D e cember 2001

V S C T ransmission

Lie X u
 V S C T ransmission

C o n te n ts

l W hy V S C -Transmission?

l P rinciple s o f V S C - T ransmission

l V S C T o pology

l V S C S w itching S tra te g y

l P ractical V S C T ransmission system

l Applications of V S C T ransmission

l Summary
 W hy V S C T ransmission

W hat is V S C

l V S C = V o lta g e S o urce (d) C o n v e rte r

l C a pacitor is norma lly use d a s e n e rgy storage

l V S C use s s e lf-commutated d e v ice such as G T O (G a te

Turn O ff Thyristor) or IGBT (Insulated G ate B ipo la r
T ransisto r)

l V S C g e n e ra te s its ow n v o ltage source w ith contro lled

amplitude a n d phase a n g le
 W hy V S C T ransmission

B a s ic structure of V S C

Udc
Uout
Uac

Uout
Uac
t
 W hy V S C T ransmission

P roble m s w ith Current Source Converter (CSC)

l N e e ds voltage source for commuta tion : cannot supply to

dead load

l P h a s e /amplitude change : C o m m u ta tion F a ilure

l R e activ e pow e r up to 50% transmitted pow e r : la rge

s w itched capacitor banks
 W hy V S C T ransmission

V S C S o lutions

l U s ing self-commuta ted device : no need of A C

source for commuta tion and no commuta tion
failure

l C a n supply to a dead load

l Independent activ e a n d re a ctiv e pow e r control

l F a s t re s ponse

l A t pre s e n t the capita l cost and losses are higher

than C S C , but fo r special application V S C can be
che a per than C S C
 P rinciple o f V S C T ransmission

Basic structure of V S C T ransmission system

Q1 P Q2
IC1

N e tw o rk
UC1 UC2 N e tw o rk
VSC VSC
1 2

Station 1 DC transmission Station 2

line
 P rinciple o f V S C T ransmission

Equivalent circuit o f one end of V S C T ransmission syste m

X
I

PCC Converter
V

Vac Vvsc

l V o lta g e drop across X d e te rmines active and reactive

pow e r flo w
 P rinciple o f V S C T ransmission

S p a c e v e c to r dia g ram

Im
I
Vvsc
Vvscsin
V Re
P= Vac
X
Vac
Vvsccos Vac
Q= Vac
X
*P Q are measured at PCC
l P is controlled by V vsc sin
l Q is contro lled by V vsc cos
 P rinciple o f V S C T ransmission

P Q diagram of V S C ope ration

At PCC side At converter side

Q (pu)
Q (pu)
1.0 1.0

P (pu) 1.0
-1.0 1.0 -1.0
P (pu)

-1.0 -1.0
 V S C T ransmission Topology

P o le topology -- arrangement o f commutation sw itche s

l T w o - le v e l

l Thre e -le v e l

l Multi-le v e l

C o n v e rte r topology -- combination of pole topology

l S ix-pulse

l T w e lv e -pulse

l n-pulse
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

T w o - le v e l

Vdc

eout Vdc

Vdc
Vdc

l T w o o u tput v o lta g e le v e ls -- +Vdc & -V dc

l E a ch sw itch ra te d a t full D C v o lta g e

 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

T w o - le v e l output voltage and harmonic spectrum

1
0.75
0.5
0.25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Harmonic order

l O utput volta g e e quiv a lent s w itching frequency: 1kHz

l Indiv idual sw itch average switching frequency: 1kHz

 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology
Thre e -le v e l diode-clamped converte r

Vdc
+ Vdc

eout

Vdc

Vdc

l Thre e o u tput v o lta g e le v e ls -- +Vdc, 0, -V d c

l E a ch sw itch ra te d a t half of the DC v o lta g e

 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

Thre e -le v e l output voltage and harmonic spectrum

0.75

0.5

0.25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Harmonic order
l O utput volta g e e quiv a lent s w itching frequency 1kHz

l Indiv idual sw itch average switching frequency 500Hz

 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

F iv e -le v e l diode-clamped converte r

Vdc +Vdc
2 Vdc 2

Vdc 2
Vdc
2 Vdc

Neutral
(mid-)
point
eout
l F iv e o u tput v o lta g e le v e ls:
Vdc +Vdc, Vdc/2, 0, - V dc/2, -
2
Vdc

l E a ch sw itch ra te d a t a
Vdc qua rte r of the D C v o lta g e
2
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

