EPRI Accelerating Commercial Engagement (ACE)

Accelerating Commercial
Engagement (ACE)
Technology Transfer Session
Inverter-based Supplemental Grounding Tool (ISGT)
Devin Van Zandt, EPRI - dvanzandt@epri.com

Wei Ren, EPRI
Tom Key, EPRI
Sean McGuinness, EPRI
Reigh Walling, Consultant
April 14, 2021
w w w. e p r i . c o m © 2020 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

Meeting Logistics
 Please mute your lines
Accelerating Commercial
Engagement (ACE) – Mute button in webex
Technology Transfer Session
– *6 to unmute/mute
Inverter-based Supplemental  Open Chat window
Grounding Tool (ISGT) – Using to share / ask
April 14, 2021 questions and share
responses
 We Are Recording this
Webcast
Mute Chat
2 www.epri.com © 2020 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
Presentations and Recordings
 PPT and Recording will be available on P174 Cockpit following the

webcast
 PS174A Grid Impacts Analysis of DER
Webcast being recorded for re-listen and review. Please end your
participation if you do not consent to being recorded.
Agenda
 Overview of ACE
 Technical background
 Developed tool and data requirements
 Results verification
 Q&A
Accelerating Commercial Engagement (ACE)
Industry Research
EPRI Research Results
Need
Industry Technical
ACE Goals: Share research Transfer
results for application in industry
Commercial
Application
Related Activities
 Development of new C62.92.6 (current regulated

sources)
 February 2019 webcast
 August 2019 Tech Brief (now public)
 NYSERDA grounding project and related webinars
 Tool development
The Ground Fault Overvoltage (GFOV) Concern
I1
L-G Fault
Grid +
INV.Is INV.Zs V1 GT.Z1 LD.Z1
I2
Load
+
Grounding 3Zfault
Transformer
INV.Z2 V2 GT.Z2 LD.Z2
Inverter -
I0
 Applicable to 4-wire multi-grounded distribution systems
 Grounding is a system issue! +
 Grid following inverter DER have insignificant impact on INV.Z0 GT.Z0
V0 LD.Z0
system grounding from when breaker closed
 Primary system ground source is lost when breaker opens -
Effective Grounding and Inverter-based Generation: A “New” Look at an “Old” Subject. EPRI, Palo Alto, CA. August 2019. 3002015945.
Inverter Representation Inverter Sequence Models
0 Sequence
 Current source or current-limited power
Open circuit for typical
source model is adequate for fundamental inverters
frequency TOV evaluation

+ Sequence
 Symmetrical component analysis is an
appropriate analysis tool when
three-phase inverters are involved Current source, or current-
limited power source
 Symmetric components do not fit where
the dominant sources are the aggregation
of single-phase inverters - Sequence
– Individual phase currents follow the terminal Representable by an
impedance, rarely documented
voltage phase but typically a relatively high
– Does not create an equivalent positive-sequence per-unit value.
Z2
source during unbalanced Some inverters designed to
VDE standards have defined
(e.g., ground fault) conditions Z2 settable from 0.17 – 0.5 p.u.
Does a Grounded Neutral Connection Make an Inverter a Grounded Source?
 Not necessarily, because:

– Neutral may be just for measurement (IEEE Std 1547-2018 compliance) and without connection to
the power circuit internally
– Controls may impede any zero sequence current flow 1 0
 In a wye-connected ideal positive sequence

current source there is no neutral current,
regardless of applied zero sequence voltage N
 This has a neutral connection but does 1 120
this provide a ground source?

– 3-phase inverter can be 3 x 1-phase inverters 1 -120
IN  0
in one box
 Grid forming inverters are typically designed to have low zero-sequence impedance
The Role of Loads in Inverter-Sourced Systems
 Shunt impedances (loads) are critical to systems driven by current sources

