The Journal of Engineering

The 14th IET International Conference on AC and DC Power

Transmission (ACDC 2018)

Multiple modular DC transformer for flexible eISSN 2051-3305

Received on 24th August 2018
Accepted on 19th September 2018
HVDC application doi: 10.1049/joe.2018.8589
www.ietdl.org

Qianhao Sun1 , Biao Zhao1, Qiang Song1, Rong Zeng1, Yu Wang2

1Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
2School of Automation, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
E-mail: sxsunqianhao.@163.com

Abstract: This study proposes a novel multiple modular dc transformer (MMDCT) scheme for flexible high-voltage dc (HVDC)
application. The MMDCT is composed of n consistent modular dual-active-bridge converters (MDABs), and every MDAB can
work independently. The MDABs are series connected and also connects to the HVDC bus. The multiple distributed design
decreases the manufacturing difficulty in high-frequency transformer and its installation. Besides, modular discrete design
decreases commissioning difficulty of system in practice and also increases reliability and fault-treatment ability. Moreover, the
MMDCT still has good soft-switching performance and low operation current for switches. The MMDCT is a practical scheme for
HVDC application, and it will be welcomed by engineers.

1 Introduction 2 Topology and operation principle analysis of

High-voltage dc (HVDC) transmission technology based on
voltage source converter (VSC-HVDC), which can control active
and reactive powers independently and enhance flexibility of
power transmission greatly, has become one of the most potential
technologies for power transmission [1, 2]. Recently, the VSC-
HVDC technology is developing rapidly. Many VSC-HVDC
systems have been built all over the world, and more systems are
under construction [3, 4].
With the rapid development of HVDC application, the dc
transformer (DCT) becomes a key link to connect different HVDC
buses, achieve voltage conversion and realise bidirectional power
transfer [5–8]. In various solutions of DCT, a multiple dc–dc
converter is a typical solution to increase the voltage and power
level for HVDC application, especially the widely studied scheme
based on dual-active-bridge (DAB) [6–8]. However, due to the
concentrated capacitor in both dc terminals of DAB, there is a very
large current when the dc side is short-circuited, and a dc breaker
should be added. Moreover, it is impossible to cut off the fault
DAB unit or put in the redundant unit on-line under this kind of
scheme with the concentrated capacitor in the dc terminal. In fact,
to obtain a high reliability, many units need to be connected in
series for HVDC application, and it cannot be accepted without
redundant unit.
To solve this problem for multiple schemes, a DCT solution
based on a switched capacitor is proposed in [9]. The dc short-
circuit fault and the fault unit can be cut off immediately, and the
redundant unit can be put in on line. However, two switched-
capacitor interfaces are added to the traditional DAB, and two
additional non-isolated dc–dc stages are inserted, which decrease
the efficiency greatly.
The literature [10, 11] proposes a novel scheme to employ a
modular multilevel converter (MMC) in DCT to increase the
voltage and power level. Moreover, without the concentrated
capacitor, the fault-handle issues are also solved. However, with
only a concentrated transformer in high-frequency link (HFL) of
DCT, it is impossible to produce a high-power high-voltage
transformer for HVDC application in practice. Then, the operation
frequency of DCT should be decreased, and the power density will
also be decreased. In addition, a whole MMC should be installed
and debugged separately; thus, it is not convenient and cannot
increase power and voltage level flexibly. To address the above
issues, this paper proposes a novel multiple modular DCT
(MMDCT) scheme, which is practical for HVDC application.
MMDCT
2.1 Topology of MMDCT
Fig. 1 shows the topology of MMDCT. Compared with the DCT
based on MMC (named MDCT in this paper) in previous
literatures, the MMDCT has a higher modularity. Two centralised
MMCs are split into n consistent modular dual-active-bridge
converters (MDABs), and every MDAB works independently. The
MDABs are series connected and also connected with the HVDC
bus, which decreases the difficulty of installation and
commissioning in practice. Moreover, the centralised high-power,
high-voltage, high-frequency transformer (HFT) is split into n
consistent low-power low-voltage HFT. In fact, based on the
present manufacturing level of the transformer, it is impossible to
produce a high-power high-voltage HFT in MDCT for HVDC
application in practice.
Compared with the DCT based on traditional DAB (named
ADCT in this paper) in previous literatures, the MMDCT has a
higher reliability and fault-treatment ability for HVDC application.
As the sub-module (SM) is used, there is no concentrated capacitor
in the HVDC side. The redundant module can be added easily, and
the MMDCT can operate well when some SMs fail. Moreover,
when a short-circuit fault occurs in the HVDC grid, the MMDCT
also can work as a dc breaker to cut off the connection between
two HVDC buses.
2.2 Operation principle analysis of MMDCT
Fig. 2 shows the operation waveforms of MMDCT. All MDABs in
MMDCT have the same operation states, and the SMs in HVDCa
and HVDCb sides have the same operation states. For each
MDAB, SMs SMai1 and SMai4 have the same operation states,
and SMs SMai2 and SMai3 have the same operation states. In
order to bear and share HVDC voltage, SMai1, SMai2 and SMai3,
SMai4 should have complementary states, and the output voltages
vai1, vai2 and vai3, vai4 are complementary, respectively. Then, the
output voltages vai and vbi of each H-bridge are bipolar square
waves, and the HFL of MDAB has the same operation with the
HFL of traditional DAB in ADCT. The transmission power can be
controlled by phase-shift angle β between vai and vbi.

