Damning.

Analvsis of Subsvnchronous
Oscillation Caused by HVDC
Changchun Zhou,

Zheng Xu, Member, IEEE

Abstract-The correct analysis of damping characteristics in

subsynchronous frequency range is essential to evaluate the

subsynchronous oscillation (SSO) caused by WDC, but the
damping calculation is handicapped by the modeling of HVDC in
such a frequency range. The complex torque coefficient method
realized by time domain simulation is adopted in this paper to
estimate the SSO caused by HVDC. Frequency scanning in the
subsynchronous frequency range is performed to calculate the
subsynchronous damping of a unit. Impacts of unit interaction
factor (UDF),DC power level, firing angle and parameter settings
of the HVDC controller on the electrical damping are studied.
Research of the damping characteristics under inverter operation
is also conducted and it shows that only the units adjacent to the
rectifier have the potential for SSO, the units near the inverter
have no such risk.
Zndex Terms--complex torque coefficient method; SS0;HVDC

I. INTRODUCTION

ubsynchronous oscillation resulted from the interaction

between the electrical power system and the turbine
generator mechanical system can lead to turbine-generator
shaft failure and electrical instability at oscillation frequency
lower than the normal system frequency. The SSO mainly
occurs in the system with series compensated lines, the first
time that HVDC experienced SSO was in 1977 at Square
Butte. Extensive research was conducted but till now few
effective approaches were presented for SSO caused by
HVDC except the Unit Interaction Factor---UIF method
provided by EPRI [l]. The UIF establishes a relationship
between the HVDC interaction with turbine-generator
torsional vibration and the AC system strength, but there is no
damping information given by the UIF. The detailed studies
of SSO caused by HVDC were usually realized by HVDC
simulator [2, 31, which was based on the electrical damping
characteristics of the units in the subsynchronous frequency
range, and the SSO stability was also estimated on the basis of
Project 50277034 supported by National Natural Science Foundation of
China.
Project No. G1998020310 supported by National Key Basic Research Special
Fund of China
Changchun Zhou, and Zheng Xu are with the Department of Electrical
Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 P. R. China (e-mail:
hvdc@cee.zju.edu.cn).

0-7803-8110-6/03/$17.0002003 IEEE

the damping characteristics, this is the so-called complex

torque coefficient method.
The term of complex torque coefficient is proposed by
1.M.Canay in 1982 [4]. But before that time, the method
based on the concepts of damping torque and synchronous
torque for analysis of the SSO problem had been widely
applied [2,3]. In complex torque coefficient method, the
mechanical and electrical damping coefficient are calculated
respectively and used to evaluate the SSO problem. Since it is
a big challenge to establish an appropriate mathematical
model for systems including HVDC or FACTS devices in the
subsynchronous frequency range, it is difficult to obtain the
analytical solutions of the complex torque coefficient for the
study of the SSO problems caused by HVDC and FACTS.
However, the complex torque coefficient method realized by
time domain simulation has unique strong point to deal with
such an issue [5]. In this paper, a time domain simulation
based on PSCADEMTDC is made to calculate the complex
torque coefficients and a damping analysis of SSO caused by
HVDC is also presented.

II. MECHANISMS
DESCRIPTION
Investigations have revealed that the SSO problem of
HVDC is due primarily to the effects of the controllers
employed in HVDC systems [ 11. Turbine-generator rotor
motion causes variations in both magnitude and phase angle
of the commutating voltage. For an equidistant firing angle
control, utilized in modem HVDC systems, a shift in voltage
phase causes an equal shift in the firing angle. The change in
firing angle, as well as variations in the voltage magnitude,
will lead to changes in direct voltage and current, and thereby
dc power transfer. A closed loop control on direct current,
direct voltage, or firing angle applied in the HVDC would
respond to correct for these changes, thereby impacting the
magnitude and phase of variations in dc power transfer. The
ultimate effect of the change in dc power is a change in the
generator electrical torque. If the accumulated phase lags
between the changes in the generator shaft speed and the
ultimate resulting change in electrical torque on the generator
rotor exceed 90, the electrical damping becomes negative
[6]. Whether SSO occurs or not depends on the magnitudes of
the positive mechanical damping and negative electrical

30

damping at the corresponding subsynchronous frequencies.

