ISSN No.

: 2394 – 174X, V – 1, I – 2, 2014

Journal Club for Electrical Engineering (JCEE)

Manuscript No: JCEE/REV/2014/13, Received On: 22/10/2014 , Accepted On : 15/11/2014, Published On: 31/12/2014

REVIEW ARTICLE
A Short note on Harmonics and Filters in HVDC systems
D. Edison Selvaraj1*, K.S. Gouthama Priyan2, Firoz Alam3, Vinay Kumar Singh4, A.
Syed Mohamed Meeran5, Dr. C. Pugazhendhi Sugumaran6, M. Raj Kumar7, J.
Ganesan8, M. Rajmal Joshi9, S. Dinesh Kumar10, S. Geethadevi11
1
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Panimalar Engineering College,
Chennai, India
2-5
BE – Final year, Sri Muthukumaran Institute of Technology, Chennai, India
6
Assistant Professor (Senior Grade), Division of High Voltage Engineering, College of Engineering, Guindy,
Anna University, Chennai, India
7
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan College
of Engineering and Technology, Mamallapuram, Chennai, India
8
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Sree Sowdambika College of
Engineering, Aruppukottai, India
9
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Panimalar Engineering College,
Chennai, India
10
Research Scholar, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, St. Peter’s University, Avadi,
Chennai, India
11
Senior Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Aurora Technological and
Research Institute, Uppal, Hyderabad, India

ABSTRACT
In this paper, the need for filters used in HVDC systems was discussed. The problem of harmonics
produced in HVDC systems was given. The method to eliminate the harmonics was discussed in simple
manner. Design criteria for different types of filters were briefed to attract the various minds working,
studying and doing research in HVDC systems. The harmonic indices were also given in this paper to
measure the effect of harmonics in HVDC systems. This paper covers only the basic ideas needed for
design of various types of filters, harmonics indices, Effect of harmonics and reduction of harmonics.
A special attention was also given to the generation and reduction of carrier frequency and RI noise in
HVDC systems. This paper would be helpful for the undergraduate and post graduate students to study
about the basics types of harmonics, effect of harmonics and reduction of harmonics using several types
of filters. It would be helpful to have some ideas for doing their research works and projects in HVDC
systems.

KEYWORDS
HVDC, Filters, Harmonics, Radio Interference, Audible Noise

INTRODUCTION
Harmonics were non sinusoidal component
Address for Correspondence:
D. Edison Selvaraj, present in sine waveform. Harmonics
Department of Electrical and Electronics would cause serious problems in the power
Engineering, Panimalar Engineering College,
Chennai, India. system. So, harmonics were eliminated
Email: edisonsivakasi@gmail.com
with the help of filters.

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  AC harmonics
AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems
Problems of harmonics
 DC harmonics
i. Telephone interference
ii. Power losses Harmonics were also classified into two
iii. Heating in machines and capacitors types based on the order
iv. Over voltage due to resonance
v. Instability of converter controls  Characteristic harmonics

vi. Interference with ripple control systems  Non- Characteristic harmonics

vii. Extra filter cost
Characteristic harmonics
viii. Suitable filters were needed to suppress
carrier and radio frequency harmonics The harmonics of those orders which were
always present in the HVDC system even
Types of Filters
under the ideal conditions such as
AC filters 1. Balanced AC voltages
2. Symmetric 3 phase network and
They were used to filter AC current 3. Equidistant pulses were called as
harmonics. They were also used to supply Characteristic harmonics.
reactive power.
AC characteristic harmonics were of the
1. Band pass Filter order h= np± 1
2. High pass filter
 Second order filter Where
 C type filter h=order of harmonics
n=Integer
DC filters p=pulse number

DC smoothing reactors with DC filters was AC characteristic harmonics were given as

used to filter DC harmonics.