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Fig. 1  Topology of MMDCT

the current flows to Sai12; thus, at t′0, Sai12 is turned on with zero
voltage switching (ZVS) and Dai12 is turned off with zero current
switching (ZCS). Before t1, the operation state of SMai1 keeps the
same. After t1, iai1 > 0, Sai11 = 1, Sai12 = 0, the current flows to
Dai11; thus, at t1, Sai12 is turned off with HS and Dai11 is turned on
with HS. After t′1, iai1 < 0, Sai11 = 1, Sai12 = 0, the current flows to
Sai11; thus, at t′1, Sai11 is turned on with ZVS and Dai11 is turned off
with ZCS (Fig. 3).
For SMai2, before t0, iai2 > 0, Sai21 = 0, Sai22 = 1, the current
flows to Sai22; after t0, iai2 > 0, Sai21 = 1, Sai22 = 0, the current flows
to Dai21. Thus, at t0, Sai22 is turned off with HS and Dai21 is turned
on with HS. After t″0, iai2 < 0, Sai21 = 1, Sai22 = 0, the current flows
to Sai21; thus, at t″0, Sai21 is turned on with ZVS and Dai21 is turned
off with ZCS. Before t1, the operation state of SMai2 remains the
same. After t1, iai2 < 0, Sai21 = 0, Sai22 = 1, the current flows to
Dai22; thus, at t1, Sai21 is turned off with HS and Dai22 is turned on
with HS. After t″1, iai2 > 0, Sai21 = 0, Sai22 = 1, the current flows to
Sai22; thus, at t″1′, Sai22 is turned on with ZVS and Dai22 is turned
off with ZCS (Fig. 4).
From the above analysis, all the turn on behaviours of switches
and turn off behaviours of diodes are due to soft switching. This
natural ZVS turn-on performance is the same with the switching
performance in MDCT and ADCT, and it will decrease the
switching loss of system.

Fig. 2  Basic operation principle of MMDCT 3.2 Characteristic current

3 Performance of MMDCT From [12], the HFL voltages of each MDAB in MMDCT can be
derived based on Fourier transform as
3.1 Switching behaviour of MMDCT
4V HVa
During one period, the operation states of SMai1, SMai4 and vai = ∑ knπ
sin(kw0t)
SMai2, SMai3 are the same. This section analyses the switching k = 1, 3, 5, …
behaviours of SMai1 and SMai2. (1)
4V HVb
For SMai1, before t0, iai1 < 0, Sai11 = 1, Sai12 = 0, the current vbi = ∑ knπ
sin[k(w0t − β)]
flows to Sai11; after t0, iai1 < 0, Sai11 = 0, Sai12 = 1, the current flows k = 1, 3, 5, …

to Dai12. Thus, at t0, Sai11 is turned off with hard switching (HS)
where w0 = 2πfs is the angular frequency and fs is the switching
and Dai12 is turned on with HS. After t′0, iai1 > 0, Sai11 = 0, Sai12 = 1,
frequency.

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 Fig. 5  Performance of characteristic currents in MMDCT

Fig. 3  Commutation behaviours for SMai1 in MDAB

(a) Before t0, (b) t0–t′0, (c) t′0–t1, (d) t1–t′1

Fig. 6  Arm operation waveforms of MMDCT

P
IHVa = (5)
V HVa

From (1)–(4), the root mean square value (RMS) currents for all
arms in MMDCT are the same. Fig. 5 shows the performance of
characteristic currents in MMDCT, and the transmission power and
current are normalised by PN = VHVaVHVb/(8n2fsL) and IN = VHVb/
(8nfsL), respectively. It can be seen that the RMS of arm current is
lower than the RMS of the HFL current. During all of the ranges of
transmission power, the HFL current is about 1.5 times of the arm
current. In fact, the RMS of the HFL current is also the arm current
Fig. 4  Commutation behaviours for SMai2 in MDAB
for ADCT. That means the rated current for switch in ADCT is
(a) Before t0, (b) t0–t″0, (c) t″0–t1, (d) t1–t″1
about 1.5 times of that in MMDCT. As for MDCT, because the
relationship of arm and HFL current is the same with that in
Then, the HFL current can be derived as MMDCT, the rated currents for switch in MDCT and MMDCT are
the same.
4 A
iahi = ∑ k 2
πw L
A2 + B2sin kw0t + arctan
B (2)
k = 1, 3, 5, … 0
4 Experimental verification
where An experimental platform is built to present the operation principle
of MMDCT. The number of MDAB is 3, the switching frequency fs
V HVb V HVa is 20 kHz, the dc terminal voltage in both side is 300 V and the
A= cos(kβ) − transformer ratio is 1:1.
n n
(3) Fig. 6 shows the arm operation waveforms of MMDCT. It can
V HVb be seen that the output voltage of SM is a unipolar high-frequency
B= sin(kβ)
n square wave with 50% duty ratio and the switching frequency is
20 kHz. Compared with the HFL current, a dc bias occurs in the
The arm current of MDAB can be derived as arm currents, and the currents of the upper and lower arms have the
opposite phase, which is the same as the theoretical analysis.
IHVa iahi Fig. 7 shows the HFL operation waveforms of MMDCT.
iai1 = iai4 = +
2 2 Although the output voltage of SM is a unipolar square wave, the
(4)
IHVa iahi HFL voltages are bipolar high-frequency square waves with 50%
iai2 = iai3 = − duty ratio, and the HFL current has the same operation frequency
2 2
as the HFL voltage. The HFL operation of MMDCT is the same as
where IHVa is the HVDC current; then, that of ADCT.

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 distributed design also decreases the commissioning difficulty of
system in practice and increases the reliability and fault-treatment
ability for HVDC application. The MMDCT has a good soft-
switching performance and low operation current. The MMDCT is
a simple and effective engineering optimal scheme in practice,
which can be used easily as a practical implement solution of DCT
for HVDC application.

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4 J. Eng.
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