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[VIDEO] Find out more about the FastGrid project!
With the FastGrid project completion date just a few months away, find out more about the ins and outs of the project in this video filmed at our premises.
Phd Paolo ERRANTE “Liquid Spray Injection inside the expansion volume of a CO2 High Voltage Circuit Breaker”
In the framework of the research activities of the High Voltage Substation Equipment program of SuperGrid, it has been proposed to introduce such species by means of an evaporative liquid spray. The interaction between injected droplets and the mixture of hot gases successively flowing into the chamber and vented outside the chamber during the mechanical separation of the electric contacts should allow spray evaporation and transport of the modified gas mixture towards the arc region.
Phd Majed Eddine MOUSTAID “Experimental development of a thermosiphon loop for thermal regulation of power electronic devices”
The work of this thesis focuses on the experimental development of a passive and biphasic cooling system to cool down power electronics. Some of those modules are mean voltage power converters developed by Supergrid Institute. Some constraints have been imposed upstream to this project. While some limitations are of the technological nature, other constraints are related mainly to the environmental and biological aspects. The first part of this thesis was to find a suitable cooling system that could be adapted to the project specifications. After some research, we decided to build a loop thermosiphon filled with NOVEC 649.
SuperGrid Institute has achieved a major milestone in the development of 10 kV Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices
SuperGrid Institute has achieved a major milestone in the development of 10 kV Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices such as 5A BJT and 50A PIN diode as part of its work on developing innovative solutions for MV converters. Recent tests revealed outstanding switching performances.
SuperGrid Institute wishes you an electric new year!
SuperGrid Institute wishes you an electric new year! [...]
Phd Ragavendran RAMACHANDRAN “Control and Power Management of an Offshore Wind Power Plant with a Diode Rectifier based HVDC Transmission”
Energy Transition for a more sustainable world is now the priority in societies. Towards this objective, especially in Europe, the offshore wind energy development has been relatively rapid. For Offshore Wind Power Plants (OWPP) farther from the shore (50 km and beyond) Voltage Source Converter (VSC) based High Voltage DC (HVDC) Transmission has become the prominent solution. Replacement of the offshore VSC station by multiple Diode Rectifier Units (DRUs) led to a cheaper, more compact and robust solution. This thesis focusses on various technological and scientific problems involved in the control system of the Offshore Wind power Plant with Diode Rectifier (DR) based HVDC transmission. These challenges are first reviewed in detail along with the state of the art. Then, based on the system dynamics, a grid forming control scheme is proposed by using the P-V and Q-f droop relationships, with a solution for the synchronization of the wind generators. Moreover, some of the selected control solutions in the literature for this topology are reviewed, compared and assessed by using time domain simulations of a study case. Following this, the different solutions for black start of the offshore AC system are analyzed from the available literature and they are compared using the relevant qualitative criteria. The various faults in the offshore system are then analyzed and the above designed grid forming control scheme is extended with Fault Ride through (FRT) capability, for offshore AC grid faults. Finally, a brief analysis is done on the challenges for the integration of this OWPP topology into a Multi Terminal DC (MTDC) network.
Phd Juan PAEZ “HVDC Converters for the interconnection of HVDC grids”
In order to include large-scale renewable sources into the electrical system and to transport high amounts of energy through long distances, the actual AC grid must be upgraded. HVDC transmission grids appear as a promising solution to upgrade the system and answer correctly the future needs and requirements. The development of such grids can be done following two different approaches. For one side, a DC system designed totally from zero following a standardization of HVDC technology, and for the other side, an incremental evolution using the existing HVDC lines. The second approach seems more reasonable due to the reutilization of infrastructure, the inconvenient is that the technology used on each existing line is different. Thus, their interconnection will require DC¬DC converters as interface elements. These structures allow the interconnection of different HVDC schemes and offer more functionalities than only DC voltage adaptation like power flow control and protection.
SuperGrid Institute’s “Technical days”: an event dedicated to our industrial shareholders
SuperGrid Institute has held its first ever ‘Technical days’ event! Dedicated to our industrial shareholders, this event was organised to facilitate exchange and to allow us to better adapt our roadmap to the industry’s tangible needs. These two exciting days of workshops, discussions and networking have bolstered our belief in the importance of our mission to shape tomorrow’s HV & MV power transmission grids.
A DC voltage source for long term GIS testing designed by SuperGrid Institute
As part of its research, SuperGrid Institute studies the phenomena of partial discharge under DC voltage. Environmental issues emphasised in the European project PROMOTioN encourage the exploration for possible replacement of SF6 gas and remains a strong component of the study at SuperGrid Institute.
The renewables integration via HVDC grids
The large-scale integration of renewable electricity generation poses both structural, economic and management challenges. Among the major challenges, one can note the grid integration and the routing of this energy from the production units to the consumption poles. Major issues have to be faced like insufficient transmission capability, inertia reduction, stability margins mitigation. The HVDC is not a new idea but it can provide some interesting answers to these challenges. The keynote will list the locks and how they can be addressed by the HVDC grid. Finally, the underlying scientific issues will be discussed.
