BASIC CONCEPTS OF HVDC

TRANSMISSION

Presented by
Dr. Chandan Kumar Shiva
Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
 Topics to be covered
• Evaluation of HVDC system
• Need of HVDC system
• Comparison between HVDC and HVAC
transmission
• Components of HVDC Transmission systems
• Application, limitation, Advantage and
disadvantage of HVDC transmission
• Types of HVDC Transmission systems
• Planning and modern trends in HVDC transmission.
Evaluation of HVDC system
 Late 1870: Commercial use of electricity
 1882: First electric power system (Gen., cable, fuse load)
Thomas Edition at pearl Street Station in NY, DC System, 59
customer 1.5 KM in radius. 110 V load, Underground cables,
incandescent lamp
 1884: Motor is developed by frank sprague
 1886: limitation of DC become apparent
High loss and high voltage drop
Transformation of voltage required
 Transformers and AC distribution (150 lamps) developed by
William stanley of Westinghouse
 1889- First AC transmission system in USA between Willamatte
Falls and Portland, Cregon 1 phase, 4000 V, length-21 Km
Evaluation of HVDC system
1888: N Tesla developed polyphase system and has
patent of generator, motors, transformer,
transmission lines
Westinghouse bought it.
1890: Controversy on whether industry should
follow AC or DC. Edison advocated DC and
Westinghouse AC.
1893: First 3-Phase system line, 2300 V, 12 KM in
California AC was chosen at Niagara Falls (30 KM)
Evaluation of HVDC system
Early Voltage (Highest)
1922-165 KV
1923-220 KV
1935-287 KV
1965-330 KV
1966-500 KV
1966-735 KV
1969-765 KV
1990-1100 KV
Standard are 115, 136, 161, 230- HV
345, 500 765 KV- EHV
Earlier Frequency were
25, 50, 60, 125, and 133 HZ,
USA-60 Hz and other countries: 50 Hz
Evaluation of HVDC system
High-voltage AC transmission links have disadvantages, which
may compel a change to DC technology:

■■ Inductive and capacitive elements of overhead lines and cables put limits to
the transmission capacity and the transmission distance of AC transmission
links.
■■ This limitation is of particular significance for cables. Depending on the
required transmission capacity, the system frequency and the loss evaluation,
the achievable transmission distance for an AC cable will be in the range of 40
to 100 km. It will mainly be limited by the charging current.
■■ Direct connection between two AC systems with different frequencies is not
possible.
■■ Direct connection between two AC systems with the same frequency or a
new connection within a meshed grid may be impossible because of system
instability, too high short-circuit levels or undesirable power flow scenarios.
 Need for HVDC System

• Stability
• Reactive power
• Ferranti Effect
• Power control facility

These are the 4 major reasons for people are started

thinking to go for the DC transmission systems.
 Limitations of HVAC system
• Reactive Power Loss
• Stability
• Current carrying capacity
• Skin and Ferranti effect
• Power flow control is not possible
Advantages of HVDC Transmission
• No reactive power loss
• No stability problem
• No charging current
• No skin and Ferranti effect
• Power control is possible
Minor advantages
• Require less space compared to AC for same
voltage rating and size.
• Ground can be used as return conductor
• Less corona and radio inference
Advantages of HVDC Transmission
• Cheaper for long distance transmission
• Asynchronous operation possible
• No Switching transient
• No transmission of short circuit power
• No Compensation problem
• Low short circuit current
• Fast Fault clearing time
 Disadvantages of HVDC Transmission
• Cost of terminal equipment's is high
• Difficulty of breaking DC currents which results in high
cost of DC breakers.
• Introduction of harmonics
• Blocking of reactive power
• Point-to-point transmission
• Limited overload capacity
• Instability to use transformer to change voltage levels.
• Complexity to control
• High reactive power requirement at the converter
terminals.
 HVDC BIPOLAR LINKS IN INDIA

NER
NER
NR
NR

ER
ER
RIHAND-DELHI -- 2*750 MW

CHANDRAPUR-PADGE – 2* 750 MW

TALCHER-KOLAR – 2*1000 MW
ER TO SR SR
SR
SILERU-BARASORE - 100 MW
EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT
ER –SR
 HVDC BIPOLAR LINKS IN INDIA

RIHAND-DELHI -- 2*750 MW

CHANDRAPUR-PADGE – 2* 750 MW

TALCHER-KOLAR – 2*1000 MW
ER TO SR
SILERU-BARASORE - 100 MW
EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT
ER –SR
 HVDC In INDIA Bipolar
HVDC LINK CONNECTING CAPACITY LINE
REGION (MW) LENGTH

