Comparison between HVDC and EHVAC Transmission System

While comparing these two transmission lines we should consider the following:
• Economics aspects
• Technical Performance
1. Economic Aspects:
S. No. HVDC Transmission Lines HVAC Transmission Lines
For lines designed for same insulation It
can carry as much power with level, it can
It can carry as much power with three
1 carry more power with two conductors of
number of conductors
the same size. conductors (positive and
negative).
For a given power level, it requires less
For given Power level, the cost of the
2 right of way, cheaper towers, reduced
towers and conductors are high
conductor costs.
Cable Insulation strength is required
3 Cable insulation required is less more. Hence it consumes high cost on
the insulation factor.
The net power losses are reduced as the The power losses are very high as it has
4
decreased the number of conductor usage three number of conductors.
Due to the skin effect, power losses
HVDC does not have skin effect hence the increase, therefore the operation cost
5
net operation cost gets reduced. very increases as compared with
HVDC transmission lines.
6 Dielectric losses is less Dielectric losses is high
Corona loss and radio interference is less
Corona loss and radio interference is
compared to that of A.C. This leads to the
7 high and which causes high
choice of economic size of conductors for
Operational cost
D.C
DC does not require shunt compensation.
It is requiring shunt compensation
8 So In DC we do not want to install shunt
devices.
compensation devices.
Terminal equipment such as converters
9 Terminal equipment cost is low
inverters, filters cost is high
In AC No maintenance cost. Even We
10 HVDC requires High maintenance cost. do not want to touch our system for a
year.
DC Transmission systems are more
economical, if the transmitting distance is For transferring power to short
11 more than breakeven point. The breakeven distance, AC Transmission power has
point will be 500 to 600 KM depending on more advantages.
the PU Units
2. Technical Performance:
S. No. HVDC HVAC
But In AC transmission, the
transmitting power is depending on the
Full Control on Power Transmitted: DC voltage angle. Hence power carrying
does not affect by the distance of the capacity of the transmission line
1
transmission line. In DC we can send decreases after some distance. The
constant power over long distance. power transfer is limited by the
consideration of transient and steady
state stability.
Voltage control is very complicated in
AC transmission system due to line
charging and inductive voltage drops.
Voltage profile is flat due to surge
Voltage control: DC Converter station impedance loading. AC transmission
requires reactive power related to the line line needs reactive power control to
2
loading, the line itself does not require maintain the same voltage at receiving
reactive power control end. The reactive power compensation
is directly proportional to the length of
the transmission line; hence the long-
distance transmission lines need high
reactive power.
The fault current increases as the
Fault current: DC line allows the fault
3 number of interconnections of AC
current up to maximum rating of the line.
system increases.
DC Does not require any line AC System Needs reactive power
compensation devices because of the compensation components (shunt
4 Inductor and capacitor characteristics on reactor) in long transmission lines to
DC. Inductor act as short circuit and overcome line charging and stability
capacitor acts as open circuit on DC limitations.
Interconnection problem: In DC Two
systems are interconnected with different
Two system cannot be interconnected
5 frequencies. Synchronization of DC tie
with different frequencies.
lines, no need of co-ordinated control for
inter connection.
But In AC system, the ground offers
Ground Impedance: DC does not have any
high magnitude of impedance, hence
6 ground impedance; hence the ground can
the ground current cannot be permitted
be taken as current return path.
for steady state operation.
Fast control to limit the fault current in
DC: DC breakers in Two terminal DC
7 links are avoided. At the same time the Circuit Breaker is compulsory.
cost of DC circuit breakers are very high
as compared with AC circuit breaker.
Transformer is the heart of the AC
Transformer cannot be used to reduce the
8 power system. Which can be used to
voltage level
reduce the voltage level.