REACTIVE POWER CONTROL IN HVDC

INTRODUCTION:
It is well known that electric power generated in power plants in transmitted to the load centre
on three-phase ac transmission lines. However, for bulk power transmission over long distances, high
voltage dc (HVDC) transmission lines are preferred. HVDC transmission possesses the following
advantages over AC transmission system:
(i) In HVDC transmission system, one or iwq conductors and smaller towers are required as against
three conductors and tall towers in AC transmission system. HVDC transmission, therefore, costs less.
(ii) Fault clearance in HVDC is faster, therefore DC transmission system possesses improved
transient stability.
(iii) Size of conductors in DC transmission can be reduced as there is no skin effect.
(iv) Two AC systems at different frequencies can be interconnected through HVDC transmission
lines.
(v) For power transmission through cables, HVDC is preferred as it requires no charg-ing current
and the reactive power.
The additional cost of converting the inverting equipments makes HVDC transmission
uneconomical for low-power supply over short distances. However, for large-power transmission over
long distances, HVDC turns out to be economical. As a result, HVDC links are being used worldwide
at power levels of several gigawatts with the use of thyristor valve.

Fig. shows the basic layout of an HVDC transmission system. Two AC systems A and B are
interconnected by the DC line. If power flows from A to B, converter A then operates as a rectifier and
B as an inverter. Reverse power flow from B to A is also possible with B acting as a rectifier and A as
an inverter. AC filters reduce the current harmonics generated by the converters from entering into ac
systems. DC filters and smoothing inductors Ld reduce the ripple in the dc voltage. Both converters A
and B have 12-pulse configuration. The centre-point of converters A and B is earthed with one line, or
pole, at +kV and the other Hue, or pole, at -kV with respect to earth for a ± kV system. With both the
ends earthed, the power flow can be maintained with +kV line and the ground or with -kV line and the
ground.
TYPES OF HVDC LINK:
There are two basic types HVDC transmission systems. These are monopolar link and bipolar
link.
Monopolar or unipolar link shown in Fig. (a) offers the simplest arrangement. It uses a single
conductor which has either positive, or negative, polarity. It is preferred to have negative polarity for
the single conductor as it produces less radio interference. The return path is provided by ground or sea.
The return current through ground or sea leads to higher conduction losses, electrolytic action and large
potential gradients.
(a) Monopolar, (b) bipolar
In bipolar HVDC transmission, two conductors are used, one is positive and other is negative
with respect to the ground as shown in Fig. As stated before, the neutral points are grounded at both the
ends. As the positive and negative conductors carry equal currents, there is no earth current. In case one
line is opened due to fault, the other conductor and the ground will form unipolar link and half the rated
power can be transmitted untill the fault is cleared. It is obvious from above that bipolar system of
HVDC is more reliable than the unipolar or monopolar system. As such, HVDC bipolar link is more
commonly employed. A typical bipolar HVDC arrangement is described in what follows.
APPLICATIONS OF HVDC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
For generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electrical energy, 3-phase AC
systems are used universally and have a define superiority over HVDC.
However in following particular applications. High Voltage, Direct Current Transmission
(HVDC) is a strong alternative to EHV-AC trans-mission and HVDC lines are preferred.
· Long distance high power transmission by overhead lines.
· Medium high power submarine or underground cables.
· System interconnection by means of overhead lines, or under-ground/submarine cables, or
back-to-back HVDC coupling sta-tions, or Multi-Terminal DC systems (MTDC).
· Frequency conversion links (e.g. 60 Hz/50Hz)
· Incoming lines in mega-cities.
In HVDC link AC power is convened by thyristor - convertor valves at one end. The energy is
transmitted in HVDC form to the other end. At the other end, the DC power is inverted to AC and fed
into the receiv-ing AC system. Fig. illustrates a typical bipolar HVDC link.
A 2-Terminal HVDC transmission system has a HVDC convertor sub-station at each end and
an HVDC transmission line in between. In case of back-to-back coupling station, the convertor and
invertor are at the same place and there, is no HVDC line. Multi-Terminal HVDC inter connects 3 or
more AC systems, by HVDC transmission lines.
CHOICE OF HVDC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM
HVDC system are selected as an alternative to extra high voltage. a.c. transmission systems for
any one or more of the following reasons : (Table 47.1 gives the summary).
1. For long distance high power transmission lines for economic advantage of HVDC with
respect to lesser cost of transmission line and better control of power flow. Though the HVDC link
