Study On Transient Overvoltages in The Converter Station of HVDC-MMC Links
Study On Transient Overvoltages in The Converter Station of HVDC-MMC Links
Study On Transient Overvoltages in The Converter Station of HVDC-MMC Links
Abstract – Transient overvoltages in converter station Several articles and research work have been performed on
equipment are difficult to predict using analytical tools, therefore insulation coordination (and fault behavior) of HVDC-LCC
it is conducted by means of EMT simulations. To get the worst link as in [2] and [3]. However, there is only few articles
case values, several HVDC set point configurations (as regarding insulation coordination on HVDC-MMC link
active/reactive power set points) and fault locations inside the dealing with internal converter station faults. In [1], an
converter station must be simulated. Parametric studies using
overview on the overvoltages in MMC station is presented and
EMT-type software is conducted, in this paper, to simulate this
high number of scenarios. A generic HVDC-MMC link and the
in [5]-[4] studies on transient overvoltages and the impact on
impact of arm inductance location are considered. Transient the dc cable is performed. In this paper, parametric studies
overvoltages at each electrical nodes in the converter station are using EMTP-RV software [8] is conducted to simulate this
provided and analyzed. These set of results and studies provide high number of scenarios and to identify the worst case
insights for researchers and engineers who are involved in scenario.
insulation coordination of HVDC-MMC link. Circuit configuration of converter station can vary
depending on project specification and manufacturers. The
Keywords: Insulation coordination, EMTP, HVDC impact of the arm reactor location on equipment stresses is
transmission, MMC, VSC, station faults, switching overvoltage. also studied. A generic HVDC-MMC link based on [7] and on
the Cigré DC grid benchmark [6] is considered. Overvoltage at
I. INTRODUCTION each electrical node in the converter station are presented.
+
MMC1 MMC2
Vdc+
Table 1: Setup configuration for parametric study
Parameter Number of configurations
v primabc vsecabc vug
8 configurations see Figure 2: a
F1 - Phase-to-ground fault
F2 - Three phase-to-ground fault
F3 - Two phase-to-ground fault
vℓg
a
Fault type F4 - Phase-to-phase fault
F5 - Positive arm-to-ground fault
F6 - Negative arm-to-ground fault vℓ a .. .. ..
Vdc−
.. .. ..
F7 - Positive DC pole-to-ground fault
F8 - Negative DC pole-to-ground fault
8 configurations : Fault instant with equal
distrubtion at each 2,5 ms Figure 3: Overvoltage measuring locations
Fault instant VacphA
IV. OVERVOLTAGE RESULTS
Time
instant In this section, the EMT parametric studies results are
Transit of active power 2 configurations : ±1000 MW presented and analyzed.
Transit of reactive power 2 configurations : ±300 MVar A. Maximum overvoltages without surge arresters
2 configurations for S1/S2
Short circuit level First step, the 512 configurations are simulated in time
SCLmax = 50 GVA and SCLmin = 3 GVA
domain with no surge arresters in order to get the maximum
From Table 1, the total number of configurations to be transient overvoltages of the converter station.
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8
550
measured at Vdc− and Vdc+ are plotted in Figure 4. The x axis 400
350
represents the 512 simulated number and the fault types.
