Flow Analysis and Calculation of AC/DC Power System

Based on MATLAB and PSASP

LiLinlin1,2, XingShuntao1, LiHang3, JiXiu1,2
1 Changchun Institute of Technology, School of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, ChangChun 130012
E-mail: lilinlin315@126.com
2 Distribution Automation Engineering Research Center, ChangChun 130012
3 Huaneng Changchun Thermal Power Plant, ChangChun 130000
Abstract: The HVDC system has many good characteristics and has been widely used in the world. According to the DC
system mathematical model, and analyzing switching control mode of the DC line operation mode, the DC system model
is designed based on alternating iteration and Newton Raphson method using Matlab Simulink software package. An
approach to interface the model built in Matlab Simulink environment with PASAP flow procedure is proposed and
realized by PSASP. The case calculation results show that under Matlab based the DC model and the DC model in
PASAP the calculation results by these two models are basically the same, thus the correctness of the flow calculation
procedure of AC/DC power system based on Matlab is verified.
Key Words: AC/DC power system, Power flow calculation, Matlab simulation

Introduction

HVDC is a transmission mode which converts

alternating current into direct current by the rectifier
delivered to the receiving end, then uses an inverter
converting the direct current to alternating current for Ac
power grid to the other end. It is mainly used in long
distance power transmission and network asynchronous
AC system, common in the area of large interconnected
systems. HVDC has many advantages, such as line low
cost, small transmission losses, limiting the short circuit
capacity, no power angle stability, and non-synchronous
operation of the system interconnect. Because of these
characteristics of the DC transmission, AC/DC hybrid
system is widely used in today's power systems.[1]
Matlab Real-time Workshop (RTW) module
provides automatic code generation feature, you can
transfer the building digital models in Matlab into C
code, which can become a program run independently of
the environment of Matlab software. The input and
output variable types of Matlab model are consistent
with the UD model of PSASP.[2,3] Therefore, Matlab
model can also be implemented using access PSASP and
UD building functional models.
Using the PSASP program to calculate the flow of
AC/DC hybrid systems, procedures for handling the DC
system only considers the constant current control
rectifier inverter side and constant extinction angle
control in a manner, when the system is in special
operation states that a large voltage change is likely to
make mistakes. This paper attempts to build the DC
system model through the Simulink package of Matlab,
and taking into account operating changes of DC system,
in order to achieve a certain degree of expansion in
function.

2.1 The mathematical model of the DC line

The basic structure of the DC line is shown in
Figure 1.

Figure 1: Schematic structure of the DC line

The mathematical model includes the DC line and

converter stations in two parts.
(1) DC line section
U Ud2
1
I d = K d1
R

Pd = KU d I d

Pd = Pd 1 Pd 2 = RI d2

In the formula U d 1 U d 2 : Rectifier side and

Inverter test of DC voltage; I d : DC current; R: DC line
resistance; K: the unipolar mode is 1, the bipolar mode 2.
(2) Part of the converter station
At present, the basic converter unit has 6-pulse
converter unit and 12-pulse converter unit, which
consists of two 6 pulsating converter components with
AC-side voltage difference of 30. The most of HVDC
projects are 12 pulsating converter as the basic unit
converter.[4]
3
4
U d 1 = N (1.35k1U 1 cos X r1 I d )

Jilin Province Science and Technology Development Program

(No20150203002SF)

c
978-1-4673-9714-8/16/$31.00 2016
IEEE

The basic principle and control mode of

the DC line

6138

U d 2 = N (1.35k 2U 2 cos +
U d 2 = N (1.35k 2U 2 cos

cos 1 = cos

X r1 I d

X r2 Id )

X r2 Id )

