HVDC TRANSMISSION USING VOLTAGE SOURCE

CONVERTERS (VSC)
M.KISHAN (07EK1AO219)
Abdul Kalam Institute of Technological Sciences
Vepalagadda, Kothagudem

ABSTRACT converter bus for enhancing stability

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

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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
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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.
 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
Due to switching frequency, that is
signals allowing to control the frequency,
considerably higher than the AC system
the amplitude and the phase angle of the
power frequency the wave shape of the
fundamental Fourier component with respect
converter AC current will be controlled to
to the alternating voltage of the network
vary sinusoidal. This is achieved by special
coupled to the AC side of the converter.
Pulse Width Modulation. Besides the 2
Through appropriate feedback loops, the
level converters, so called 3 level converters
converter may be used to maintain at a
have been used for high power applications.
predetermined level the power flowing there
A three level VSC provides
through or to keep at a preset value the
significant better performance regarding the
voltage across the DC terminals of the
total harmonic voltage distortion
converter and, in both cases, to maintain the
(THD).However, the more complex
frequency synchronism between the
converter layout resulting in the larger
fundamental Fourier component and the
footprint and higher investment costs makes
alternating voltage of the network coupled to
2 level technology the preferred solution for
the DC side of the converter.
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

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 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

CHARACTERISTICS OF VSC-HVDC GTO and thyristors. Open the Station 1 and

The principal characteristic of VSC- Station 2 subsystems to see how they are

HVDC transmission is its ability to built.

independently control the reactive and real HARMONICS IN VOLTAGE SOURCE

power flow at each of the AC systems to CONVERTERS (VSC)

which it is connected, at the Point of Like all power electronic converters,

Common Coupling (PCC). In contrast to VSC’s generate harmonic voltages and

line-commutated HVDC transmission, the currents in the AC and DC systems

polarity of the DC link voltage remains the connected. In a simplified manner, from the

same with the DC current being reversed to AC system, a VSC can be considered a

change the direction of power flow. harmonic current source connected in

VSC-HVDC Transmission System Model 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
The 230 kV, 2000 MVA AC systems
pulse will improve harmonic conditions both
(AC system1 and AC system2 subsystems)
are modeled by damped L-R equivalents

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on AC and DC side. Characteristic AC side  Possibility to use robust and
harmonics will have the ordinal numbers economically extruded cables for
Vac =12n+1; n=1, 2……… both land and sea.
Characteristic DC harmonics will have  Small converters that reduce the
the ordinal numbers requirement for space.
Vdc=12n; n=1, 2………..
All harmonics will be cancelled out  VSC based HVDC does not add
under ideal conditions. short circuit power, so there is a
Due to its inherent harmonic elimination great freedom in choice of topology
capability, the harmonic interface of VSC and interconnection points.
converter is rather small in comparison to  A substantial reduction in system
the conventional line commutated losses, mainly due to the elimination
converters.However, harmonic filters might of the transformer and related
be necessary on the AC and DC sides equipment. Losses could be reduced
depending on the harmonic performance by up to 25%.
requirements both for AC and DC sides, AC  Other environmental benefit, e.g. the
system harmonic impedance, DC line/cable new motor is epoxy-free and
impedance and loss evaluation therefore easy to recycle.
VSC HVDC has the following advantages APPLICATION’S OF HVDC
 No need for short circuit power for TRANSMISSION USING VSC
commutation. Can even operate HVDC Light is a recent technology
against black Networks. that utilizes Voltage Source Converters
 Can operate without communication (VSC) rather than line commutated
between stations. converters. HVDC Light offers advantages
 Can operate to control the power due to the possibility to independently
continuously in one direction. control both active and reactive power
 No change of Voltage polarity when HVDC Light employs Insulated Gate
the power direction is changed. This Bipolar transistors (IGBTs), plus other
makes easier to make multi-terminal important technological developments:
schemes.

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  High voltage valves with series-
connected IGBTs
 Compact, dry, high-voltage dc
capacitors
 High capacity control system
 Solid dielectric DC cable
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

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