 
I 10
Single tuned filter I ho
h
 Double tuned filter

I 10 

2 6
GENERATION OF HARMONICS .I d

Harmonics were classified into two types

based on the supply

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 AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems
DC characteristic harmonics were of the Reduction
order, h= np. DC characteristic harmonics Equidistant pulse control was used to
were given as eliminate residual harmonics. It involves


Vdo C  D  2CD. cos2    
increased reactive power consumption.
Vh 
2 2 1/ 2

Firing angle errors

2

cos h  1  / 2
Causes

C 
h 1
1. Due to jitter (or) nature of control
system

cos h  1  / 2
D 
h 1
µ = Overlap angle
Non characteristic harmonics
The harmonics of the order other than the
characteristic harmonics were called as
Non-characteristic harmonics.
Causes of Non-characteristic harmonics
1. Imbalance in the operation of two
bridges-Residual harmonics
2. Firing angle errors
3. Unbalance and distortion in AC voltages
4. Unequal transformer leakage
impedances-Residual harmonics
Imbalance in the operation of two
bridges
These were called as residual harmonics.
2. Ripple in current feedback signal
Properties of non-characteristics
harmonics due to firing angle errors
1. There were even harmonics if ∆x or d≠0
i. ∆x, d=parameter showing the deviation of
the current waveform
2. The magnitude of the characteristic
harmonics were also affected due to this
3. Triple harmonics would fall into odd or
even groups defined by
h=6n+3 n=0, 1, 2
h=6n n=1, 2
In each of these groups, the magnitude of
harmonics decreases monotonically as n
increases.
4. Two groups of even harmonics which
were not multiples of 3 were given by
h=6n+2, n=0, 1, 2
h=6n+4, n=1, 2
In one group, magnitude increases with n
while in the other group, it decreases with
the increase in n.
5. For higher values of h, the non-
characteristic harmonics would dominate
the characteristic harmonics.

Causes Reduction
1. Due to the difference in the firing angles in  Pulse number should not be increased
above 12

the two bridges.
2. Unequal cancellation of harmonics of order EPC cannot reduce harmonics due to jitter
5, 7, 17, 19 Unbalance and distortion in AC voltages

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 E1  Harmonic component of the line to
AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems
Causes
1. Negative sequence component present in neutral voltage


the AC voltage shifts the zero crossing of m

 100
the commutation voltages InZn
n 2
D=
2. Firing angle dissymmetry due to E1

m  highest harmonic
individual phase control (IPC) system
3. Smoothing reactors will produce second

  I n Z n  
 m 2
1/ 2
order DC harmonics and third order AC
  n 2   100
 
harmonics D RSS
 
E1
Reduction

EPC firing scheme Telephone Interference Factor

  I n Z n Fn  
 m 2 
Unequal transformer leakage 1/ 2

impedances
TIF=  n 2 
  
 
These were also called as residual E1
harmonics.
 It could generate triplen harmonics and
even harmonics Where

Fn  5  n  f1  p n
Analysis is complex

p n  C message weighting
Reduction

Equidistant pulse control was used

‘C’ message weighting was defined as the
DESIGN OF AC FILTER
frequency dependent sensitivity of the
human ear. It was used in Bell Telephone
Criteria for design for AC filters
Systems (BTS) and Edison Electric
The important objective of AC filters was
Institute (EEI) in USA.
to reduce the telephone interference. This
It was maximum at 1000Hz. TIF was used
was measured by the following
in USA.
performance indices.
Telephone harmonic form factor (THFF)
Harmonic distortion

   I n Z n Fn  
 m 2 
1/ 2

Dn   100
THFF   n 2 
InZn

 
E1
 
E1
I n  Harmonic current injected

Z n  Harmonic impedance of the system

Where

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 AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems
Fn 
nf 1 It was used to filter out two discrete
* Wn
800 frequencies. It was also used to eliminate

Wn = psophometric weight 11th and 13th harmonics.

Advantages
It was used by consultative Commission 1. Only one inductor was subjected to full line
on telephone and telegraph system impulse voltage
2. Reduced power loss at the fundamental
(CCITT).
frequency
THFF was used in Europe
High Pass Filter
IT product
Second order High pass filter
It was used by BTS-EET in USA and was
It was used to filter out the higher
given as

IT   I n Fn  
 2
frequencies. Tuning of these filters was not
m 1/ 2

 n 2 
critical.

