An Overview of Modular Multilevel Converters in HVDC Transmission Systems With STATCOM Operation During Pole-to-Pole DC Short Circuits

Fault-current handling capability of the modular multilevel converters (MMCs) under dc-cable short-circuit conditions is a major concern for the MMC applications on the high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission systems, where the MMCs based on half-bridge submodules (SMs) cannot block the faul...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on power electronics 2019-05, Vol.34 (5), p.4137-4160
Main Authors: Nguyen, Thanh Hai, Hosani, Khalifa Al, Moursi, Mohamed Shawky El, Blaabjerg, Frede
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternating current
Automatic voltage control
Blocking
Capacitors
Circuit faults
Controllability
Converters
DC short-circuit faults
Electric bridges
Electric power transmission
Fault currents
Fault tolerance
fault-handling capability
Faults
High voltages
high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission systems
HVDC transmission
Insulated gate bipolar transistors
Metal matrix composites
modular-multilevel converters
Short circuits
static synchronous compensator (STATCOM)
Static synchronous compensators
submodules (SMs)
Topology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Fault-current handling capability of the modular multilevel converters (MMCs) under dc-cable short-circuit conditions is a major concern for the MMC applications on the high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission systems, where the MMCs based on half-bridge submodules (SMs) cannot block the fault currents to protect the converter devices. In this paper, a comprehensive review for the fault-ride-through capability of the HVDC transmission systems based on the MMCs adopting different SM schemes is presented, where the MMCs can block the fault currents and compensate the reactive currents to the electric grid during the dc faults. An analysis of the dc short-circuit faults in the MMC is introduced and then the operation principle of different SM circuits building the MMC for blocking the fault currents is highlighted. The fault-tolerant operation of these MMC schemes as static synchronous compensator to enhance the ac grid stability during the dc faults is also investigated. A comparison in terms of investment cost, loss, volume, and controllability for various MMC topologies is performed. Comprehensive simulation results for the most promising topologies of the MMC with a capability of fault-ride through under dc-fault conditions are finally presented.
ISSN:0885-8993
1941-0107
DOI:10.1109/TPEL.2018.2862247