300
Whereas, the y axis presents the absolute maximum switching
250
overvoltage peaks registered for each simulated configuration. 0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512
Simulations
It is observed that F7 and F8 (i.e. positive and negative DC
pole-to-ground faults) represent the worst case scenario that Figure 6: Overvoltage on AC primary side
lead to the highest overvoltage values. Nevertheless, F5/F6 500
400 SCLmin
lead also to high overvoltages. The maximum switching 300
voltage (kV)
200
overvoltage registered is equal to 685 kV. Generally speaking, 100
0
the configuration of the link, fault instant and SCL have a -100
small impact on this overvoltage. We notice that; high SCL -200
-300 SCLmax
tends to increases the overvoltage in the considered test case. -400
-500
Figure 5 shows the time-domain results of Vdc+ due to F8 0.48 0.5 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.6
times (s)
including the impact of SCL and active power transit. It can be
Figure 7: v prim b due to F1
noticed, that the configuration -1000 MW/ -300 MVar/
SCLmax leads to the highest overvoltage peak for the 3) AC secondary overvoltage
considered test case. Figure 8 shows the maximum overvoltage on vsec abc of
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8
each configuration. The phase-to-ground fault (F1) seems to be
700
max peak voltage (kV)
(green) 600
680 500
620
voltage (kV)
400
560
-1000 MW/
500 -300 MVar/ +1000 MW/ 300
-1000 MW/ SCLmax -300 MVar/
440 SCLmax 200
-300 MVar/
380 0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512
SCLmin
320
Simulations
0.53 0.535 0.54 0.545 0.55 0.555 0.56 Figure 8: Maximum overvoltage on vsec abc
times (s)
Figure 5: Time domain waveforms of Vdc+ due to F8 800 +1000 MW/-300 MVar/
600
+1000 MW/
-300 MVar/SCLmin
SCLmax
voltage (kV)
400
200
2) AC primary overvoltage 0
Figure 6 shows the maximum overvoltage registered for -200
each simulation for the primary three phases v prim abc . The -400
-600
maximum value is equal to 532 kV. Typical configuration that 0.48 0.5 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.6
leads to this overvoltage is F1 fault type. Nevertheless, for the times (s)
simulated test cases, the maximum overvoltage on the primary Figure 9: vsec c due to F1
AC side is lower than the overvoltage that can be generated 4) Arm-to-ground overvoltage
from the AC network. The impact of the SCL strength is
The maximum overvoltage results of vugℓ (i.e. six arm-to-
illustrated in the time domain waveforms (Figure 7). One can abc
notice, that the maximum peak overvoltage occurs during the ground measurements) are provided in Figure 10. The
AC breaker opening instant (around 50ms after fault maximum peak reaches 814 kV during F1 fault. Strong SCL
occurrences) and not during fault instant. The fault current is and with an inductive reactive power transit tends to increase
inductive and leads to a switching overvoltage when it is the overvoltage value as depicted in Figure 11.
interrupted by BRK1.
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8
voltages are plotted in Figure 14, Figure 15 and Figure 16
max peak voltage (kV)
800
respectively.
600
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8
800
600
200
0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512 500
Simulations
400
Figure 10: Maximum overvoltages on vugℓ
abc 300
0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512
800 +1000 MW/-300 MVar/SCLmin Simulations
600
Figure 14: Vdc− Vdc+ overvoltage - Arm reactor at DC side
voltage (kV)
400
200
0
-200 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8
800
pole-to-pole measurements) are provided in Figure 12. The Figure 15: vsec abc overvoltage - Arm reactor at DC side
maximum peak reaches 1036 kV during F5/F6 and F1 fault. In F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8
max peak voltage (kV)
1000
this test case, strong SCL and with a positive active power
transit tends to increase the overvoltage value as depicted in 900
Figure 13. 800
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 700
max peak voltage (kV)
1000
600
0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512
900 Simulations
800 Figure 16: vuℓ abc overvoltage - Arm reactor at DC side
700
600 Based on these results, it can be noticed that the arm reactor
0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512
location has an impact on the overvoltage values and also on
Simulations
Figure 12: Maximum overvoltages on vuℓ abc the fault type that lead to the worst case scenario. For Vdc− and
Vdc+ overvoltages, comparison between Figure 4 and Figure 14
1000 +1000 MW/SCLmax
800
-1000 MW/ reveals that when the inductance arm is placed on the dc side
voltage (kV)
SCLmax
(instead of the ac side), the worst case are related with F5/F6
600
(rather than F7/F8). In addition, the maximum peak
400
+1000 MW/
overvoltage is increased and reaches around 770 kV. For the
200
SCLmin ac secondary overvoltages (Figure 15), the F5/F6 fault type
0
0.5 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.6
becomes the worst case (instead of the F1 fault type seen in
times (s) Figure 8). Also the maximum peak overvoltage equal to
Figure 13: vℓ c waveforms due to F1 730 kV is increase when arm reactor is installed on the DC
side. For vuℓ abc overvoltages, arm reactor location does not
B. Impact of arm inductance location have an impact on the maximum overvoltage value (1037 kV)
Converter station can have different circuit configuration and, as can be expected, when arm reactor is on dc side, only
depending on manufacturers and/or project specifications. In F1 faults lead to such high overvoltage.
