HVDC Control System Overview

HVDC Control & Protection

What are the basic control principles for HVDC Systems?

HVDC Control
What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?

Id

U1

U2

AC System A
Simplified HVDC System diagram

AC System B

HVDC Control
What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?

Id

U1

U2

AC System A

AC System B

HVDC Control
What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?
Id

Id in one direction only

U1

=
U1 U2

U2

Magnitude of Id or power is controlled depending on the difference in the terminal voltages (U1, U2) Direction of power is controlled depending on the polarity of the terminal voltages (U1, U2)

Power Direction

U1

U2

Change of Power Direction

HVDC Control & Protection

What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?
Tap Changer Control

Sending End

Receiving End
U2 I

Tap Changer Control

U1

d
Converter Control Inverter Ud-Control

ACF

capacitors
ACF

Converter Control Rectifier Id-Control

ACF

capacitors
ACF

Reactive Power Control (AC Voltage Limitation Control)

Reactive Power Control (AC Voltage Limitation Control)

AC System A
Converter Control Reactive Power Control

AC System B
Tap Changer Control

Id: DC Current Ud: DC Voltage

ACF: AC Filter

Principles of HVDC Controls Control of DC Voltage

Rectifier Operation
AC System Power Flow DC System
Id
V1 Phase A V3 V5 Phase A V1 V3

Inverter Operation
AC System Power Flow DC System
Id
V5

Phase B

Ud

Phase B

Ud

Phase C V4 V6 V2

Phase C V4 V6 V2

+Ud Rectifier Operation

160 0 5 30 60 90 120

180

Inverter Operation

150

-Ud

Principles of HVDC Controls Control of DC Voltage

DC voltage is varied by means of a converter bridge In rectifier operation the power flow is from the AC system to the DC system The power flow is changed from the DC system to the AC system by reversing the DC voltage. The DC current does not change its direction. The operating range of the ideal converter - theory from 0 (+1.0 p.u. DC voltage) to 180 (-1.0 p.u. DC voltage) The operating range of a real converter is from approx. 5 to approx. 160 In 90 operation the DC voltage of the converter is 0 V.

Principles of HVDC Controls Relationship of DC Voltage Ud and Firing Angle

Rect. Limit
+Ud Rectifier Operation
160 0 5 30 60 90 120 150

180

Inverter Operation -Ud

Ud

= 0

= 30

= 60

Inv

Limit

Ud

= 90
Ud

= 120

= 150

t
-Ud

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Fixed Firing Angles

Fixed o

Fixed o

Trigger set

Trigger set

Id AC SYSTEM A Ud
Rect

Ud

Inv

AC SYSTEM B

Rectifier

Inverter

Converter Control Functions, Fixed Firing Angles Firing angle is controlled by use of controllers and the trigger set. Task of the trigger set - convert the firing angle in appropriate firing pulses for each individual valve and the synchronisation of these pulses to the AC system

Principles of HVDC Controls

Converter Characteristics, Fixed Firing Angles
Ud=Udio*cos() = k*UAC*cos()
Ud (p.u.) Station A (Rectifier) Fixed o (~15) Station A (Inverter) Fixed o (~140)

Ud=Udio*cos() dx*Id U=dx*Id

Station B (Inverter) Fixed o (~140)

1.0

Operating Point

1.0

Id (p.u.) Station B (Rectifier) Fixed o (~15)

-1.0

Converter Characteristics with Fixed Firing Angles (no controller)

Rectifier is operated with fixed firing angle of e.g. 15 degree. The slope of this characteristic depends on the commutation impedance (AC System and transformer) of the converter. The weaker the AC system, the steeper the slope. Inverter is operated with fixed firing angle of e.g. 140 degree Operating point of the HVDC is intersection of the two converter characteristics Operating point is strongly dependent on the AC voltage

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Characteristics, Fixed Firing Angles a

Rectifier Fixed o (~15) Rectifier Fixed o (~15) Inverter Fixed o (~140) Ud (p.u.) AC Bus Voltage reduction at rectifier 1.0

Operating Point Operating Point with reduced rectifier AC Voltage

DC Voltage reduction DC Current reduction (depending on AC Voltage)

DC Current Control at Rectifier

1.0

Id (p.u.)

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Id control at Rectifer

I DC Ref I DC Act

PI Controller

I DC Control

Trigger set Trigger set

Fixed o

Id AC SYSTEM A Rectifier Ud Rect Ud Inv Inverter AC SYSTEM B

DC Current Control at rectifier station

The DC current control - to keep the DC current constant as long as possible The DC current is controlled according to the reference value When the actual DC current becomes lower than the ordered current, the current control increases the PI controller output resulting in an increase of the rectifier DC voltage (UdRect) in order to maintain the DC current. In case the actual current is too high the PI controller reacts in opposite direction.

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Id control at Rectifer

Rectifier Fixed min (5) Ud (p.u.) AC Bus Voltage reduction at inverter 1.0 Operating range with increased AC Bus Voltage at rectifier Operating range with reduced AC Bus Voltage at rectifier Inverter Fixed (~140)

Rectifier Id Control

Operating Point in No Change Operating Point but (e.g. alpha 15) increased alpha No Change in (e.g. 30) Operating Point new Operating Point with reduced inverter AC Voltage and fixed Inverter (~140)

No change in DC Current, but change in DC Voltage

DC Voltage Control at Inverter

1.0

Id (p.u.)

