A Seminar report on

An Innovative Modular Multilevel Converter

Topology for HVDC Applications
submitted to

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY ANANTAPUR, ANANTAPUR

in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the award of the degree of

BACH ELO R O F T ECH N O LO G Y

in

ELECT RI CAL AN D ELECT RO N I CS EN G I N EERI N G

submitted by
HARINATH BABU ADDANKI
(07121A0244)

Under the esteemed guidance of

Mr. T. KOSALESWARA REDDY, M. Tech.,

Assistant professor

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

(Autonomous)
SREE SAINATH NAGAR, A.RANGAMPET, TIRUPATHI-517102.
(2007-2011)
 (Autonomous)
SREE SAINATH NAGAR, A.RANGAMPET, TIRUPATHI-517102.
(2007-2011)
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the seminar entitled

An Innovative Modular Multilevel Converter
Topology for HVDC Applications
is the bonafide work done
by
HARINATH BABU ADDANKI
(07121A0244)

submitted to Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Ananthapur,

Ananthapur in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of B.tech degree in
Electrical & Electronics Engineering. This work has been carried out
under my guidance
HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT: GUIDE:

Prof. P. UMAPATHI REDDY, M. Tech., (Ph.D.) Mr. KOSALESHWARA REDDY, M. Tech.,

Head of the Department, Assistant Professor,
Dept. of E.E.E, Dept. of E.E.E,
S.V.E.C., A.Rangampet, S.V.E.C., A.Rangampet,

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I feel great pleasure in submitting the seminar report titled AN INNOVATIVE

MODULAR MULTILEVEL CONVERTER TOPOLOGY FOR HVDC APPLICATIONS as a part
of technical seminar report.

I profusely thank Mr. T. KOSALESWARA REDDY, M. Tech., Assistant Professor,

Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, for his encouragement and eminent
guidance during progression of my seminar work and for giving his valuable suggestions and
constant encouragement.

I express my gratitude and esteemed regards to our H.O.D Prof. P.UMAPATHI REDDY,
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, for providing me invaluable gratitude and
inspiration in carrying out my seminar study. His constant support and encouragement enabled
me to complete this work successfully.

I convey my sincere thanks to my beloved parents and our faculty and principal
SRI.P.C.KRISHNAMACHARI who helped me directly or indirectly & all those involved in
making this seminar a success.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to specially thank our parents for their kind
help, encouragement and moral support. Last but not the least we would like to thank all friends
who extended their help either directly or indirectly in our seminar report work.

HARINATH BABU ADDANKI

(07121A0244)
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the seminar entitled AN INNOVATIVE MODULAR MULTILEVEL

CONVERTER TOPOLOGY FOR HVDC APPLICATIONS is carried by me and is an original
work submitted by me to the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, S.V.E.C,
Tirupati. And I have not submitted the same to any other University or Institute for the awards
of any Degree.

HARINATH BABU ADDANKI

(07121A0244)
 ABSTRACT

New challenges arise in the field of electrical power transmission and distribution
systems due to changing technical, economical and ecological conditions of the establishment
of such systems. On the one hand, the technical requirements are rising due to an increasing
demand of electrical power, more concentrated load centers such as megacities, a higher
generation of renewable energy such as hydro energy as well as off shore wind farms. On the
other hand different and higher requirements regarding the approval for building new lines or
new stations and for refurbishing existing systems constitute constraints that have to be
considered. Especially the interest in the environmental impact of new systems becomes
increasingly important. The global trend to decentralized power generation and the
deregulation of energy markets are increasing the importance of advanced power electronic
systems.

Innovative solutions by utilization of HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) and

FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) have the potential to overcome the new
challenges. Line commutated systems with thyristors were the first choice for such systems in
the last decades and will still be the first choice for many applications in the future such as
bulk power HVDC transmission. New power electronic technologies with self-commutated
converters provide additional and advanced technical features. In many applications, the VSC
(Voltage-Sourced Converter) has become a standard of self-commutated converters and will
be increasingly used in transmission and distribution systems in the future. This kind of
converters utilizes power semiconductors with turn-off capability like IGBTs (Insulated Gate
Bipolar Transistor).

So far, the VSC for HVDC and FACTS applications uses mostly 2 or 3-level
converters. However, it is a well known fact that multilevel VSCs provide significantly more
advantages with respect to the performance and harmonic impacts. These new types of
converters are suitable for high voltage and high power application due to their ability to
synthesize waveforms with better harmonic spectrum. This paper gives an insight into a
particular new type of multilevel converter technology is referred to as MMC (Modular
Multilevel Converter) this innovative topology; the principles of its functioning are explained
in detail and information on the results of simulation is provided.
 INDEX

CHAPTER TOPIC PAGE NUMBER

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1.History 01

1.2.Advantages of HVDC over AC transmission 02

2. HVDC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

2.1.Principal of Operation 03

2.2.HVDC Configurations

2.2.1.MONOPOLAR HVDC transmission system 04

2.2.2.BIPOLAR HVDC transmission system

2.2.3.HOMOPOLAR HVDC transmission system 05

2.2.4.BACK TO BACK coupling system

2.3.Applications of DC transmission 06

3. HVDC STATIONS

3.1.Types of HVDC stations 07

3.2.HVDC CLASSIC

3.2.1.Disadvantages

4. HVDC LIGHT

4.1.HVDC LIGHT Technology 09

4.2.Comparision of CSC and VSC 11

4.3.Voltage Source Converters(VSC)

4.3.1.Advantages of VSC 13

4.4.Technical Benefits

5. HVDC PLUS

5.1.HVDC PLUS Technology 14

5.2.Technology Benefits

5.2.1.Economical aspects 15
 5.3.Features of HVDC PLUS

5.4.Modular Multilevel Converter(MMC) 16

5.4.1.Four Quadrant operation 20

5.5.Benefits of MMC Technology

5.6.Applications 21

6. CASE STUDY 22

7. CONCLUSIONS 25

8. REFERENCES 26
 FIGURES

FIGURE NUMBER FIGURE NAME PAGE NUMBER

2.1 HVDC Transmission System 03

2.2.1 HVDC Monopolar Transmission System 04

2.2.2 HVDC Bipolar Transmission System 04

2.2.3 Homopolar HVDC Transmission System 05

2.2.4 Back to Back HVDC Coupling System 06

3.2 HVDC CLASSIC Transmission system 08

4.1.1 HVDC LIGHT Station 09

4.1.2 Current Source Converter 10

4.1.3 Voltage Source Converter 10

4.3.1 Voltage Source Converter (VSC) 12

5.4.1 Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) 17

5.4.2 Different states of Sub-modules 19

5.4.1.1 Four Quadrant Operation 20

6.1 Transbay Cable 22

6.2 Steady State Waveforms 23

6.3 Dynamic Response Waveforms 24

TABLES

Table number Table name Page number

4.2.1. Comparison of CSC and VSC 11