Introduction of MMC

Background
Due to increased demand in eletric power.The electric power companies
are going to generate power through renewable energy sources like
wind, solar,tidel etc. these types of generation required synchronous and
asynchronous interconnections. Due to recent invention like IGBTs and
thyristors, HVDC becomes more suitable solution for this kind of
connection. In HVDC MMC(Modular Multilevel converter) becomes
more important technology as compared to other converter topologies.
In MMC based HVDC systems have more advantages as transmission
of electric power over long distance, interconnection of offshore wind
power plants and interconnection of asynchronous AC system with best
performance than LCC(line commutated converter). In HVDC we can
make MTDC system by connecting multiple powersystem. MTDC
provide mesh between onshore and offshore power system. With such
type of connection reliability and flexibility of AC and DC sysytem
improved. Now, In MTDC system MMC is the basic building block .
In past years , MTDC system face many problrms as technical
issue , operational issue, control and protection problems but researcher
proposed new solution for such kind of problems , MMC is more
suitable for MTDC systems but some problems and technical issues are
still exist in MMC based MTDC grids. Now DC technology becomes b
the talk of town due to the invention of power electronic devices. In the
early 19th centuray AC system is dominent due to economical power
transmission overlong distances by AC transformers. First DC link
between the Gotland and the Swedish Mainlaind. This project was
designed by ABB. Nowadays more than 180 HVDC projects are in
operation.Nowadays debate not on the slection of ac or dc but
integration of both sysytem this can be done with MTDC systems.The
successful implementation of point-to-point HVDC suggests the concept
of a Super grid, which is most likely to be achieved via MTDC lines. It
provides the most cost-effective and efficient solution for
interconnecting multiple converter stations through the DC network.
Introduction to Modular Multi-Level Converter
(MMC)
The modular multilevel converter is an advanced version of voltage
source converters. It finds core application in medium and high-voltage
systems. Generally, MMC consists of an AC terminal, DC terminal, and
a three-phase converter circuit. Each phase of MMC contains two arms
known as the upper arm and lower arm. Each arm comprises series-
connected submodules and an inductor, which suppresses the high-
frequency component in an arm. The manufacturer of MMC are
Siemens, EPRI, ALSTOM and ABB . A three-phase schematic diagram
of MMC is shown in fig

Schematic Diagram of Three-Phase MMC

There are many power converter topologies like Line-commutated
converter (LCC), Voltage Source Converter (VSC) and Modular
Multilevel Converter (MMC), which is most important topology among
all. In 1940s, only LCC was used commercially. Before the 1970s, a
mercury arc valve was used in LCC, but after the 1970s, thyristor
technology was introduced in LCC. Previously, LCCs had higher
efficiency than VSC-MMC, but with development in power electronic
devices. MMC has been recognized as a fundamental building block for
high power and medium/high voltage applications . The modularity and
scalability features of MMC make it an attractive topology for HVDC
applications. In MMC, hundreds of converter cells such as Half-Bridge
and Full-Bridge cells are cascaded to achieve desired voltage ratings.

Topologies
A cell is the fundamental unit of the MMC converter. The MMC
consists of several series-connected cells, each of which contains several
submodules. The half-bridge cell is the simplest and most commonly
used type of cell in MMCs, and it can produce two-level output voltages.
One of the advantages of using half-bridge cells is that they are more
economical and compact compared to other types of cells because they
require fewer switches. However, half-bridge cells have a drawback in
that they cannot block DC pole to pole short circuit faults. This means
that an MMC based on half-bridge cells needs to have a protection
mechanism to prevent DC short circuit faults. To address this issue,
researchers have proposed variants of half-bridge submodules that can
block DC pole to pole short circuit faults. These variants include
modified submodules that use additional switches or capacitors to create
more protection against short circuits. These modified submodules can
be used in half-bridge-based MMCs to enhance their safety and
reliability. A clamp-double submodule (CDSM) and Full-bridge
submodule can produce three levels of output voltage, but they have
drawbacks such as increased number of switches, switching losses, and
cost.
Another type of submodule, called a five-level cross-connected
submodule, can produce five levels of output voltage, but they have a
drawback of high power losses due to the additional switches
required.To address these issues, researchers have proposed the use of
Three-level Neutral Point Clamped and Three-Level Flying Capacitor
submodule configurations, which can produce three levels of output
voltage with lower switching losses and cost. However, these
configurations do not provide DC short circuit fault ride-through
capability, meaning they still require protection mechanisms against
short circuits.
A summary of various submodule topologies is given in Table

Sub-Module Configurations: (a) Half-Bridge (b) Clamp-Double

Submodule (c) Full-bridge Structure (d) Five Level Cross-Connected
SM Circuit Voltage Levels DC Short Circuit Power Losses
Fault Ride through
Capability
Half bridge two no Low
Full bridge three yes High
Five-level cross- five yes Moderate
connected
Clamp-double three yes Moderate
Three-level three no Moderate
neutral point
clamped
Three level three no Low
flying capacitor

