HVDC Link Control

Desired features of HVDC link Controller

1. Control system should not be very sensitive to normal variation in supply voltage and
frequency of the ac supply system. In normal situation load may change and due to
generation load mismatch causing the frequency to change. Thus, if control action be
very sensitive, the controller will keep on changing from one mode to other causing
instability.

2. Control algorithm should be fast, simple, reliable and easy to implement. Speed is
necessary as in a hvdc link fault current rises in no time as there is no inductance in the
dc link and only resistor of the link limits the fault current. The first option should be
control of valves and if not objective be achieved, OLTC at the converter stations should
be operated.

3. Control action should range for the entire range of rectification and inversion for both the
converters. Power reversal is a normal feature of hvdc link.

4. The control logic should be such that it requires minimum reactive power. Normally it
needs 60% reactive power support at the converter stations due to delay angle (Normal
range is 10° to 20° ). Whatever be the direction of power flow in a dc link, current flows
always through the link from rectifier end to inverter end and thus both the converters
meet the reactive power support from the ac system. In particular, direction of reactive
power flow is from ac system to the converter stations, although filters are present at the
converter stations to provide harmonics low impedance path to ground.

5. Under steady state condition control action should promote symmetrical firing of the
valves, as symmetrical firing restricts the ac system harmonics to characteristic
harmonics only,

6. Control algorithm must limit dc link current under faulty condition up to twice the rated
value, otherwise due to flow of huge current the dc link and the valves can burst.

7. Power in the dc link ( Pd=VdId)should be controlled by controlling dc link voltage or dc

link current, i.e, either constant voltage mode or constant current mode. Although general
choice is to control the dc link current with variable dc ling voltage.
 In a HVDC link constant current control strategy is applied and not
constant voltage-why?
Ans:

The dc link resistance is very low and thus in the case of fault in the dc link of HVDC
transmission system, the fault current can rise to a very high value causing damage of the link as
well as the converter station valves. However, with the incorporation of constant current control
strategy the fault current can be brought down within the limit although momentarily shoots up .
In particular, health of the dc link is maintained by incorporating both the converter stations with
voltage control and current control.

The schematic of a hvdc link has been shown in Fig.1

On load tap changer (OLTC)

On load tap changer (OLTC) Rcr Rl Rci

Id

Vdoi Cosγ
Vacr Vdor Vdor Cosα Vdoi Vaci

Line Inverter
Rectifier

Fig.1: Schematic diagram for equivalent circuit of HVDC system

In a HVDC system, both the converters are in particular equipped with both voltage
control and current control. The rectifier is provided with constant ignition angle (CIA) control
or constant α control for maintaining the dc link voltage and dc link constant current (CC)
control based on reference value idcref. The CC control is basically firing angle control of the
valves, but the control voltage is determined on the basis of difference between present status of
dc link current and idcref . However, the inverter is equipped with constant extinction angle (γ)
control- CEA, constant β control and constant current control. In general, a HVDC system is
preferred to have dc link voltage control by implementing CEA or constant β control at the
inverter and dc link current control exercised by the rectifier. However, there are situations, like
severe drop of rectifier side voltage when dc link current is maintained by CC exercised by the
inverter. To be noted that, operating point of a HVDC system is asserted by intersection point of
CEA of inverter and CC of rectifier.
 3 3E m
The general practice for dc link control is that when ac side voltage vdor (  , E m is

3 3E m
v
the amplitude of phase voltage in balanced condition) or doi (  ) changes ( increases or
decreases) , firing angle control of the valves (CIA or CEA or constant β) is attempted first and
then control of on load tap changer of that converter side is exercised. Control of OLTC for dc
link current control is the second choice as this gives a comparatively slower response than CIA
or CEA control. For the constant current controller of rectifier side if ignition angles α is needed
to be decreased for increasing the dc link voltage of that side, care should be taken regarding the
fact that for ensuring successful turning on of the valves, α can be decreased up to a limit α min ,
which is in general 5°. Similarly, α can be raised to a upper limit of 20° to25° only for decreasing
the rectifier side voltage. However, if satisfactory results are not achieved then control of OLTC
of the other converter side is practiced. Thus, the complete control characteristic of the rectifier
for flow of power from rectifier side to inverter side (Forward flow) takes the form as shown in
Fig.2(a).The node in a HVDC link, where V d has been considered in the complete characteristic
of rectifier is shown in Fig.2(b)

Vd

αmin

CIA
(Constant α
CC
line)

Id
1.0 (per unit value of Idref )

Fig.2 (a): Complete control characteristic of rectifier in a HVDC system.

Vd

Rcr Rl Rci

Id

vacr Vdor Vdor Cosα

Vdoi Cosγ
Vdoi Vaci

Line Inverter
Rectifier

Fig.2(b): Equivalent circuit of a HVDC link showing node for consideration of dc link voltage
 Similar to rectifier side, the inverter control characteristic in a HVDC system can be
represented as n Fig.3

Vd (per unit)

CIA (Constant α line)

CEA (Constant γ
X line)
1.0
CC CC
(Inverter) (rectifier)

Id (per unit)
0.9 1.0

Fig.4: Control Characteristics of rectifier and inverter for HVDC system with forward power flow.

Why for inverter CEA is preferred rather than constant β control ?

Ans: The dc link current of a six pulse converter in inverter mode is given by as in (1.0).
Vdoi
Id   cos   cos  
2L (1.0)

According to Fig. 4 which explains firing of valve of a six pulse converter in inverter mode
explaining the meaning of β, γ ,µ and α., if valve firing be decided considering constant β, then
in case of any fault in the inverter side ac voltage the commutation angle may increase causing
misfire of the particular valve due to insufficient γ. So , it is better to adopt constant extinction
angle control or constant γ control instead of constant β control.

Commutation voltage of valve

Volatge at the instant of
firing
Instant of firing a valve

µ γ ωt
α β

Fig.4: Illustration of β, γ ,µ and α