A Short Note On Harmonics and Filters in

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. Peters 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,
Department of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering, Panimalar Engineering College,
Chennai, India.
Email: edisonsivakasi@gmail.com
All Rights Reserved by Journals Club & Co.
present in sine waveform. Harmonics

would cause serious problems in the power
system. So, harmonics were eliminated
with the help of filters.
17

Problems of harmonics
AC 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
viii.
Suitable filters were needed to suppress

carrier and radio frequency harmonics
Types of Filters
Characteristic harmonics
The harmonics of those orders which were
always present in the HVDC system even
under the ideal conditions such as
1. Balanced AC voltages
AC filters
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= np1
2. High pass filter

Second order filter
C type filter
Where
h=order of harmonics
n=Integer
DC filters
DC smoothing reactors with DC filters was
p=pulse number
AC characteristic harmonics were given as
used to filter DC harmonics.
Single tuned filter
Double tuned filter
GENERATION OF HARMONICS
ho
I 10
10
.I
Harmonics were classified into two types

based on the supply
18

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
Vh
increased reactive power consumption.
Vdo C 2 D 2 2CD. cos2
1/ 2
Firing angle errors
Causes
C
cos h 1 / 2
h 1
cos h 1 / 2
h 1
= 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.
1. Due to jitter (or) nature of control

system
2. Ripple in current feedback signal
Properties
of
non-characteristics
harmonics due to firing angle errors
1. There were even harmonics if x or d0
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 noncharacteristic harmonics would dominate
the characteristic harmonics.
Causes
1. Due to the difference in the firing angles in
the two bridges.
2. Unequal cancellation of harmonics of order
5, 7, 17, 19
Reduction
Pulse number should not be increased
above 12
EPC cannot reduce harmonics due to jitter
Unbalance and distortion in AC voltages
19

Causes
E1 Harmonic component of the line to
1. Negative sequence component present in
neutral voltage
the AC voltage shifts the zero crossing of
m
InZn
the commutation voltages

n 2
D=
100
2. Firing angle dissymmetry due to
E1
individual phase control (IPC) system
m highest harmonic
3. Smoothing reactors will produce second

order DC harmonics and third order AC
harmonics
D RSS
Reduction
EPC firing scheme
Unequal
impedances
m
2
I n Z n
n 2
E1
1/ 2
100
Telephone Interference Factor
transformer
leakage
These were also called as residual

harmonics.
It could generate triplen harmonics and
even harmonics
Analysis is complex
m
2
I n Z n Fn
TIF= n 2
E1
1/ 2
Where
Fn 5 n f1 p n
Reduction
Equidistant pulse control was used
p n C message weighting
C message weighting was defined as the
DESIGN OF AC FILTER
frequency dependent sensitivity of the
Criteria for design for AC filters
human ear. It was used in Bell Telephone

Systems
The important objective of AC filters was

to reduce the telephone interference. This
was
measured
by
the
following
(BTS)
and
Edison
Electric
Institute (EEI) in USA.

It was maximum at 1000Hz. TIF was used
in USA.
performance indices.
Telephone harmonic form factor (THFF)
Harmonic distortion
Dn
m
2
I n Z n Fn
THFF n 2
E1
InZn
100
E1
I n Harmonic current injected

Z n Harmonic impedance of the system
1/ 2
Where
20
Fn

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

11th and 13th harmonics.
Wn = psophometric weight
It was used by consultative Commission
on telephone and telegraph system
(CCITT).
THFF was used in Europe
Advantages
1. Only one inductor was subjected to full line
impulse voltage
2. Reduced power loss at the fundamental
frequency
High Pass Filter
IT product
Second order High pass filter
It was used by BTS-EET in USA and was

given as
It was used to filter out the higher

frequencies. Tuning of these filters was not
2
IT I n Fn
n 2
1/ 2
critical.
C type High pass filter
KIT=
IT
1000
Types of AC Filters
It was used to reduce power losses at the

fundamental frequency. Capacitor was
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
Single Tuned Filter

It was to filter out the characteristic
harmonics of single frequency. It was used
to filter out 11th and 13th harmonics in a
Consider
In = harmonic current in the converter
Zfh = Filter impedance at harmonic
frequency
Zsh = System impedance at harmonic
frequency
converter system.
Z f R f jx f
Double tuned filter