 Loads are typically ignored during short-circuit studies and calculations of GFOV where
synchronous generators are the source
– Source impedance << load impedance,  loads don’t matter much for synchronous generators
– Situation is fundamentally different where the source is inverters; high source impedance
 But what if there are no loads present?
– Theoretically, a current source driving into a circuit with no loads produces infinite voltage
– Realistically, an inverter’s control will push its voltage to a high limit in order to try to drive the current
– Called a “load rejection overvoltage”, an inverter will typically trip very quickly to self-protect
 Purpose of effective grounding is to avoid overvoltage
– Grounding does not affect load-rejection overvoltage
– System energized by a current source, but without load, will have severe overvoltage
with or without ground source presence
Research Results
 A ground connection on an inverter  ground
source
 If more than 33% of loads are grounded,
supplemental ground source is unnecessary
 Adding a ground source can have adverse
consequences
– Reduced ground fault detection sensitivity
– Increased arc flash risk
– Maintains energization of open phases
– Can increase ground fault overvoltage in some cases
 If > 2/3 of loads are L-to-L connected, a ground
source is necessary to ensure effective grounding
 Widely used guidelines for supplemental grounds
are not appropriate for inverter sources
Effective Grounding and Inverter-based Generation: A “New” Look at an “Old” Subject. EPRI, Palo Alto, CA. August 2019. 3002015945
Software Objectives
 Develop an easy-to-use, single purpose tool
for evaluation
 Allows for quick screening and sensitivity
analysis
 Allow for sufficient user customization to
address most common situations
 Perform optimization in selection of
important parameters
 Graphically display information where
appropriate
Background/Limitations/Assumptions
 Based upon symmetrical component analysis (C62.92.6)
 Assumes 3-phase grid following inverters
 Where multiple 3-phase inverters exist on an islanded system, those can be aggregated in the calculation sheet
to choose a system ground source
 Assumed inverter characteristics
– Inverter modeled with an inner current regulation loop with the current reference set, up to a limit, by an outer power
regulation loop
– Reference current adjusted to meet P = 1.0 p.u. within limits of current reference range
– Assumptions may not be accurate under extreme voltage conditions
– Application purpose is to define grounding to remove extreme voltages
 Load composition and amount of minimum concurrent load is important
– Line-to-ground load provides system grounding
– Line-to-line load doesn’t provide grounding
 Negative sequence impedance is an entry and tool can determine a worst-case value within constraints
– Negative sequence is determined by control characteristics, not physics
– This parameter is typically undocumented; no OEMs publish a value
 Does not include protection considerations in sizing of supplemental ground source
Unique Data Requirements
 Negative sequence impedance
– Not readily available from manufacturers
– Software performs parametric sweep to find worst case
 Load
– Estimation of L-G load composition
– Allow for customization
 Current reference limit
– Typically, between 1.0 p.u. and 1.2 p.u.
– May be available from inverter vendors
 Zero sequence impedance
– Represents ground transformer
Software Implementation
Calculations
 Classic symmetrical component analysis
 Use Excel “solver” optimization to choose…
– Worst-case negative sequence impedance
– Zero sequence impedance
– Adjusted current reference
 Plots
– Uses core symmetrical component analysis for sweeps
– GFOV vs. negative sequence impedance
– Bullet curve
Comparison to EMT Analysis = ISGT
Peak = EMT
2.5
2.3
2.3
2.1 2.1
1.9 1.9
Voltage (pu)
1.7 1.7
Voltage (pu)
1.5
1.5
1.3
1.3 1.1
1.1 0.9 Analysis Peak
Analysis Peak 0.7
0.9
0.7 0.5
0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2
Gen/Load Gen/Load
No GT & No L-G Load

1.6 No GT & 100% L-G Load
1.5
1.4
Voltage (pu)
1.3
1.2
1.1
1
0.9 Peak Analysis
0.8
0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8
Gen/Load
GT = 0.6 pu, X/R = 4 & 100% L-G Load
Together…Shaping the Future of Electricity

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Accelerating Commercial

Devin Van Zandt, EPRI - dvanzandt@epri.com

April 14, 2021

w w w. e p r i . c o m © 2020 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.

 PPT and Recording will be available on P174 Cockpit following the

results for application in industry

 Development of new C62.92.6 (current regulated

INV.Is INV.Zs V1 GT.Z1 LD.Z1

frequency TOV evaluation

 Not necessarily, because:

 In a wye-connected ideal positive sequence

 This has a neutral connection but does 1 120

this provide a ground source?

 Shunt impedances (loads) are critical to systems driven by current sources

No GT & No L-G Load

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