HVDC Control System -

Overview
 HVDC Control & Protection

What are the basic control principles

for HVDC Systems?
 HVDC Control
What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?

Id

U1 U2

AC System A AC System B

Simplified HVDC System diagram

 HVDC Control
What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?

Id

U1 U2

AC System A AC System B
 HVDC Control
What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?
Id
Id in one direction only
U1 = = U2
Magnitude of Id or power is
controlled depending on
U1 U2 the difference in the
terminal voltages (U1, U2)

Power Direction Direction of power is

controlled depending on the
polarity of the terminal
voltages (U1, U2)
U1 U2

Change of Power Direction

 HVDC Control & Protection
What are the basic principles of HVDC Controls?
Tap Changer Sending End Receiving End Tap Changer
Control Control

U1 U2

I
d

Converter Converter
ACF Control Control ACF
Rectifier Inverter
capacitors capacitors
Id-Control Ud-Control
ACF ACF

Reactive Reactive
Power Control Power Control
(AC Voltage (AC Voltage
Limitation Limitation
Control) Control)
AC System A AC System B
Converter Control Reactive Power Control Tap Changer Control

Id: DC Current ACF: AC Filter

Ud: DC Voltage
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Control of DC Voltage

Rectifier Operation Inverter Operation

AC System Power Flow DC System AC System Power Flow DC System

Id Id

V1 V3 V5 V1 V3 V5

Phase A Phase A

Phase B Ud Phase B Ud

Phase C Phase C

V4 V6 V2 V4 V6 V2

+Ud
Rectifier
Operation
160
0
α
5 30 60 90 120 150 180
Inverter
Operation
-Ud
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Control of DC Voltage

• DC voltage is varied by means of a converter bridge

• In rectifier operation the power flow is from the AC system to the DC
system
• The power flow is changed from the DC system to the AC system by
reversing the DC voltage.
• The DC current does not change it’s direction.
• The operating range of the ideal converter - theory from 0° (+1.0 p.u. DC
voltage) to 180° (-1.0 p.u. DC voltage)
• The operating range of a real converter is from approx. 5° to approx. 160°
• In 90° operation the DC voltage of the converter is 0 V.
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Relationship of DC Voltage Ud and Firing Angle α
α Rect. Limit
Rectifier
+Ud Operation

160 α
0
5 30 60 90 120 150 180
Inverter
Operation
-Ud
α Inv Limit
α = 0ο α = 30ο α = 60ο
Ud

Ud

ωt

α = 90ο α = 120ο α = 150ο

Ud

ωt

-Ud
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Fixed Firing Angles α

Fixed αo Fixed αo

Trigger Trigger
set set

Id
AC SYSTEM AC SYSTEM
A Ud Rect Ud Inv
B

Rectifier Inverter
Converter Control Functions, Fixed Firing Angles α

• Firing angle is controlled by use of controllers and

the trigger set.
• Task of the trigger set - convert the firing angle in
appropriate firing pulses for each individual valve
and the synchronisation of these pulses to the AC
system
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Characteristics, Fixed Firing Angles α
Ud=Udio*cos(α) = k*UAC*cos(α)
Ud (p.u.) Station A (Rectifier) Ud=Udio*cos(α) − dx*Id
Fixed
Station αo (~15°)
A (Inverter) ∆U=dx*Id Station B (Inverter)
Fixed αo (~140°) Fixed αo (~140°)

1.0

Operating
Point

1.0
Id (p.u.)

Station B (Rectifier)
Fixed αo (~15°)

-1.0
 Converter Characteristics with Fixed Firing
Angles (no controller)

• Rectifier is operated with fixed firing angle of e.g. 15 degree.

