Effect of SCFCL on the performance of
BTB-HVDC system
Dr. Premila Manohar
Professor
Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering,
M.S.Ramaiah Institute of Technology
Bangalore-560054, INDIA
premilakrvh@yahoo.com
Abstract— Exploring the renewable energy sources through
the BTB-HVDC networks have gained importance in the
recent past due to their ability to fast control the system
dynamics. It also helps in overcoming the problems of stability.
The present paper aims to evaluate the performance analysis
of BTB-HVDC system incorporating resistive FCL. BTB-
HVDC system is simulated in PSCAD/EMTDC environment.
The performance evaluation of the system is then carried out
for different fault conditions to understand the behavior of
superconducting FCL and its effect on the performance of the
HVDC system.
keywords- Superconducting fault current limiter, BTB-HVDC
system, dynamic performance and PSCAD/EMTDC.
I. INTRODUCTION
N ew energy landscapes open the way of a diversified
production. One of most promising area of generation of
power is, by renewable energy sources, i.e., wind, solar,
biomass, geo thermal etc. Off late, exploring the renewable
energy sources through the BTB-HVDC networks has
gained importance, because the modulation of the
transmission power using a BTB-HVDC, enhances the c) These schemes are characterised by the absence of DC
stability of the network by fast and precise control of flow
of energy over an HVDC link to create a positive damping
of electromechanical oscillation. The BTB-HVDC ties also
have been successfully used for interconnecting
neighbouring AC networks asynchronously [8] while very
little attention is paid for its possible application in power
transmission systems. The usage of BTB-HVDC
transmission in short and medium line is one of the most
advantageous propositions [9] because of its cost
effectiveness and ability to fast control the system dynamics.
However this network suffers from DC fault current cutting,
which remains a difficult problem because of the absence of
DC circuit breakers. The recent developments in
superconducting fault current limiters (SCFCL) has given a
hope to achieve this networking possible.
A number of studies concerning material aspects, types of
FCLs, prototypes and testing have been suggested in the
978-1-61284-379-7/11$26.00 2011
c IEEE
Kusumika Krori Dutta
Lecturer
Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering,
M.S.Ramaiah Institute of Technology
Bangalore-560054, INDIA
kusumika@sify.com
literature [1 to 6]. However, their application in power
system and in particular HVDC system has received very
limited attention. The present paper aims to evaluate the
performance analysis of BTB-HVDC system incorporating
resistive FCL. BTB-HVDC system is simulated in
PSCAD/EMTDC environment. The performance of the
system is evaluated for different fault conditions to
understand the behavior of SCFCL and its effect on the
performance of the BTB-HVDC system.
II. ADVANTAGES OF BTB-HVDC SCHEME
The BTB-HVDC schemes have various advantages, namely;
a)
An asynchronous BTB can be used to link systems with
different frequencies, as HVDC link has no constraints
with respect to frequencies or to phase angle between
the two AC systems.
b) Since reactive power does not get transmitted over DC
link, two AC systems can be connected through a BTB-
HVDC link without increasing the short circuit power.
This technique can be useful in generator connection.
line as compared to point to point HVDC system. This
allows the design of converter station to be based on
DC current rather than DC voltage and results in low
nominal voltage. So, it is possible to optimally use the
large thyristor. Thus, minimising the number of
thyristors and hence reducing the valve cost.
d) With low nominal DC voltage it is possible to use
transformers with low voltage tertiary windings where
switched AC filters and shunt capacitors or reactors can
be easily used for finer reactive power control. Since
the rectifier and inverter station are both situated in
the same location there is no need to have a DC yard,
DC filters telecommunications and ground electrodes.
e) Many of the facilities like AC yards, station building,
station control, cooling system, cooling water supply,
station mechanical and electrical equipment etc are
commonly shared by the two converter stations in
BTB-HVDC system [9].
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 III. FAULT CURRENT LIMITERS [5,10]. Conductor based on Bi-2212, for resistive type long
length SCFCL is directly connected in series with the line.
An FCL, fundamentally, offers very high impedance to fault Such conductors exhibit low ac-losses, high mechanical
current bringing it down to a low level, in a very short time. strength to withstand transient stresses and thermal stability
An SCFCL is in superconducting state (zero resistance) to avoid “Hot-spot”.
during normal operation and transits to normal state (high
