Impact of Grid-Forming Converters on Power System Protection — Experimental Studies on a Physical Overhead Line Model

Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/ReportConference contributionContributedpeer-review

Abstract

The growing penetration of inverter-based generation in modern power grids poses significant challenges to grid stability and the reliability of conventional protection systems. When encountering grid faults, power converters behave significantly differently from synchronous generators. As a result, studying the interaction between conventional grid protection technologies and power electronic converters is of great interest. However, comprehensive laboratory setups that allow for detailed experimental studies remain scarce. This study introduces a unique experimental setup designed to comprehensively investigate the behavior of converter-dominated power systems under fault conditions. The setup integrates freely configurable laboratory converters into a power grid model, which includes scaled replicas of overhead transmission lines and commercially available protection and control devices. This integrated approach enables the simultaneous examination of converter control, transmission line physics, and protection device behavior in a controlled laboratory environment. Experimental results highlight challenges in fault detection and fault current behavior. However, they also demonstrate that selective fault clearing remains possible with conventional protection schemes, provided that grid-forming converters maintain grid connection and effectively limit fault current.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2025 Energy Conversion Congress & Expo Europe (ECCE Europe)
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Number of pages6
ISBN (electronic)979-8-3315-6752-1
ISBN (print)979-8-3315-6753-8
Publication statusPublished - 4 Sept 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

Conference

Title
SubtitlePowering the Electric Revolution
Abbreviated titleECCE Europe 2025
Duration31 August - 4 September 2025
Website
Degree of recognitionInternational event
LocationInternational Convention Centre Birmingham ICC
CityBirmingham
CountryUnited Kingdom

External IDs

ORCID /0009-0002-2649-8903/work/198592671
ORCID /0000-0001-8439-7786/work/198593128
ORCID /0000-0003-4869-3216/work/198593371
Scopus 105027518862

Keywords

Keywords

  • Europe, Fault currents, Grid forming, Power grids, Power system reliability, Power system stability, Power transmission lines, Protection, Reliability, Testing, Experimental testing, Fault ride-through, Grid-forming, Protection device