Rihand – Dadri North-North 1500 815

Chandrapur - West - West 1500 752

Padghe
Talcher – Kolar East – South 2500 1367
 ASYNCHRONOUS LINKS IN INDIA

NER
NER
NR
NR

ER
ER

VINDYACHAL (N-W) – 2*250 MW

SR
SR
CHANDRAPUR (W-S)– 2*500 MW

VIZAG (E-S) - 2*500 MW

SASARAM (E-N) - 1*500 MW

 HVDC IN INDIA
Back-to-Back
HVDC LINK CONNECTING CAPACITY
REGION (MW)

Vindyachal North – West 2 x 250

Chandrapur West – South 2 x 500
Vizag – I East – South 500
Sasaram East – North 500
Vizag – II East – South 500
 Important Milestones in the Development of
HVDC technology
 Hewitt´s mercury-vapour rectifier, which appeared in 1901.
 Experiments with thyratrons in America and mercury arc valves in
Europe before 1940.
 First commercial HVDC transmission, Gotland 1 in Sweden in 1954.
 First solid state semiconductor valves in 1970.
 First microcomputer based control equipment for HVDC in 1979.
 Highest DC transmission voltage (+/- 600 kV) in Itaipú, Brazil, 1984.
 First active DC filters for outstanding filtering performance in 1994.
 First Capacitor Commutated Converter (CCC) in Argentina-Brazil
interconnection, 1998
 First Voltage Source Converter for transmission in Gotland, Sweden ,
1999
 The Evolution of Thyristor Valves in HVDC

High Voltage Thyristor Valve History Highlights

1967 First Test Valve: 2 parallel 35 mm Thyristors @ 1650 V
1969 World's First Contract for an HVDC System with Thyristor Valves
2 parallel 35 mm thyristors @ 1650 V for 2000 A
1975 World's First Contract for Watercooled HVDC Thyristor Valves
2 parallel 52 mm thyristors @ 3500 V for 2000 A
1980 World's First Contract for HVDC System with 100 mm Thyristors
no parallel thyristors @ 4200 V for 3600 A
1994 First HVDC Contract Using 8kV Thyristors 100 mm thyristors @ 8000 V
1997 First Thyristor Valve with Direct-Light-Triggering
100 mm thyristors with breakover protection @ 8000 V for 2000 A
2001 First complete HVDC System using Direct-Light-Triggered
Thyristors with integrated breakover protection @ 8000 V
 Purpose & function of Thyristor Valve
 Connects AC phases to DC system
 Conduct High Current – currents upto 3000A without
the requirement of paralleling of thyristors
 Block High Voltage – Blocks high voltage in forward
and reverse direction up to 8KV
 Controllable – thyristor triggering /conduction
possible with the gate firing circuits
 Fault tolerant and robust
 REASONS FOR AC GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION
Due to ease of transformation of voltage levels (simple transformer
action) and rugged squirrel cage motors, ALTERNATING
CURRENT is universally utilised.—Both for GENERATION and
LOADS and hence for TRANSMISSION.
Generators are at remote places, away from the populated areas
i.e. the load centers
They are either PIT HEAD THERMAL or HYDEL
Turbines drive synchronous generators giving an output at 15-25
kV.
Voltage is boosted up to 220 or 400 KV by step-up transformers for
transmission to LOADS.
To reach the loads at homes/industry at required
safe levels, transformers step down voltage.
COMPARISION OF HVAC & HVDC SYSTEMS

 Conventionally power transmission is effected through

HVAC systems all over the world.
 HVAC transmission is having sever limitations like line
length , uncontrolled power flow, over/low voltages during
lightly / over loaded conditions, stability problems, fault
isolation etc
 Considering the disadvantages of HVAC system and the
advantages of hvdc transmission , powergrid has choosen
HVDC transmission for transferring 2000 mw from SE to RE
 Comparison between HVDC and HVAC
transmission

