HIGH VOLTAGE DIRECT

CURRENT TRANSMISSION
THE ENTIRE POWER SYSTEM IS DIVIDED IN TO
THREE MAJOR PARTS:

 Generation system

 Transmission system

 Distribution system
DISADVANTAGES OF A.C.
TRANSMISSION

 In order to provide adequate insulation and to avoid

corona loss spacing between line conductors is to be
kept more in over head transmission lines.

 amount of conductor material required is more over D.C.

two wire system

 In long transmission lines capacitance effect comes into

picture .due to capacitance charging current flows in the
line even though the line is open circuited and produces
continuous power loss.
 Construction of A.C. transmission lines is not easy over
D.C. lines.

 Alternators are to be synchronized before putting them

into parallel.

 The variations in the speeds of alternators are to be

controlled with in very low limits to keep constancy of
frequency.
ADVANTAGES OF D.C. TRANSMISSION

 It requires only two conductors for transmission

 No inductance, capacitance and phase

displacement.

 There is no skin effect and hence full cross-

section of the conductor is utilized.

 Less insulation is required.

 Underground cables can be used because of
less potential stress and negligible dielectric loss.

 For a given load and sending end voltage,

voltage regulation is better for D.C. transmission
line.

 No stabilizer is required.
In the past ...
At the beginning of 20th century, DC (Direct Current) was
superseded by AC (Alternating Current) for large-scale
electrification. DC power did nevertheless survive, in
applications like electric traction and drives.

Today ...
Today, bulk power systems are 3-phase AC, while utilization
is either 1-phase or 3-phase AC.

In Europe ...

Continental Europe is actually a single AC power system,
running synchronously at 50 Hz, spanning from Portugal to
Poland and Greece!
 WHY HVDC?

WHAT IS HVDC TRANSMISSION?

 HOW HVDC TRANSMISSION IS DONE?

WHY HVDC?

 Energy demand doubles for every 10-12

years.

 Interconnection of technical and economic

advantages
HVDC solutions have become more
desirable for the following reasons

 Environmental advantages

 Economical (cheapest solution)

 Asynchronous interconnections

 Power flow control

 Added benefits to the transmission (stability, power

quality etc.)
HOW HVDC IS DONE???
The following steps are involved:

 stepping up the generated A.C.

 Converting the A.C. to D.C.

 Transmission through D.C.

 Converting the D.C. to A.C. at the load side

The main components of HVDC transmission are the

converter stations
History of events
1930s
Efficient static AC/DC conversion (mercury arc valves) was
made possible.

1940s
High Voltage DC (HVDC) bulk power transmission was
studied in Germany.

1954
First commercial application in Sweden: submarine link bet-
ween mainland and Gotland island (100 kV-20 MW-90 km).

1970s
Thyristors (SCRs) took over; today, HVDC operation
voltages attain 600 kV, transmitted power over 3000 MW.

Today ...
DC made its way back into bulk power systems!
TYPICAL HVDC APPLICATIONS
There are three typical HVDC applications:

1. Interconnection of non-synchronous AC power

systems, even at different frequencies.

2. Power transmission over long undersea cable

links, if the AC solution requires intermediate
compensation.

3. Point-to-point, long-distance transmission of

large blocks of power.

For entries 1. and 2., HVDC is the only practical

solution.
For entry 3. the choice of DC or AC transmission is
a matter of technical-economic convenience.
Submarine transmission
For a 380 kV-50 Hz AC submarine cable
— maximum practical length is around 100 km
— transmissible power over a single circuit (3 cables) is
around 1000 MW

A bipolar HVDC submarine link can transmit

1000 MW over several hundreds of km, with 2
cables
— (Sardinia-Italy, under construction). 420 km, 500 kV,
1000 MW.
— (Norway-Netherlands) 580 km, 450 kV, 700 MW

Several HVDC links in operation or planned in

Italy
Submarine transmission
SACOI – Three-
terminals
monopolar link, 200
kV – 300 MW
(Sardinia – Corsica
– Tuscany)‫‏‬

SAPEI – Bipolar
link, ±500 kV –
1000 MW (Sardinia
– Latium)‫‏‬

GRITA –
Monopolar link 400 15
kV – 500 MW (Italy
– Greece)‫‏‬
Submarine transmission
There are also
Francia 4 other feasibility
Italia
Croazia
5 studies by TERNA
SACOI
(300 MW)‫‏‬
6 Albania
SAPEI
(500+500 MW)‫‏‬
1 GRITA
(500MW)‫‏‬

500÷1000 MW

3
2 500÷1000
500 ÷ 1000 MW MW

Preliminary studies
Algeria
1 - completed
Tunisia 2 - completed
3 - underway
Libia
4 - underway 16
5 - to be performed
6 - to be performed
Long-distance transmission
HVDC overland links are usually bipolar, on
overhead lines. Compared to AC, DC
transmission has several advantages
— HVDC overhead lines are less expensive and require
narrower right-of-ways.
— Line losses (Joule and corona) are also smaller.
— Angular stability and reactive power balance are not a
concern: there is no need of intermediate
switching/compensating stations.

