State of the VSC technology

October 2011 Presented by Dr. Mohamed Rashwan TransGrid Solutions

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LCC development
First thyristor valve system in 1972 Eel River. Air cooled thyristor valves 320 MW Back to Back. To get the current raFng of 2000 A , 4 thyristors are connected in parallel. In 1978 rst water cooled thyristor system in Nelson River rated at 2000 MW. To get the current raFng of 2000 A two thyristors were connected in parallel. In 2004 Three Gorges at 3000 MW. No parallel connecFon of thyristors. The introducFon of 5 inch thyristors of 8 kV and 3500 A ( 32 years aSer the rst thyristor scheme) In 2009 IntroducFon of 6 inch thyristors and dc power up to 6000 MW per bipole at +/- 800 kV (37 years aSer the rst thyristor scheme)

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VSC development
1997 Hellsjn experimental project at 3 MW 2002 Cross Sound Cable at 330 MW and +/- 150 kV (5 years aSer Hellsjn) 2010 Trans Bay at 400 MW and +/- 200 kV. This introduced the rst mulF-level converter (13 years aSer Hellsjn) 2012 VSC up to 500 kV and 700 MW converter (14 years aSer Hellsjn)

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Reactive Power requirements

Does not consume any reactive power and each terminal can independently control its reactive power. Requires moderate size filter banks or no filters at all.

Commutation failure performance Over load capability Application with overhead lines Small taps Load rejection over voltage

Does not fail commutation Does not have any overload capability Can be applied but dc line faults are critical Economic and seems not affect the performance not large because of small size of filters if required.

Filtering

Black start AC system short circuit level

Capable of black start and feeding passive loads Not critical at all

Foot print Off shore wind farms Power losses

Small for the comparable rating to an LCC Straight forward application Approximately 0.9% per terminal

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In Symmetrical mono-polar conguraFon where the converters are connected between two high voltage conductors of opposite polarity. The ground reference can be provided through high impedance.

VSC HVDC transmission Congura2on

Positive conductor

Negative conductor

VSC based HVDC link with symmetrical mono-polar configuration

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VSC HVDC transmission Congura2on This type of conguraFon has been used for the two or three level converter

Symmetrical mono-polar configuration with dc capacitor mid point grounding

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VSC HVDC transmission Congura2on

Positive dc Voltage

Idc

Negative dc Voltage

Idc

VSC bipolar arrangement

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IGBTs
IGBTs for the VSC applicaFons can be press- pack or wire bonded Press-pack IGBT no solder or wire bond joints similar in physical shape as thyristors and Fails safe short circuit Wire bonded: may explode on failure

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 Mul2-chip design of IGBT (from ABB)

StakPak IGBT has two, three, four or six sub-modules. The number of sub- modules is selected based on the current raFng of the applicaFon

The largest type of a reverse conducting press pack comprising 48 IGBT and 24 diode chips has a rating of 4500V and 2000A

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IGBT 3300V 1200A Mitsubishi

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VSC basic principles

Uac Id Ud/2 Iac t Uac Ud/2 -Ud/2 Ud/2

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VSC basic principles

Uac Id Ud/2 Iac t Uac Ud/2 -Ud/2 Ud/2

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VSC basic principles

Uac Id Ud/2 Iac t Uac Ud/2 -Ud/2 Ud/2

Uac can be set to Ud/2 or Ud/2 independent of Iac, hence the name Voltage Source

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Multi level converter

Uac1 Ud1 Ud1 Uac1 Uac2 Ud2 Uac2 Uac Ud2 t Uacn3 Udn Uacn Ud3 t t t Uac

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Reactive Power

Icnv=(Usys-Ucnv)/jX

Ucnv

Usys Usys-Ucnv

Icnv

Case 1: Coverter absorbing reactive power

VSC

Icnv

X
Ucnv Usys

~
Icnv

Usys

Usys-Ucnv Ucnv

Case 2: Converter producing reactive power

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Active Power
Usys

Usys-Ucnv d Icnv
Converter absorbing active power

Ucnv Ucnv
d
Usys-Ucnv

Icnv

Converter producing active power

Usys

Active power is primarily determined by angle Delta

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P-Q diagram P Max MVA- mainly transformer MVA limit

Max Q, Max AC voltage Max Q, nominal AC voltage

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Performance

Cigre paper 2010 B4-203

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IGBT performance

Cigre paper 2010 B4-203

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Operating Performance ML

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Conclusions
The VSC technology is developing fast and the converter raFngs are increasing. In my opinion we will see raFngs in the range of 2000 MW coming into the market in few years The VSC mulF-level converter is becoming the base for the technology The developments of the dc grids will create a lot of opportunity for research and development. This is real because it is being propelled by the integraFon of renewables and the will of governments mostly in the European community Finally we need to solve the issue of the overhead line dc fault. Whether, a fast dc breaker, circuit topology, or any other means

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Thank You

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