HVDC TRANSMISSION USING VOLTAGE SOURCE

CONVERTERS (VSC)
ABSTRACT
Rapid developments in the field of power electronic devices with turn off
capability like insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) and gate turn off transistors
(GTO), makes the voltage source converters (VSC) getting more and more attractive
for High voltage direct current transmission (HVDC).This new innovative technology
provides substantial technical and economical advantages for direct applications
compared to conventional HVDC transmission systems based on thyristor technology.
VSC Application for HVDC systems of high power rating (up to 200MW) which are
currently in discussion for several projects are mentioned. The underlying technology of
VSC based HVDC systems, its Characteristics and the working principle of VSC based
HVDC system are also presented. This paper concludes with a brief set of guidelines for
choosing VSC based HVDC systems in today’s electricity system development.
INTRODUCTION
The development of power semiconductors, especially IGBT's has led to the
small power HVDC transmission based on Voltage Source Converters (VSCs). The VSC
based HVDC installations has several advantages compared to conventional HVDC such
as, independent control of active and reactive power, dynamic voltage support at the
converter bus for enhancing stability possibility to feed to weak AC systems or even
passive loads, reversal of power without changing the polarity of dc voltage
(advantageous in multi terminal dc systems) and no requirement of fast communication
between the two converter stations .Each converter station is composed of a VSC. The
amplitude and phase angle of the converter AC output voltage can be controlled
simultaneously to achieve rapid, independent control of active and reactive power in all
four quadrants. The control of both active and reactive power is bi-directional and
continuous across the operating range. For active power balance, one of the converters
operates on dc voltage control and other converter on active power control. When dc line
power is zero, the two converters can function as independent STATCOMs. Each VSC
has a minimum of three controllers for regulating active and reactive power outputs of
individual VSC.

VOLTAGE SOURCE CONVERTERS FOR HVDC

The world of converters may be divided in to two groups that are to be
distinguished by their operational principle.
One group needs an AC system to operate and called as line commutated
coverters.Conventional HVDC systems employ line commutated converters.
The second group of converters does not need an AC system to operate and is
therefore called as self commutated converters. Depending on the design of the DC
circuits this group can be further divided in to current source converters and voltage
source converters. A current source converter operates with a smooth DC current
provided by a reactor, while a VSC operates with a smooth DC voltage provided by
storage capacitor. Among the self commutated converters it is especially the VSC that
has big history in the lower power range for industrial drive applications.
Diagrammatic Representation of VSC-HVDC

BASIC WORKING PRINCIPLE

The basic function of a VSC is to convert the DC voltage of the capacitor into
AC voltages. Fig 2 illustrates the basic operating principle. The polarity of the DC
voltage of the converter is defined by the polarity of the diode rectifier. The IGBT can be
switched on at any time by appropriate gate voltages. However if one IGBT of a branch
is switched on, the other IGBT must have been switched off before to prevent a short
circuit of storage capacitor. Reliable storage converter inter lock function will preclude
unwanted switching IGBT. Alternating switching the IGBT’s of one phase module as
 shown successively connects the AC terminals of the VSC to the positive tapping and
negative tapping of the DC capacitor. This results in a stair stepped AC voltage
comprising two voltage levels +Vdc/2 and -Vdc/2. A VSC as shown is there fore called a
2 level converter.

The VSC based HVDC transmission system mainly consists of two converter stations connected by a
dc cable. Usually the magnitude of AC output voltage of converter is controlled by Pulse width
modulation (PWM) without changing the magnitude of DC voltage.

Due to switching frequency, that is considerably higher than the AC system power
frequency the wave shape of the converter AC current will be controlled to vary
sinusoidal. This is achieved by special Pulse Width Modulation. Besides the 2 level
converters, so called 3 level converters have been used for high power applications.
A three level VSC provides significant better performance regarding the
total harmonic voltage distortion (THD).However, the more complex converter layout
resulting in the larger footprint and higher investment costs makes 2 level technology the
preferred solution for HVDC from today’s point of view.

PULSE WIDTH MODULATION

A converter for interconnecting two electric networks to transmit electric power from one
network to the other, each network being coupled to a respective power generator station.
The converter, having an AC side and a DC side, includes a bridge of semiconductor
switches with gate turn-off capability coupled to a control system to produce a bridge
voltage waveform having a fundamental Fourier component at the frequency of the
electric network coupled to the AC side of the converter. The control system includes
three inputs for receiving reference signals allowing to control the frequency, the
amplitude and the phase angle of the fundamental Fourier component with respect to the
alternating voltage of the network coupled to the AC side of the converter. Through
appropriate feedback loops, the converter may be used to maintain at a predetermined
level the power flowing therethrough or to keep at a preset value the voltage across the
DC terminals of the converter and, in both cases, to maintain the frequency synchronism
between the fundamental Fourier component and the alternating voltage of the network
coupled to the DC side of the converter.

