FAIL-SAFE OPERATING METHOD FOR A DECENTRALIZED POWER GENERATION PLANT

Abstract

A fail-safe operating method for a decentralized power generation plant DG includes determining a leakage capacitance of a generator of the DG before connecting the DG. The method also includes comparing the determined leakage capacitance with a predetermined first limit value, and connecting the DG to a grid only if the determined leakage capacitance is smaller than the predetermined first limit value. A decentralized power generation plant is configured to perform the method.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A decentralized power generation plant (DG), comprising: an insulation monitoring circuit configured to determine a value of a leakage capacitance of a generator when the generator is coupled to input terminals of the DG, and a residual current circuit breaker coupled to the insulation monitoring circuit and configured to control a grid relay of the DG based on the determined leakage capacitance to ensure that the DG remains disconnected from a grid when the determined leakage capacitance satisfies a predetermined criteria.

22. The DG according to claim 21, wherein the residual current circuit breaker is configured to control the grid relay by ensuring that the grid relay is open when the determined leakage capacitance satisfies the predetermined criteria.

23. The DG according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined criteria being satisfied comprises the determined leakage capacitance exceeding a predetermined threshold.

24. The DG according to claim 21, further comprising a residual current sensor configured to determine a residual current on connection lines that couple the DG to the gird.

25. The DG according to claim 24, wherein the residual current sensor is uncompensated with respect to a leakage capacitance sensor of the insulation monitoring circuit.

26. The DG according to claim 24, wherein the residual current circuit breaker is configured to open the grid relay if the residual current determined by the residual current sensor exceeds a maximum residual current value.

27. The DG according to claim 21, wherein the insulation monitoring circuit is further configured to jointly determine an insulation resistance and the leakage capacitance of the generator.

28. The DG according to claim 21, further comprising a data interface configured to receive weather data or weather forecast data, and wherein the decentralized power generation plant is configured to select the predetermined criteria based on received weather data or weather forecast data.

29. A method of operating a decentralized power generation plant (DG), comprising: prior to connecting the DG to a grid, applying at least two voltage values to connecting lines of a generator of the DG, determining a leakage capacitance of the generator of the DG based on currents or current transients caused by the application of the at least two voltage values, and selectively connecting the DG to the grid based on the determined leakage capacitance.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the at least two voltages are applied by an inverter bridge of the DG.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein selectively connecting the DG to the grid comprises connecting the DG to the grid only when the determined leakage capacitance is smaller than a predetermined first limit value.

32. The method according to claim 29, wherein determining the leakage capacitance is carried out together with determining an insulation resistance of the generator.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein after connecting the DG to the grid, the method further comprises: determining a capacitive leakage current component of a residual current of the DG continuously or repeatedly, and disconnecting the DG from the grid when the determined capacitive leakage current component exceeds a second limit value.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the second limit value is selected to be less than or equal to half of a nominal tripping threshold of a residual current circuit breaker of the DG.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein after connecting the DG to the grid, the method further comprises: determining a capacitive leakage current component of a residual current of the DG continuously or repeatedly, and reducing a generator voltage of the generator when the capacitive leakage current component exceeds the second limit value.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the second limit value is determined by: determining a capacitive leakage current component at which the residual current circuit breaker of the DG trips, and determining the second limit value to be a value reduced by a predetermined amount or by a predetermined percentage compared to the capacitive leakage current component at which the residual current circuit breaker of the DG trips.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the second limit value is selected to be less than or equal to half of a nominal tripping threshold of a residual current circuit breaker of the DG.

38. The method according to claim 31, further comprising: lowering the first limit value in response to a trip event of a residual current circuit breaker of the DG as a function of a difference between leakage capacitance determined prior to the trip event and an initial first limit value.

39. The method according to claim 31, wherein the first limit value is selected based on current weather data and/or weather forecast data.