C type High pass filter

IT
KIT= It was used to reduce power losses at the
1000
fundamental frequency. Capacitor was
Types of AC Filters
connected in series with inductor to provide
The different types of AC filters used in low impedance path to the fundamental
HVDC systems were as follows component of current. A third harmonic
1. Band pass filter filter was used to filter out the non-
2. Single tuned filter characteristic harmonic of third order. All
3. Double tuned filter the filter branches were capacitive at
4. High pass Filter fundamental frequency and supply reactive
i. Second order filter power.
ii. C type filter Design of Single tuned filter
Consider
Single Tuned Filter
In = harmonic current in the converter
It was to filter out the characteristic Zfh = Filter impedance at harmonic
harmonics of single frequency. It was used frequency
Zsh = System impedance at harmonic
to filter out 11th and 13th harmonics in a frequency

Z f  R f  jx f
converter system.

= R f 1  j 2Q 
Double tuned filter

= Z o Q 1  J 2 

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 AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems

Zo  x
Zo L Z sh
Z fh  Z sh
Q= ;
Rf C

δ = Relative frequency deviation

x
I fh
The harmonics current in the filter was Ih
given by
 ( 2 ) XV1
h2
h 1
VC1
I fh 
I Z sh
Z sh  Z fh
Vch  xI h Z 0
The harmonic voltage at the converter bus
The reactive power generated by the filter
is

V Vh  I fh Z fh
at the fundamental frequency was given as

Q f  V1  I f 1
Ih
Y fh  Ysh ( 2 ) 1
= (V )
2
h
h 1 Z0
1  cos m
Qopt 
2 m sin  m
Cost of filter was given as

K  AQ f  BQ f
1
4 m Z o I h
Vh 
1  cos m A,B  constants
Minimum cost tuned filters
The optimum value of the reactive power
The cost of the reactor and the capacitor supplied by the filter at the minimum cost
were dependent on their respective ratings. of filter was obtained as

B
 
Qf    
The ratings of the capacitor was given as 1/ 2

S c  V 2 c1  V 2 ch 1C  A

  L
The ratings of the reactor was given as The filtering would increase with the

Sl  I 2 f 1  I
increased size of the filter.
2
fh 1
Design of high pass filter
Where
Second order high pass filter was usually
 h  v1
I f1   2 
provided to eliminate 17th and more than
 h 1 zo 17th order harmonics.

I fh  xI h
ho 1 
1
LC

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 AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems

ZO 
L 2. During switching, the filter current was
C 20 to 100 times that of the normal


harmonic current. For tuned filters, it was
R
ZO 20and 100for high pass filter
3. These over currents should be taken into
The following values can be used

0.5<  <2
account for the mechanical design of the
reactor coils.

ho  2hmin
4. At the instant of switching, the capacitors
present in filters was fully charged
hmin  Minimum value of h 5. These residual over voltages could occur

Filter impedance was given as on the bus bars

  ho    2  ho  
6. The capacitors were discharged by

ZO   j      1    
2

  h     h  
a. Short circuiting device

Zf 
 ho 
b. Converter transformers

1  
2

 h 
c. Voltage transformer
d. Loaded with resistors
7. Deviation of frequency would result in

The reactive power supplied by the filter higher currents and losses in AC filters.

was At this condition, the filters should be

 h   V1 2 
 
disconnected.
Qf   2o  
 h 1  Z 
 o   O
DC filters
Criteria for the design of DC filters
The effectiveness of the DC filter was
Filtering was improved for the higher
judged by the following criteria
values of Q f and ho .
1. Maximum voltage TIF on DC high voltage
High pass filter was not applicable for 6 bus
pulse operation. 2. Maximum induced noise voltage (INV) in
mv/km
PROTECTION OF FILTERS 3. Maximum permissible noise to ground in
dB
Filter was exposed to switching overvoltage
1. The magnitude of overvoltage was Maximum Induced Noise voltage (INV)
dependent on It was used for the computation of harmonic
i. Short circuit ratio currents and mutual impedance. It was
ii. Saturation characteristics of converter dependent on
transformer i. Earth resistivity

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 AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems
ii. Modes of operation Computer programmes were used to
 Mono polar operation evaluate the performance of filters.
 Bipolar operation

CARRIER FREQUENCY AND RI
Homo polar operation
NOISE
iii. Ground (or) Metallic returns