• The slope of this characteristic depends on the commutation
impedance (AC System and transformer) of the converter.
• The weaker the AC system, the steeper the slope.
• Inverter is operated with fixed firing angle of e.g. 140 degree
• Operating point of the HVDC is intersection of the two
converter characteristics
• Operating point is strongly dependent on the AC voltage
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Characteristics, Fixed Firing Angles a

Rectifier
Rectifier Fixed
Fixed αo (~15°)
αo (~15°)
Inverter Fixed αo (~140°)

Ud (p.u.)
AC Bus Voltage reduction
at rectifier
1.0

Operating Point
Operating Point with reduced rectifier
AC Voltage

DC Voltage reduction DC Current Control at

Rectifier
DC Current reduction
(depending on AC Voltage)

Id (p.u.)
1.0
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Id control at Rectifer

I DC Ref
PI Controller
I DC Act + I DC Control αo Fixed αo
-
Trigger Trigger
set set

Id

AC SYSTEM AC SYSTEM
A Ud Rect Ud Inv
B

Rectifier Inverter
 DC Current Control at rectifier station

• The DC current control - to keep the DC current constant as

long as possible
• The DC current is controlled according to the reference value
• When the actual DC current becomes lower than the ordered
current, the current control increases the PI controller output
resulting in an increase of the rectifier DC voltage (UdRect) in
order to maintain the DC current.
• In case the actual current is too high the PI controller reacts in
opposite direction.
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Id control at Rectifer

Rectifier Fixed αmin (5°) Inverter Fixed α (~140°)

Ud (p.u.)

AC Bus Voltage reduction

at inverter
1.0
Operating range with
increased AC Bus
Voltage at range
Operating rectifier
with
Operating
No ChangePoint in
Operating
(e.g. alpha Point
15°) but reduced AC Bus
increased alpha Voltage at rectifier
No(e.g.
Change
30°) in
Rectifier Id Control Operating Point
new Operating Point with reduced
inverter AC Voltage and fixed
Inverter α (~140°)

No change in DC Current,
but change in DC Voltage

DC Voltage Control at Inverter

1.0 Id (p.u.)
• Angle of the rectifier is not fixed to 15° anymore but controlled to lets
say 15°
• In case of AC voltage reductions at recitifer station, the current
controller reduced the Angle in order to keep the required DC Voltage
• Angle can be decreased down to 5°
i.e. no change in rectifier DC voltage as long as the DC voltage referring
to 5°
• Reaction of AC voltage Decrease at inverter station
• To avoid DC Voltage changes due to inverter AC bus voltage changes, a
DC voltage control is applied at the inverter station
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Control

I DC Ref
U DC Ref
PI Controller PI Controller
I DC Act + I DC Control αo αo U DC Control - U DC Act
- +
Trigger Trigger
set set

Id

AC SYSTEM AC SYSTEM
A Ud Rect Ud Inv
B

Rectifier Inverter
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Control

Rectifier Fixed αmin (5°)

Rectifier Fixed αmin (5°) Inverter Ud Control

Ud (p.u.) Operating Range for
AC Bus Voltage
reduction
Operating at Range
inverterfor
AC Bus Voltage
1.0 increase at inverter
AC Bus Voltage reduction
at rectifier
Operating Point
Inv Fixed αmax (~160°) (e.g. αRect =15°, αInv =140°)
Constant Operating Point for a wide
range
new of inverter
Operating and
Point rectifier
with reducedsiderectifier
AC
Voltage variations
AC Voltage and constant DC Voltage
Rectifier Id Control control

No change in DC Voltage,
DC Current reduction but change in DC Current
(depending on AC Voltage)

DC Current Margin
Control at inverter

1.0 Id (p.u.)
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Id Margin Control

I DC Ref
I marg
I DC Ref + -

I DC Control + I DC Act
I DC Ref
- U DC Ref
PI Controller PI Controller
I DC Act + I DC Control αo αo M U DC Control - U DC Act
- A
X +
Trigger Trigger
set set

Id

AC SYSTEM AC SYSTEM
A Ud Rect Ud Inv
B

Rectifier Inverter
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Id Margin Control

Rectifier Fixed αmin (5°)

Rectifier Fixed αmin (5°) Inverter Ud Control

Ud (p.u.)

