Modeling and Simulation of a Soft-Starter for a 2

MW Wind Turbine Generators

L. Mihet-Popa*and V. Groza**, senior member IEEE
*
**

POLITEHNICA University/Electrical Machines and Drives, Timisoara, Romania

University of Ottawa/Dept. of Information Technology and Engineering, Canada
mihetz@yahoo.com, groza@SITE.uOttawa.ca

Abstract In this paper a soft-starter model and its control

strategy for connecting solutions to the grid of different
operation modes for a wind turbine generator of 2/0.5 MW
are evaluated. The thyristors switching for different
functions of the firing angle are discussed. A complete
simulation model of a constant speed wind turbine with cage
rotor and double stator windings induction generator is also
presented. The system model proposed in this paper is
developed in the dedicated power system simulation tool
DIgSILENT, which gives access to an extensive library, but
requires implementation of the relevant wind turbine model.
The model can be used to study alternative control
strategies for wind turbines and additional equipments such
as soft-starter, compensation units and storage systems.

I.
INTRODUCTION
The vast majority of the installed power of wind turbine
generators (WTG) in the world is grid connected [1-2, 5-6,
9-12]. Cage rotor induction generators have traditionally
been used in wind turbines because of their advantages in
costs and robustness [5, 6]. Like induction generators,
soft-starters and compensation units are also essential
components in every modern and large wind turbine (wind
farm) systems [6, 9].
Wind turbines may be designed with either
synchronous or asynchronous generators, and with various
forms of direct and indirect grid connection of the
generator. Wind turbines with directly connected
induction generators of more then 800 kW are normally
equipped with a soft-starter [5, 9], achieving
synchronization to the power network without massive
inrush currents on the supply, and without the harsh
shocks that can damage and break mechanical equipment
such as bearings, couplings and gears [2, 4, 9, 11].
This paper analyses the behavior of a large active-stall
constant-speed wind turbine concept, using a cage-rotor
induction generator with double-windings on the stator
side. To wider the range of the output electrical power the
generator is with double stator windings (2/0.5MW). The
switching between 4/6 poles operation is made as a
function of the output power [9].
In order to reduce the transient current during
connection of the induction generator to the grid a soft
starter is used [2, 9, 11]. The soft-starter could minimize
the impact of machine starting on the electrical network
and also could helps to prolong the life of mechanical
components. Therefore, this paper proposes a soft-starter
model for a large constant speed wind turbine system.
The soft-starter is designed to meet the industrial
requirements of wind generator applications. The soft-

starter modeling and its control implementation are

described in details and a set of simulations are performed
using DIgSILENT software simulation tool.
II. AN OVERVIEW OF THE WIND TURBINE MODELING
The purpose of the model is to simulate the dynamic
behavior and the electrical properties of a wind turbine.
The modeling of the wind turbine should create a model
as simple as possible from a mechanical point of view, but
capable of providing a good description of the electrical
characteristics of a wind turbine. The wind turbine model
consists of different component models: wind model,
aerodynamic model, transmission model and the electrical
components that include 4/6 poles induction generator
model, soft-starter, capacitor bank and transformer [2, 9,
11].
As shown in Fig. 1, the wind model generates an
equivalent wind speed, which, together with the blade
pitch angle and rotor speed, are input to the aerodynamic
block. The output of the aerodynamic model is the
aerodynamic torque, which is the input for the
transmission system together with the generator speed.
The transmission system has as output the mechanical
torque on the high-speed shaft, which is used as an input
to the generator model. Finally, the blade angle control
block models the active control loop, based on the
measured active and reactive power and the set point,
where rotational speed is the controlled variable.

Figure 1. Simplified scheme of the wind turbine model.

III.