6
7

2U 1

X r2 I d

cos 2 = cos

2U 2

QC1 = Pd 1 tan 1
QC 2 = Pd 2 tan 2

Figure 2: Current margin control diagram

In the formula, N : converter station in 6 per pole

inverter pulsating number, usually 2;
U 1 U 2 : Namely rectifier, inverter converter
transformer station unload voltage valve, kV;
X r1 X r 2 : Namely rectifier inverter station
commutation reactance per phase ;
: Rectifier firing angle;
: Inverter angle, = 180 ;
: Inverter extinction angle.
2.2 Conversion of control modes in the DC line
The normal operation of the DC system, it profits
from two ends of the converter stations in perfect control
system. Compared to AC transmission system, HVDC
transmission has a notable feature that it can control the
DC line transmission power of the size and direction
through both ends of the converter's adjustments to meet
operational requirements in AC/DC hybrid systems. So,
it is very important that the HVDC performance highly
dependents on its control system.
Common
rectifier
and
inverter
control
characteristic combination is called current margin
control characteristics, as shown in Fig2. Constant
current and setting minimum trigger angle control both
of the straight lines in rectifier side; constant current and
constant extinguishing angle constitutes two properties
lines in inverter side. In order to avoid caused instability
by adjusting both ends of the current regulator
simultaneously, then the inverter side value is generally
smaller 0.1pu than the rectifier, this is the current margin.
Basing on the current margin control principles, the
current margin must be kept either in transient state or
steady state. If the current margin once lost, then the DC
system will collapse.

During normal operation, rectifier side usually

fixes current and inverter side fixes extinguishing angle
with the operating point N in Figure 2. When the
rectifier side reduces AC voltage or the inverter side
rises AC voltage, the rectifier side goes into the fixed
minimum trigger angle control, the inverter
automatically be converted to constant current control,
the setting value is less than 10% of the rectifier with the
operating point M in Figure 2. When the control is still
not meet the above requirements, resulting in the trigger
angle or the extinction angle is too large, the converter
occurs commutation failure, resulting in a DC system
outage.

Flow Calculation of AC/DC Power System

3.1 Algorithm
The AC/DC power flow calculation is generally
alternating iterative method. The DC rectifier and
inverter stations are seen as AC system load, load power
( Pd , Qd ), which can be used in conventional AC flow
computing process of Newton Raphson or fast PQ
decomposition. Then, the bus voltage U 1 and U 2 of
rectifier and inverter calculated by AC flow is known as
condition of DC system, according to the DC system
basic formula from (1) to (9), calculate the DC power
system and get DC system from the AC system to absorb
the active and reactive power ( Pd 1 , Qd 1 ) and ( Pd 2 , Qd 2 ).
Then, the DC system as the AC "load", computing AC
system flow again, this alternately iterates until
convergence.
For different operation in DC systems, and the
corresponding flow calculation process is different.
(1) If the DC system for constant current I d control
in rectifier side, the inverter side for constant extinction
angle control, and the AC bus voltage U d 1 and U d 2 is
known, there are two primary cases about DC power
flow calculation.
1) In the converter station ratio k1 , k 2 is known,
due to the inverter side is constant extinguishing angle
, it can be calculated from the inverter side.
Through U d 2 = N (1.35k 2U 2 cos 3 X r 2 I d ) ,

calculate U d 2 ;

2016 28th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC)

6139

Through U d 1 = U d 2 + RI d , calculate U d 1 ;
Through U d 1 = N (1.35U 1 cos 3 X r1 I d ) calculate

, and check min < < max .

Then by the formula (7), (8), (9), power factor
cos 1 cos 2 are calculated both rectifier side and

inverter side, and the corresponding active power

Pd 1 , Pd 2 and reactive power Qd 1 , Qd 2 .
2) In the case of the converters ratio k1 , k 2 is
unknown, we must first determine k1 and k 2 from the
flow calculation. Let = N , U d 1 U d 2 for the rating
and U d 2 = U dN .
Through U d 2 = U dN , calculate U d 1 = U dN + RI d ;
Through U d 1 = N (1.35U 1 cos

Ud2

X r1 I d ) and

3
= N (1.35k 2U 2 cos X r 2 I d ) , calculate k1 and k 2 ;

Then there are calculated power factor cos 1

max the rectifier side sets minimum trigger angle

control and the inverter side is constant current control,
running on M points. When < min and > max the
DC system outages.
In addition, for an accelerated iterative convergence,
the calculating use of the DC system is not part of the
algebraic method, but using the same calculation is
similar to AC Newton Raphson method.
Since U d = N (1.35kU cos 3 X r I d ) ( = or )

This formula for the derivative to :

dU d
= 1.35kNU sin
d
U d = 1.35kNU sin

10

Thus it can be got the new value of through the

deviation angle, the next step is calculated.
(1) Matlab main building block diagram is shown in
Figure 3.

cos 2 , the corresponding active power Pd 1 , Pd 2 and

reactive power Qd 1 , Qd 2 of rectifier side and inverter

side by the formula (7), (8), (9). If the calculated k1 and
k 2 are beyond the upper limit and lower limit of the
converter station, we should make the appropriate
converter transformer ratio at its upper or lower limit,
and recalculate the flow again.
(2) When the inverter side of DC system controlled
by constant current I d I d and the rectifier side for
setting firing angle min control, when the k1 , k 2
inevitable adjustment has reached its limit, it can be
rectified from the rectifier side to the inverter side, as
min is known. Since is known, it can be started with
the basic formula for calculating the voltage U d 1 by
rectifier station, then can be calculated U d 2 by I d U d 1 ,
and calculated by the inverter side voltage basic
formula. It is necessary to verify N max , if
not met, the system outages. Finally, by the formula (7),
(8), (9) are calculated rectifier side and inverter side,
power factor cos 1 cos 2 , and the corresponding
active power Pd 1 , Pd 2 and reactive power Qd 1 , Qd 2 .