40. The method according to claim 31, wherein in a case of connection to the grid and when the determined leakage capacitance is below the first limit value by less than a predetermined amount, selecting a time at which the DG is disconnected from the grid again based on current weather data and/or weather forecast data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In the following, the disclosure is represented by means of figures, of which

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a DG according to the disclosure, and

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of an operating method according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a DG 1, which is designed as a photovoltaic system with an inverter 10, wherein the inverter 10 converts the direct current of a generator 11 into a grid-compliant alternating current for feeding into a grid 18 via grid connection lines by means of an inverter bridge. A grid relay 12 is arranged in the grid connection lines of the DG 1, which is controlled by a residual current circuit breaker 14. The residual current circuit breaker 14 is connected to a residual current sensor 13 which detects a residual current on the grid connection lines and compares it with a threshold value. If the threshold value is exceeded, the grid relay 12 is opened to disconnect the inverter 10 from the grid 18.

[0029] Furthermore, the DG 1 has an insulation monitoring circuit, sensor or device 15 on the connection lines of the inverter 10 to the generator 11, which is configured to determine the value of an insulation resistance 16 and the value of a leakage capacitance 17 of the generator 11 with respect to an earth potential before the DG 1 is connected to the grid 18 and/or during operation of the DG 1. The insulation resistance and the leakage capacitance are not real components, but should represent the electrical properties of the DG as an equivalent circuit diagram and can also be connected at any other point of the generator 11.

[0030] Depending on the values of the insulation resistance 16 and the leakage capacitance 17 determined in this way, the insulation monitoring device 15 transmits a signal to the residual current circuit breaker 14, which is used to control the grid relay 12. In one embodiment, it is provided that if the insulation resistance 16 falls below a minimum insulation resistance or if the leakage capacitance 17 exceeds a maximum leakage capacitance, the grid relay 12 is not closed or is opened if it is closed.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an inventive operating method for a DG such as the DG 1 shown in FIG. 1 In a first act 20, the leakage capacitance (C.sub.L) of a generator in the DG is determined at the beginning of the method before connecting the DG. In a second act 21, the value of the leakage capacitance (C.sub.L) determined in this way is compared with a predetermined first limit value (C.sub.TH) and, if it is exceeded (YES at 21), the DG branches back to the beginning of the method and the determination of the leakage capacitance is repeated at a later point in time without the DG being connected to the grid.

[0032] In a third act 22, the DG is connected to the grid if the determined leakage capacitance is less than or equal to the specified limit value (NO at 21).

[0033] The third act 22 can be followed by further procedural acts after the DG has been commissioned, in which the leakage capacitance continues to be monitored. For example, after connecting the DG to the grid, a capacitive leakage current component of a residual current of the DG can be determined continuously or repeatedly and, if a second limit value is exceeded by this leakage current component, the system can be disconnected from the grid or alternatively a generator voltage of the generator can be reduced.

[0034] Furthermore, cases of tripping of the residual current circuit breaker of the DG can be evaluated to the effect that the first or second limit value is suitably adjusted if unnecessary shutdowns continue to occur due to an excessively high capacitive leakage current component.

[0035] Alternatively or additionally, the second limit value can be determined suitably with the following acts: first, a capacitive leakage current component is determined at which the residual current circuit breaker trips. The value of this component is determined in one embodiment under the condition that no other leakage current components are present. Then the second limit value is determined as a value reduced by a predetermined amount or by a predetermined percentage compared to the tripping capacitive leakage current component.

[0036] Furthermore, the first limit value can be selected depending on current weather data and/or weather forecast data. In this way it can be taken into account to what extent the leakage capacitance can vary due to weather conditions compared to a leakage capacitance determined at the time of connection to the grid, in order to be able to estimate the possibility of increasing the leakage capacitance to a value critical for residual current disconnection in the course of the operating period (usually the remaining day). In this way, it can be decided to waive the yield of the installation on the day in question, in order to avoid the effort of manually resetting the residual current circuit breaker. It is also conceivable to provide for suitable measures to avoid a residual current related shutdown of the DG, for example its temporary disconnection from the grid, within a period determined by the weather forecast.