High Voltage Direct Current

Conductor Selection

Jerry Reding
JLR Engineering, LLC

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Steamboat Room
Memphis, TN
 Overview
Primary Consideration for Conductor Selection
Economically Efficient NPV
Thermally Adequate
Strength Adequate for Mechanical Loads
Electrical Effects Adequately Mitigated
DC and AC Differences
 Primary Considerations
Efficient Minimize Life Cycle Cost
Thermally Adequate Maximum current
Adequate Strength Mechanical Loads
Electrically Adequate Electrical Effects
Similar Process for AC and DC Lines
Establish minimum NPV
Ensure Adequate Thermal And Strength Capacity
Validate Electrical Effects Adequately Mitigated
Differences are in the Details
 Economically Efficient
Minimize Net Present Value (NPV)
Process to Determine Minimum NPV
Select appropriate conductor bundle candidates
Develop installation costs for bundle candidates
Develop operating costs for candidates (losses)
Sum of both is NPV for each bundle candidate
Lowest NPV is most economically efficient choice
Both AC and DC Conductor Selection Process
Economically Efficient
 Thermal Capacity
Similar to AC Overload Capacity Required
DC Specified as OL Factor of Design Power Transfer
AC Specified as N-X Contingency Power Transfer
DC Line has More Control Than AC Line
Overload Generally Limited by Converters
Ensure Conductor has Enough Thermal Capacity
Conductor size a primary consideration - RDC
Maximum Design Temperature for Clearances
Typically Proper NPV Sizing is Adequate Thermally
Verify Adequate Thermal Capacity is Available
 Conductor Strength
Essentially the Same for Both AC and DC
Adequate Strength for Mechanical Loads
Wind and Ice
Extreme Winds on Bare Conductor
Construction, Broken Wire, and Other Loads
 Electrical Effects
Electric and Magnetic Fields, RI, and Audible Noise
Little Industry Guidance for DC Lots for AC
Conductor Bundle Size Primary Consideration
Electric Fields Increase with Bundle Size - # & OD
Audible Noise Decrease with Bundle Size
Magnetic Fields Result from Current Flow
 Electrical Effects
Magnetic Fields Driven by Current
Typically about Same as Earth Magnetics (300-700 mg)
NESC 5 mAmp Rule Does Not Apply
DC and AC Audible Noise Difference
AC Highest During Foul Weather (L50)
DC Highest During Fair Weather (L50)
Verify Conductor is Electrically Adequate
 DC and AC Differences
DC Conductor Selection Differences From AC
NPV Process Differences
Electrical Effects Differences as Discussed
Implication of Skin Effect
Illustrative Example for NPV
3650 MW Power Transfer (BPA Upgrade)
500 kV DC and 500 kV AC
3-Thrasher (IPP Line)
Load Factor 0.60
 NPV Example
Power Equations for DC and AC
PDC = 2 * EP-G * I

I = 3650 / (2 * 500,000) = 3650 amps

PAC = 3 * EL-L * I

I = 3650 / (3 * 500,000) = 4215 amps

For Same Power Transfer DC has Less Current

 NPV Example
Losses Equations for DC and AC
LDC = #Poles * #SC * RDC * (I/#SC)2 * LF2

LDC = 2 * 3 * 0.0480 * (3650/3)2 * 0.602 = 153 kW/mi

LAC = #Phases * #SC * RAC * (I/#SC)2 * LF2

LAC = 3 * 3 * 0.0529 * (4215/3)2 * 0.602 = 338 kW/mi

AC Losses ~ 2.2 Times Greater than DC Losses

 NPV Example
NPV of Losses Same Equation for DC & AC
NPV[Ls] = Ls* En * 8670 * SPWF

NPV[Ls]DC = 153 * 50 * 8670 * 13.765 = $913,000/mi

NPV[Ls]AC = 338 * 50 * 8670 * 13.765 = $2,017,000/mi

En = $50/MWH
SPWF [6%, 30 years] = 13.765

NPV[Ls]AC ~ 2.2 Times Greater than NPV[Ls]DC

 Skin Effect: AC vs DC
AC Skin Effect Moves Current to Conductor Surface
Primarily influenced by internal inductance between layers
Redistribution of Current Erodes Conductor Efficiency
Larger OD Conductors are Less Efficient Electrically
RAC (Thrasher) = 0.0529 /mi Ratio(AC/DC) = 1.10
RAC (Chukar) = 0.0658 /mi Ratio(AC/DC) = 1.05
Tower Loads Increase with More Sub-conductors
Surface Area Collects Wind & Ice Loads
Using 3-Trasher (6936 kcm); Surface Area = 204.5 in2/ft
Using 4-Chukar (7120 kcm); Surface Area = 241.5 in2/ft
 Skin Effect: AC vs DC
Break Even Around 1.8 OD ()
Below 1.8 More Cost Efficient to Increase OD
Above 1.8 More Cost Efficient to Increase Number
of Sub-conductors in Bundle
DC Does Not Experience Skin Effect
Less Sub-conductors in DC Bundle Increases Cost
Efficiency of Bundle
Number of Sub-conductors in DC Bundle Limited
by Electrical Effects Considerations In General
Thanks

Q/A