impedance) during fault conditions. The SCFCLs have
distinct advantages over conventional FCLs in high voltage IV. BTB-HVDC SYSTEMS
networks. SCFCL provides an ultra fast transition from
superconducting to normal state and is self operating and BTB-HVDC scheme under consideration consists of a
repetitive in nature. Further during normal operation the single circuit AC overhead line of 200 kms length,
resistance being zero, the losses will be negligibly small. terminated by 3MW BTB link. This system is modelled in
PSCAD/EMTDC environment. This allows a bidirectional
Basically there are two types of SCFCLs, a resistive SCFCL power flow between the two AC network on either side of
and an inductive SCFCL. The resistive SCFCL is simpler in BTB link as shown in fig.1.The rated DC voltage is 10kV
design and consists of an active superconductor element and the rated current is 0.3kA. The AC line is situated on
connected in series with the circuit to be protected. On the the rectifier side and the line parameters per km are
other hand, an inductive limiter uses the principle of R=0.0264 ohm, X=0.3294 ohm, B=3.356 ×10-6 mho. The
magnetic coupling between the superconductor element and short circuit ratio at rectifier is 4.5 and that at inverter is 20.
the protected circuit. The major advantage of resistive Filters and capacitors are provided at the AC bus of both the
SCFCL is the simplicity of principle of operation and converters. There is a small local load present at both the
construction and hence lower cost. However, the main ends. A smoothing reactor of 14mH is connected on the DC
drawback can be the heat dissipation in the SCFCL, during side of the converters [9]. The SCFCL is connected on the
fault. Various protective devices are suggested to prevent DC side as shown in fig. 1.
the damage to the SCFCL. Factors which favor the
inductive SCFCLs are the absence of electrical connections V. NUMERICAL RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
between the superconducting elements and the circuit to be
protected, lower voltage drop across superconducting The above system is simulated by interfacing the SCFCL
element during fault condition and the possibility of making model (matlab program) to BTB-HVDC system in
high temperature superconducting coil in the form of rings PSCAD/EMTDC environment. The dynamic performance
and cylinders. The major drawback is the difficulty in of the BTB-HVDC scheme is evaluated for both steady
realizing prototypes for higher power ratings. The present state and transient conditions. The following cases have
paper deals with resistive SCFCLs. This is because the been analysed in the present study.
principle of operation of resistive SCFCLs is easy to (1) Steady state performance( shown in fig. 2)
understand as compared to inductive SCFCLs and resistive (2) Three phase to ground fault at the inverter AC
SCFCLs of higher ratings can be obtained easily by series bus.(fig. 3 & fig. 4)
parallel connection of superconducting elements. (3) Single line to ground fault at the inverter AC bus
(fig. 5 & fig. 6)
Various high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials (4) DC fault on the line side of the converters.(fig 7 &
working at 77K have been suggested for power applications. fig 8)
Among them the major material systems are Y123, Bi2223 On the onset of the fault, the current in the system goes on
and Bi 2212. Y123 it is not possible to build conductors increasing. This raises the temperature of the SCFCL. It
with large surface area or long length. But it offers superior loses its superconductivity and introduces a resistance in the
physical properties. With Bi2223 long cables and wires are circuit. This brings down the fault current from a peak of
possible. These materials have a sheath covering of silver 2000A to about 1700A in less than ½ a cycle, in case of 3
and hence the surface is highly conducting. This makes phase fault. The different voltages and currents during the
them difficult to be used for FCL applications. Bi2212 is single line to ground fault and also dc side fault are
the most robust material and artifacts with large surface area indicative of the usefulness of the SCFCL.
can be produced. The fact that Bi2212 made FCL can have
large area means that for the same critical current of VI. CONCLUSION
Bi2212 the critical current of the FCL can be made higher
and hence a Bi2212 made FCL can have higher ratings. This study evaluates the application of superconducting
These materials have nonlinear E − J fault current limiters in a BTB-HVDC system. The limited
characteristics and also exhibit a very strong dependence on results obtained indicate that the SCFCL reduces the fault
temperature. Theses are widely used in the SCFCL current substantially during transients. A detailed analysis is
applications. The mathematical model used in the present underway to understand the impact of SCFCL application in
work is based on the E-J characteristics of Bi2212 material BTB HVDC system.

