Abstract:
This work presents a case study on the application of a voltage source converter in
an industrial microgrid, using multilevel topology in a Back-to-Back arrangement. The
main purpose is to understand whether the application of a B2B-VSC converter can be
feasible in an industrial microgrid, replacing pyrotechnic short-circuit limiters, indicating
the advantages and disadvantages in a technical analysis. The microgrid, characterized by
the presence of synchronous generators, substantial loads, and large transformers, faces
significant challenges related to the high level of short-circuit. In this context, engineering
criteria are presented to assess the thermal and dynamic sustainability of medium-voltage
panels and circuit breakers, whose replacement represents not only a considerable economic
cost but also impacts on the availability of the production process. The main proposal
includes the development of a detailed mathematical model for the multilevel Back-to-Back
converter, its implementation in the ATPDraw program, and the simplified modeling of
a pyrotechnic short-circuit limiter. The results indicate that, although the pyrotechnic
limiter operates satisfactorily, the search for alternatives is justified due to cost and replacement
time implications. The Back-to-Back converter emerges as an innovative solution,
and the case study reveals promising results in terms of short-circuit limitation.