The International Conference on Electrical Engineering 2009

Analysis of Tap Changer Control Strategy in HVDC Transmission System

XIE Guo-ping, WANG Ming-xin (China Electric Power Research Institute, Haidian District Beijing 100192)
ABSTRACT: In recent years, HVDC

tap changer control is described in detail; it can not be neglected about its use to coordinate with other control strategies of HVDC transmission system because of the convenience of tap changer control. It takes an important role in keeping HVDC transmission system to operate stably and reliably [1]. Considering different operation modes of HVDC transmission system and characteristic of AC network, it is necessary to make sure that what kind of mode will be taken to control tap changer of the converter transformer. There are four control modes used normally including Udi0 control, Alpha control, Gamma control and DC voltage control. In a word, tap changer control in HVDC transmission system is same important as HVDC current control or other control modes in HVDC control system. II. BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT TAP CHANGER CONTROL STRATEGIES A No-Load Voltage Control The no-load voltage control is to control the secondary side voltage of converter transformer by adjusting tap changer position, it is often used when converter transformer is energized or the

Transmission has been developed very fast in China. Its main characteristic is bulk power transmission over long distance, and its

complicated control system means that different operation mode can be chosen flexibly.

Considering the importance and particularity of HVDC transmission, the main aim of different research aspects in HVDC is to keep the steady and reliable operation of HVDC project. As an important part of HVDC control system, tap changer control plays a very important role in keeping HVDC system to operate reliably. To choose what kind of control strategy about tap changer control means whether the operation characteristic wanted can be gotten. In the paper, different tap changer control strategies including voltage control, angle control and no-load voltage control are described, and their affection on HVDC operation condition is offered. At the same time, different tap changer control strategies of actual HVDC project are analyzed. And the analysis of tap changer control in HVDC control system is based on the data from actual project. KEY WORDS: HVDC system, Tap Changer Control, DC Voltage Control, Angle Control, No-load Voltage control

I.

INTRODUCTION

operation mode is in open line test control. On the other side, if the AC network is not strong enough to absorb the reactive power generated by AC filter, the no-load voltage control can be used to allow a bigger firing angle or extinction angle to consume more reactive power. The no-load voltage control can be used in both

It is obvious that the HVDC transmission system has flexible and reliable control characteristic. Usually, the control strategies what are mentioned often are DC current control, angle control or DC voltage control. In the paper,

stations. [2] Usually, no-load voltage called Udio is used to control tap changer, the Udio is calculated by considering AC voltage, tap changer position, ratio of each tap changer, calculation of Udio is expressed using formula1 below:
Udio=(UdioN/UacN)*(1/((TCN-TC)*0.0125+1))*Uac (1)

hysteresis. Refer to figure2:

According to actual AC voltage and tap changer position, Udio can be calculated using formula(1) and then comparing with Udio reference value to order tap changer up or down, refer to Figure1. C

Figure2 Alpha Control Logic of Tap Changer Control

Gamma Control The Gamma control function is always used in

the inverter, and its aim is to controls the extinction angle to the given reference value. The gamma reference value is often calculated according to different operation modes. The principle of gamma control works in the same way as an alpha control, and in order to avoid hunting of the tap changers, the gamma is controlled only within the gamma reference with

Figure 1

No-Load Voltage Control Logic of Tap Changer Control

hysteresis corresponds to 2.5 degrees. Suppose that the inverter AC voltage rises. The converter firing control of HVDC control system will then increase the extinction angle to keep the direct voltage equal to the voltage reference. If gamma becomes higher than the gamma reference plus a gamma hysteresis, the tap changer control will start to decrease the valve side voltage to reestablish a Udi0 level to a gamma within the reference value plus hysteresis. If the AC voltage decreases and gamma becomes less than the gamma reference minus the gamma hysteresis, the tap changer control will increase the valve side voltage until the gamma is reestablished within the reference value plus hysteresis. Refer to figure3:

Alpha Control The alpha control function used in the rectifier

controls the firing angle to a reference value. The alpha reference is calculated. The alpha control compares the difference between reference alpha and measured alpha and if the difference is above or below the hysteresis, and the hysteresis corresponds to 15 deg.2.5 degrees to avoid hunting of the tap changers ,the tap changers are ordered to step. [3] Suppose that the rectifier AC voltage rises, the HVDC control system will then increase the firing angle in order to keep the direct current equal to the current order. If alpha becomes higher than the alpha reference plus a hysteresis, the tap changer control will start to decrease the valve side voltage to reestablish a Udi0 level to an alpha within the reference value plus hysteresis. If the AC voltage decreases and alpha becomes less than the alpha reference minus the alpha hysteresis, the tap changer control will increase the valve side voltage until the alpha is reestablished within the reference value plus

