Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
Procedia
Engineering
Procedia Engineering 00 (2011)29000–000
Procedia Engineering (2012) 370 – 374
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

2012 International Workshop on Information and Electronics Engineering (IWIEE)

UHVDC Communication System

Rao Guo-huia,*, CUI Xiao-youa
a
XJ Group Co.Ltd,Xuchang 461000,China

Abstract

This paper describes detailedly the design and implementation of communication system for UHVDC(ultra high
voltage direct current), analyzes all kinds of communication for UHVDC .The communication structure for UHVDC
has been used in real project.The paper is guilding significance on the research , design and implementation for
communication system of UHVDC transmission project.

© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Harbin University
of Science and Technology Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Keywords: UHVDC;HVDC;Communication;Control BUS;Field BUS;LAN;Telecommunication;RCI;Telecommunication

1. Introduction

Ultra High voltage direct current (UHVDC) electric power transmission system uses direct current for
the bulk transmission of electrical power. They are less expensive,suffer lower electrical losses than
long-distance AC system or HVDC system.Many UHVDC project has been builded in the latest several
years in China. Yunnan-Guangdong Line ±800kV UHVDC Transmission Project, Xiangjiaba-Shanghai
±800 kV UHVDC Transmission Project have running in China.They are highest voltage UHVDC project
in the primary world . For the future,the higest voltage UHVDC project (1100kV or highest voltage) and
Multi-terminal UHVDC Systems will be builded. For all UHVDC projectes,the communication is very
important.It is also difficult in technology.
The UHVDC communication system is complicated system.the communication failture maybe cause
the stop of power trabsmission. the UHVDC communication system need a high reliability,fast transmit
speed network system.

*
Corresponding author. E-mail address:guohuir@sina.com

1877-7058 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.12.725
2 Rao Guo-hui
Rao and CUI
Guo-Hui,Cui Xiao-youProcedia
Xiao-you/ / Procedia Engineering
Engineering 00 29 (2012)
(2011) 370 – 374
000–000 371

The Fig.1 show the overview of UHVDC convert station communication.

According to the function and different kinds of communication,the UHVDC Control & Protection
systems may be divided into three level:
• SCADA Level
• Control Level
• Field Level

The UHVDC communication has many kind communication ,it comprise:

• LAN communication
• Field bus communication
• Control bus communication
• Telecommunication
• RCI communication

Fig. 1. Overview of UHVDC convert station communication.

2. LAN communication

The communication between the Control and Monitoring components in the converter stations is
managed via a Local Area Network (LAN). The LAN consists of the hardware to connect the systems, and
the software to control the communication. Based on the international (Fast) Ethernet Standard IEEE
802.3u the LAN communication provides fast and reliable communication for the control and monitoring
systems. The SCADA LAN has three LANs(LAN1,LAN2,LAN3).LAN1 and LAN2 constitute redundant
communication System. LAN1 is master channel ,LAN2 is standby channel.When LAN1 fail,LAN2 will
work.Only systems which directly related to HVDC control are connected to the redundant
communication system . The communication software of the connected systems (Pole Control
system,Station Control system,Pole protection system,Pole Group Control system, Pole Group protection
system, GPS system,HMI and Remote Control Interface) makes use of the redundant LAN
communication system. Functions for LAN communication supervi-sion and data transfer via both
redundant LANs are implemented. Other systems like printers and diagnostic tools are connected to
LAN3. Fig. 2 shows the overview structure of LAN system.
372 RaoRao Guo-hui and
Guo-Hui,Cui CUI Xiao-you
Xiao-you / Procedia
/ Procedia Engineering
Engineering 29000–000
00 (2011) (2012) 370 – 374 3

Fig. 2. Structure of LAN system.

3. Field BUS communication

Field Bus communication system provide the connection between I/O(Input/Output) units and Control
system.The control signals caming from Primary Equipment connect with I/O units. The Field Bus
communication software is implemented in the Pole, Pole Group Control and AC/DC Station Control
systems.
Field Bus specific functions comprise:
• Message transmission with the security of Hamming Distance HD=4
• Supervision with watch-dog timer in the slaves
• Data exchange via mixed media (electrical and optical transmission technologies)
• Automatic activation / deactivation of individual slaves, depending on slave availability
The different control system has one private redundant ring field bus communication network. The
field bus communication use redundant fiber optic ring communications network. The Control and
protection system of Yunnan-Guangdong line ±800kV UHVDC Transmission Project has not less than
nine ring field bus communication system.TABLE I show the primary field bus communication system and
the number of field bus communication system.