this section, the impact of arm inductance location is
evaluated. The arm inductance that is located on the ac side
C. Fault transient analyses
terminal in Figure 3 is now placed on the dc side terminal of
each arm. Faults F5 and F6 are kept between the valves and In this section the general behavior of the worst fault cases
arm inductance. Same parametric studies, as depicted in Table is analyzed. Based on previous results (section II.A.), it is
1, are simulated. Maximum overvoltage measurements of the noticed that the most critical faults are the F1 and F5 to F8.
DC pole-to-ground, AC secondary and arm pole-to-pole The general behavior of the DC pole-to-ground faults (i.e. F7
and F8) is reported in [5] and will not be further explained due 700
to space limit. Moreover, the F5 and F6 faults are symmetrical, 600
voltage (kV)
500
therefore only F5 is investigated because the behavior is
400
identical. 300
In this section, the setup configuration of the link is - 200
1000 MW/-300 MVar/ SCLmax and fault instant occurs at the 100
0
maximum negative peak of vseca (see Figure 17). 0.51 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6
times (s)
1) Phase-to-ground fault (F1)
For the considered configuration, F1 fault instant occurs at Figure 19: vua (blue) and vℓ a (green) during F1
0.532 sec. Overcurrent protection blocks the converter 600 µs
after the fault instant and the AC breaker open at around 2) Positive arm-to-ground fault (F5)
0.58 sec. As shown in Figure 17, a solid ground fault on phase Converter behavior due to F5 is close to F1 since both
A at the secondary side of the wye-delta transformer creates an faults are rather electrically similar (Figure 2).
overvoltage on phase B and C because the delta side reference Similar to previous case, the vsecb and vsecc following the
to the ground has a high impedance. During fault instant, the
fault, significantly increase as shown in Figure 20, but not as
faulty phase voltage is zero, therefore, vsecb and vsecc become
much as previous since the fault is not directly on the
equal to the phase to phase voltage of delta winding side (until secondary winding side.
the AC breaker opens). Overvoltages on DC voltages and arm voltages are depicted
The DC voltages and arm voltages of phase A are depicted in Figure 21 and Figure 22 respectivly. Different behavior is
in Figure 18 and Figure 19 respectivly. Before converter noted between F1 and F5 faults during the time between the
blocking, the voltage raise is limited by the arm inductor. It fault and blocking instant (around t=0.532 s). An equivalent
limits the inrush current coming from the SMs capacitors. circuit and a zoomed waveform, during this period intereval, is
Once the converter blocks, since the healthy phase to ground presented in Figure 23, Figure 24 and Figure 25. A voltage
voltages become higher than the DC voltage, the lower spike of around 640 kV is observed on Vdc+ . This overvoltage
freewheeling diodes of the each SM conduct (on the positive
corresponds to the prefault arm voltage of vua equal to 640kV
arm, when vsecb and vsecc are higher than Vdc+ , and vice versa).
(Figure 25) where one pole is abrutly clamped to zero when
Therefore, Vdc+ and Vdc− becomes almost equal to the maximum fault occurs. Unlike, internal bus fault in this case there is no
and minimum value of vsecb and vsecc . Hence the positive and arm inductance between the fault and the arms (except the
IGBTs and diodes stray inductor) to limit the current raise.
negative DC voltages oscillate at the frequency of the AC
The current spike magnitude depends on the submodule
system.
capacitor values, the power electonic devices parasitic
600 elements and the DC cable characteristics, therefore its value
400
rely on the data accuracy. Nevertheless, switching overvoltage
voltage (kV)
200
0
values of this phenomenon will not change drasticaly.