F iv e -le v e l output voltage and harmonic spectrum

1
0.75
0.5
0.25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Harmonic order

l O utput volta g e e quiv a lent s w itching frequency 1kHz

l Indiv idual sw itch average switching frequency 250Hz

 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

Thre e - le v e l flo a ting capacitor converter

+ Vdc

Vdc

Vdc
Vdcf
eout
Note:For the waveform shown:
Vdcf=Vdc
Vdc
eout = Vdc Vdcf = 0
eout = Vdc + Vdcf = 0
l Three output voltage le v e ls -- +Vdc, 0, -V dc

l E a ch sw itch rated at half of the DC v o lta g e

l S a me volta g e w a v e form as 3-le v e l diode clamped converte r

 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

F iv e -le v e l F loating capacitor converter

+Vdc
Vdc 2

Vdc 2
Vdc
Vdc
Note: For the output voltage waveform
Vdc 3 Vdc 2 Vdc1 shown: Vdc1=Vdc/2, Vdc2=Vdc,
eout Vdc3=3Vdc/2

eout = Vdc Vdc 3 = Vdc / 2

Vdc
eout = Vdc + Vdc 3 Vdc 2 = Vdc / 2

eout = Vdc + Vdc 2 Vdc1 = Vdc / 2

eout = Vdc + Vdc1 = Vdc / 2
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

F iv e -le v e l flo a ting capacito r converte r

l F iv e o u tput v o lta g e le v e ls: +Vdc, Vdc/2, 0, -Vdc/2, -

Vdc

l E a ch sw itch ra te d a t a quarte r of the D C v olta g e

l Thre e e x tra flo a ting D C capacito rs pe r ph a s e

l S a m e v o lta g e w a v e form as 5-level diode clamped

c o n v e rte r
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

C o m p a rison (1: diffe re n t le v e ls)

T w o - le v e l Thre e - le v e l Multile v e l

C a pita l cost Low medium high

V a lv e h a ll size small medium big

O utput w a v e form poor good v e ry good

quality

P o w e r loss high lo w v e ry low

 V S C T ransmission Topology:
P o le topology

C o m p a rison (2: diffe re n t topologie s )

T w o - le v e l D iode-clamped F loating capacitor

l simple c ircuitry l reasonably small dc l v a lv e s h a v e s a me

l small dc capacito r duty
Advantage

capacito r l small footprint l g o o d w a v e form

l small footprint l g o o d w a v e form l lowest po w e r loss
l v a lv e s h a v e
same duty

l la rge valv e l n e e d for ba lancing dc l la rge dc capacitor

Disadvantage

l high pow e r loss capacito r v o lta g e l la rge footprint

l poor w a v e form l la rge number of
additional diodes
l v a lv e s h a v e d iffe rent
dutie s
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
c o n v e rte r topology

S ix-puls e a rrangement
S ingle converter bridge (same as pole topology)

System bus 2-level

V dc
converter bridge
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
c o n v e rte r topology

H a rmonic spe c tra (6-puls e )

(sw itching frequency = A C fundamenta l frequency)

0.2

Harmonic spectrum
0.15
6-pulse
P.U. Amplitude

0.1

0.05

0 6n1
6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
c o n v e rte r topology

T w e lv e - puls e a rrangement
S e ries connection on DC side
6-pulse
converter bridge Vdc

System bus

6-pulse Vdc
converter bridge

P a ra lle l connection on D C side

6-pulse
converter bridge Vdc

System bus

6-pulse
converter bridge
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
c o n v e rte r topology
H a rmonic spectra (12-puls e )
(sw itching frequency = A C fundamenta l frequency)
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
c o n v e rte r topology
24-pulse a rrangement (1)
P a ra lle l connection on A C s ide and series connection on DC s ide

6-pulse
converter bridge Vdc

6-pulse Vdc
converter bridge
System bus

6-pulse
converter bridge Vdc

6-pulse Vdc
converter bridge
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
c o n v e rte r topology

24-puls e a rrangement (2)

S e ries connection on
A C side and paralle l
connection on D C side
 V S C T ransmission Topology:
c o n v e rte r topology
H a rmonic spectra (24-puls e )
(sw itching frequency = fundamenta l frequency)
 V S C T ransmission Topology

S e lection Topology for V S C transmission

l C a pita l cost

l C a pita lis e d loss

l H a rmonic pe rformance

l F o o tprint

l Comple x ity
 V S C S w itching stra te g y

V S C s w itching stra te g y

l Fundamenta l s w itching (sw itching frequency =

fundame n ta l frequency)

S u itable for multi-converte r configurations (for example

48-pulse converte r)

Not suitable for V S C T ransmission

l P u ls e W idth Modulation (PW M ) (s w itching frequency

> fundame n ta l frequency)

l C a rrie r based Sinusoidal PW M ( S P W M )

l S e lected Harmonic E limination Method (S H E M )

 V S C S w itching stra te g y : S P W M

S P W M w a v e form generation

Carrier signal

Modulation signal

PWM signal

l S inusoidal modulation signal compared with triangular carrier signal

l Inte rsection of the tw o s ignals dete rmines the PW M patte rn

 V S C S w itching stra te g y : S P W M

S P W M s y n the s is

l Fundamenta l output controlled by modulation signal

(phase and amplitude )

l H a rmonic frequencies are around th e s w itching

frequency and multiple s th e re o f

l O ther modulation signal such as sinusoidal with third

harmonic inje c tion can also be used
 V S C S w itching stra te g y : S H E M

S H E M w a v e form ge n e ration

0
/2 2

E
1 2 m m+1 2 m1 2m

l S e lected harmonics are eliminated by appropriately

s e lecting the s w itching angle s
l S w itching angle s a re c a lculated off-line
 P rinciple o f S H E M