• Three ways of comparison

– Economic comparison
– Technical performance
– Reliability
Economic comparison:
• Cost comparison:
– Investment cost
• Right of way
• Transmission towers
• Conductors
• Insulators
• Terminal equipment
• Cost of compensation
• For transmission lines with the same insulation level, a DC line
can carry as much power with two conductors as AC line with
3 conductors of the same size.
– this implies for a given power level, DC line requires less
RoW, simpler and cheaper towers and reduced conductor
and insulator costs.
• Operational cost: cost of losses
– Skin effect
– Dielectric losses
– Corona effects
– Power losses
Cost vs distance of transmission
• Break even distance(d):
“The curve of AC transmission intersects with that
of DC transmission”
• d is different for each project due to variations
in local conditions & cost of imported
equipment.
– Overhead lines: 500-800 km
– Underground cables: 25-50km
– Submarine cables: 50-100km
HVDC: USE less current
• Direct current : Roll along the line
; opposing force friction
(electrical resistance )
• AC current will struggle against
inertia in the line (100times/sec)-
cuurent inertia –inductance-
reactive power
Better Voltage utilisation rating
 DC has Greater Reach
• Distance as well as
amount of POWER
determine the choice of
DC over AC
 DC

The alternating current in a cable ”leaks” current (charging

movements) in the same manner as a pulsating pressure
would be evened out in an elastic tube.
 DIRECT CURRENT CONSERVES FOREST AND SAVES
LAND

• Fewer support TOWER, less losses

CONTROLLING or BEING CONTROLLED

• By raising the level in tank ;controlled water flow

CONTROLLING or BEING CONTROLLED

• ZERO IF Vr=VI=10V
 HVDC leads to Better Use of AC
Transmission System

• Force has to be applied in right position

HVDC provides increase power
but does not increase the short
circuit POWER
 HVDC leads to better use of AC
• HVDC and HVAC should
co-operate for optimum
efficiency
 HVDC leads to better use of AC
• If two networks are connected by an AC link, it can
be in-efficient
Advantages of HVDC over HVAC transmission

 Controlled power flow is possible very precisely

 Asynchronous operation possible between regions
having different electrical parameters
 No restriction on line length as no reactance in DC lines
 Stabilising HVAC systems -dampening of power swings
and sub synchronous frequencies of generator.
 Faults in one AC system will not effect the other AC
system.
 Cable transmission
ADVANTAGES OF HVDC OVER HVAC TRANSMISSION

Cheaper than HVAC system due to less transmission lines & less right of way
for the same amount of power transmission
COST: AC vs DC Transmission

Line Cost AC

Line Cost DC

Terminal Cost DC

Terminal Cost AC

Break Even Distance

2000 MW HVDC VIS- A- VIS – HVAC SYSTEMS

HVDC BIPOLAR TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

2 DOUBLE CIRCUIT HVAC TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS

AC
DC
DC
Technical comparison:
• HVDC trans. has some positive features which
are lacking in AC transmission. These are
mainly due to the fast controllability of power
in DC lines through converter control.
• The following are the advantages through DC
transmission:
– Full control over power transmitted.
– The ability to enhance transient and dynamic
stability in associated AC networks.
– Fast control to limit fault currents in DC links
• Let us see comparing some of the technical
performance measures
– Interconnection
– Voltage regulation
– Stability
– Control of power transferred
– Voltage limits
– Current limits
– Ground return
– Harmonics
– Circuit breakers
Inter connection
HVAC interconnection HVDC interconnection

Interconnection Synchronous manner Asynchronous manner

Co-ordinated control require Not require

Frequency disturbance Transferred from one Are not transferred

system to another system
Short circuit level Increased at both ends Remain unchanged

Transient stability Limited or decreased Significantly improved at

both ends
Weak Tie line Difficult with AC possible

Power flow through tie line Not possible Can be quickly modulated,
reversed, changed to
dampen power swings
Voltage regulation and reactive power:
• Surge impedance loading(SIL): dictates how
much amount of power carried by the line.
SIL = where v – transmission voltage
Zs– surge impedance
 Cont…