TABLE 1. Field BUS table

No. Control system name Number

1 Pole1 control system 1

2 Pole1 group 1control system 1

3 Pole1 group2control system 1

4 Pole2 control system 1

5 Pole2 group 1control system 1

6 Pole2 group2control system 1

7 AC station control system 1

8 DC station control system 2

4. Control BUS communication

The Control Bus is used as a point-to-point between Pole Control and Group Control and Protection
systems as well as between Pole control and DC Station Control via a dedicated optical bus system. This
redundant designed bus system is characterized by a very high transmission speed.
4 Rao Guo-hui
Rao and CUI
Guo-Hui,Cui Xiao-youProcedia
Xiao-you/ / Procedia Engineering
Engineering 00 29 (2012)
(2011) 370 – 374
000–000 373

For operating the Control Bus of Yunnan-Guangdong line ±800kV UHVDC Transmission Project, the
MFI card is necessary. On each MFI(Multi Function Interface) card totally 4 bidirectional Channels are
available.The max transmission of each channel is 255 x 16 Bits. The Control Bus data transfer is
monitored by the siemens TDC software. In case of fault detection (e.g. MFI cable damaged) a changeover
to the healthy system will be initiated. The connection between redundant Systems is made in a cross-over
configuration. The Fig.3(a) beneath shows the Control Bus redundancies sketch. The Fig.3(b) show the
YUNGUANG ±800kV UHVDC Suidong convert station control bus system.

Fig. 3. (a)Control Bus Redundancy sketch; (b)Control Bus overview for Suidong

5. Telecomunication

The UHVDC Telecommunication Systems transmit signals which are used for control,
protection,operation and monitoring of the UHVDC system.
It consists of:
• Exchange of pole data
• Exchange of station data
• Exchange of DC protection data
• Exchange of LFL data
The pole signals for control and protection purpose and the station data for control, operation and
monitoring purpose are transmitted redundantly via 2M interface.
All mentioned data channels are the standard G703.6.This interface is connected to the
telecommunication equipment of the owner.
The UHVDC Telecommunication System between the converter stations enables fault initiated
switching sequences and process data exchange, but the communication system is not necessary for
protecting the equipment from being overstressed.
Two different ways of signal and data exchange are present.
1. Pole Control and Protection Data
The pole assigned high speed control and protection signals are exchanged between the Pole Control
systems of both converter stations.The Pole control system and the pole protection system use different
data channels.The LFL(Line Fault Locator) systems of two convert station exchange GPS time by
telecommunication.
2. LAN Control and Monitoring Data
The high volume of pole and station assigned information is exchanged between the Station Control
System of each converter station via the LAN and the routers.
The Fig.4.(a) show the connection of Telecommunication between A station and B startion in UHVDC
project.

6. RCI communication

The RCI(Remote Control Interface) is the link between the Control & Protection systems in the
HVDC converter stations and the dispatch centre. Its main task is exchanging telecontrol information
374 RaoRao Guo-hui and
Guo-Hui,Cui CUI Xiao-you
Xiao-you / Procedia
/ Procedia Engineering
Engineering 29000–000
00 (2011) (2012) 370 – 374 5

between them.It get data coming from Control & Protection systems, then its send the data to many
control centers.On the other hand,It get command from control centers,then it send commands to
Control&Protection systems.
The RCI has two method for communication:
• Network connection(protocol IEC870-6 104)
• Modem connection by Telphone line(protocol IEC870-5 101)
The Fig.4(b) show the structure for RCI communication.

Fig. 4. (a)Telecommunication overview for UHVDC project ; (b) The structure of RCI communication

7. CONCLUSIONS

This article analyzes the communication of UHVDC transmission project and presents all kinds of
communication general structure and design principle.It ahs the guiding significance in UHVDC
Transmission Project.
The communication system has been used in Yunnan-Guangdong line ±800kV UHVDC Transmission
Project.It will be used in Nuozadu- Guangdong line ±800kV UHVDC Transmission Project.

References

[1]. LIU Li fang,The communication system of HVDC transmission network.Telecommunications For Electric Power
System,2002,(12)
[2]. SHI Yan,HAN Wei,ZHANG Min,WANG Qing A Preliminary Scheme fro Control and Protection System of UHVDC
Project.Power system Technology, 2007,31(2).
[3]. Control and protection equipment of high-voltage direct current(HVDC) transmission system-part 1:Operator control
system,GB/T 22390.1-2008
[4]. Zhang Zi-biao,Research and Development of HVDC Remote Control Interface,2010 3rd International Conference on
Computer and Electrical Engineering(ICCEE 2010)
[5]. JIN Wei-wei,ZHANG Zi-biao,RAO Guo-hui Design and implementation of UHVDC remote control interface. Power
System Protection and Control,2008,36(24)
[6].YUAN Qing-yun.Present State and Application Prospect of Ultra HVDC Transmission in China.Powet System
Technology,2005,29(14):1-3
[7]. ZHANG Rui,HUANG Li-jun,HUANG Hao-ran,CHEN Xi-feng Reaserch and implementation of SCADA in UHVDC.
Power System Protection and Control,2008,36(20)