Operation of offshore wind farms connected with DRU-HVDC transmission systems with special consideration of faults

Abstract

The diode rectifier unit (DRU)-based high-voltage DC (DRU-HVDC) system is a promising solution for offshore wind energy transmission thanks to its compact design, high efficiency, and strong reliability. Herein we investigate the feasibility of the DRU-HVDC system considering onshore and offshore AC grid faults, DC cable faults, and internal DRU faults. To ensure safe operation during the faults, the wind turbine (WT) converters are designed to operate in either current-limiting or voltage-limiting mode to limit potential excessive overcurrent or overvoltage. Strategies for providing fault currents using WT converters during offshore AC faults to enable offshore overcurrent and differential fault protection are investigated. The DRU-HVDC system is robust against various faults, and it can automatically restore power transmission after fault isolation. Simulation results confirm the system performance under various fault conditions. Keywords: Diode rectifier unit (DRU), Fault protection, HVDC transmission, Offshore wind farm