2011 1st International Conference on Electrical Energy Systems 289


VII. REFERENCES
[1] CIGRE WG A3.16: “Fault current limiters- application, principles and
experience., CIGRE SC A3 and B3 joint colloquium in Tokyo, 2005.
[2] M.Neo, B.R. Oswald, “Technical and economical benefits of
superconducting fault current limiter in power systems”, IEEE Transaction
on applied superconductivity, vol 9 , No.2,pp1347-1350, June 1999.
[3] Cointe Yannick, Tixador Pascal , Villard, “ FCL: A solution to fault
current problems in DC networks” 8th European Conference on Applied
Superconductivity (EUCAS 2007) IOP Publishing Journal of Physics:
Conference Series 97 (2008) 012062.
[4] W.Paul, M. Chen, M lakner, J Rhyner, D.Brauns, W.Lanz and M
Kleimaier, “Superconducting fault current limiter-applications, technical
and economical benefits and simulations and test results”, in 13-201
CIGRE, Session-2000, Paris, France, pp 1-8.
[5] Lin.Ye and K.P.Juengst, “Modeling and Simulation of high
Temperature Resistive Superconducting Fault Current Limiters”, IEEE
Fig. 1 BTB-HVDC System with SCFCL on the DC side.
rectifier DC current rectifier DC voltage
290 2011 1st International Conference on Electrical Energy Systems
Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, Vol 14, No 2, June 2004, pp
839-842.
[6] P.Tixador, “DC Superconducting fault current limiter”,
Superconducting Science and Technology, IOP Publishing, Feb 2006,
S118-S125.
[7] M . SZECHTMAN (Convener), T. WESS, C.V.THIO “First
benchmark model for HVDC control studies”, Electra, April 1991, pp 56-
73.
[8] Premila Manohar and H.S. Chandrasekharaiah, “A critical appraisal of
the location of Back to Back HVDC station in an AC system”. The eighth
national power systems conference , IIT, Delhi, December 14-17, 1994
[9] A.E. Hammad and W.F.Long, “Performance and economic
comparisons between point to point HVDC transmission system and hybrid
back to back HVDC AC transmission”, IEEE trans. Power Delivery, Vol.5,
no.2 , pp 1137-1144,1990.
[10] Premila Manohar, Wajid Ahmed and Mihir Naik, “Dynamic Modeling
and Simulation of Superconducting Fault Current Limiter for HVDC
applications”, National Power Electronics Conference, Indian Institute of
Science, Bangalore, December, 17-19, 2007.
rectifier bus voltage inverter bus voltage
 Fig. 2 Steady state voltages and current

rectifier DC voltage rectifier bus voltage inverter bus voltage

Fig. 3 Voltage during three phase to ground fault at inverter

without SCFCL with SCFCL resistance of SCFCL

Fig. 4 Rectifier currents during three phase to ground fault at inverter

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 rectifier DC voltage rectifier bus voltage inverter bus voltage

Fig. 5 Voltages during single phase to ground fault at inverter

without SCFCL with SCFCL resistance of SCFCL

Fig. 6 Rectifier currents during single phase to ground fault at inverter

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rectifier DC voltage rectifier bus voltage inverter bus voltage

Fig.7 Voltage during the fault on the DC side of the converters

without SCFCL with SCFCL resistance of SCFCL

Fig.8 Current during the fault at DC side of the converters

2011 1st International Conference on Electrical Energy Systems 293