• If a line carrying SIL or natural load

– Magnitude of voltage is same every where
– ‘Q’ is also zero every where
• If a line carrying load greater than SIL
– Every voltage magnitude is less than compared the voltage at
both ends
– Net ‘Q’ is consumed by the line
• If a line carrying load less than the SIL
– Every voltage magnitude is higher than compared the voltage at
both ends
– Net ‘Q’ is produced by the line
• AC transmission requires ‘Q’ support at the intermediate
locations for maintaining voltage magnitude constant
through out the length.
• But DC line itself requires no ‘Q’ power
Stability
• “ The ability to operate all the synchronous machines in
synchronism”
– Steady state Stability
– Transient stability
• The power flow through AC lines:
Pac = sin(δ)
• At δ=900 ; Pm =, steady state stability limit
• At δ=300 ; Pm= 0.5 , transient stability limit
• AC trans line is always operate at the transient stability
limit. Becoz in AC trans system, there is a possibility of
occurring large disturbances (i.e. LLL,LLG) in trans line.
Hence the HVAC trans is always operate at the transient
stability limit
 A DC trans line has no stability problem becoz
reactive power flow problems are absent.
Control of power transfer:
• For AC line, Pac = sin(δ)
• AC line power can’t be changed quickly, easily
and accurately, becoz
– |Vs| and |Vr| should be kept around rated voltages
– Angle ‘δ’ can’t be controlled easily
– Change of ‘X’ results ‘Q’ flow in AC systems, V.Reg
problems and trans losses due to reactive
component of current.
• Power flow through DC line:
Pdc= *Vd
• By varying () by means of thyristor converter
control and tap changer control.
• Hence the power flow can be changed quickly,
accurately & easily.
Voltage limits
• Over voltages caused by switching surges and
lightning must be limited to values, those will
damage the insulation.
• AC lines attempts are made to limit them to peak
values of 2 or 3 times of normal crest voltage.
• But DC trans, attempts are made to limit the peak
voltage of 1.7 times the normal voltage
• In cables where the limiting factor is usually the
normal working voltage,
– The insulation will withstand the a direct voltage higher
than the crest of alternating voltage , which is 1.4 times of
R.M.S value of alternating voltage.
Current limits
• The temp of a conductor must be limited in
order to avoid damage to the conductor itself.
– In OH lines, permanently increased sag
– In cables, the insulation in contact with it
• Rac>Rdc, becoz of skin effect.
• For the same power loss, DC line can carry
more current than the AC transmission.
Harmonics
 The converters used with a DC line produces
harmonic voltages and currents on both AC
and DC sides.
 These harmonics may cause power loss &
radio interference problems in AC networks.
 Filters are used on either side of the converter,
which increases the cost of transmission
Ground return
• In AC transmission, the existing ground current
can’t be permitted in steady state due to high
magnitudes of ground impedance which not
only effect the efficient power transfer but
also result in telephone interference.
• In AC trans, single phase operation is not
feasible for more than a second.
• Ground impedance is negligible for DC
currents & a DC line can operate using one
conductor with ground return.
 Circuit breakers
 Alternating C.Bs take the advantage of the current
zeros that occur twice per cycle. They are designed
to increase the B.D strength of the arc path
between contacts so rapidly that the arc doesn’t
restrike.
 DC C.Bs does not have this natural advantage and
therefore have to force the current to zero.
 In DC trans, the lack of suitable C.Bs has not been
felt, becoz faults on the DC line or in the converters
are cleared by using grid control of the converter
valves to block the direct current temporarily
Reliability:
 Bipolar dc line can be more reliable compared
to the HVAC transmission, becoz failure of one
pole does not affect the operation of the other
operation of other pole.
 Reliability of HVDC transmission is around 95%
which is higher than the reliability of HVAC
transmission.
Advantages of HVDC transmission:
• Asynchronous interconnection
– Interconnected at different frequencies
– Weak tie line
– No transfer of fault energy
• Requires no ‘Q’, U.P.F operation.
• No stability problem
• Skin effect is less
• Less corona loss and radio interference
• Ground return can be used
• Greater power per conductor
• Charging current is absent in case of cables
• Dielectric loss is less
Demerits of HVDC transmission:
• Used only pt-to-pt transmission.
– No parallel lines, T-offs, mesh networks
– No step up/down transformers
– Have no suitable circuit breakers
• Can’t be used for main/sub transmission and
distribution.
• Very high terminal equipment cost
• Requires ‘Q’
• Harmonic generation
• Complex control strategy is required
• Lack of suitable circuit breakers.
Application of HVDC transmission:
• Long distant bulk power transmission
• Under ground or submarine cable trans.
• System interconnection of AC systems
operating at different frequencies or where
independent control of systems is desired.
• Control and stabilization of power flows in AC
ties in integrated power system.
• MTDC system for interconnecting 3 or more
AC systems
• Frequency conversion.
 Types of HVDC
HVDC is the unique solution to interconnect
asynchronous systems or grids with different
frequencies.
Solution: HVDC Back-to-Back

Back-to-Back Station

Up to 600 MW AC AC

50 Hz 60 Hz
 Types of HVDC
HVDC represents the most economical
solution to transmit electrical energy over
distances greater than approx. 600 km
Solution: HVDC Long Distance

Long Distance Transmission

Up to 3000 MW AC AC

DC line
 Types of HVDC
HVDC is an alternative for submarine
transmission.
Economical even for shorter distances such as
a few 10km/miles
Solution: HVDC Cable