needs additional conversion substation equipment (convertor transformers and convertor etc.) on each
side, for long distance high power transmission, the total cost of a d.c. system becomes lower than that
of a.c. system. The break-even point is decided by economic studies for each scheme.
The per km cost of one bipolar single circuit HVDC line is lesser than that of an equivalent 3-
phase double circuit AC line. Number of conductors for 3 phase AC line is 6 to 24 as against 2 numbers
required for an equivalent bipolar HVDC line. HVDC line does not need inter-mediate sub-station for
compensation, whereas for EHV-AC line such a sub-station is required at an interval of 300 km. HVDC
becomes favourable above 800 km, 1000 MW when cost of EHV-line/sub-station exceeds that of
equivalent HVDC line/sub-station. (Refer Sec. 47.2.8)
2. For Interconnection (Tie-lines) between two a.c. systems having their own load frequency
control. HVDC links have several advantages over a.c. links. HVDC links form an asynchronous-tie .
i.e the two a.c. systems interconnected by HVDC tie-line need not in synchronism with each other.
 HVDC interconnection is superior to EHV-AC interconnection in many respects and is selected
due to its technical superiority. With HVDC interconnection, power flow can be controlled, the
frequency disturbances are not transferred, short-circuit levels remain unchanged at both ends, transient
stability of AC network at both end can be significantly im-proved.
Power flow through the HVDC line can be quickly modulated reversed, changed to dampen the
power swing in connected AC Network. Thereby the system stability can be greatly improved.
HVDC interconnection can provide a weak tie (of lesser capacity) between strong and a weak
AC Network. This is difficult with AC interconnection.
Most important task-of interconnector is to transfer required amount of power in required
direction and to assist the interconnected AC. Net-work to maintain transient .stability. AC
interconnectors have severe limitations. HVBC interconnections are without such limitations.
HVDC system control can be modified to dampen oscillations in load angle d. Thereby the
stability of both AC systems is-improved.
3. For Back-to-back synchronous tie-stations. Where two a.c. sys-tems are interconnected by a
convertor sub-station without any a.c. trans-mission, line inbetween Such a He-link -gives an
asynchronous interconnection between two adjacent AC systems. The back-to-back cou-pling stations
can be located at any suitable location, where to networks meet geographically and exchange of required
amount of power is desired.
4. Multi-terminal HVDC Interconnection. This is the new HVDC possibility (1987). Three or
more AC networks can be interconnected asynchronously by means of a multi-terminal HVDC network.
Power flow from each connected AC Network can be controlled suitably. Large powers can be
transferred. Overall stability can be improved. At present only one such scheme is under execution
(Hydro Quebec Canada to New England USA). More and more multi-terminal HVDC schemes are
likely to be executed.
5. For underground or submarine cable transmission. Over medium distance at high voltage.
The submarine cables are necessary to transfer power across lakes, oceans, etc. In case of AC cables,
the temperature rise due to charging currents forms a limit for loading. For each voltage rating, there is
a limit of length beyond which the cable cannot transfer load current due to this limit. In such cases
HVDC cables arc essential. HVDC cable has no continuous charging current.
REACTIVE POWER IN HVDC SYSTEM:
The converters in HVDC stations are line commutated, which implies that the current initiation
in the valve can only be delayed with reference to the zero crossing of the converter bus AC voltage.
This results in lagging power factor operation of the converters, requiring reactive power sources
connected at the converter bus for better voltage control. The reactive sources are required at both the
rectifier and inverter stations. While the rectifier station appears as a load in the system, the inverter
station can be viewed as a generator consuming reactive power. This characteristic of the inverter is
generally not desirable and requires suitable modifications by providing adequate var compensation.
Relation between ignition delay and phase displacement
The reactive power soruces that are used vary switched capacitors to static var systems. The
requirements of voltage control and the costs dictate the choice of the speed of response of the reactive
power control under dynamic conditions.
SOURCES OF RECTIVE POWER
 The reactive power requirements of the converter are met by one or more of the following
sources:
1) AC system
2) AC filters
3) Shunt capacitors
4) Synchronous condensers
5) Static var system.

From voltage regulation, losses and stability considerations, it is not desirable to draw rective
power from the system except at low loads. Figure. Shows the reactive power drawn by AC system at
the inverter bus, as a function of Pd. These are for two cases (i) SCR=2.0 and (ii) SCR=3.0. In both
cases, an impedance angle of 84.30 is assumed and V=1.0 p.u.

