Impact of Load Tap Changer Control Operation Under Microgrid Conditions

Conference · Thu Oct 27 04:00:00 EDT 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/PESGM48719.2022.9916915· OSTI ID:1909412

Prabakar, Kumaraguru; Meyers, Toby; Fossum, John; Pratt, Annabelle; Symko-Davies, Martha; Shanmukh, Nagadev; Menvielle, Michelle; Abcede, Laurence; Bialeck, Tom

Every microgrid is unique in its diversity of assets, operation, and network structure. This uniqueness presents challenges for each microgrid implementation that need to be understood and addressed to prevent power quality concerns, stability issues, and blackouts. In this research work, we present one challenge faced during microgrid operation that could potentially cause a blackout in some microgrid configurations. Through the incorrect operation of the load tap changer controller during an islanding event for a microgrid with generation present on both primary and secondary busses, the primary voltage will increase or decrease beyond allowable bounds, causing a cascading failure. This work presents the issue first with simulation results to demonstrate the phenomenon and then presents results of load tap changer controller operation using a controller-hardware-in-the-loop experiment. Finally, details of the complete sequence of operation and the blackout scenarios are presented and summarized.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1909412
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP-5D00-78816; MainId:32733; UUID:f846058f-5926-40ee-bc3b-c24e0af9b405; MainAdminID:68452
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
blackout
grid forming inverter
load tap changers
microgrid