III-UNIT

• Power flow control in DC link

• Converter control characteristics
• Firing angle control schemes
• Current and extinction angle control schemes
• Starting and stopping of a DC link
Principle of power flow control in DC link

• The primary functions of the DC control are:

– Control the power flow between the terminals.
– Protect the equipment's against the current or
voltage stresses caused by faults.
– Stabilize the attached AC systems against any
operational mode of the DC link.
• The desired features of the DC controls are indicated :
• Limit maximum DC current: Since the thermal inertia
of the converter valves is quite low, it is desirable to
limit the DC current to prevent failure in the valves.
• Maintain maximum DC voltage for transmission
purposes to minimize losses in the DC line and
converter valves.
• Keep the AC reactive power demand low at either
converter terminal. This implies that the operating
angles at the converters must be kept low. Additional
benefits of doing this are to reduce the Snubber losses
in the Valves and reduce the generation of harmonics.
• Prevent commutation failures at the inverter station
and hence improve the stability of power transmission.
• Other features, i.e. the control of frequency in an
isolated AC system or to enhance power system
stability.
Table: Choice of control strategy for 2T DC link
S.NO Desired features Reason Control
implementation
1 Limit the max dc current, Id For the protection of Use constant
valves current control at
the REC
2 Employ the max dc voltage, For reducing power Use constant
Vd transmission losses voltage control at
INVERTER
3 For voltage regulation Use MIN firing
Reduce Q consumption at
and economic reasons angles
the converters

4 For stability purposes Use MIN

Reduce the incidence of
extinction angle
commutation failures
control at
INVERTER
converter control characteristics:
• In most HVDC systems, each converter is required
to function as a REC as well as INV
• The characteristics of each converter consists of 3
segments.
– CIA corresponding to αmin
– Constant current control(C.C)
– Constant extinction angle control(CEA)
• The transfer is from converter ‘1’ to converter ‘2’,
when the characteristics are shown by solid lines.
– In this mode interconnection point ‘E 1’ represents the
operating condition
• The power flow is reversed when the
characteristics are shown by the dotted lines.
– This is achieved by reversing the “margin setting”
– In this mode interconnection point ‘E 2’ represents the
operating condition
• RECTIFIER Vd vs Id characteristics:
The REC maintains constant current by changing
‘α’. However α can’t be less than its minimum
value(αmin). Once αmin is reached, no further
voltage increase is possible, and the REC will
operate at CIA mode.
– The segment FA corresponds to minimum ignition
angle and represents the CIA control mode.
– The segment AB represents the normal constant
current control(C.C.C) mode.
• INVERTER Vd vs Id characteristics:
– The segment GD represents the CIA control mode.
– The segment GH represents the normal constant
current control(C.C.C) mode.
• The complete REC characteristic at normal
voltage is defined by FAB. At reduced voltage it
shifts, as indicated by F’A’B.
• Under normal operating conditions (represented
by intersection point E), the REC controls the
direct current and the INV the direct voltage.
• With a reduced REC voltage (possibly caused a
nearby fault), the operating condition is
represented by the intersection point E’.
– i.e. the INV takes over current control and the REC
establishes the voltage.
– In this operating mode the roles of the REC and INV
are reversed.
• The change from one mode to another mode
is referred to as a MODE SHIFT.
• The difference between the REC current order
and the INV current order is called the current
margin.
• It is usually set at 10 to 15% of the rated
current so as to ensure that the two C.C.Cs do
not cross each other becoz a big reduction in
the REC voltage would cause the current and
the power be reduced to zero after a short
time depending on the DC reactors. The
system would thus run down.
Alternate invertor control modes:
• Constant voltage control mode:
– As compared to CEA control mode in INV ( which
has drooping voltage characteristic), the voltage
control mode has the advantage that the INV V-I
characteristic is flat as shown in figure.
– In addition voltage control mode has a slightly
higher value ’γ’ and is less prone to commutation
failure.
– Normally the voltage control mode maintains a ‘γ’
of about 180 in conjunction with tap changers.
• Constant ‘β’ mode:
– At low loads, constant β gives additional security
against commutation failure.
– However , at higher currents (larger overlap), the
minimum γ may be encountered.
– Constant β control mode is not used for normal
operation.
– It is viewed as a backup type of control mode
useful for acting directly upon the firing angle
during transient conditions.
Mode stabilization:
• As shown in figure1, the intersection of Rec
αmin characteristic and the INV CEA may not be
well defined at certain voltage levels near
transition between the INV CEA and CC
characteristics.
• In this region, a small change in ac voltage will
cause a large (10%) change in direct current.
• There will also be a tendency to “hunt”
between modes and tap changing.
• In order to avoid this problem, modification of
the characteristics will be shown in figure2 by
using constant β and constant voltage control
mode.
Voltage dependent current order limit:
• Under low voltage conditions, it may not be
desirable or possible to maintain rated direct
current or power for the following reasons:
– When the voltage at one converter drops by more
than about 30%, the ‘Q’ demand of the remote
convertor increases, and this may have an adverse
effect on the ac system. A higher ‘α’ or ‘γ’ at the
remote convertor necessary to increase in ‘Q’.
– The reduced ac system voltage levels also
significantly decrease the ‘Q’ supplied by the
capacitors, which often supply much of the ‘Q’
absorbed by the converters.
– At reduced voltages, there are also risks of
commutation failure and voltage instability.
• These problems associated with operation under
low-voltage conditions may be prevented by
using a “voltage-dependent current-order
limit”(VDCOL).
• This limit reduces the maximum allowable direct
current when the voltage drops below a
predetermined value.
• The VDCOL characteristics may be a function of
the ac commutating voltage or the DC voltage.
• The REC INV static V-I characteristics, including
VDCOL, are shown in figure.
• The INV characteristic matches the REC VDCOL to
preserve current margin.