S H E M a ngle calculation for 2-level V S C

l C o n tro l fundame n ta l compone n t

l E liminate selected harmonics

2 cos(1 ) 2 cos( 2 ) + L + 2( 1) m +1 cos( m ) 1 M

= Vdc
4

2 cos(51 ) 2 cos(5 2 ) + L + 2( 1) m +1
cos(5 m ) 1 =0

M =0

2 cos((3m 2)1 ) 2 cos((3m 2) 2 ) + L + 2( 1) m+1 cos((3m 2) m ) 1 =0

 P rinciple o f S H E M

S H E M a ngle for 2-le v e l V S C : 5 s w itchings per quarte r cycle

90
5
Switching angles

60 4

30
2
1
0
0 0.4 0.8 1.2
Modulation index M

E liminate 5th, 7th, 11th and 13th harmonics

 P rinciple o f S H E M

H a rmonic spectrum: 5 s w itchings per qua rte r cycle

1.0
.

0.8
Amplitude (pu)

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
1 5 7 1113 21 31 41 51
Harmonic order
 V S C S w itching stra te g y : S H E M

S H E M synthesis

l S w itching angle s calculated off-line

l E liminate selected harmonics

l S u itable for low switching frequency

ope ration

l Specia l a tte n tio n n e e ded during transie n t

condition
 V S C S w itching stra te g y

S e lection of sw itching stra te g y for V S C T ransmission

l P o w e r loss

l H a rmonic pe rformance

l Implementa tion

l C o n tro l issue : ste a dy-sta te & transie n t

conditions
 P ractical V S C T ransmission system

M a in pow e r components of V S C T ransmission system

AC side DC side
Network AC side
+Vdc
DC side
Network +Vdc
Transformer

VSC
Transformer

HF AC HF blocking
-Vdc

DC filter
VSC
filter filter

l C o n v e rte r v a lv e -- Large number of IG B T s c o n n e c ted in series

-Vdc
-- Dynamic v o ltage sharing, protection
HF AC HF blocking DC filter
l D C capacitor
filter -- P rovide energy storage and low impedance
filter
path

l D C filte r -- R e duce h a rmonic current on the DC side

-- R e duce fault current under DC line fault
 P ractical V S C T ransmission system

M a in pow e r components of V S C T ransmission system

AC side DC side
Network +Vdc

Transformer

VSC

-Vdc

HF AC HF blocking DC filter
filter filter

l H F blocking filte r -- P rotect the transformer from high dv/dt

-- Tuned at high frequency

l H F A C filte r -- R e duce s h a rmonics injected to the AC system

-- Typically at 10-20% o f the converte r ra ting

l T ransforme r -- P rovides isolation and voltage matching

-- P rovides the main part of the reactance
betw e e n A C system and V S C
 P ractical V S C T ransmission system

M a in de s ign conside rations

l S e lection of V S C topology, switching strategy

and sw itching frequency
l C a pita l cost e v a lua tion

l L o s s e v a luation

l H a rmonic issue

l C o n trol issue
 P ractical V S C T ransmission system

M a in de s ign conside rations

l F a u lt perfo rmance a nd P rotection

l C o n v e rte r faults

l A C F aults

l A C unde r/o v e r v o lta g e

l A C phase unbalance

l D C cable /lin e faults

l Insula tion co-ordination

l EMC
 Applications of V S C T ransmission

l T ransmit pow e r from W indfarm

l P rovide reactive power support for the generator

l Supply auxiliary power to the windfarm when the

turbine s a re n o t in operation

l F e e ding weak AC system

l R e activ e pow e r support/v o lta g e /frequency contro l

l No commutation failure

l F e e ding island load

 Applications of V S C T ransmission

A B B H V D C L ight schemes

l H e llsjon 3 M W , 10km, 10kV dc, 1997

l G otland 50MW , 70km, 80kVdc, 1999

l T jaereborg - 7M W , 4km, 9kVdc, 2000

l D irectlink 3x60MW , 65km, 80kVdc, 2000

l E a g le P a s s 36M W , B t B, 20kVdc? , 2000

l C ross Sound - 330MW , 40km, 150kV dc, May

2002

l MurrayLink - 200M W , 180km, 150kVdc, 2002

 V S C T ransmission

Summary
l V S C T ransmission uses self-commutated device such as G T O o r
IGBT and does not ne e d exte rnal ne tw o rk for commutation

l V S C T ransmission system can provide independent active and

re a ctiv e pow e r control

l S e lection of converte r topology and switching strate gy is the

result of overall system optimisation including the capital cost and
capitalised loss.

l P W M is normally used for controlling t h e V S C

l V S C T ransmission has higher power loss than conventional

H V D C due to the high loss of IGBT and high sw itching frequency
used. However, future d e v ice improv e ments w ill reduce the
pow e r loss and the cost.