1.0
AC Bus Voltage reduction
at rectifier
Inv Fixed αmax (~160°)
Operating Point
Operating Point without (e.g. αRect =15°, αInv =140°)
inverter Id Margin
Control

Rectifier DC Current Control

new Operating Point with inverter
Id Margin Control Inverter DC Current Control
DC Current margin

1.0 Id (p.u.)
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Extinction Angle Control

Rectifier Fixed αmin (5°)

Ud (p.u.) Inverter Ud Control

Inverter Gamma (γ) min

Control (17°)
1.0

Operating Point
(e.g. αRect =15°, αInv =140°)

Rectifier DC Current Control

Inverter DC Current Control

1.0 Id (p.u.)
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Extinction Angle Control

I DC Ref
I marg
I DC Ref + -

I DC Control + I DC Act
I DC Ref
- U DC Ref
PI Controller PI Controller
I DC Act + I DC Control αo αo
M U DC Control - U DC Act
- A +
X Gamma Ref

Trigger Trigger Gamma Control + Gamma Act

set set
-

Id

AC SYSTEM AC SYSTEM
A Ud Rect Ud Inv
B

Rectifier Inverter
 Extinction Angle Control (Gamma Control)

• The extinction angle control at inverter is provided in

order to maintain stability margins.
• The extinction angle reference value is the minimum
allowed value (e.g.17°)
• The extinction angle control becomes active when the
minimum limit is reached.
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Limit Control

Rectifier Fixed αmin (5°)

Ud (p.u.) Inverter Ud Control

Inverter Gamma (γ) min

Control (17°)
1.0

Rectifier DC Voltage
Limit Control Operating Point
(e.g. αRect =15°, αInv =140°)
DC Voltage Margin

Rectifier DC Current Control

Inverter DC Current Control

1.0 Id (p.u.)
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, DC Voltage Limit Control

I DC Ref
I marg
I DC Ref + -
I DC Ref I DC Control + I DC Act

I DC Act + I DC Control PI Controller PI Controller

U DC Ref

- M
αo αo
M U DC Control - U DC Act
U DC Ref I A +
U DC Act + U DC Control N X Gamma Ref
- + Trigger Trigger Gamma Control + Gamma Act
set set
U marg
-

Id

AC SYSTEM AC SYSTEM
A Ud Rect Ud Inv
B

Rectifier Inverter
 DC Voltage Limitation Controller at Rectifier

• A DC voltage limitation control at the rectifier is provided

in order to limit the DC voltage
• A margin of typical 0.03. p.u. is add to the inverter DC
voltage order.
• This prevents the DC voltage limitation controller to
become active during normal operation
• Backup control which becomes active to prevent from
excessive overvoltage in special fault situations
• It reduces the DC voltage to save valves by shifting the
firing angle in inverter direction of in order to maintain the
requested DC current
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions, Converter Control Characteristic
Ud
(pu)

Rectifier Ud Cont.
Inverter Ud Cont.

1.0
d Contr.

DC Line Drop
0.9
Operation Point
0.8 CEC
Inverter Id Cont.
Minimum DC Current
0.7

0.6 Rectifier Id Cont.

Inverter VDCOL
0.5

0.4

0.3 Rectifier VDCOL

Abbreviations:

0.2 VDCOL Voltage Dependent Current Limit

CEC Current Error Characteristic
Ud DC Voltage
0.1 Id DC Current
Extinction Angle

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 ld (pu)
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions

P Ref

Current Order
U DC Act
Calulator
I marg
I DC Ref
+
-
I DC Ref
I DC Control + - I DC Act
I DC Act + I DC Control
- PI Controller PI Controller
U DC Ref

DC Ref U Min
αo αo
MAX
U DC Control - +U DC Act
DC Act U + U DC Control 17°
-+ Trigger Trigger γ Control + - γ Act
U marg set set

Id
AC SYSTEM AC SYSTEM
A Ud Rect Ud Inv
B

Rectifier Inverter
 Principles of HVDC Controls
Converter Control Functions

DC Power Control

• The steady state Power Order is normally determined by the Operator from the
Operator Control System
• Current order is calculated by the Current Order Calculator
• Current order calculated by dividing the DC power order by the measured DC
voltage.

Summary Control Functions

Control functions at the rectifier

» DC Current Control (main control mode)
» DC voltage limitation control (backup control mode)

Control functions at the Inverter

» DC Voltage Control (main control mode)
» DC Current Control (backup control mode)
» Extinction Angel Control (backup control mode)