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Electrical Distribution Networks

New scenarios involving distributed energy resources and DC microgrids require proper analysis and protection from DC faults, which were previously neglected but are no longer rare. DC distribution is expanding in applications like data centers, ships, and microgrids. Converter-based systems introduce complexity during faults depending on grounding schemes. While converters were thought to inherently limit faults, some configurations cannot restrict fault currents, requiring analysis of converter types and connections.

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42 views1 page

Electrical Distribution Networks

New scenarios involving distributed energy resources and DC microgrids require proper analysis and protection from DC faults, which were previously neglected but are no longer rare. DC distribution is expanding in applications like data centers, ships, and microgrids. Converter-based systems introduce complexity during faults depending on grounding schemes. While converters were thought to inherently limit faults, some configurations cannot restrict fault currents, requiring analysis of converter types and connections.

Uploaded by

alvin me
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Technical Application Papers

Introduction
New scenarios in electrical distribution networks, with As a consequence, probability of DC fault is quite low,
increasing presence of distributed generation and loads and used to be neglected in many designs.
Introduction

with strict power quality requirements, include DC mi- Nevertheless, in the new scenarios described above,
crogrids with energy storage systems as a replacement extension of the DC section becomes more and more
for traditional AC systems. significant.
DC electrical distribution offers several advantages com- In some application, DC distribution even covers the
pared to AC in many applications, such as data centers, majority of plant extension (e.g. this happens in marine
marine installations and in addition in low voltage distribu- applications, in DC microgrids, and in DC data centers).
tion in the presence of distributed generation and storage. In these cases, probability of a fault in the DC section
Battery energy storage systems and distributed genera- is no longer negligible, and such faults need to be dealt
tion such as PV plants or wind microturbines, and their with by proper analysis and protection design.
related electronic converters, affect system behavior
both during normal operation and in the presence of Conventional wisdom is that converters limit currents in
faults, in different ways depending on different possible any situation, hence the fault current level is no longer
grounding schemes. a concern in circuit design. While this might indeed be
Most converter systems are actually based on double the case for some specific situations, there are others
conversion: a DC-Bus is interposed between power in which converters are not able to limit fault currents.
electronic-based subsystems. This depends on type and connection of converters, as
In such an arrangement, the DC section is typically of lim- will be shown.
ited extension and totally enclosed in a single switchgear. Some most common types of power converters are

2 Faults in LVDC microgrids with front-end converters

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