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170905
Advanced Power System-1
Chapter 5
HVDC Converters

Chintan Patel

Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical Engineering
G. H. Patel College of Engineering and
Technology V V Nagar (Gujarat)
Email : chintanpatel@gcet.ac.in 1

5.1 Introduction
The first HVDC transmission facility was established in
1954, between the Swedish mainland and the Island of
Gotland at a voltage of 100 KV, 20 MW.
Till 1970, mercury arc valves were used in converter
stations.
With the advent of high power semiconductor devices,
mercury valves have been replaced by thyristor valves in
HVDC converters.
The largest device (SCR) rating now available is in the
range of 5 KV, 3000 A.
The highest DC transmission voltage has reached 800
KV.
Many power electronic devices like LASCRs, GTOs and
IGBTs have come into successful operation for power
conversion and drives.
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5.2 Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT)

During the late 1980s, combining the good features of both
bipolar transistors and MOSFETs, a totally new device known
as Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) was created.
These devices have the high input impedance of the
MOSFET and low on-state voltage drop.
The turn-off time of an IGBT is greater than that of a
MOSFET.
IGBT is a voltage controlled device with low switching and
conduction losses.
5.2.1 IGBT : Structure, Operation and Equivalent Circuit
The cross-section of an IGBT along with its symbol and
equivalent circuit are given in Figure 1.
The structure is similar to that of a MOSFET except that N+
substrate is replaced by the P+ collector region.
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5.2.1 IGBT : Structure, Operation and Equivalent Circuit

Structure Symbol

Figure:1
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5.2.1 IGBT : Structure, Operation and Equivalent Circuit

The device has 3 terminals, gate, collector and emitter.
Current flow cannot occur when negative voltage is applied
to the collector w.r.t. the emitter.
This provides the device with reverse blocking capability
as shown in Figure 2.
The output characteristic of an IGBT is shown in Figure 3.

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Figure:2 Figure:3

5.2.1 IGBT : Structure, Operation and Equivalent Circuit

Some of the features and characteristics of high voltage
IGBTs are as follow.
(a) Reverse Blocking Capability
When negative voltage is applied to the collector terminal,
reverse blocking is provided by junction J3.
Junction J3 becomes reverse biased for negative collector
voltage.
When blocking voltage requirement is increased, N-base
width is correspondingly increased.
Devices with reverse blocking up to 4500 V are available.
(b) Forward Blocking Capability
This is provided by p-base n-base junction J2 during
operation with positive collector voltage.
For forward blocking mode, the gate is shorted to the
emitter. Prof. Chintan Patel (EE- GCET) 6

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5.2.1 IGBT : Structure, Operation and Equivalent Circuit

(c) Forward Conduction mode
The gate voltage given must be sufficiently large above the
threshold level to make channel resistance small during
current flow.
The injected carrier density is typically 100 to 1000 times
greater than N-base doing level which reduces the series
resistance to small value.
Hence, IGBT can be operated at high current density.
(d) Switching Characteristic
The IGBT design is such that turn-on and turn-off times are
controlled by gate-emitter source impedance.
Turn-on is achieved by applying positive voltage between
gate and emitter such that VGE >> VGE(threshold).
Turn-off is controlled from the external circuit.
The turn-on & turn-off times are of the order of 2 to 3 s
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5.2.1 IGBT : Structure, Operation and Equivalent Circuit

(e) Conduction and Switching Losses
The power loss in IGBT will be
(i) Drive losses
(ii) Conduction losses
(iii) Off-state losses
(iv) Switching losses
Of these, drive losses and switching losses are more; and
switching losses depend on the duty cycle and pulse width.

(f) Gate Drive

Gate drive is usually given either through a pulse generator
or a pulse generator connected through a diode.

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5.3 HVDC Convertor Valves and Valve Assembly

Solid state power electronic components are commercially
available with maximum ratings of around 5 KV & 80 to 300 A.
These are usually made as packs or modules for voltage
ratings 4 to 6 KV and up to 3000 A.
This needs proper series-parallel connections along with
gate firing circuits, protection and redundant component by
giving a factor of safety of 2 to 3.

In order to build up a valve for high voltage rating (100 to

300 KV) individual valve group series connection of packs or
module is done.
Proper cooling is provided with forced air or gas and liquid
cooling, so that the component junction temperatures can be
kept within limits.
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5.3.1 Thyristor Valve Assembly

Thyristor valves are made individually (1 valve) or as
double valves (for 6-pulse unit) and as quadruple valves (for
12-pulse unit).
The advantage with double or quadruple valves is that a
permanent series connection is made between individual
valve elements and two terminals (1 AC & 1 DC ) & 4
terminals (2 AC & 2 DC ) for quadruple valves.
By doing so, the bushing cost, terminal arrangements and
mounting cost can be reduced.
5.3.2 IGBT Valve Assembly
Since VSC and PWM inverter is employed in IGBT valve,
sending end is operated as a rectifier and receiving end as
an inverter.
Valve stack is assembled as a single unit for each phase of
3-phase system and for each DC pole.
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5.4 HVDC VSC Operation and Principles

This is a new transmission technology based on voltage
source converter (VSC), wherein the valves are built using
IGBTs and PWM technique to create the desired waveforms.
With PWM, it is possible to create any waveform within the
limit set by the switching frequency, magnitude and phase
angle of the fundamentals component.
The VSC is a controllable voltage source.
HVDC-VSC acts like a synchronous source that can control
both active and reactive powers.
The converter can be built either for back-to-back or cable
transmission scheme.
The AC side arrangement is same as that of a thyristor
scheme.
Since, high frequencies are generated, the AC side reactors
are needed, but no reactors are needed on the DC side.
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5.4 HVDC VSC Operation and Principles

