Enhanced voltage control in offshore wind farms with fast-tapping on-load tap-changers

Integrating offshore wind farms into existing power systems raises significant challenges, particularly in maintaining voltage stability. In this context, conventional on-load tap-changers provide essential voltage control. However, they are limited to steady-state adjustments due to the motor-driven response time. Therefore, this paper introduces a voltage control method that enhances on-load tap-changers by incorporating power electronic fast-switching modules. The proposed solution enables rapid and flexible transformer tap ratio adjustment, significantly improving the voltage stability of offshore wind farms during high-voltage ride-through events under strong and weak grid conditions. The fast-switching module demonstrates enhanced performance in minimizing voltage deviations and reducing the risk of disconnecting wind turbine generators related to overvoltages.