Figure3 Gamma Control Logic of Tap Changer Control

DC Voltage Control It is the basic control mode of the tap changer

changer control modes among those HVDC projects. Tab1 sums up the tap changer control modes in different HVDC transmission projects. Tab1 Sum-up of Tap Changer Control Mode of Different HVDC Projects
HVDC RECTIFIER Project Geshang No-Load Voltage Control No-Load Voltage Control Alpha Control Alpha Control Alpha Control DC Voltage Control DC Voltage Control DC Voltage Control No-Load Voltage Control No-Load Voltage Control Gamma Control INVERTER

for the inverter. The voltage control function in the inverter controls the DC voltage to a reference value. The voltage reference is calculated by using formula2.

In order to avoid hunting of the tap changer, the DC voltage is controlled within a voltage reference plus hysteresis, and the hysteresis corresponds to 0.75 tap changer step. If the DC voltage becomes higher than the voltage reference plus the voltage hysteresis, the tap changer control will start to decrease the valve side voltage to reestablish a Udi0 level to the DC voltage within the reference value. On the contrary, if the DC voltage becomes less than the voltage reference minus the voltage hysteresis, the tap changer control will increase the valve side voltage until the DC voltage is reestablished within the voltage reference. Refer to figure4:

3GC 3GG 3GS

Lingbao BTB Alpha Control Gaoling BTB Guiguang Alpha Control Alpha Control

Seeing from tab1, more tap changer control strategies can be selected in inverter, and DC voltage control and no-load voltage control are used most often, especially for back to back HVDC project, no-load voltage control is often used to keep DC voltage stable considering the weak AC network. But in rectifier, alpha control is often selected as tap changer control strategy in many HVDC projects. Only considering AC network and reactive power compensation, no-load voltage control is used to balance the reactive power exchange between DC system and AC network.

Figure4

DC Voltage Control Logic of Tap Changer Control

In a word, what kind of tap changer control strategy is selected depends on actual AC network and many other factors. F Affections of Different Tap Changer In actual HVDC projects, there are three kinds of main control modes including current control, voltage control and gamma control used to coordinate with tap changer control to keep HVDC system operating stably and reliably. So there are many configurations considering tap changer control. Table2 and table3 show different control modes are used and what are their affections on HVDC system operation

III. ANALYSIS ON TAP CHANGER CONTROL STRATEGY E Sum-up of Tap Changer Control Mode With the development of power network in China, more and more HVDC Transmission projects have been built or are to be built including HVDC projects for bulk power transmission over long distance and back to back HVDC project for interconnection between different AC networks. So it is necessary to show that there is the difference about the tap

Control modes on DC Operation Condition

Used by Different HVDC Projects

condition. In table2, current control is adopted as a control mode in rectifier and voltage control is used in inverter, and different tap changer controls are chosen to consider the affection. And all the parameters used to calculate the operation conditions come from actual HVDC project. Tab2 Stable operation condition of different tap changer control and DC control modes

is to keep the no-load voltage, firing angle, the extinction angle and the DC voltage to a given reference value. Considering the stepwise behavior of the tap changer, the no-load voltage, firing angle, the extinction angle and the DC voltage controls are provided with suitable deadband to avoid hunting. And then tap changer control affection on operation condition is analyzed by combining with actual HVDC project. Finally, the conclusion is drawn that there is important meaning of tap changer control functions to keep DC transmission system operating stably and availably. V. REFERENCES

[1] DC transmission research group of ZheJiang University. DC Transmission , In tab3, current control is adopted in rectifier and gamma control is used in inverter, and different tap changer controls are chosen to consider the affection. And all the parameters used to calculate the operation conditions come from actual HVDC project. Tab3 Stable operation condition of different tap changer control and DC control modes [2] Zhao Wan Jun, Xie Guo En, Zeng Nan Chao etc HVDC Transmission Project Technology China Electric Publishing 2004.8 [3] 1JNL100098-593 Rev.00 Tap Changer Control for Converter Transformer Technical Report VI. BIOGRAPHIES XIE Guo-Ping: Born in 1976, Graduated ABB Hydro-Power Publishing.

with a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from China Electric Power Institute Research in 2005. WANG Ming-Xin: Born in 1954, Senior Engineer in HVDC Department and Power System Simulation Central of China Electric Seeing from tab2 and tab3, tap changer control of converter transformer affects HVDC operation condition. But what kind of control mode of converter transformer is selected depends on actual situation. IV. CONCLUSIONS In this paper, tap changer control modes of the converter transformer are described in detail. As an important part of DC control and protection system, the objective of the tap changer control Power Research Institute from 1977.