Many factors may influence the characteristics of the
electrical damping, such as the coupling between HVDC and
turbine-generator, direct power level, magnitude of firing
angle, characteristics of dc controller, parameters of the dc
lines and so on.

relationship between the magnitude of the HVDC interaction

with turbine-generator torsional vibration and the AC system
strength has been established [ 13. This relationship, as
represented in (4), with no damping characteristics provided,

Gx
S

HI. REAJJZATION OF COMPLEX TORQUE

COEFFICIENTMETHOD
IN HVDC
In complex torque coefficient method, the increments of
the electromagnetic torque and mechanical torque of a
machine under a hHz ( h < f , and f, is the base system
frequency) disturbance can be represented as:
Ai'e =K,(h)A;+ D e ( h ) A h

Fig.1 Equivalent configuration of ACDC system

has been a cursory index and often used as a quantitative

screening tool.

(1)

where
(2)
=Unit Interaction Factor of the ith unit
In (l), K, and De are called as the electrical spring UIFi
=HVDC rating
coefficient and electrical damping coefficient respectively; In MVA",,
=Rating of the ith unit
( 2 ) , K , and D , are balled as the mechanical spring MVAi
=Short circuit capacity at HVDC
coefficient and mechanical damping coefficient respectively. sci
When K , ( h ) + K e ( h ) z O and D , ( h ) + D , ( h ) < O , the
commutation bus excluding the ith unit
=Short circuit capacity at HVDC
torsional mode of oscillation at hHz is regarded as unstable. s
c,
commutation bus including the ith unit
For torsional modes of turbine-generator oscillation, the value
According to the related guideline [l], the interaction
of K, is relatively small in comparison to that of K, . Hence,
the electrical spring coefficient has little effect on rotor between the HVDC and turbine-generator can be ignored in a
torsional oscillations. However, the inherent damping of the network configuration with a UIF less than about 0.1, hence,
turbine-generator torsional modes is extremely low, and the there is no potential risk of SSO in such a system. Equation (4)
damping contribution of the electrical system can be a can also be expressed in the form of impedance as shown in
significant factor. Hence, the emphasis of this paper is to (5). Thereby, supposing that the rating of the generator is not
examine the damping contribution of the power system. From changed, the UIF can be changed by varying the impedance.
(1). the electrical damping coefficient can be represented as:
A T , = K,(h)AS+ D,(h)ACO

De = Re(Ai'e/A&

(3)
where

where

zs
AT

= the increment of the electrical torque

=Equivalent AC system impedance

as seen from the converter excluding
the ith unit.
=Equivalent AC system impedance as

= the increment of the electrical speed

Ah
The prerequisite for the complex torque coefficient method Z e q
seen from the converter including the
is that the increment of the electromagnetic torque of a
generator can be represented as a linear function of the
ith unit and Z , = Zs // Z , .
generator's increment power angle and increment angular
It is convenient to realize the complex torque coefficient
frequency [SI, so the complex torque coefficient method is method by time domain simulation. For a certain operating
only valid for power system with only one generator and some point, after the system enters steady state, add a series of
fixed frequency sources but not valid for multi-machine small oscillating torques, whose frequencies are in the
power systems. In studying the SSO problem of a multi- subsynchronous range, to the rotor of the turbine-generator
machine power system, the generator interested can always be under study, then the electrical damping coefficients can be
separated from the system and replace the rest of the units calculated according to (3) after getting the resulting changes
with an equivalent source. Then the complex torque of the electromagnetic torque. Reference [SI has provided the
coefficient for the unit interested can be calculated in the steps of the time domain simulation, and a noticeable question
equivalent network. The complex torque coefficient of each is how many small oscillating torques should be added in one
unit in the system can be obtained after several times of time. Due to the strongly nonlinear characteristics of HVDC
equivalence and calculation. A simplified equivalent network or FACTS, the different frequency quantities may interfere
for calculation of complex torque coefficient is shown in Fig.1 with each other if more than one frequency oscillating torques
For the SSO study of this kind of network shown in Figl, a
31

are added in one time. Thereby, only one frequency

oscillating torque can be added in one time in the simulation
for a system associated with HVDC or FACTS.

