Short Circuit Current Characteristics Analysis and Improved Current Limiting Strategy for Three-phase Three-leg Inverter under Asymmetric Short Circuit Fault

Abstract

Three-phase three-leg inverter is one of the most popular topologies for inverters. When short-circuit fault occurs, the inverter is generally switched to the current-controlled mode from voltage-controlled mode to limit the fault currents. In this situation, the inverter becomes equivalent to a symmetric, three-phase, positive sequence current source. However, the voltage limiting may occur under asymmetrical fault. In this paper, a closed-loop model based on time-domain is originally developed as a means to investigate the fault current characteristics under asymmetrical fault. Based on the proposed model, a more intuitive insight into fault currents is presented as follows. 1) The positive sequence fundamental component of three-phase currents can still track the symmetric current references. 2) The magnitude of fault phase currents (ignoring the harmonics) will vary between 1 and $\sqrt 3 $ times of magnitude of current limiting references. Based on the conclusion, although the magnitudes of fault phase currents can be reduced by adopting smaller current limiting references, the actual magnitudes of fault phase currents will still vary in a range depending on the load impendence of healthy phase. Therefore, the reliable action of the protection devices is greatly affected and the selective protection cannot be realized. Furthermore, in order to achieve completely controllable fault currents under asymmetrical fault, two alternative current limiting strategies are presented with reverse current limiting references, and with current limiting references based on the introduced phase angle regulation. The theoretical results are validated by simulations and experimental results.