EHVAC &

HVDC Transmission
19EEE212_ Electrical Energy Systems-1

DR. PREETHA PK, AMRITA VISWAVIDYAPEETHAM

 Course Syllabus
• Unit 1
Introduction-Structure of Electric Power System-Conventional, Deregulated Structure, Grid Structure Micro-grid and Smart
Grid Structure; Methods of electric power generations – Conventional- Renewable Energy based generation, need for
interconnected system- necessity of EHV transmission: EHVAC and HVDC transmission, Variable load on power system-
Load Curve and Load Duration Curve, Tariff-Types, Power factor improvement.

• Unit 2
Introduction to Modeling and performance analysis, Transmission line Models- Line parameter estimation- symmetrical and
unsymmetrical spacing of lines, bundled conductor, double circuit lines- corona- Regulation, Efficiency, Real and reactive
power flow in transmission lines- Harmonics- Effects in power system, THD. Compensation- shunt and series compensation.
• Unit 3

Insulators and Underground cables -classification and grading. Mechanical design of transmission lines. Distribution systems
–Types and comparison–Ring main- Radial distribution. Representation of power system: Power system components model,
Single line diagram and per unit representation, reactance/impedance diagram, Bus Admittance and Impedance matrix.
• Lab Practice: Hardware experiments, simulation experiments and field visit – Structure of Electric Power System,
modeling and performance analysis of transmission and distribution systems, power system representation etc.
 Unit 1
Conventional, EHVAC/
Power System Smart Grid, Regulated &
Micro Grid Deregulated HVDC
Structure Structure
Structure Systems

Power
Renewable
Generation Conventional
Energy Based
Methods

Load on Power Load Curves Tariff Power factor

System Load factors Structure Improvement
 Course Outcome

1 Understanding of the structure and operations of generation, transmission, distribution systems.

Familiarity with the behavior of the load and tariff mechanism.

2

Ability to determine transmission line/cable parameters for various conductor configurations.

3

Ability to analyze the performance of power system components.

4

Ability to validate performance of power system network and components through simulation and hardware.
5
EHVAC Transmission - Advantages
 High Voltage increases transmission capability of the line since
power transfer capability is proportional to the square of the
voltage.
 Higher the voltage, the lower the current for transmitting same
amount of power. The lower the current, the lower will be the
resistance losses in the conductors, thereby increasing the
efficiency.
 Circuit Interruption is easy due to natural current zero point
 Possibility of Interconnected AC networks increases reliability
EHVAC Transmission - Disadvantages

 Reactive power loss in the transmission lines

 Skin effect and associated losses and Corona losses are more
for AC
 Difficulty in transmitting power for long distances due to
these losses
 Stability is also issue during long distance transmission
 So intermediate substations are needed for compensation
 HVDC Transmission
(High Voltage direct current transmission

 HVDC transmission
system transmits energy
over long distances at
High voltage and as
direct current through
overhead conductors or
submarine cables
 HVDC system - advantages
• HVAC transmission systems have more electrical losses compared to
HVDC systems over long distances
• Absence of skin effect with DC also beneficial in reducing power losses
marginally
• HVDC systems are useful in connecting two systems having different
frequencies and voltage levels.
• Renewable energies like solar can be directly transmitted to electric grid
without converting it to AC.
 HVDC system - advantages
• DC line carry as much power with 2 conductors as an AC line
with three conductors of the same size.
• Cost of insulators and conductors increases in AC
transmission system, compared to HVDC transmission system
• Corona effect tends to be less in DC systems
• HVDC system requires only less Right of Way (RoW)
 Total Cost AC= line cost+ station cost
Cost
Transmission line cost AC

Total Cost DC= Line cost+ station cost

Transmission line cost DC

Station Cost DC

Station Cost AC

Break Even Distance distance

HVDC Cheaper than HVAC for long distances.

 Economic Comparison

 Total Cost = Station Cost (high for HVDC) + Transmission line cost (low
for HVDC)
 Thus HVDC transmission is not generally economical for short
distances.
 Economic considerations call for a certain minimum transmission
distance (break-even distance, nearly 400 km) before HVDC can be
considered competitive purely on cost.
 HVDC system - disadvantages

 Difficulty in breaking DC currents as there is no natural current zero

point, which increases cost of DC breakers

 Costly converter equipment

 Eventhough DC transmission doesnt need or transmit reactive power,

converter stations need reactive power for its operation

 Not economical for small distance power transmission

COMPARISON – HVAC & HVDC
 First HVDC Project
 Theworld's first HVDC link was installed between the
Swedish mainland and the island Gotland in 1954 with
capacity 20 MW at 100kV

 The HVDC Rihand–Delhi is a HVDC connection

between Rihand and Dadri (near Delhi) in India, put
into service in 1990. It connects the 3,000 MW coal-
based Rihand Thermal Power Station in Uttar Pradesh
to the northern region of India.
HVDC Interconnection
 HVDC links [ HVDC lines]

Monopolar Link

Bipolar Link

Homopolar Link
 Monopolar link

• As the name suggests monopolar lines are those in which the line has one
conductor only and the earth is used as the return conductor.

• The line is normally operating with negative polarity as the corona loss
and the radio interference are reduced.
 Bipolar link
 The bipolar lines have two conductors—one operating with +ve polarity
and the other negative polarity.
 There are two converters of equal voltage rating and connected in series at
each end of the d.c. line.
 The rating of the bipolar line is expressed as ± 650 kV for example and is
pronounced as plus and minus 650 kV.
 The junction of the converters may be grounded at one end or at both the
ends. If it is grounded at both the ends each line can be operated
independently.
 Homopolar link

The homopolar lines have two or more conductors having the same polarity
and always operate with ground as the return

The conductors are usually kept negative for the reason of reduced corona
and radio interference
Back to back HVDC system
[B2B configuration]
In B2B configuration, both the converters are
installed inside the same terminal station & they
are connected Back-to-Back with each other.

It connects two AC power systems together i.e. it

converts AC into DC using a rectifier & then
immediately converts DC into AC using an
Inverter.

A back-to-back connection is used to couple

asynchronously operated power grids or for
connecting power grids of different frequencies
where no DC transmission line is necessary.
 Multi terminal HVDC system

• A multi-terminal DC (MTDC) system has more than two converter stations, some of
them operating as rectifiers and others as inverters.
• Uses multiple transmission lines to connect more than two points.
• There are multiple terminal stations each with their own converter connected by the
HVDC transmission line network.
• Some of these converters operate as rectifiers while others act as inverters. The
power supplied by the rectifier’s combination is equal to the combined power
received by the inverter (load) stations.