IV.SIMULATION
AND ANALYSIS
A. Studied System
The studied system model is shown in Fig.2. Remain the
turbine-generator G which is connected to the rectifier via a
step-up transformer and reduce the rest of the machines to
fixed frequency sources. Each reduced machine is represented
by its sub-transient reactance in series with a voltage source.
Further, combine the reduced machines and represent them
with a fixed frequency source. In this way, the AC system is
reduced to be a single unit in parallel with a single fix
frequency source system, as the rectifier part shown in Fig.2.
The impedance Z , consists of the sub-transient reactance and
leak reactance of the step-up transformer, Z, is only used in
the calculation of UIF , in the real simulation the generator
G is modeled by the Park equations with a single mass. The
rating of generator G is 892MVA. The dc power and voltage
are rated at lOOOMW and 500kV respectively. The inverter
side AC system is also represented with an infinite source
behind an impedance.

Fig.2 Studied system model

The dc system is a mono-pole and 12 pulse system with a

current controller at the rectifier and an extinction angle
controller at the inverter. The block diagram of the current
controller is described in Fig.3, the dc current error is
processed through a PI regulator to produce the firing angle
order abrd.
r - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fig.3 Block diagram of current regulator

B. Damping characteristics of the rectifier unit

I ) Impact of UIF on electrical damping
For the studied system in Fig.2, keep the rating of the
generator G and the equivalent impedance Z, as constants.
Change the AC system strength by varying the impedance Z,
to obtain different UIF . Corresponding to different UIF , the
curves of electrical damping in the frequency range from
5Hz to 50Hz are depicted in Fig.4. For the situation of
UIF being 0.1, a positive damping exits almost over the entire

subsynchronous frequency range. Negative damping only

occurs at some isolated frequency with small magnitude.
Considering the positive contribution of the mechanical
damping, it is deemed that the SSO will not occur in such a
situation. As shown in Fig.4, the magnitudes of the negative
damping are increased with the increase of UIF , the damping
~ -2.Opu for UIF up to 0.36
coefficients equal - 0 . 8 ~and
and 0.79 respectively. If these negative effects can not be
counteracted by the mechanical damping of the shaft itself,
SSO will definitely occur.

20
40
Frequency (Hz)

20
40
Frequency (Hz)

20
40
Frequency (Hz)

Fig.4 Impacts of UlF on electrical damplng (rectifieroperation)

The magnitude of UIF reflects the coupling between the

HVDC and the unit. In principle, the impact of the
disturbance of the generator terminal voltage on the
commutating voltage is decreased by the parallel
impedance Z s R , and the resulting perturbation of dc current is
also shunted by Z , . Thereby the ultimate change of A ; ~ is
smaller than that in the situation without Z , . Supposing that
the ratings of unit and dc power transfer are not changed, it
can be seen from (4) and (5) that the UIF is determined by
SC, and SC,,, , or Z sR and Z, . UIF can be of small value
only if Z,is very large or Z,is quite small, that is to say,
only on the condition that the electrical distance between the
unit and HVDC is very large, or the parallel equivalent AC
system is fairly strong, the SSO can be avoided effectively.
Another characteristic reflected by Fig.4 is that the
damping for UIF being 0.36 and 0.79 is negative only in the
frequency range about 5-2OHz . This phenomenon is
resulted from the effects of the current regulator employed in
the rectifier. HVDC current regulators typically have
bandwidth in the range of 10 to 20 Hz [7], which include the
first few torsional modes of vibration of turbine-generator
units. Only the disturbances in the range of the bandwidth can
be transferred through the closed loop control and produce
negative damping. Thereby, in studying the SSO of HVDC,
special attentions should be paid to the first few torsional
modes which have the same frequency range as the controller
bandwidth.
2 ) Impact of dc power level on electrical damping
From the analysis above, it can be seen that the
perturbation of dc power is the direct cause of SSO in HVDC.
For the same studied system shown in Fig.2 with UIF being
0.79, Fig.5 gives the curves of damping characteristic versus
different dc power level. For the dc power Pdcis 1 .Opu , the
damping is of large negative values in the frequency range
from 5 to 20Hzand is the same as the one shown in Fig.3
32

with UIF = 0.79 . Less destabilization exits as the dc power is

reduced, as illustrated by Fig.5. With the dc power dropping
to 0.2 pu , positive damping exits almost over the entire
subsynchronous frequency range except the frequencies near
5 Hz . It is well known that the first natural torsional
frequency of a turbine-generator shaft is generally larger than
lOHz, hence the small negative damping is not capable of
causing SSO at the frequency about 5 Hz .

