power flowing via the connection point. A device for connecting a multiphase subnetwork, which has an energy production installation and an energy store, to a superordinate multiphase alternating voltage network is configured to transmit electrical power between the alternating voltage network and the subnetwork and comprises an AC/AC converter having a network connection, two inverter bridge circuits with an interposed intermediate circuit and a subnetwork connection. The device also comprises a control device which is configured to set the electrical powers flowing via the individual phases of the subnetwork connection on the basis of power values of the energy production installation and/or of the energy store by suitably controlling the inverter bridge circuits of the AC/AC converter.

A method for controlling an electrical power which flows into or out of an electrical subnetwork via a connection point is disclosed. The subnetwork has at least one electrical load, and the electrical load is connected to a control device via a communication connection, the electrical power flowing via the connection point is measured and a maximum power consumption of the electrical load is set by means of the control device on the basis of the electrical power flowing via the connection point. A device for connecting a multiphase subnetwork, which has an energy production installation and an energy store, to a superordinate multiphase alternating voltage network is configured to transmit electrical power between the alternating voltage network and the subnetwork and comprises an AC/AC converter having a network connection, two inverter bridge circuits with an interposed intermediate circuit and a subnetwork connection. The device also comprises a control device which is configured to set the electrical powers flowing via the individual phases of the subnetwork connection on the basis of power values of the energy production installation and/or of the energy store by suitably controlling the inverter bridge circuits of the AC/AC converter.