1. HVDC converter would produce

For mono polar operation, INV was 18 to electrical noise in the carrier frequency
20 mV/km. band from 20KHZ to 490 KHZ.
Types of DC filters 2. Radio interference (RI) noise was
produced in the Mega hertz frequency
1. Single tuned filter
range. However converters were present
2. Double tuned filter
indoor and hence they were effectively
3. High pass filter
shielded against electromagnetic
Single tuned and double tuned filter was
radiation. Hence, direct radiations from
used to filter out 6th and 12th harmonics
valves were neglected
whereas high pass filter was used to filter
3. The most important effect of corona that
higher order harmonics.
might determine the design of conductor
Choice of DC filter
was radio interference. This was
The choice of DC filters was affected by measured at a frequency of 1 MHz with a
i. Over voltage due to DC line resonance bandwidth of 9 kHz. This RI was mainly
ii. Line fault due to the positive conductor.
iii. Smoothing reactor 4. The corona discharges from the negative
iv. Surge capacitor conductor were in the form of Trichel
DC filters would limit the over voltage pulses which were uniformly distributed
produced by mono polar DC line faults. over the conductor surface

Design of DC Filters 5. Positive corona discharges were of three

types
Design of DC filters was similar to that of
a. Herm stein glow
the AC filters except the value of capacitor
b. Plume discharge and
used for reactive power compensation in
c. Steamers
AC but in DC, there was no reactive power
6. Plumes and streamers were randomly
compensation.
distributed and more persistent. They
DC filters were stressed by direct voltages
were associated with high stress points
and harmonic voltages.

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 AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems
due to surface imperfections. These were
responsible for RI
7. RI due to positive conductor was given as
RI = 25 + 10 log n + 20 log r+ 1.5 (g-g0)
8. RI due to negative conductor was less
than 20dB.
9. DC - RI were decreased by rain and snow.
This was opposite to AC – RI. DC - RI
were increased by wind.
10. Television interference (TVI) was mainly
due to ion currents. It was very little at the
distances greater than 25 meters from the
right of way.
11. The corona discharges from the
conductor produce compressions and
rarefactions. These were propagated
through the medium as acoustical energy.
12. The portion of the acoustical energy
spectrum that lies between the sonic
ranges was called as Audible noise (AN).
Audible noise was given as 20 log (P/Pr)
dB.
P = Measured sound pressure level
Pr = Reference pressure level
Pr = 20 M Pascal
13. For ± 600KV DC line, the AN was 45 to
55 dB at 30 meters from ROW.
14. Audible noise varies linearly with the
conductor surface voltage gradient.
Positive conductor was responsible for
AN. Rain causes a slight reduction in AN.
15. Sources of AN were
a. Harmonics in converter transformer
b. Magnetostriction in smoothing reactor
© All Rights Reserved by “Journals Club & Co.”
16. Operation of core at lower flux densities
would counter balance the harmonics in
converter transformer and hence, AN was
not a serious problem in converter
stations
17. Effective PLC-RI filters were used to
reduce the impact of RI noise with the
power line carrier communication.
CONCLUSION
In this paper, the basic points about
harmonics were discussed. The different
types of filters and design of filters based
on performance criteria were discussed to
eliminate harmonics in HVDC systems.
The protection of filters against
overvoltage was also briefed. Some of the
important methods used to reduce RI, AN,
TVI in HVDC systems were also
explained for the young readers to
encourage their research ideas to reduce
harmonics, RI and AN in HVDC systems.
REFERENCES
1. www.mhhe.com/kamakshaiah/hvdc1
2. Kimbark E.W. (1983). Direct Current
Transmission, (London) Peter Peregrinus.
3. Harraway L. (1985). Electrical Power
Systems, (Londan), Peter Peregrinus.
4. Uhlmann. E. (1975). Power Transmission
by Direct Current, (Berlin) Springer-
Verlag.
5. ABB Systems. http://www.abb.com.in
6. K. R. Padiyar. (1990). HVDC Power
Transmission Systems, New Age
International.
25
 AShort noteonHarmonicsandFiltersinHVDCsystems

HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE

Selvaraj, D. E., Priyan, K. S. G., Alam, F., Singh, V. K., Meeran, A. S. M., Sugumaran, C.
P., Kumar, M. R., Ganesan, J., Joshi, M. R., Kumar, S. D., Geethadevi, S. (2014). A Short
note on Harmonics and Filters in HVDC systems. Journal Club for Electrical Engineering
(JCEE), 1(II), 17-26.

© All Rights Reserved by “Journals Club & Co.” 26