Comparison of Different Sub-module Configurations

Modelling Aproaches
Modelling approaches used for MMC are seven types.The first type is
Detailed Switch Modelling (DSM). DSM modelling considered most
accurate and taken as reference modelling for other but it’s have some
issue like more computational burden and slow simulation speed.Most
simplified and efficient models are prefered by researchers.
Full physics-based model is type 1and it’s not good for MTDC due to
many drwabacks as increased computational burden. Full Detailed
model is type 2, this type is not used for calculating switch
losses.Detailed Ideal Model (DIM) is type 3, this model is have one
benefits as compared to type 2 is simple switchable resistance and have
less simulation times. The Nodal admittancesolution method on EMT is
used by thse three models. For internal submodule fault studies type 2
and type 3 model are used ,they are also used as a reference model to
valiadate the other models . Detailed equivalent circuit models
(ECM) ,this model is used for research purpose due to many benefits
like less computational burden and fast simulation speed as compared to
other models that is discussed above. The other model is proposed base
on this approaches is Thevenin Equivalent Model (EIM). The model is
good for hardware loop is type four due to reducing the coputational
burden but the accuracy is less as compared to other models . Switching
functional model (SFM) is good for researcher this model is good for
hardware in loop simulation. There is two type of model is good for
system level studies is ISM SFM . Average value model (AVM) and
simplified AVM model are type 5 and type 6 , these models have good
simulation speed and reduced computational burden as compared to
other models. Summary of different modelling techniques is in table

Table 1-2 summary of Modelling Techniques

Model Semiconductor Solver Application
represenation
Detailed ideal model Bi-value resistors Nodal admittance External and internal
(DIM) fault studies, control
and protection system
design
Detailed Model Full physics Full physics EMC studies and
component optimization
Thevenin equivalent Bi-value resistors Algebraic operations for External fault studies,
model (EIM) individual submodule control and protection
operation system design, Parallel
computation
Isolated submodule Bi-value resistors Nodal admittance External and internal
model (ISM) fault studies, control
and protection system
design
Switching function Switching functions (0 Algebraic operations for External fault studies,
model (SFM) and 1) individual submodule control and protection
operation system design and real-
time simulation analysis
Average model (AVM) Switching harmonics Algebraic operations Protective relays and
with a single AEM stability analysis

Modulation Method
Desired output voltage for an MMC are genrated by a technique called
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). The modulation technique are
classified into three types based on switching frequencies i.e. Low
switching, High switching and fundamental switching frequencies.
Smaller numbr of submodule are used in high frequencies for an
MMC.Many number of submodule are used in low frequency techniques
for an MMC. Due to increase with the switching frequencies the losses
inside the semiconductor increases. HSF-PWM technique for MMC is a
carrier-based PWM tecniquee. By comparing the reference signal with
different carrier waveform the gate signals are genrated. Phase –shifted
carrier-based (PSC-PWM) and Level-shifted carrier-based(LSC-PWM)
techinques are the types of carrier-based PWM techniques. The LSF-
PWM method have two tecniques one is The space vector modulation
(SVM) and the other is sampled average modulation (SAM). For two-
level converter SVM provides robust performance and have superior DC
link voltage and reduced harmonics. By this modulation method overall
complexity and computational burden are increased in MMC.
Simple to implement method for an MMC is SVM and
SAM because they provides with any number of submodule and with
reduced computational burden. Fundamental switching frequency (FSM-
NLM) modulation method are the Nearest level Modulation (NLM) and
Selective harmonic elimination (SHE). For operating at high voltage
levels of MMC then NLM is the most common method. This model
applied in many physical projects based on MMC due to many
advantages like simplicity, reduced computational burden, advanced
capacitor voltage balancing algorithm and reduced total harmonic
distortion. For a high performance of output voltages a Selective
harmonic elimination method are preferd but this method due to heavy
computational burden is difficult to implement.
A PWM modulation techniques is provided in table

Modulation Switching Performance Complexity No.of

Method frequency Submodules

PSC >2000 Hertz High High Small/Large

LSC >2000 Hertz Medium Medium Small/Large

SVM 100 Hertz to High High Small

2000 hertz
NLM 100 Hertz to Low Low Small/Large
2000 hertz
SAM 50 Hertz Low Low Large

SHE 50 Hertz High High Small

Feature of MMC
Following advantages offered by the MMC as compared to LCC
1: Commutation failure problems are eleiminated.
2: Active and reactive power are independentally controled.
3: Ability of genrating or absorbing of reactive power.
4: The chances of connectivity of offshore wind power plants are
increased.
5: THD and power quality are improved.
6: Filter requirements are eliminates.
7: The option of black start capability are available.
8: It have high fault blocking capability and fault ride-through
capability.
9: It require less space and less weight as compared to LCC.
10: Power flow reversal option are available.
11: To meet high voltage requirements it have high modularity and
scalability, high efficiency and reduced dv/dt stress.