As a consequence, less DC lines than AC lines

are actually needed to transmit the same power

17
Long-distance transmission
The AC vs. DC break-even distance can be
loosely estimated at 600-800 km for a 3000 MW
power transfer

Some existing links

— (Brazil): 600 kV, 2×3150 MW, 785 km.
— ‘Three Gorges’ (China, 2001-4): 2 links, 500 kV, 3000
MW each, 890 and 940 km

The current industry “standard” is 500 kV,

3000 MW for a single bipolar link

In the midterm, operation of 800 kV links is

expected, trasmitting 5-6000 MW on a single line 18
INTEGRATION IN AC NETWORK
There are several conditions to satisfy:

1. The AC nodes at the HVDC line terminals must

be able to supply/evacuate the rated power of the
DC link.

2. The rated power of the DC link must be

compatible with the TSO’s operation rules: f.i.
UCTE takes at 3000 MW the largest single loss of
generation in the European system.

3. AC short-circuit power at the conversion stations

must be sufficiently larger than DC rated power
(say, ESCR>3; depends on adopted technology).
19
North Africa to Italy
There are no particular shortcomings aside from
the cost of submarine cables: in the first stage (say,
3000 MW power transfer) up to 3 cables per pole are
needed

Other key points are:

— Individuation and survey of cable routes in deep sea
(see f.i. studies conducted for Sa.Pe.I. link)‫‏‬
— Identification of suitable EHV terminals in the Italian
network (several powerful nodes on the Tyrrhenian
coast, from Naples to Suvereto)‫‏‬

20
North Africa to Italy
SAPEI cable route attains 1600 m depth and
required extensive surveys by means of Remotely
Operated Vehicles (ROVs)‫‏‬

21
Italy to Germany
At an initial stage (e.g. 2-3000 MW) the existing
380 kV AC network could be used.

Italy permanently imports 6000 to 7000 MW

through the alpine interconnections, mainly from
France and Germany; the new, northbound flow
would be mainly virtual.

This solution, however, potentially interferes with

the Italian energy market, capping the transfer
capability between network zones “Center”, “Center-
North” and “North”. Network expansion could be
required.

22
Dedicated HVDC lines would solve Italian network
problems. The key issue here, however, is the strong
NIMBY attitude in Italy.
Italy to Germany
The best long-term choice is probably represented
by 800 kV overhead lines, despite their visual
obtrusiveness. Routing is undoubtedly a problem.

At a significant cost, HVDC underground cables

could solve the public acceptance problem.

If the auxiliary galleries of new railway tunnels are

made available, cables would greatly simplify
crossing the Alps.

23
The main components of a converter station are:

 Thyristor valves

 VSC valves.

 Transformers

 AC Filters and Capacitor Banks

 DC filters
The HVDC Converter station
.

Cost Structure of HVDC Transmission

Advantages of HVDC Systems

 The need for ROW is much smaller for HVDC than for
HVAC for the same transmitted power.

 The environmental impact is smaller with HVDC.

 Direction of power flow can be changed very quickly.

 No limits in transmitted distance.

 HVDC can carry more power for a given size of

conductor.

 Very fast control of power flow.

Limitations of HVDC:

 Terminal equipment like valves have little overload

capacity.

 Harmonics are produced both on A.C. and D.C. sides.

 These harmonics cause interference with audio

frequency signals.

 lack of HVDC circuit breakers hampers multi-terminal or

network operation

 Filters are required at both ends

WHEN HVDC IS PREFERED?
Modern trends in D.C. Transmission

 Power semiconductors and valves.

 Converter control.

 D.C. breakers.

 Conversion of existing A.C. lines.

 Operation with weak A.C. systems.

CONCLUSION:

 HVDC systems remain the best economical and

environmentally friendly option for the above
conventional applications.

 It is quite conceivable that with changed circumstances

in the electricity industry, the technological
developments, and environmental considerations, HVDC
would be the preferred alternative in many more
transmission projects.