SOPs annd PECs in distribution networks - control interactions and operational logic

技术和研究挑战描述：在英国的示范项目中，已经提出了用于配电网的电力电子转换器(PEC)的不同概念并进行了测试。值得注意的是，软开点(SOP)转换器和不同形式的故障电流限制器设备已被证明有助于缓解分布式发电和电动汽车充电器增长带来的网络约束。尽管如此，试验也表明，这些设备中的控制器还没有为大规模部署做好准备：由于各种情况和通信链路故障导致的虚假跳闸，迫使技术人员频繁访问设备，以确定问题并重新武装设备。此外，还不清楚具有电压调节或线路平衡作用的相邻设备将如何一起发挥作用(例如，如果两个设备应用相反的纠正措施，是否会发生某种形式的再循环？)。PHD项目的新意和目标：该项目不是展示这些转换器的好处，而是重点研究电力电子转换器充当SOP和配电网中其他类型的电力电子转换器的运行逻辑。该项目将研究SOP可以建立的机制，以识别故障(即网络故障和硬件故障)并采取相应行动；它还将考虑这些转换器在网络保护设置中的影响，以确定潜在的不兼容性，并提出在发生短路时这些转换器应该做什么的建议。

Description of Technical and Research Challenge:Different concepts of power electronic converters (PEC) for distribution networks have been proposed and tested in demonstration projects in the UK. Notably, the soft open point (SOP) converter and different forms of fault current limiter devices have been shown to help mitigating network constraints arising from the growth of distributed generation and EV chargers. Still, trials have also shown that the controllers in these devices are not ready for a large scale deployment: spurious tripping due to myriad of circumstances and faulty communication links forces technicians to visit the installation frequently to identify the problem and rearm the device. Further, it is unclear how neighbouring devices with voltage regulation or line-balancing roles would play together (e.g. would some form of recirculation occur if two devices applied opposing corrective actions?).Novelty and Objectives of PhD Project:Rather than demonstrating the benefits of these converters, which has been the focus of prior research in this area, this project would focus on the operational logic of power electronic converters acting as SOPs and other types of power electronic converters for distribution networks. The project will look at the mechanisms that can be put in place for the SOP to identify faults (ie both network faults and hardware faults) and act accordingly; it will also consider the effect of these converters in the protection settings of the network to identify potential incompatibilities and come up with a proposal for what these converters should do when short-circuits happen.