CHARACTERISTICS OF VSC-HVDC
The principal characteristic of VSC-HVDC transmission is its ability to
independently control the reactive and real power flow at each of the AC systems to
which it is connected, at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC). In contrast to line-
commutated HVDC transmission, the polarity of the DC link voltage remains the same
with the DC current being reversed to change the direction of power flow.

VSC-HVDC Transmission System Model

The 230 kV, 2000 MVA AC systems (AC system1 and AC system2 subsystems)
are modeled by damped L-R equivalents with an angle of 80 degrees at fundamental
frequency (50 Hz) and at the third harmonic. The VSC converters are three-level bridge
blocks using close to ideal switching device model of IGBT/diodes. The relative ease
with which the IGBT can be controlled and its suitability for high-frequency switching
has made this device the better choice over GTO and thyristors. Open the Station 1 and
Station 2 subsystems to see how they are built.

HARMONICS IN VOLTAGE SOURCE CONVERTERS (VSC)

Like all power electronic converters, VSC’s generate harmonic voltages and
currents in the AC and DC systems connected. In a simplified manner, from the AC
system, a VSC can be considered a harmonic current source connected in parallel to the
storage capacitor .This behavior is just opposite to those of conventional line commutated
converters.
Harmonics generated depends on
 the station topology (e.g. 6 pulse or 12 pulse)
 switching frequency of IGBT’S
 pulse pattern applied
Using 12 pulse configuration instead of 6 pulse will improve harmonic conditions both
on AC and DC side. Characteristic AC side harmonics will have the ordinal numbers
Vac =12n+1; n=1, 2………
Characteristic DC harmonics will have the ordinal numbers
Vdc=12n; n=1, 2………..
All harmonics will be cancelled out under ideal conditions.
Due to its inherent harmonic elimination capability, the harmonic interface of VSC
converter is rather small in comparison to the conventional line commutated
converters.However, harmonic filters might be necessary on the AC and DC sides
depending on the harmonic performance requirements both for AC and DC sides, AC
system harmonic impedance, DC line/cable impedance and loss evaluation.
VSC HVDC has the following advantages
 No need for short circuit power for commutation. Can even operate against black
Networks.
 Can operate without communication between stations.
 Can operate to control the power continuously in one direction.
 No change of Voltage polarity when the power direction is changed. This makes
easier to make multi-terminal schemes.
 Possibility to use robust and economically extruded cables for both land and sea.
 Small converters that reduce the requirement for space.
 VSC based HVDC does not add short circuit power, so there is a great freedom in
choice of topology and interconnection points.
 A substantial reduction in system losses, mainly due to the elimination of the
transformer and related equipment. Losses could be reduced by up to 25%.
 Other environmental benefit, e.g. the new motor is epoxy-free and therefore easy
to recycle.

APPLICATION’S OF HVDC TRANSMISSION USING VSC

HVDC Light is a recent technology that utilizes Voltage Source Converters
(VSC) rather than line commutated converters. HVDC Light offers advantages due to the
possibility to independently control both active and reactive power HVDC Light employs
Insulated Gate Bipolar transistors (IGBTs), plus other important technological
developments:
 -connected IGBTs
 -voltage dc capacitors


In the HVDC Light transmission schemes, the switching of the IGBT valves
follows a pulse width modulation (PWM) pattern. This switching control allows
simultaneous adjustment of the amplitude and phase angle of the converter AC output
voltage with constant dc, PWM pattern and the fundamental frequency voltage in a
Voltage Source Converter. With these two independent control variables, separate active
and reactive power control loops can be used for regulation. With these two independent
control variables, separate active and reactive power control loops can be used for
regulation.
MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HVDC LIGHT AND CONVENTIONAL
MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HVDC LIGHT AND CONVENTIONAL
CONCLUSIONS
In this paper, we have presented the analysis of High voltage DC transmission
using VSC, the number of advantages associated with implementing VSC-based designs
for HVDC applications that result in systems with high reliability and superior operating
performance; these benefits including economic, environmental or technical aspects. Of
particular note today is the ability to control power flow and prevent propagation of
severe disturbances, thus limiting blackout extension. This ability to maintain in
dependence of interconnected networks can be of prime importance when the two
systems have different regulatory procedures, notably if two counties, and also
technically if the load frequency control regimes are not compatible .These properties are
further enhanced by using HVDC Light which gives independent control of reactive
power at both stations, in addition to active power flow control.