Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO368: Variable shunt reactor with a fast-switching on-load tap-changer for grid-code compliant offshore wind farm integration
Ilya Burlakin, Research Associate, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Abstract
Offshore wind farms with long subsea AC cables face significant challenges in reactive power control at the point of common coupling. Grid codes specify the transient plant responses to voltage deviations, which require fast reactive power control. STATCOMs are the conventional solution to meet these requirements, but are associated with considerable investment costs. Mechanically switched compensation devices, such as Variable Shunt Reactors (VSRs), are generally unsuitable due to switching times of several seconds. This work investigates equipping a VSR with a power-electronics-based Fast-Switching Module (FSM) that extends the conventional On-Load Tap-Changer (OLTC). The enhanced OLTC enables tap position skipping with a single switching operation completed within one grid cycle. This allows dynamic reactive power control, while retaining the robustness and cost advantages of mechanically switched devices. The basic design of the VSR was set using steady-state power flow calculations, considering variations in wind speed, voltage, and reactive power limits. Subsequently, time-domain RMS simulations were performed according to UK Grid Code requirements for reactive power droop during voltage deviations. For the studied offshore wind farm configuration, the proposed solution achieves grid code compliance, demonstrating technical feasibility. The findings show that a VSR with FSM can serve as a cost-efficient alternative to conventional STATCOM installations. This approach broadens the range of solutions available and enables more competitive offshore wind farm designs.
No recording available for this poster.