-0

10

20
30
40
Frequency (Hz)

50

Fig.5 Impact of dc power level on electrical damping

Being a kind of oscillation of active power, the SSO caused

by HVDC is heavily dependent on the dc power transfer and
the output of generator. UIF is an index of interaction in the
rated operation, which indicates the coupling of the HVDC
and the unit in rated operation mode. From the view of
coupling, the relationship between the unit and HVDC is
weakened as the dc power transfer drops down. Hence the
interaction between them and the destabilization are also
decreased.
3) Impact offiring angle on electrical damping
The disturbance of generator rotor can lead to the changes
in dc voltage, dc current and hence dc power transfer. The dc
control would respond to these changes. All the control
actions at the rectifier are done by changing the firing angle.
Changes in the fiing angle have a significant impact on the
interaction of HVDC and unit. This influence arises from the
inherent cosine relationship between firing angle and dc
voltage. Fig.6 illustrates the different damping characteristics
for varied firing angle. As shown in Fig.6, destabilization
increases as the firing angle is increased. There will be more
risk in the condition of high firing angle.

To ensure the operation of valves, firing angle should be

larger than its minimum limit, which is about 3" 5" . In real
HVDC operation, the firng angle is usually set in the range of
10' 15". In general, high firing angle at the rectifier exist
only for transient situation of at most a few hundred
milliseconds, during which time torsional damping is not of
primary concern. However, there may be situations where it is
operated at reduced voltage in steady-state. Such a case will
have more potential risk of SSO than HVDC system operating
near 15"firing angle.
4) Impact of controller settings on electrical damping
Since the negative electrical damping is produced by the
HVDC closed loop current controller, the characteristics of
damping are heavily dependent upon the parameter settings of
them. The structure of current controller has been shown in
Fig.3. A PI regulator is adopted to produce firing angle order
for HVDC system. The curves of damping corresponding to
different integral time constants Ti and to different
proportional gains K , are depicted in Fig.7 and Fig.8
respectively.

1---r--=OiOlS

10

20
30
40
Frequency (Hz)

50

Fig.7 Impact of Ti on eiectrical damping

10

20 30
40
Frequency (Hz)

50

Fig.8 Impact of Kp on electrical damping

,
10

20
30
40
Frequency (Hz)

50

Fig.6 Impact of firing angle on electrical damping

The characteristics of damping have a similar tendency of

change for the three different settings of T. ,which is negative
in a low frequency range and becomes positive in a high
frequency range. Define the frequency at which the damping
turns from negative to positive as f, . It is clear that
when Ti, >Ti*> T 3 ,the relationship of f, can be expressed
as f,,< f,, < f,, . The proportional gains K , impose different
impacts on electrical damping from the one induced by T. . As

shown in Fig.8, for different proportional gains K , ,the values

of f, are almost the same, moreover, the characteristics of

damping are almost the same in the f < f, frequency range.
When frequency f increases and is higher than f , , the
damping characteristics behave obviously different for
different values of. K, .
Because of the complexity of the HVDC system, it is
difficult to establish a mathematical model for the closed loop
current control including the whole dc system. In normal
operation, different parameters have different impacts on the
dc controller bandwidth and comparing with the proportional
gain K , , the integral time constant is a more significant
factor. The larger the c i s , the lower the bandwidth and f ,
would be. The unit will benefit from higher time constant to
avoid SSO, but the large time constant can surely slow down
the respond speed of the dc controller. Proportional gain
behaves as an amplifier to the dc disturbance, from Fig.8 we
can see, high setting of K , will bring more risks of SSO.

