Voltage-controlled overcurrent relay for a wind farm having looped collection circuits

A protection algorithm using a voltage-controlled overcurrent element for a looped collection circuit in a wind farm is suggested in this paper. Because the proposed algorithm uses voltage relaying signals as well as current relaying signals, any fault in the looped collection circuit can be cleared by voltage-controlled overcurrent relays located at the two adjacent relaying points, the nearest place in each direction from the fault point. The algorithm can also distinguish the external faults which occur at the outside of a wind farm from the internal faults. It means that the proposed algorithm can provide the proper ability of protection coordination to the relays in the looped collection circuits of a large wind farm. The performance of the proposed algorithm is verified under various fault conditions using PSCAD/EMTDC simulations.