Collector cable design based on dynamic line rating for wind energy applications

Wind power will play a major role in future power generation systems. In order to promote more and more wind farm connections, the capital cost (CAPEX) should be minimised. In this paper a novel concept is presented based on two practical considerations, namely, the actual current through different sections of a radially connected wind turbine string reduces from the substation end to the farthest wind turbine; and the current carrying capacity of a conductor and wind turbine current increases with the wind speed. Two tools that support the design of the collector network and ensure safe operation of the overhead collector conductors were developed. The first tool aids the designing of the collector conductors based on the dynamic line rating of the conductor and the actual wind farm output at different wind speeds. The second tool is a verification tool, which ensures that the conductor core temperature does not exceed the maximum allowable conductor temperature. A case study is presented to demonstrate the use of the design tool whereas a real life implementation is used to demonstrate that the verification tool can be used in a real wind farm to ensure the safety of the conductors.