Six-pulse bridge[edit]

The basic LCC configuration for HVDC uses a three-phase Graetz bridge
rectifier or six-pulse bridge, containing six electronic switches, each
connecting one of the three phases to one of the two DC terminals.[12] A
complete switching element is usually referred to as a valve, irrespective of its
construction. Normally, two valves in the bridge are conducting at any time:
one on the top row and one (from a different phase) on the bottom row. The
two conducting valves connect two of the three AC phase voltages, in series,
to the DC terminals. Thus, the DC output voltage at any given instant is given
by the series combination of two AC phase voltages. For example, if valves V1
and V2 are conducting, the DC output voltage is given by the voltage of phase
1 minus the voltage of phase 3.
Because of the unavoidable (but beneficial) inductance in the AC supply, the
transition from one pair of conducting valves to the next does not happen
instantly. Rather, there is a short overlap period when two valves on the same
row of the bridge are conducting simultaneously. For example, if valves V1
and V2 are initially conducting and then valve V3 is turned on, conduction
passes from V1 to V3 but for a short period both of these valves conduct
simultaneously.[11] During this period, the DC output voltage is given by the
average of the voltages of phases 1 and 2, minus the voltage of phase 3.
The overlap angle (or u) in an HVDC converter increases with the load
current, but is typically around 20 at full load.

Three-phase full-wave (Graetz) Commutation process explained. When just valves 1 and 2
bridge rectifier circuit
are conducting, the DC voltage is formed from two of the
using thyristors as the switching three phase voltages. During the overlap period the DC
elements
voltage is formed from all three phase voltages.

During the overlap period, the output DC voltage is lower than it would
otherwise be and the overlap period produces a visible notch in the DC
voltage.[11] An important effect of this is that the mean DC output voltage
decreases as the overlap period increases; hence the mean DC voltage falls
with increasing DC current.

Voltage and current waveforms for a six-pulse bridge at alpha=20 with overlap angle of 20

The mean DC output voltage of a six-pulse converter is given by:[13]

Where:
VLLpeak - the peak value of the line to line input voltage (on the converter
side of the converter transformer),
= firing angle of the thyristor
Lc - the commutating inductance per phase
Id - the direct current
The firing angle represents the time delay from the point at
which the voltage across a valve becomes positive (at which
point a diode would start to conduct) and the thyristors being
turned on.[11][14] From the foregoing equation, it is clear that as the
firing angle increases, the mean DC output voltage decreases. In
fact, with a line-commutated converter, the firing angle
represents the only fast way of controlling the converter. Firing
angle control is used to regulate the DC voltages of both ends of
the HVDC system continuously in order to obtain the desired
level of power transfer.

Valve voltage and current for inverter operation with =20 and =20

The DC output voltage of the converter steadily becomes less

positive as the firing angle is increased: firing angles of up to 90
correspond to rectification and result in positive DC voltages,
while firing angles above 90 correspond to inversion and result
in negative DC voltages.[15] However, the firing angle cannot be
extended all the way to 180, for two reasons. Firstly, allowance
must be made for the overlap angle , and secondly for an
additional extinction angle which is needed for the valves to
recover their ability to withstand positive voltage after conducting
current. The extinction angle is related to the turn-off time tq of
the thyristors. A typical value of is 15. , and are interrelated thus:
(in degrees)

Twelve-pulse bridge[edit]
With a phase change only every 60, considerable harmonic
distortion is produced at both the DC and AC terminals when the
six-pulse arrangement is used. An enhancement of the six-pulse
bridge arrangement uses 12 valves in a twelve-pulse bridge.[11] A
twelve-pulse bridge is effectively two six-pulse bridges
connected in series on the DC side and arranged with a phase
displacement between their respective AC supplies so that some
of the harmonic voltages and currents are cancelled.
The phase displacement between the two AC supplies is usually
30 and is realised by using converter transformers with two

different secondary windings (or valve windings). Usually one of

the valve windings is star (wye)-connected and the other is deltaconnected.[16] With twelve valves connecting each of the two sets
of three phases to the two DC rails, there is a phase change
every 30, and harmonics are considerably reduced. For this
reason the twelve-pulse system has become standard on almost
all line-commutated converter HVDC systems, although HVDC
systems built with mercury arc valves usually allowed for
temporary operation with one of the two six-pulse groups
bypassed.