Refined Modeling and Simulation of Dynamic Response of Variable-Speed Pumped-Storage Plant

Pumped storage technology is currently the largest-scale energy storage technology. Pumped-storage plants (PSPs) can help integrate variable renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, thus playing an important role in establishing a reliable, sustainable, and clean energy system. Variable-speed pumped-storage plant (VSPSP) has become a state-of-the-art technology in the pumped-storage industry in recent years. In dealing with the intermittency of variable renewable energy, variable-speed pumped-storage plant needs to change its working conditions frequently, thus causing inevitable transient processes, which may lead to dangerous accidents if without proper countermeasures. In order to predict transient processes and avoid dangerous accidents, a refined model of VSPSP is built in this work. The prototype of the model developed in this work is the first VSPSP in China, which is still under construction. The model is validated by comparing its simulation result with that provided by the manufacturer, which used a commercial simulation software SIMSEN. Different working conditions are also simulated to prove the application of the refined model. The model proposed in this work can provide a practical tool for research and engineering purposes.