Is DC better than AC?

HVDC=High Voltage Direct Current

Electric Power Systems L7 - Olof Samuelsson 1

Source: balticcable.com

Outline
HVDC projects Pros and cons The diode and the thyristor Six-pulse diode bridge Six-pulse thyristor bridge Harmonics The converter station
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Sample HVDC projects

1954 Gotland, Sweden, First commercial!
90 km, 20MW, 100kV

1987 Itaipu, Brazil, Largest!

6300 MW

1994 Baltic Cable, SE-GE, longest cable

600 MW, 400 kV, 250 km

2000 SwePol Link, SE-PL 2000+ Three Gorges, China

6000 MW, 890 km overhead line
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Nordic HVDC links

Kontiskan SE-DK FennoSkan SE-FI

Skagerrack NO-DK

FI-RU

NorNed NO-NL Viking NO-DE

Baltic Cable SE-DE

Gotland, SE
SwePol, SE-PL

Kontek DK-DE
All except Gotland and Fennoskan are between Nordel and other systems
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Advantages of HVDC
No reactive line/cable losses
Long cables possible, lines cheaper

No synchronizing power
Easy to connect AC systems

Controllability
Perfect for power transactions

SSC does not increase

Upgrading of AC breakers not necessary

Electric Power Systems L7 - Olof Samuelsson

Disadvantages of HVDC
Expensive terminals
(DC) converter compared to (AC) transformer

Harmonics
Interference with telephone lines

Susceptible to SSR and other interaction

High bandwidth and powerful actuator

Compass deviations
Submarine cable with ground return
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The diode and the thyristor

V

Diode
Conducts when V>0

Thyristor
V Vgate Conducts when V>0 and Vgate>0

Conduction can be delayed

Electric Power Systems L7 - Olof Samuelsson

Three-phase diode bridge

Upper diodes select Vp=max(e) Lower diodes select Vm= min(e) DC voltage VD=Vp-Vm
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Voltages and currents

DC voltage ripple
Six pulses per cycle

DC current constant
AC current pulses

Electric Power Systems L7 - Olof Samuelsson

Three-phase thyristor bridge

Thyristor firing delayed firing angle a

Electric Power Systems L7 - Olof Samuelsson

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Influence of a
Average DC voltage ~cosa
a =0-90: VD>0 Rectifier operation a =90-180: VD<0 Inverter operation

AC current pulses shifted a Reactive power ~sina

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Harmonics on AC and DC side

Two bridges in series

Y-y transformer Y-D Transformer Less harmonics in VD and Iline
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Converter station
Two six-pulse bridges Filters shortcircuit AC and DC side harmonics AC DC
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Baltic Cable converter station

AC line Q comp AC switchyard

Valve hall DC line

AC filter
Transformer building Active DC filter

Smoothing reactor
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