An Improved Frequency Dead Zone with Feed-Forward Control for Hydropower Units: Performance Evaluation of Primary Frequency Control

Hao An, Jiandong Yang, Weijia Yang, Yuanchu Cheng and Yumin Peng
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Hao An: The state key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Jiandong Yang: The state key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Weijia Yang: The state key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Yuanchu Cheng: School of Power and Mechanical Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Yumin Peng: China Southern Power Grid Power Generation Company, Guangzhou 510630, China

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 8, 1-25

Abstract: Due to the integration of more intermittent renewable energy into the power grid, the demand for frequency control in power systems has been on the rise, and primary frequency control of hydropower units plays an increasingly important role. This paper proposes an improved frequency dead zone with feed-forward control. The aim is to achieve a comprehensive performance of regulating rapidity, an assessment of integral quantity of electricity, and the wear and tear of hydropower units during primary frequency control, especially the unqualified performance of integral quantity of electricity assessment under frequency fluctuations with small amplitude. Based on a real hydropower plant with Kaplan units in China, this paper establishes the simulation model, which is verified by comparing experimental results. After that, based on the simulation of real power grid frequency fluctuations and a real hydropower plant case, the dynamic process of primary frequency control is evaluated for three aspects, which include speed, integral quantity of electricity, and wear and tear. The evaluation also includes the implementations of the three types of dead zones: common frequency dead zone, the enhanced frequency dead zone, and the improved frequency dead zone. The results of the study show that the improved frequency dead zone with feed-forward control increases the active power output under small frequency fluctuations. Additionally, it alleviates the wear and tear problem of the enhanced frequency dead zone in the premise of guaranteeing regulation speed and integral quantity of electricity. Therefore, the improved frequency dead zone proposed in this paper can improve the economic benefit of hydropower plants and reduce their maintenance cost. Accordingly, it has been successfully implemented in practical hydropower plants in China.

Keywords: improved frequency dead zone; feed-forward control; grid frequency fluctuations; simulation; integral quantity of electricity; wear and tear; regulating rapidity; primary frequency control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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