= R f 1 j 2Q
= Z o Q 1 J 2
21

Q=
Zo
;
Rf
Zo
L
C
Z sh
Z fh Z sh
= Relative frequency deviation

x
The harmonics current in the filter was
given by
I fh
I Z sh
Z sh Z fh
The harmonic voltage at the converter bus

is
VC1
I fh
Ih
h2
( 2 ) XV1
h 1
Vch xI h Z 0
The reactive power generated by the filter
at the fundamental frequency was given as
V Vh I fh Z fh
=
Ih
Y fh Ysh
Qopt
Vh
Q f V1 I f 1
1 cos m
2 m sin m
4 m Z o I h
1 cos m
Minimum cost tuned filters
(V )
h
( 2
) 1
h 1
Z0
Cost of filter was given as
K AQ f BQ f
A,B constants
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
The ratings of the capacitor was given as
S c V 2 c1 V 2 ch 1C
The ratings of the reactor was given as
Sl I 2 f 1 I
2
fh
B
Qf
A
1/ 2
The filtering would increase with the

increased size of the filter.
Where
h v1
I f1 2
h 1 zo
I fh xI h
Design of high pass filter

Second order high pass filter was usually
provided to eliminate 17th and more than
17th order harmonics.
ho 1
1
LC
22

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

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

0.5< <2
ho 2hmin
account for the mechanical design of the

reactor coils.
4. At the instant of switching, the capacitors
present in filters was fully charged
hmin Minimum value of h

Filter impedance was given as
5. These residual over voltages could occur

on the bus bars
6. The capacitors were discharged by
ho 2
ho
ZO j 1

h
h
Zf
2
ho
1
a. Short circuiting device

b. Converter transformers
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

disconnected.
h
Qf 2o
h 1
o
V1 2
Z
O
Filtering was improved for the higher

values of Q f and ho .
High pass filter was not applicable for 6
pulse operation.
DC filters
Criteria for the design of DC filters
The effectiveness of the DC filter was
judged by the following criteria
1. Maximum voltage TIF on DC high voltage
bus
2. Maximum induced noise voltage (INV) in
mv/km
PROTECTION OF FILTERS
Filter was exposed to switching overvoltage
1. The magnitude of overvoltage was
3. Maximum permissible noise to ground in

dB
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
23
ii. Modes of operation
Mono polar operation
Bipolar operation
Homo polar operation

Computer programmes were used to
iii. Ground (or) Metallic returns
evaluate the performance of filters.

CARRIER
FREQUENCY
AND
RI
NOISE
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
1. Single tuned filter
2. Double tuned filter
3. High pass filter
Single tuned and double tuned filter was
used to filter out 6th and 12th harmonics
whereas high pass filter was used to filter
higher order harmonics.
2. Radio
interference
(RI)
noise
was
produced in the Mega hertz frequency

range. However converters were present
indoor and hence they were effectively
shielded
against
electromagnetic
radiation. Hence, direct radiations from

valves were neglected
3. The most important effect of corona that
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
Design of DC filters was similar to that of
the AC filters except the value of capacitor
used for reactive power compensation in
AC but in DC, there was no reactive power
compensation.
DC filters were stressed by direct voltages
and harmonic voltages.
5. Positive corona discharges were of three

types
a. Herm stein glow
b. Plume discharge and
c. Steamers
6. Plumes and streamers were randomly
distributed and more persistent. They
were associated with high stress points
24

due to surface imperfections. These were
16. Operation of core at lower flux densities
responsible for RI
would counter balance the harmonics in
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.
not a serious problem in converter

stations
17. Effective PLC-RI filters were used to
9. DC - RI were decreased by rain and snow.

This was opposite to AC RI. DC - RI
were increased by wind.
due to ion currents. It was very little at the

distances greater than 25 meters from the
right of way.
corona
reduce the impact of RI noise with the

power line carrier communication.
CONCLUSION
10. Television interference (TVI) was mainly
11. The
converter transformer and hence, AN was
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
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)
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.
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
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) SpringerVerlag.
5. ABB Systems. http://www.abb.com.in
6. K. R. Padiyar. (1990). HVDC Power
Transmission Systems, New Age
International.
a. Harmonics in converter transformer

b. Magnetostriction in smoothing reactor
25
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.
26

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ISSN No.

: 2394 174X, V 1, I 2, 2014

Journal Club for Electrical Engineering (JCEE)

All Rights Reserved by Journals Club & Co.

present in sine waveform. Harmonics