Long Submarine Transmission

Up to 600 MW AC AC

DC cable
Types of HVDC links:
• HVDC links are connected between two AC grids to
transmit very high power at very high voltages & at
different frequencies.
• These can be classified based on arrangement of the
pole & earth return.
– Pole refers the path of direct current which has
same polarity w.r.t earth.
• Three types of HVDC links are available.
– Monopolar DC link
– Bipolar DC link
– Homo polar DC link
Monopolar DC link
 Uses one conductor, usually –ve polarity
 The return path is provided by ground return or
water or metallic structure
 These are used only for low power rated links,
particularly for cable transmission.
 Corona and radio interference are greatly
reduced with the use of –ve polarity
conductors.
 When a fault occur on the pole the entire
transmission system is shutdown.
 Bipolar DC link
• Uses two poles/conductors, one +ve & another –ve.
• Each terminal has two converters of equal rating,
connected in series on the dc side.
• The junctions between the converters is grounded at
one end or at both ends.
• If one pole is isolated due to a fault on its conductor, the
other pole can operate with ground, thus carry half the
rated load or more by using the overload capability of its
converter & link.
• In bipolar mode, the voltage rating is specified as ±X kv,
where X – transmission voltage with its magnitude.
• Corona and radio interference is more when compared
to Mono polar link.
Homo polar DC link
 Uses two or more conductors, all are having
same polarity, usually –ve polarity, becoz it
causes less interference due to corona.
 When there is a fault on one conductor, the
entire converter is available for feeding power
through the remaining conductor
 Corona and RI are greatly reduced
 Has limited applications due to presence of
ground currents
Static converter configuration:
• The major components in a HVDC transmission
system are converter stations where the conversion
from AC to DC (i.e. rectifier station) and from DC to
AC (i.e. invertor operation) are performed.
• The convertor unit essentially consists of the
following parts.
– Convertor unit
– Convertor transformer
– Smoothing reactor
– Filters
– Reactive power sources
– DC switch gear.
Converter unit
• It form the core of the unit, entire operation depends on the
performance of the convertor.
• In 12-pulse convertor, 12 valves are used.
– Valve: ”a complete operative controllable array normally
conducting only in one direction. (or)
– “series and parallel connection of thyristors along with protective
and triggering circuitry.
• All the thyristors in a valve require
– Snubber circuits
– Non linear reactors
• The heat losses generated in convertor unit, snubber circuits and
nonlinear reactors have a magnitude that requires forced cooling( air,
oil, water etc.)
• Valve firing signals are generated in the convertor control at ground
potential and transmitted to each thyristor in the valve through fiber
optic light guide system.
– Light signal received at the thyristor valve is converted in to
electrical signal using gate drive amplifiers with pulse transformers.
Converter transformers
• Transform the AC system voltage based on the DC
voltage required by the convertor.
• The convertor unit fed by convertor transformer
connected in star-star & star-delta arrangements.
• Are specially designed as compared to power t/f:
– They have dc voltage component coming from valve side
– Harmonics are directly injected in to mains through the
t/fs
– Commutating short circuit pulse currents of rectangular
waveform flowing through the windings of the t/f
• These are designed to withstand
– Dc voltage stresses
– Higher dielectric stresses
– Eddy current losses
• High leakage reactance of the transformer
– To limit short circuit current through any valve
• On-load tap changer of a convertor t/f have
wide tap range & operate more frequently and
rapidly.
Smoothing reactor
 A sufficiently large smoothing reactor on the
DC side is used to smoothen the DC current and
also for protection.
 Functions of smoothing reactor:
– Reduce the rate of rise of dc current
– Reduce the harmonic Vs & Is in the dc line
– Prevent commutation failure in invrtors
– Limits the peak currents during dc line s.ckts &
during AC commutation failure
– Blocks the non harmonic frequencies are being
transferred between 2 AC systems
Filters
 Reduce the harmonics produced by the
converters
 Function: “ To provide a low shunt impedance
path for the harmonic currents”
 3 types of filters are used
– AC filters
– DC filters
– High frequency filters
Reactive power sources:
 Converter stations require ‘Q’ supply depending on the
active power loading (about 50 to 60% of active power
loading)
 Some part ‘Q’ provided by AC filters
 In addition shunt capacitors, syn. Condensers and
Static var systems are used depending upon speed of
control is desired.

DC switch gear:
 Usually a modified AC equipment used to interrupt small
DC currents.
– DC breakers or metallic return transfer breakers
– Surge arrestors
– DC insulators