Low and Medium Voltage Test Facilities in Varennes' Scientific Park

1
Low and Medium Voltage Test Facilitiesin
Varennes' Scientific Park

• Workshop DER Laboratories of Excellence,
  Testing, and Standards
• Napa, December 4th 2006

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Outline

• Presentation of the Low Voltage Test Facility
• Characteristics
• Topology
• Uses
• Planned activities
• Presentation of the Medium Voltage Test Facility
• Characteristics
• Topology
• Uses
• Planned activities

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LV Test Facility Display
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LV Test Facility Description

• Belongs to the CANMET Energy Technology Centre -
  Varennes Facility
• 120 kVA network with the following
  characteristics
• 3 phases individually controllable in voltage,
  waveform and phase angle
• Any voltage between 0 and 137 V
• Frequency between 45 and 70 Hz
• R, L and C loads of 120 kVA each, individually
  controllable on each phases
• Islanding switch programmable between 0-360
  phase angle
• Multiple measurement points with precision power
  analysers.
• Convenient test facility designed with easy
  re-configuration in mind.

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LV Test Facility Topology

• Measurement Points
• V, I, P, PF
• Wave shape, THD
• Others...

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LV Test Facility Uses

• Characterise single and multiple inverters in
  terms of
• Power quality
• Transient behaviour
• Anti-islanding performance
• Performance
• Validate standard test methods (e.g. IEC62116)
  and design new approach for less than ideal
  condition e.g. noisy grid situations
• Help model development by providing real-life
  behaviour of physical units
• Develop advanced control methods to support the
  grid in high penetration scenarios.

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LV Test Facility Planned Activities

• Validation of power quality inverter models
• Validation of anti-islanding models developed by
  University of Alberta
• Investigation of inverter behaviour in noisy grid
  situations (validate product standards in such
  conditions)
• Investigation of control strategies allowing
  inverters to perform active compensation of power
  quality issues

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MV Test Facility Display
All material provided by Yves Brissette at IREQ
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LV Test Facility Description

• Belongs to Hydro-Québec's Research Institute in
  Varennes
• Independent 25 kV line with
• Its own transformer and circuit breaker
• 24 poles over 282 m
• Various circuit breakers and remote controlled
  switches with their control cabinets and
  protective relays
• 25 kV measuring equipment
• Variable industrial loads at 600 V up to 400 A
• 125 HP asynchronous motor with or without
  electronic drive coupled to a DC generation
  connected to a resistive load
• Fully passive resistors and reactors
  electronically controlled to generate harmonics
  and imbalance

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MV Test Facility Topology
From substation transformer
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MV Test Facility Topology for DG
MV substation (for the test line)
Local network
PCC
SG
INV
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MV Test Facility Uses

• Verification of network automation systems
• Equipment Installation methods for lineman
• Standardization of equipment for the network
• Experimental research on BPL (Broadband Power On
  Line)
• Data collection using intelligent metering and
  control cabinets of 25 kV equipment (accuracy and
  other parameters)
• Network integration of decentralized Energy
  resources

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MV Test Facility Planned Activities

• Upgrade of the facility for DER tests
• Evaluation of intentional islanding schemes (IEEE
  1547.4)
• Evaluation of grid behaviour in accidental
  islanding
• Synchronization of the active network at PCC
• Validation of soft-starter model for wind-turbine
  start-up application

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Contacts

• For the LV Test Facility
• For the MV Test Facility

Dave Turcotte Photovoltaic and Hybrid Systems
Group CANMET Energy Technology Centre Varennes,
Québec dave.turcotte_at_nrcan.gc.ca
Yves Brissette, Eng. Electrical Equipment
Expertise Department Institute of Research of
Hydro-Québec Varennes, Québec
brissette.yves_at_ireq.ca