Design of a DC overcurrent fault detection and protection scheme for DC collectors of a photovoltaic plant
- Holland, I., Bokoro, P., Paul, B., Ndlovu, E.
- Authors: Holland, I. , Bokoro, P. , Paul, B. , Ndlovu, E.
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Photovoltaic power plants - Protection
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/370432 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/221791 , uj:22242 , Citation: Holland, I. et al. 2017. Design of a DC overcurrent fault detection and protection scheme for DC collectors of a photovoltaic plant.
- Description: Abstract: Faults in the DC collector circuits of a photovoltaic plant are a cause for major concern due to the damage they may cause to equipment. Fault protection is required for ground faults, line-to-line faults and arc faults. Typically, the magnitude of short-circuit currents of PV modules are similar to that of load currents which makes fault detection and protection difficult to carry out on the DC system. The DC collectors of a PV plant consist of combiner boxes where PV arrays are connected and inverter DC buses where combiner boxes are connected. This paper investigates the fault contribution from the PV modules on the combiner boxes and inverter DC buses in relation to typical PV module data on an isolated section of the DC network of a plant using the ETAP simulation tool. A fault detection and protection scheme for the main faults in a DC PV system is proposed based on previous research, for complete protection of the DC collector circuits.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Holland, I. , Bokoro, P. , Paul, B. , Ndlovu, E.
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Photovoltaic power plants - Protection
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/370432 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/221791 , uj:22242 , Citation: Holland, I. et al. 2017. Design of a DC overcurrent fault detection and protection scheme for DC collectors of a photovoltaic plant.
- Description: Abstract: Faults in the DC collector circuits of a photovoltaic plant are a cause for major concern due to the damage they may cause to equipment. Fault protection is required for ground faults, line-to-line faults and arc faults. Typically, the magnitude of short-circuit currents of PV modules are similar to that of load currents which makes fault detection and protection difficult to carry out on the DC system. The DC collectors of a PV plant consist of combiner boxes where PV arrays are connected and inverter DC buses where combiner boxes are connected. This paper investigates the fault contribution from the PV modules on the combiner boxes and inverter DC buses in relation to typical PV module data on an isolated section of the DC network of a plant using the ETAP simulation tool. A fault detection and protection scheme for the main faults in a DC PV system is proposed based on previous research, for complete protection of the DC collector circuits.
- Full Text:
Selection and coordination of surge arresters for switching transient mitigation in photovoltaic power plants
- Oliveira, R., Bokoro, P., Paul, B., Ndlovu, E.
- Authors: Oliveira, R. , Bokoro, P. , Paul, B. , Ndlovu, E.
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Renewable energy sources , Photovoltaic power plants , Surge arresters
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/221807 , uj:22243 , Citation: Oliveira, R. et al. 2017. Selection and coordination of surge arresters for switching transient mitigation in photovoltaic power plants.
- Description: Abstract: Photovoltaic energy generation has become a popular renewable alternative to conventional energy generation that utilise fossil fuels. However, given the diversity and complexity of these PV plants, it is imperative that such plant equipment be protected against the greatest contributor to equipment failure; surges. Software simulation using EMTP-RV version 3.3, this paper implements a proposed methodology for the insulation coordination study of a PV plant. The overvoltages associated with the opening of vacuum circuit breakers, at various test points along the network are considered in order to recommend possible selection criteria of surge arresters as well as location thereof. The study finds that for a reduction of surge magnitudes from 8 p.u to within 1.2 p.u would require surge arrester energy capabilities to be greater than 2.8 kJ/kV for the medium voltage (MV) arresters , and capabilities exceeding 259kJ/kV for the low voltage (LV) arrester. For the high voltage (HV) section of the plant, no surge propagation was identified thus exempting it from the insulation coordination. The above mentioned, along with surge current and overvoltage levels comprise the findings of the study providing parameter guidelines for arrester selection.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Oliveira, R. , Bokoro, P. , Paul, B. , Ndlovu, E.
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Renewable energy sources , Photovoltaic power plants , Surge arresters
- Language: English
- Type: Conference proceedings
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/221807 , uj:22243 , Citation: Oliveira, R. et al. 2017. Selection and coordination of surge arresters for switching transient mitigation in photovoltaic power plants.
- Description: Abstract: Photovoltaic energy generation has become a popular renewable alternative to conventional energy generation that utilise fossil fuels. However, given the diversity and complexity of these PV plants, it is imperative that such plant equipment be protected against the greatest contributor to equipment failure; surges. Software simulation using EMTP-RV version 3.3, this paper implements a proposed methodology for the insulation coordination study of a PV plant. The overvoltages associated with the opening of vacuum circuit breakers, at various test points along the network are considered in order to recommend possible selection criteria of surge arresters as well as location thereof. The study finds that for a reduction of surge magnitudes from 8 p.u to within 1.2 p.u would require surge arrester energy capabilities to be greater than 2.8 kJ/kV for the medium voltage (MV) arresters , and capabilities exceeding 259kJ/kV for the low voltage (LV) arrester. For the high voltage (HV) section of the plant, no surge propagation was identified thus exempting it from the insulation coordination. The above mentioned, along with surge current and overvoltage levels comprise the findings of the study providing parameter guidelines for arrester selection.
- Full Text:
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