Reactive power supplied by the AC system

The voltage regulations the converter, bus is desirable not only from the voltage control view
point but also from minimization of loss and stability considerations. This requires adjustable reactive
power source which can provide variable reactive power as demanded. For slow variations in the load,
switched capacitors or niters can provide some control. However, this is discrete type of control and
can result in voltage flicker unless the size of the unit, which is switched, is made sufficiently small. In
contrast, the synchronous condensers and static var systems provide continuous control of the reactive
power and can follow fast load changes.
The synchronous condensers are essentially synchronous motors operating at no load, with
.excitation control to maintain .the terminal voltage. Their advantages are as" follows:
1. The availability of voltage source for commutation at the inverter even if the connection to the
AC system is temporarily interrupted. This also implies an increase in SCR as the fault level is
increased. When the load supplied by the inverter is passive, the synchronous condenser is essential for
providing voltage sources for the line commutation at the inverter.
2. Better voltage regulation during a transient due to the maintenance of flux linkages in the rotor
windings. The effect of the armature reaction is counteracted during a transient by induced currents in
the field and amortisseur circuits.
There are also disadvantages of synchronous condensers. These arc (i) high mainte-nance and
cost - the former necessitated by slip rings and brushes on the rotor and (ii) possibility of instability due
to the machine going out of synchronism.
The static var systems (SVS) provide the fastest response following a disturbance. The
configurations normally used are (i) fixed capacitor (FQ, thyristor controlled reactor (TCR) or (ii)
thyristor switched capacitors (TSC) - TCR combination. SVS will be described separately in the next
section.
The passive AC filters that are provided at the converter bus for filtering out AC current
harmonics appear as capacitors at the fundamental frequency and thus provide reactive power. These
filters and shunt capacitors are mechanically switched- Although these devices are less expensive than
SVS or synchronous condensers, they suffer from the inability of continuous control. Also they can
cause low order resonances with the network impedance, resulting in harmonic overvoltages.
STATIC VAR SYSTEMS
The static var systems or compensators were initially used for load compensation where the
objective is to dynamically control the reactive power demand of large fluctuating loads such as rolling
mills. They were subsequently used for voltage control applications in transmission systems, where, by
maintaining voltage support at specified locations, it is possible to provide increased power transfer
capability, control of dynamic overvoltages and damping of oscillations. By using auxiliary control
signals, it is also possible to damp subsynchronous frequency oscillations.
In HVDC convener stations, the provision of SVS mainly helps to have fast control of reactive
power flow, thereby controlling voltage fluctuations and also to overcome the problem of voltage
instability. The first example of the installation of SVS is at chateaguay HVDC link in Canada in 1984.
In this section, the basic configurations and their characteristics are briefly reviewed. There are
basically three types of SVS chemes.'
There are basically three .types of SVS schemes.
1) Variable impedance type SVS
2) Current source type SVS
3) Voltage source type SVS.
The variable impedance type is most common in power system applications and will be
described next.
THYRISTOR CONTROLLED REACTOR (TCR)

The single phase thyristor controlled reactor is shown in Fig. 7.10. By controlling the firing
angle of the back to back connected thyristors, the current in the reactor can be
Single phase thyristor controlled reactor
Controlled. This is shown in Fig. For a = 900, the current is maximum, while for a=1800, the current is
zero.
Current control in TCR
The fundamental component of the inductor current is given by
where V is the rms voltage across the TCR, XL is the fundamental frequency reactance and s is the
conduction angle related to aby the following equation.
s=2(p-a)
Equation (7.15) can be written as
I1=B(s)V
Where
is the variable susceptance of the reactor resulting from the control action.
The harmonic component of the current corresponding to harmonic of order ‘h’ is given by
h=3,5,7 ……….

Variation of lower order harmonics with the conduction angle

The variation of the lower order of the harmonics with conduction angle s is shown in fig. The
variation of the fundamental and the total harmonic components is shown in fig.
The triplen harmonics in the lines are eliminated by the delta connection of the three single
phase TCRs.
The typical control system for a TCR is shown in Fig. Where the control signals are obtained
from the voltage and the reactor current. The controller is usually an integral controller
A typical control system for a TCR
With variable gain to avoid the problems of contol istability. The auxiliary signal V may be derived
from the bus frequency, line reactive power or other locally measured quantities.
The TCR is usually operated with fixed capacitor (FC) to provide the variation of reactive power
consumption from inductive to capactitive. The schematic of FC-TCR is
The schematic diagram of FC - TCR
Shown in Fg. The steady-state characteristics in the V-I plane is shown in Fig. 7.16. The control range
is ‘ab’ which shows a positive slope which can be adjusted from the gain in the current feedback path.
The harmonics injected by TCR into the system can be considerably reduced either with wolve
pulse arrangement or with additional filters tuned to 5th and 7th harmonics.