Figure 3: Main DC system block model diagram

The input is AC voltage U 1 ,U 2 and control angle

.
, The output is node Pd 1 , Qd 1 , Pd 2 , Qd 2 and iterative
new value , corresponding to the control angle. The
role of xuanze module is to selectively input the signal to
three modules of I-gm, af-I, 0; function of switch module
is to selectively output and print output calculated from
the three modules. I-gm module performs control mode
which is the constant current of rectifier side and
constant extinction angle of inverter side; af-I module
performs measurement minimum trigger angle of
rectifier side and constant current of inverter side; 0
module will be cleared of all, stop the DC system.
(2) Xuanze module design

3.2 Building Matlab modules

Rectifier transformer ratio is known and constant in
the calculation program.
Each called to the DC system program must be
based on previous iteration , the value of the DC
operating point to determine where the line is, that is, on
both sides of the control mode.
When min < max the rectifier side is constant
current control and inverter side is constant extinction
angle control, running on N points. When max and

6140

Figure 4: Xuanze module diagram

2016 28th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC)

As shown in figure 4, the function of this part is that

through the logic computer the input signal is selectively
sent to Out1, Out2 and Out3; C as a control terminal, for
providing a control signal to the Switch module, the
output values are 1, 2, 3. Corresponding to the following
conditions:
Out1: min < max , C=1;
Out2: max and max , C=2;
Out3: < min or > max , C=3.
(3) I-gm module designs

Figure 5: I-gm module block diagram

The main function of this module is to complete

constant power flow calculation with constant current
control of rectifier side and constant extinction angle
control of inverter side. The calculation is as follows:
1) By the formula U = N (1.35k U cos 3 X I ) ,
d2

3.3 Calling Matlab module program

By calling user procedures of dynamic link library
the PSASPs UPI and user program can co-simulate. If
the Matlab model is generated as a dynamic link library,
referred to PSASPs UPI implementation, the Matlab
model access PSASP flow calculation module.
In order to generate the target file, the RTW profile
needs to be prepared. Then RTW will be installed to the
Matlab specified directory, a model is built with
Simulink of Matlab which automatically generates as
PSASP flow calculation available a dynamic link
library.
After building the Matlab model called PSASP
flow calculation, a mathematical model to calculate the
flow is as follows:
F (X, U)= 0
H (X, U)= 0
Where F (X, U) = 0 for PSASP flow calculation
program, H (X, U) = 0 for Matlab computer program.
The specific method is alternating flow and Matlab
model to solve. By calling functions in the dynamic
library PSASP flow method and Matlab model cocalculate, the exchange of data through function
parameters, alternating between the two programs until
PSASP flow iterative convergence.
At same the time, it can be seen that using
alternating iterative method is consistent with AC/DC
power flow calculation. It is feasible that the DC line of
custom with Matlab joining in PSASP.

Example

r2 d

the DC voltage of the end line is calculated;

2) By the formula U d 1 = U d 2 + RI d , the beginning
voltage of the DC line is calculated;
3) Calculating the beginning voltage of the DC line
from the previous iteration (i ) and formula
3
U d 1 = N (1.35U 1 cos X r1 I d ) ;

4) Calculating voltage deviation: U d = U d 1 U ' d 1 ;

5) Calculating by =

U d 1
;
1.35k1 NU 1 sin

6) Calculating new firing angle: ( i +1) = (i ) + ;

7) Calculating 1 2 by cos = cos X r1 I d
1

cos 2 = cos

2U 1

X r2 Id .
2U 2

8) According to formula (7) to (9) Pd 1 , Qd 1 , Pd 2 , Qd 2

are calculated and after added the compensation capacity
of the corresponding node, together with , which
are sent to the AC system.