C. Damping characteristics of inverter unit

Former researches have led to such a conclusion that
turbine-generators in the vicinity of an inverter station have
no potential risk of SSO [3]. It is of interest to validate it by
means of the complex torque coefficient method realized in
time domain. Suppose that the unit in parallel with equivalent
AC system is connected to the inverter, or reverse the power
flow and make the rectifier work as an inverter, the studied
system in Fig.2 can be used to examine the SSO
characteristics of the units adjacent to inverter. Fig.9 gives the
electrical damping of the inverter unit for different UZF .
Unlike the damping of unit near rectifier, the negative
damping with small magnitude is achieved only for range of
high frequency. And the frequency range covered by negative
damping is decreased as the UIF increase, as can be seen
from Fig.9, the positive damping exists over the entire
subsynchronous frequency range for UIF being 0.36. As no
loads are included in the simulation, the results shown in Fig.9
are very conservative.
1.5

0.5

1.5

The complex torque coefficient method is adopted in this

paper to study the SSO caused by HVDC. The method is
realized by a time domain simulation. Frequency scanning in
the subsynchronous range has been performed and the
characteristics of electrical damping are calculated. This
method adapts to not only the SSO caused by HVDC, but also
the SSO problems caused by FACTS or other power
electronic devices.
Current control at rectifier would produce negative
damping, and the frequency range of negative damping is
determined by the controller bandwidth. Therefore, properly
settings of the controller parameters will decrease the risk of
SSO, but can not eliminate the potential danger. Reduce the
coupling between the HVDC and unit, or reduce the dc power
transfer and firing angle can mitigate the SSO stress caused by
HVDC. Units adjacent to inverter have no SSO risk.

W.

REFERENCES

Electric Power Research Institute, HVDC System Control for Damping of

Subsynchronous Oscillations, EPRl EL-2708, Final Report,Ocyober
1982.
Svensson S, Mortensen K. Damping of subsynchronousoscillations by an
HVDC link, an HVDC simulator study, IEEE Trans on Power Apparatus
and System, vol. 3, pp.1431-1437, 1981.
Ymg Jiang-Haher,Hugo Duchen, Kerstin Linden and Mats Hyttinen,
Improvement of subsynchronous torsional damping using VSC HVDC,
Proceedings of PowerCon2002, vol. 2, pp.998-1003,2002.
Canay I.M., A new approach to the torque inyrtaction and electrical
damping of the synchronous machine, part I and part 11, IEEE Trans on
Power Apparatus and Systems, vol. 10, pp.3630-3647, 1982.
Xu Zheng, Feng Zhouyan, A novel unified approach for analysis of smallsignal stability of power system, Proceedings of IEEE/PES Winter
Meeting, vol. 2, pp.963-967,2000.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE guide for
planning DC l i terminating at AC locations having low short-circuit
capacities, IEEEStd 1204, 1997.
P. Kundur, Power System Stability and Control, New YorkMcGraw-Hill,
1994, p.1026

1
0.5

-0.5
20
40
Frequency (Hz)

V. CONCLUSION

2.5

the same level, i.e. the UZF is high, there will be more
possibility of SSO occurrence. Inverter is something like an
AC source, and the adjacent units do not supply any power to
the HVDC. Operating parallel with the inverter, the units
supply conventional, frequency-dependent loads. In addition,
an inverter, at least operating with dc voltage regulations, is
similar to the conventional loads----each increase in voltage
lead to an increased reactive power consumption and vice
versa. Thereby, the turbine-generators adjacent to an inverter
are not endangered by SSO problems.

20
40
Fresuency ( W

20
40
Frequency (Hz)

VIII. BIOGRAPHIES

Fig.9 Impact of UIF on electrical damping (inverter operation)

Power system loads have positive frequency-dependent

characteristic, which will contribute positive damping to
power oscillations with any frequency, obviously including
the oscillation in the subsynchronous frequency range. Being
rigid load, the rectifier station is independent of network
frequency and usually has negative contribution to power
oscillations. If the rated power of HVDC and of the unit are at

Changchun Zhou was bom in Shandong, China, in January 1976. He received

B.S from SouthEast University, Nanjing, China in 1998. He received M.S from
Shandong University, Jinan, China in 2000. He is now a Ph.D. student in the E.E.
Department of Zhejiang University. His main field of interest includes power
system stability and control of HVDC.
Zheng Xu was bom in Zhejiang, China, in September 1962.He received the BS,
MS and Ph.D. degrees from Zhejiang University, China in 1983,1986 and 1993
respectively, all in Electrical Engineering. He has been with the Electrical
Engineering Department of Zhejiang University since 1986. Since 1998 he is a
professor of Zhejiang University. His research area includes HVDC, FACTS,
power harmonics and power quality.

34