 Angle of the rectifier is not fixed to 15 anymore but controlled to lets say 15 In case of AC voltage reductions at recitifer station, the current controller reduced the Angle in order to keep the required DC Voltage Angle can be decreased down to 5 i.e. no change in rectifier DC voltage as long as the DC voltage referring to 5 Reaction of AC voltage Decrease at inverter station To avoid DC Voltage changes due to inverter AC bus voltage changes, a DC voltage control is applied at the inverter station

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Control

I DC Ref I DC Act

U DC Ref
PI Controller PI Controller

I DC Control

Trigger set Trigger set

U DC Control

U DC Act

Id AC SYSTEM A Rectifier Ud Rect Ud Inv Inverter AC SYSTEM B

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Control

Rectifier Fixed min (5) Rectifier Fixed min (5) Inverter Ud Control

Ud (p.u.)

1.0

Operating Range for AC Bus Voltage reduction at Range for Operating inverter AC Bus Voltage increase at inverter AC Bus Voltage reduction at rectifier

Inv Fixed max (~160)

Operating Point (e.g. Rect =15, Inv =140) Constant Operating Point for a wide range of inverter and rectifier side AC new Operating Point with reduced rectifier Voltage variations AC Voltage and constant DC Voltage control

Rectifier Id Control

DC Current reduction (depending on AC Voltage)

No change in DC Voltage, but change in DC Current

DC Current Margin Control at inverter

1.0

Id (p.u.)

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Id Margin Control

I DC Ref
I marg I DC Ref I DC Control

+ + +
I DC Act U DC Ref U DC Act

I DC Ref I DC Act

PI Controller

PI Controller

I DC Control

Trigger set Trigger set

M A X

U DC Control

Id AC SYSTEM A Rectifier Ud Rect Ud Inv Inverter AC SYSTEM B

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Id Margin Control

Rectifier Fixed min (5) Rectifier Fixed min (5) Inverter Ud Control

Ud (p.u.)

1.0 AC Bus Voltage reduction at rectifier Inv Fixed max (~160) Operating Point without inverter Id Margin Control new Operating Point with inverter Id Margin Control Operating Point (e.g. Rect =15, Inv =140)

Rectifier DC Current Control Inverter DC Current Control DC Current margin

1.0

Id (p.u.)

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Extinction Angle Control

Rectifier Fixed min (5) Inverter Ud Control Inverter Gamma () min Control (17) 1.0

Ud (p.u.)

Operating Point (e.g. Rect =15, Inv =140)

Rectifier DC Current Control Inverter DC Current Control

1.0

Id (p.u.)

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Extinction Angle Control

I DC Ref
I marg I DC Ref

+ + + + I DC Act U DC Ref U DC Act Gamma Ref Gamma Act

I DC Control

I DC Ref I DC Act

PI Controller

PI Controller

I DC Control

Trigger set Trigger set

M A X

U DC Control

Gamma Control

Id AC SYSTEM A Rectifier Ud Rect Ud Inv Inverter AC SYSTEM B

Extinction Angle Control (Gamma Control) The extinction angle control at inverter is provided in order to maintain stability margins. The extinction angle reference value is the minimum allowed value (e.g.17) The extinction angle control becomes active when the minimum limit is reached.

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Limit Control

Rectifier Fixed min (5) Ud (p.u.) Inverter Ud Control Inverter Gamma () min Control (17) 1.0

Rectifier DC Voltage Limit Control DC Voltage Margin

Operating Point (e.g. Rect =15, Inv =140)

Rectifier DC Current Control Inverter DC Current Control

1.0

Id (p.u.)

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Limit Control

I DC Ref
I marg I DC Ref

+ + + + I DC Act U DC Ref

I DC Ref I DC Act
U DC Ref U DC Act

I DC Control
PI Controller PI Controller

I DC Control

+ - +
U marg U DC Control

M I N
Trigger set

M A X

U DC Control

U DC Act Gamma Ref Gamma Act

Trigger set

Gamma Control

Id AC SYSTEM A Rectifier Ud Rect Ud Inv Inverter AC SYSTEM B

DC Voltage Limitation Controller at Rectifier

A DC voltage limitation control at the rectifier is provided in order to limit the DC voltage A margin of typical 0.03. p.u. is add to the inverter DC voltage order. This prevents the DC voltage limitation controller to become active during normal operation Backup control which becomes active to prevent from excessive overvoltage in special fault situations It reduces the DC voltage to save valves by shifting the firing angle in inverter direction of in order to maintain the requested DC current

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions, Converter Control Characteristic

Ud (pu)

Rectifier Ud Cont. 1.0

Inverter Ud Cont. Contr.

0.9

DC Line Drop Operation Point

0.8 Inverter Id Cont. 0.7 Minimum DC Current

CEC

0.6 Inverter VDCOL 0.5

Rectifier Id Cont.

0.4

0.3

Rectifier VDCOL

Abbreviations: VDCOL Voltage Dependent Current Limit CEC Current Error Characteristic Ud DC Voltage Id DC Current Extinction Angle

0.2

0.1

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1.0

ld (pu)

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions

P Ref

U DC Act

Current Order Calulator

I DC Ref

+ +

I marg

I DC Ref I DC Act

I DC Control
PI Controller PI Controller

DC Ref U DC Act U

I DC Control

- I DC Act
U DC Ref

Min

MAX

U DC Control

+U DC Act
17

-+

U DC Control
Trigger set Trigger set

Control

Act

U marg

Id AC SYSTEM A Rectifier Ud
Rect

Ud

Inv

AC SYSTEM B Inverter

Principles of HVDC Controls Converter Control Functions

DC Power Control The steady state Power Order is normally determined by the Operator from the Operator Control System Current order is calculated by the Current Order Calculator Current order calculated by dividing the DC power order by the measured DC voltage. Summary Control Functions
Control functions at the rectifier DC Current Control (main control mode) DC voltage limitation control (backup control mode) Control functions at the Inverter DC Voltage Control (main control mode) DC Current Control (backup control mode) Extinction Angel Control (backup control mode)