Figure 6: 6 nodes with AC and DC systems diagram

As shown in figure 6, 6 notes system, power

reference value is S B = 100MVA . DC system parameters
are as follows:
DC line: DC resistance R = 19.88 , unipolar
given power Pd = 600MW , for a given voltage
U d = 500kV , current margin of 10%.

min

Rectifier station: Given the firing angles 0 = 15 ,

= 5 , max = 50 , converter transformer turns ratio

k1 = 230 / 212.6 , reactive power compensation capacity

QC = 600M var .

2016 28th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC)

6141

Inverter station: Given the extinction angles

0 = 18 , min = 5 , max = 60 , converter transformer

turns ratio k 2 = 525 / 197 , reactive power compensation

capacity QC = 600 M var .
The results are calculated with PSASP flow
procedure:

From comparison, the result of PSASP flow

program is basically the same with the result of the DC
line model defined by Matlab. The difference is mainly
due to calculative error. After adding Matlab model
calculation program still guarantees the convergence.
In the example, it can be changed by the converter
transformer ratio to simulate the change of AC system
voltage. The rectifier transformer ratio to 230/152, the
other parameters constant, then call Matlab model to
calculate the DC current, which results in Table 4:
Table4. Flow calculation results with AC voltage change
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6

Figure 7: PSASP flow calculation results

Table1. Calculation results of DC model with PSASP
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Calculation
Parameter

Pd1
Qd1
Pd2
Qd2

iterations

Result
32.8306
11.8752
7.6620
11.3027
-3.6725
18
5

Calling the DC line model defined by Matlab,

replacing the original network of DC lines, alternating
iteration of the results obtained with PSASP flow
calculation in Table 2:
Table2. Matlab flow results with DC line model
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6

Node voltage
1.0000
0.9307
0.9680
0.9449
1.0260
1.0300

Node power
-25.4063+5.8899i
11.3063+2.3264i
-0.0000-0.0000i
12.0000+3.0000i
-14.8789-3.5966i
18.0000+9.2424i

Table3. Calculation results of DC model with Matlab

No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

6142

Calculation
Parameter

Pd1
Qd1
Pd2
Qd2

iterations

Result
32.8171
11.8781
7.6599
11.3055
-3.6734
18
6

Calculation
Parameter

Pd1
Qd1
Pd2
Qd2

Result
5
8.8477
0.7786
8.3839
-6.1362
36.2002

Observed on the table 4, we find that = min = 5 ,

is no longer equal 18 . Then the calculation shows
that the DC current of approximately 90% of rated
current during normal operation. Shows that the system
has been gone into mode which the DC rectifier sets
minimum firing angle and the inverter side is constant
current control.
Further changes in the converter transformer ratio,
so that the two ends of the valve side of the DC system
voltage generating greater shift to simulate the DC line
more severe operating conditions, when the results from
the flow can be found in the DC power transmission
lines to zero, has get out operation. From the above
changes and calculations, the DC system model using
Matlab defined can be calculated not only under normal
operating conditions, but also taking into account the
conversion from certain non-operating mode to normal
operating conditions.

Conclusion

This paper studies the control modes of DC

transmission lines as well as the conditions of mutual
conversion between them. In flow calculation of AC/DC
power system, the converter station nodes are generally
treated as PQ node to a fixed injection or pumping out
into the AC power system. The node voltage of AC
power system has to be replaced to DC system to
redefine the power of commutation nodes. The flow
calculation of the DC system, in order to accelerate
convergence, also uses the Newton Raphson method.
The calculating results of DC-line model designed by
Simulink modules are consistent with the results of
PSASP original program. In addition, this model
accounts for the conversion of the special operation
modes, there is a certain degree of expansion in function.
The Simulink model of Matlab is used in the flow

2016 28th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC)

calculation of PSASP. It is flexible to define model for

the simulative calculation in AC/DC power system.

[2]

References

[3]

[1]

X. M. Liang, P. Zhang, Y. Chang. HVDC technology

status and development prospects. Power System
Technology, 2012, 36 (4): 1-9.

[4]

Y. L. Li, X. Z. Wu. Matlab model of the access method

PSASP flow calculation module. Power System
Technology, 2008, 32 (13): 20-24.
Y. N. Qian, T. Jiang, Q. Zou, Y. Y. Liu. Calculated based
on the wind trend PSASP / UPI modules and dynamic link
libraries. Grid and Clean Energy, 2011, 27 (4): 57-61.
Li Licheng. Development of HVDC transmission
technology and its role in power network in China[J].
Electrical Equipment, 2004.5(11):1-3.

2016 28th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC)

6143