There is no need of reactive power compensation and only
harmonic filters are needed on AC side.
5.4.1 HVDC Converters
The converters employed in transmission applications are
composed of a number of elementary converters of 3-phase,
2-level, 6-pulse bridges or 12-pulse bridges as shown in
Figure 4.
The two level bridge is the simplest circuit configuration
that can be used in 3-phase forced commutated VSC bridge.
It has been widely used in many applications at a wide
range of power levels.
As shown in Figure 4 (a), the 2-level converter is capable of
generating the two voltage levels -0.5VdcN and +0.5VdcN.
The 2-level bridge consists of 6 valves and each valve
consists of an IGBT and an anti-parallel diode.
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5.4.1 HVDC Converters

(a) (b)
Figure:4
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5.4.1 HVDC Converters

In order to use the 2-level bridge in high power
applications, series connection of devices may be necessary.
Each valve will be built of n number of series connected
turn-off devices and anti-parallel diodes.
The number of devices required is determined by rated
power of the bridge and power handling capacity of the
devices.

Individual 2-level and 3-level

converter phase modules are
shown in Figure 5.

The phase module acts like

a switch and generates a
positive voltage and negative
voltage.
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Prof. Chintan Patel (EE- GCET) Figure 5

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5.4.1 HVDC Converters

In case of 3-level module, the pulse generated by an
individual phase member is of a shorter duration. (Figure 6)
The positive pulse
Vd/2 from each leg is
added in time to get a
continuous voltage.
The capacitor
maintains a constant
voltage for the load
connected across it.
In case of operation
as an inverter, the DC
voltage applied to the
converter is given PWM
Figure 6
at a high frequency to
generate 50 or 60 Hz.
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Advantages of IGBT-based VSC:

Following are some of the advantages of using IGBT in
place of thyristor.
The commutation does not fail when system voltage is
reduced or distorted.
The low order harmonics are greatly reduced and so the
filters can be small.
No local reactive power supply is needed, even when
used with low short-circuit level power system.
The active power supplied through the DC line and the
reactive power output from each terminal are
independently controlled
The response is faster owing to the increased switching
frequency PWM process.

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5.4.1 Components of VSC Converters

A large capacitor is needed on DC side of the HVDC system
to stabilise the voltages.
This also reduces the DC voltage ripple.
By increasing the switching frequency, the size of the
capacitor can be reduced.
In addition to usual components used in stations, VSC
stations will have the following components:
1) DC Capacitor
2) Coupling Reactor (Inductor)
3) High Voltage Valve
4) Anti-parallel Diodes
5) High Frequency Filters

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5.4.1 Components of VSC Converters

1) DC Capacitor
On DC side of the converter, one or two capacitors are
connected in series with center point grounded to maintain
the constant voltage.
The capacitors are dry and of a few microfarads.
The disadvantage of capacitor is that it contributes in large
fault current
2) Coupling Reactor (Inductor)
It is needed
(i) To reduce the fault current, stabilise the AC current from
the source and reduce the harmonic current.
(ii) To enable the control of active and reactive power from
the VSC.
(iii) In inverter operation mode with PWM to block the
harmonics.
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5.4.1 Components of VSC Converters

3) High Voltage Valve
Due to limited voltage rating of individual switching device
(IGBT 5), a series connected high voltage valve is essential
for valve reliability.
The difference in turn-on and turn-off time of individual
devices causes voltage imbalance.
Hence, to get the voltage sharing properly, snubber circuits
are placed in parallel or an active gate control is used during
switching.
4) Anti-parallel Diodes
The diode connected across the converter elements in VSC
constitutes an uncontrolled bridge rectifier.
Hence, the diodes conduct and stresses are produced
under short circuit conditions when the DC short circuit fault
current flows through them.
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5.4.1 Components of VSC Converters

4) Anti-parallel Diodes
The fault current is cleared only by the CB on the AC
sides, which takes few cycles of time.
The over-current is limited by external components.
5) High Frequency Filters
In VSC, the high switching frequency for valve switching
generates high frequency (HF noise) in audio range and is
significantly higher.
To prevent this noise from entering into power grids,
shielding of the valve housing, proper HF grounding and HF
filters are needed.

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5.5 Three Phase 6-Pulse Converter using SCRs

Schematic diagram of a 3-phase, 6 pulse converter scheme
is shown in Figure 7 (a) and its equivalent circuit
arrangement in Figure 7 (b).

(a) (b)
Figure 7
This arrangement is known as Graetz circuit and uses 6
thyristor valves. Prof. Chintan Patel (EE- GCET) 21

5.5 Three Phase 6-Pulse Converter using SCRs

Each valve consists of a number of thyristor modules put
in series for required output voltages.
The input voltage to the bridge is derived through a
converter T/R.
In case of a Y-Y connection of a T/R, a third winding is also
used for circulating currents of 3rd harmonics and 3n
harmonics.
The converter is triggered by gate triggering circuit.
If firing angle is less than 90o, the converter acts as a
rectifier and if is greater than 90o, it acts as an inverter.

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5.6 12-Pulse Bridge Converters

The circuit diagram of 12-pulse bridge converter is shown
in Figure 8.

Figure 8

It consists of two 6-puse converters which are connected

in series.
The input voltage to these converters is derived from two
Y/Y,Y/ connected T/R.
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5.6 12-Pulse Bridge Converters

There is a phase difference of 60o between the voltages on
the secondary side.

This results in a phase difference of 30o between voltages

driving SCRs in a sequential manner.
The resultant output voltage (DC) is the sum of the
individual converter output voltages.

Since each converter gives 6-pulse output, the resultant

voltage is a12-pulse output.

Reference:
HVDC Transmission: S Kamakshaiah, V Kamaraju,
McGrawHill, ISBN: 9780071072533
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