Following the successful High Voltage Ride-Through (HVRT) testing in October 2017 of The Switch’s 1.5 MW full-power converter (FPC) by China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI), The Switch’s 2.5 MW FPC has now also successfully passed the HVRT test verified by CEPRI. Both tests were conducted in strict accordance with the latest HVRT national standard.
During the testing, the CEPRI technical engineers ran rigorous tests on The Switch 1.5 MW and 2.5 MW FPCs using different operating conditions, including low power (10%–30% of rated power) and high power (above 90% of rated power). The results of the test series show that direct-drive permanent magnet wind turbines equipped with The Switch full-power converters fully comply with the strict requirements of the HVRT standard. Of special importance, during the entire test period, both units had no failures or need for any parts replacements – and performance was excellent.
Grady Liu, The Switch Technical Account Manager who attended the tests says: “The two tests took place at Da Qiao Wan and Da Liang Dong wind farms, respectively, in Gansu, China, where The Switch FPC 1.5 MW and FPC 2.5 MW converters were tested. These two converter types are absolutely market leaders, from both an installation and technology point of views. A set of The Switch 5 MW FPCs, produced from the same platform as the 1.5 MW and 2.5 MW FPCs, have been running well at Fuqing and Rudong offshore wind farms, showing great potential.”
Since 2007 when the first such type converter was delivered to China from Finland, The Switch FPCs have fulfilled the requirements of almost all the major domestic wind farms, including the harsh conditions of low-wind speed, high-temperature and high-humidity wind farms. The excellent performance of these converters has been verified and approved by both wind turbine manufacturers and wind farm owners for many years.
“The Switch FPCs not only have HVRT but also Low Voltage Ride-Through (LVRT) capability, offering advantageous control flexibility to adapt to ever-changing operating conditions,” Grady says.
Designed for the highest level of performance, The Switch robust line of converters ensures future-proof electricity quality to meet the ever-stricter network requirements for harmonics, flicker and fault ride-through (FRT). In distributed power applications, The Switch FPCs create a stable grid with a total harmonic distortion (THD) of <1.5%, the lowest in the industry.
The Switch FPCs allow easy power factor control according to grid demands, enabling response to steady and transient grid phenomena.
“The Switch’s FPCs have already achieved good results in China. We plan to continue to promote the development of localization and our aftermarket support. Additionally, The Switch is now offering LVRT and HVRT upgrade and grid adaptation retrofit services. We hope to lower the cost of energy and contribute to energy efficiency and higher quality power generation in the total life cycle with our reliable FPC technologies,” sums up David Zhao, The Switch China Country Manager.
The Switch engineer at Da Liang Dong wind farm, Gansu.