MODELING THE SOFT-STARTER FOR WIND

TURBINE APPLICATION
A soft-starter is an ac voltage controller in which the
voltage is adjusted through the setting of the thyristors
firing angle.
In order to reduce the transient current during
connection of the induction generator to the 0.96kV grid a
soft starter is used [2, 9, 11]. When the wind generator is
driven to just bellow synchronous speed (approximately
93 %), under the action of its aerodynamic rotor, the soft
starter is connected and using the firing angle control the
machine is connected over the grid, as shown in Fig. 2 a).
The connection diagram of soft starter fed a 4/6 poles
double stator windings induction machine is presented in
Fig. 2 a).
Figure 2 b) shows the fully controlled topology with a
delta-connected load. If thyristors are delta-connected,
their control is simplified and their ratings considerably
reduced. The delta arrangements generate, in the load, all
the odd harmonics, but no triple harmonics. Harmonics of
order 5, 7, 11, 13 remain [7, 9].
To get the controller started, two or three switches must
be fired simultaneously to provide the path for current
necessary to maintain the on-state. Switching variables
may be introduced for 2 thyristors connected in antiparallel for each phase and defined as equal to 1 when a
given thyristor is conducting and equal to 0 otherwise.
It can easily be demonstrated that the output voltages of
the controller (soft-starter) are given by (1):

(1)

Softstarter

960V

K1

1. 0 60 : 2 or 3 switches conducting (in either

direction);
2. 60 90 : 2 switches conducting;

Analysis of operation of the controller with RL load is

difficult since the extension angle and the so-called limit
angle must be known. Mode 2, characterized by rapid
changes of the output currents is impossible due to the
load inductance. The ranges of the two remaining
operation modes are < lim for mode 1 and lim <
150 for mode 3. The limit angle can be determined
numerically from (2):

sin( lim )
3tg ( )
2
e
1
3

sin( lim )

2 e 3tg ( )

K_byp

K2

Depending on the firing angle , three modes of

operation of the soft-starter can be distinguished, with a
purely resistive load:

3. 90 150 : none or two switches conducting.

1
1

ab - 2 a - 2 b
Vab
VAB

1
1

Vbc = - 2 c bc - 2 b VBC
V
VCA
ca
- 1 c - 1 a ca
2

firing angle
control

b)
Figure 2. Connection diagram of the soft-starter with induction
generators and schematic diagram of the soft-starter with delta
connected load, b).

K_G500

(2)

The equations for the RMS output voltage, of the fully

controlled soft-starter with purely resistive and inductive
loads are provided bellow [10]:
Resistive load:

Vout Vin

3~

3~

G2000

G500

open

a)

1
3
3

sin(2 )

2
4

(3)

for 0 60

closed

Vout Vin

1 3 3


sin(2 )
2
4
6

for 60 90

(4)

Vout Vin

1 5 3
3

sin(2 )
4 2
4
3

(5)

for 90 150
Inductive load

Vout Vin

1 5
3

3 sin(2 )
2
2

(6)

for 90 < 120

1 5
3

3 sin(2 )
2
2
3
for 120 < 150
Vout Vin

(7)

The envelope of control characteristics given by (3)

through (7) is shown in Fig. 3. The relationship between
the firing angle and the resulting amplification of the soft
starter is highly non-linear and depends additionally on
the power factor of the connected element. In the case of
a resistive load can vary between 0 (full on) and 90
(full off) degrees. While in the case of a purely inductive
load varies between 90 (full on) and 180 (full off)
degrees. For any power factor in between, it will be
somewhere between these limits [4, 7, 13], as can also be
seen in Fig. 3.
IV.

CONTROL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOFTSTARTER

Simulation results are provided by the DIgSILENT
software tool [8], which combines the traditional transient
EMT simulation tool for power systems with RMS
simulations of longer-term dynamics.
The RMS simulations are based on electro-mechanical
transient models, which are simplified models than those
used in EMT simulations. They are more appropriate for
the most studies of power quality and control issues.
They are much faster than the instantaneous value
simulation compared to the period, which is simulated.
The EMT simulations (instantaneous values), as they are
based on detailed electromagnetic transient models, are
appropriate for studies the behavior of wind generator
during connection to the grid or during grid fault events.
This makes the developed models useful for the power
quality studies as well as for the grid fault studies.
In DIgSILENT the soft starter is a stand-alone element
and the control parts (electrical controllers) of the wind
turbine system, as the soft-starter control implementation,
are written in the dynamic simulation language DSL.
DSL implementation includes a complete mathematical
description of (time-) continuous linear and nonlinear
systems. A DSL model can also be converted into a
graphical representation.

Figure 3. Control characteristic, Vout=f(), for a fully controlled softstarter [7].