-200 600
-400 400
voltage (kV)
Vsec a
-600 200
0.51 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6 0
times (s) -200
Figure 17: vsecabc during F1 -400
-600
600 0.51 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6
400 times (s)
voltage (kV)
-600 200
0.51 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6 0
times (s) -200
Figure 18: Vdc+ (blue) and −
Vdc (green) during F1 -400
-600
0.51 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6
times (s)
500
Similar to previous sections, the same parametric study
400
300
setup (section III. ) has been simulated including the surge
200 arresters, the MMC circuit and faults in Figure 2. The results
100
of Vdc− and Vdc+ including the surge arresters are presented in
0
0.51 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.57 0.58 0.59 0.6 Figure 26. The total energy absorption of the surge arresters
times (s)
installed at the DC terminal are presented in Figure 27.
Figure 22: vua (blue) and vℓ a (green) during F5
F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8
600
vua ..
..
..
..
..
..
400
300
0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512
F5 Simulations
10
400
0
0.531 0.5315 0.532 0.5325 0.533 0.5335 0.534 0
0 64 128 192 256 320 384 448 512
times (s)
Simulations
Figure 24: Zoom on Vdc+ during F5 Figure 27: Energy absorptions of DC surge arresters
700
600
From Figure 26, we can notice that the maximum residual
voltage (kV)
500
400
voltage is related to F5/F6 faults. As described in the
300 subsection IV. C. , this overvoltage depicted during F5/F6
Blocking instant
200 Fault instant faults are expectable (when the arm inductance is at ac side -
100 Figure 2) and are short (tens to hundreds of us) with high
0
0.531 0.5315 0.532 0.5325 0.533 0.5335 0.534 current value. Unlike F7/F8, the residual overvoltage induced
times (s) by F5/F6 are only limited at 584 kV by the surge arresters
Figure 25: Zoom on vua (blue) and vℓ a (green) during F5 since the inrush current produced from the capacitor’s arm is
high. Nevertheless, in case of F5/F6 faults, the energy
absorbed by the DC pole-to-ground surge arresters is rather
V. INFLUENCE OF DC SURGE ARRESTERS
low (around 2 MJ) with respect to F7/F8 faults which reaches
Based on the maximum switching overvoltage at the AC 12 MJ.
primary, AC secondary and arm to ground nodes, the Time domain results of Vdc+ due to F8 faults are illustrated
Switching Impulse Protective Level (SIPL) can be selected
accordingly to meet the insulation withstand level requirement. in Figure 28. The maximum peaks are now limited to 522 kV.
However, transient overvoltages at DC poles (Figure 5) do These overvoltage values will change according to the design
not meet XLPE DC cable requirements. This overvoltage is and characteristics of the surge arresters.
composed of switching and temporary overvoltages that does
not respect insulation coordination of the DC cable and can 500
voltage (kV)
damage the XLPE insulation and cable junctions [5]. Several 440
solutions exist to limit such overvoltage. A simple solution
380
consists in the installation of several surge arresters at DC
terminals. They must have a high energy rating since they are 320
not only designed to limit switching overvoltages but also 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.6 0.62
temporary overvoltages [5]. Based on the type test times (s)
recommended in [11], a typical value that cable can withstand Figure 28: Vdc+ including surge arresters due to F8
is in the range of 1.8 pu. In this paper, the characteristics of
VI. CONCLUSIONS
This article has presented a methodology to study transient
overvoltages for HVDC-MMC link. A parametric studies (with
512 simulated configurations) using a generic HVDC-MMC
link has been used. Transient overvoltage results due to several
internal faults have been presented. It can be concluded that
the main internal faults that lead to the highest overvoltages
are the DC pole-to-ground, one phase-to-ground and arm-to-
ground faults. Short-circuit level, active/reactive power transit
have an impact on these overvoltage values.
The impact of the arm inductance location has been also
investigated. The worst case scenario and overvoltage value
are affected by the arm reactor location.
Finally, the inclusion and impact of the surge arrester
design at DC terminal has been presented. It has been shown
that for this specific example the higher residual voltage at dc
terminal is related to F5/F6 faults (instead of F7/F8 faults).
However, the highest energy absorption are related to F7/F8
faults.
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