EEE 4009-FACTS and HVDC

Prof Jahangir Hossain

 Module 2

• Objectives of shunt compensation

• Methods of controllable VAR generation

• STATIC VAR Compensator

• STATCOM
LCC HVDC Systems
 CONVERTER TRANSFORMERS

 Interface between the HVDC converter and the AC system and

provide several functions
 Galvanic isolation between the AC and DC systems
 Correct voltage to the converters
 Limit effects of steady state AC voltage change on converter operating
conditions
 Fault-limiting impedance
 30° phase shift required for twelve-pulse operation via star and delta
windings
 Equipped with on-load tap-changers in order to provide the correct
valve voltage
 tap changer will adjust to keep the delay angle α at a rectifier at its
desired normal operating range
 at the inverter, tap changer will adjust to maintain the inverter operation
at its desired level of DC voltage or extinction angle γ
 CONVERTER TRANSFORMERS
It is important that the converter transformer be thermally designed
to take into consideration both the fundamental frequency load and
the AC harmonic currents that will flow from the converter through the
converter transformer to the AC harmonic filters.
 DC SMOOTHING REACTOR

 Normally required for power transmission schemes; they are not

required for back-to-back schemes
 In general it is used to
 Reduce the DC current ripple on the overhead transmission line or cable
 Limitation of the DC fault currents
 Prevention of resonance in the DC circuit
 Protect the thyristor valve from fast front transients originating on the
DC transmission line (for example a lightning strike)
 DC smoothing reactor is normally a large air-cored air-insulated
reactor
 DC SWITCHGEAR
 Switchgear on the DC side of the converter is typically limited to
disconnectors-switches and earth switches for scheme
reconfiguration and safe maintenance operation
 DC FILTER

 Converter operation results in voltage harmonics being generated

at the DC terminals
 This AC harmonic component of voltage will result in AC harmonic
current flow in the DC circuit
 The field generated by this AC harmonic current flow can induce
harmonic current flow in open-wire telecommunication systems
 In a back-to-back scheme, these harmonics are contained within the
valve hall with adequate shielding
 With a cable scheme, the cable screen typically provides adequate
shielding
 With open-wire DC transmission it may be necessary to provide DC
filters to limit the amount of harmonic current flowing in the DC line
 VSC-CONVERTER STATION
 VSC converter consists of two level or multilevel converter, phase-
reactors and AC filters.
 VSC normally use the 6-pulse connection because the converter
produces much less harmonic distortion than LCC. 12-pulse
connection is unnecessary.
 CONVERTER REACTOR

 The converter reactor is one of the key components in VSC.

 It permits continuous and independent control of active and

reactive power.

 The main purposes of the converter reactor are

 to limit the short circuit current at the IGBT valves and

 to provide a low-pass filter of the PWM pattern

 The harmonic currents related to the switching frequency and

generated by the converter are blocked by the converter reactor.

 There is one converter reactor per phase.

 PWM MODULATION

 Up to now, implemented VSC converters have been based on two or

three-level technology which enables switching two or three
different voltage levels to the AC terminal of the converter.
 Converter voltage created by PWM is far from the desired voltage.
It needs AC filters to achieve an acceptable waveform.

Achieved voltage
Desired voltage
 MMC MODULATION

 Both, the size of voltage steps and the related voltage gradients
can be reduced or minimized if the AC voltage generated by the
converter can be selected in smaller increments than at two or
three levels only.
 The more steps that are used, the smaller is the proportion of
harmonics and the lower is the high-frequency noise.
 Converters with high number of steps are termed multilevel
converters.
 A new and different approach is Modular Multilevel Converter
(MMC) technology.
 MMC MODULATION

 MMC consists of six converter arms.

 Each of them comprises a high number of power modules (PM) and
one converter reactor connected in series.
 The power modules contain:
 IGBT half bridge as a switching element
 DC capacitor unit for energy storage
 MMC MODULATION

 It is possible to separately and selectively control each of the

individual power modules in all phase units.
 Two converter arms of each phase unit represent a controllable
voltage source.
 The total voltage of the two converter arms in each phase unit
equals the DC voltage.
 By adjusting the ratio of the converter arm voltages in one phase
unit, the desired sinusoidal voltage at the AC terminal is achieved.
 Back-to-Back HVDC Systems

 Mainly used as interconnections between adjacent asynchronous

networks which can not be synchronized

 They can also be used within a meshed grid in order to achieve a

defined power flow

 Used in Japan for interconnections between power system

networks of different frequencies (50 and 60 Hz)
 COMPARISON-LCC vs VSC
 Layout and Footprint of the
converter station.
 VSC converters are also considerably
more compact than line-commutated
converters (mainly because much less
harmonic filtering is needed) e.g.
600MW LCC converter station
requires about 14000 m2 whereas a
VSC HVDC needs only 3000m2. This
requirement is very important on
offshore platforms.
 Transformers
 The VSC controller allows the use of standard two-winding transformers
 This gives more flexibility to build and design the offshore station
 Harmonics
 LCC require harmonic filters, VSC only simple high‐pass filter for high
order harmonics
 LCC vs VSC
 VSC converters are self-commutating, not requiring an external
voltage source for its operation i.e. do not rely on synchronous
machines in the AC system for its operation.

 Therefore the Possibility of the converters starting with a dead grid,

not needing any start-up mechanism (“Black-start” capability).
They can feed power to an AC network consisting only of passive
loads, something which is impossible with LCC HVDC.

 In contrast to LCC HVDC converters, VSC converters maintain a

constant polarity of DC voltage and power reversal is achieved
instead by reversing the direction of current. This makes voltage-
source converters much easier to connect into a Multi-terminal
HVDC system.

 For the same reason XLPE (Cross-linked polyethylene) cables

cannot be used with HVDC LCC.
 LCC vs VSC
 Reactive power control and stability
 Improved voltage stability VSC controller can control the reactive power and
the voltage. Reactive power flow can be independently controlled at each AC
network and the reactive power control is independent of active power control
 This gives a serious advantage to the VSC technology in fault through
capability and black start capability.
 The reactive control for the classical technology is done by capacitor bank
(slow switching scheme), thus the flexibility is not good and a continuous
control can not be done.
 Voltage stability problems may also be experienced at the terminals of HVDC
links used for either long distance or back-to-back applications. They are
usually associated with the unfavorable reactive power “load” characteristics
of the converters.
 Transmission capacity
 HVDC LCC up to 6400 MW and Udc=±800kV=
 HVDC VSC up to 1100 MW and Udc=±300kV=
 LCC vs VSC
 HVDC Converter Development
 LCC vs VSC
LCC HVDC VSC HVDC
Size single range converter 150 - 1500MW 50 – 1100MW
Semiconductor technology Thyristor IGBT
DC voltage ±800kV ±320kV
Converter technology Line commutated Self commutated
Control of reactive power No, only switching regulation yes, continuous control
Voltage control Limited Extensive
Fault ride through No Yes
Black start capability No Yes
Power reversal without interruption No Yes
Minimum ESCR 2 No required
Minimum DC power flow 5-10% of rated power No minimum required
Typical losses per convertor 0,80 % 2%
Operating experience >20 years 8 years
Operating experience offshore No Yes
Construction time 3 (2)* years 1 year
 LCC vs VSC

Long distance Interconnections of

WPP connection Feed of isolated
transmission over asynchronous
to network loads
land/sea networks

LCC or CCC HVDC with

OHL/Cables √ √

CCC Converters in
Back-to-Back √

VSC converters in Back-

to-Back √ √

VSC Converters with

land/sea cables √ √ √ √
Objectives – Shunt Compensators
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UPFC CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

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