The commutation devices are 2 thyristors connected in

anti-parallel for each phase. A complete control in details
of the soft starter using the firing angle as input is possible
just in EMT (electromagnetic transient) simulation mode,
where every thyristor switching is modeled in detail, while
the RMS simulation uses a simplified model (as a
controlled voltage source).
The firing angle is calculated according to the
amplification factor (8) so that if Kin varies from 0 to 1,
will take values starting from maximum angles a1 down to
minimum angle a2, [9].

1800

a2 a2 a1 Kin 1

(8)

V. SIMULATION RESULTS
Simulation results are used for implementation and to
verify the soft-starter model and its control strategy
implemented.
For a complete representation of machine behavior with
different values of phase angle as 110 (Fig. 4 a), 90 (Fig.
4 b) and 70 (Fig. 4 c) the phase current (output current),
phase voltage (output voltage) and input phase voltage are
presented.
With a firing angle larger than 1050 (Fig. 4 a) the
machine is working with a lower output phase voltage and
current then the nominal supply voltage (input phase
voltage). It can also be seen, in Fig. 4 a), that when the
firing angle increases the current pulses become smaller
and shorter. Consequently, the RMS value of the current
decreases, as does the RMS value of output voltage.
Note that the current is always discontinuously and
waveforms of both the current and output voltage are
strongly distorted in comparison with pure sinusoids as
the input voltage, especially with high firing angles (1200).

a)

b)

c)
Figure 4. Phase voltage and current waveforms for alpha = 1100, (a),
for alpha = 900, (b), and for alpha = 700 (c).

The starting current of 0.5 MW induction machine

is 3 times higher than the rated current, while the
starting current of the large induction machine (2
MW) is 8 times higher than its rated value. It is clear
that for 2 MW machine it is imperative to reduce the
start-up current [2, 9].
The implemented control strategy (active stall
control) of 2 MW wind turbine contains three modes of
operation: acceleration control (speed control), power
control (power limiting region) and direct pitch control
(blade angle control) [2, 9]. The acceleration and pitch
control modes are used during start-up, shut down and
emergency conditions, while the power control mode is
used during normal operations.
In Fig. 5 the connection of the 2 MW induction
generator to the grid is realized by a soft-starter. The
soft starter limits the current and torque transients and
implicitly reduces the reactive power peak value. When
the induction machine of 2 MW was connected to the
grid through soft-starter, the starting current has been
reduced at 1.1 times of rated current, while the reactive
power peak became 13.5 times smaller than when the
machine was directly connected to the grid.
The 2 MW induction generator was connected to the
grid through a soft-starter at t=73 seconds and then the
soft-starter was by-passed at t=77 seconds (Fig. 6). In
the same time the power factor compensation unit
started to work using capacitor switching, as a function
of average value of measured reactive power (Fig. 6).
The mean wind speed was 12 (m/s). At t=100 seconds
the mean wind speed was modified to 18 (m/s) and at
t=170 seconds mean wind speed was modified again at
11 (m/s) to simulate sudden changes in wind speed and
to test the system performance and implemented control
strategy.
VI. DISCUSION AND CONCLUSION
In this paper an active-stall constant-speed wind turbine
concept using a cage rotor and double stator windings
induction generator connected to the grid through a softstarter was presented.
The soft-starter for wind turbine applications has been
modeled and implemented as a function of the firing
angle. The start-up sequence of a soft-starter fed induction
generator has also been simulated using DIgSILENT
power system simulation tool.
Soft-starters smooth the way for wind power, providing
a very effective, low cost and reliable solution for
synchronizing the operation of wind turbines to distributed
networks.
A complete wind turbine model has also been built to
simulate the influence on the transient stability of power
systems. The model of the wind turbine includes the wind
fluctuation model, which will make the model useful also
to simulate the power quality and to study control
strategies of a wind turbine.
The control scheme has been developed for turbine
control including soft starter start-up, and power factor
compensation.

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Figure 5. Simulated speed, active and reactive power and stator current of 2 MW induction generator under sudden changes in wind speed
from (12 to 18) m/s at 100 s and then from (18 to 11) m/s at 170 s.

Figure 6. Reactive power compensation with capacitors connected in steps (on top) and the soft-starter by-passed controller (SS_controller: KIN).