HVDC Transmission

TransmittingpowerathighvoltageandinDCforminsteadof
ACisanewtechnology proventobeeconomicandsimplein
operationwhichisHVDCtransmission .

Since our
primary
source is
A.C,
The three
basic
steps are:-

1. Convert
AC into DC
(rectifier)
2. Transmit DC
3. Convert DC into AC
(inverter)

History.
Firstly HVDC b/w Swedish and Gotland in

1954.
In North America, total HVDC transmission

capacity in 1987 was 14,000 MW.

HVDC IN INDIA
HVDCRihandDelhi.
Connection between Rihand and Dadri

(near Delhi) inIndia,

Put into service in 1990.
It connects the 3,000 MW coal-based

Rihand Thermal Power Station in Uttar

Pradesh to the northern region ofIndia.
The project has an 814 kilometers (506 mi)

long bipolar overhead line

India Sri Lanka HVDC

proposed project to link thenational grids

ofIndiaandSri Lanka.
The project involves the construction of

aHVDCconnection betweenMaduraiin southern India,

andAnuradhapurain central Sri Lanka, through thePalk
Strait.
The link would measure 285 kilometres (177mi) in

length, including 50 kilometres (31mi) of submarine

cables, and would take more than three years to
construct.
It would be implemented by thePower Grid Corporation

of India LimitedandCeylon Electricity Board.

HVDC

Electromechanical system
Mercury arc valves
Thyristor valves
Capacitor commutated converters

(CCC)

Why DC transmission
Long distance transmission
5 times more energy transmits than AC(same lines)
Less losses (no inductance, capacitance).
Cost of transmission medium & land is low.
Maintenance & operation cost is low.
Initial cost is high but overall cost is low than ac.

Wind
Power

AC
Transmision
Line

Converter
Inverter
Station
HVDC
Station
Transmission Line

AC Transmission
Line

Distribution
Line

1)Converters
2)Smoothing reactors
3)Harmonic filters
4)Reactive power source
5)Electrodes
6)Dc lines
7)Ac circuit breakers

CONVERTERS
Perform AC/DC (rectifier) and DC/AC (inverter)
conversion
consist of bridges and transformers

DC SMOOTHING REACTORS
Decrease harmonics in voltages and currents in DC
lines.
Prevent current from being discontinuous.

AC HARMONIC FILTERS
Used to reduce harmonics (in voltages and currents)
caused by converters which generate harmonics,
Hence prevent from interference with any comm
system.

REACTIVE POWER SUPPLIES

Converter may consume reactive power of

about 50% / more of active power.

Reactive power is, therefore, provided near
converter.
For a strong AC power system, this reactive
power is provided by a shunt capacitor.
ELECTRODES
Used to provide connection to the earth for

neutral.

DC LINES
They may be overhead lines or cables.
DC lines are very similar to AC lines.

CIRCUIT BREAKERS
Used

to

break

if

fault

occurs

in

the

transformer and for taking the DC link out of

service.

HVDC Transmission can be broadly

classified into:Monopolar
link
Bipolar link
Homopolar
link

It uses one conductor.

The return path is provided by ground or water.
Use of this system is due to cost considerations.
A metallic return may be used where earth resistivity is too high

Each terminal has two converters of equal rated

voltage, connected in series on DC side.
The junctions between converters is grounded.
If one pole is isolated due to fault, the other pole can operate with
ground and carry half the rated load ( or more using overload
capabilities of its converter line.)

It has two conductors each having same polarity, usually negative.

Since the corona effect in DC transmission lines is less for
negative polarity, homopolar link is usually operated with negative
polarity.
The return path for such a system is through ground.

Advantages of HVDC

Technical
Advantages

Economic
Advantages

Lesser

Corona
interference.

Loss

and

Radio

The voltage regulation problem is much

less serious for DC, since only the IR

drop is involved. For the same reason
steady state stability is no longer a
major problem.
No skin and proximity and ferranti effect

DC lines and cables are cheaper than AC

lines or cables.
The towers of the DC lines are narrower,

simpler and cheaper compared to the

towers of the AC lines.
Line losses in a DC line are lower than

the losses in an AC lines.

The disadvantages of HVDC are in conversion,

switching,
control,
maintenance.

availability

and

There is nothing like DC transformer which

can change the voltage level in a simple way.

Voltage transformation has to be provided on
the AC sides of the system.
The required converter stations are expensive

and have limited overload capacity.

 A 500V, 1500W, 810Km bipolar HVDC transmission line is

set up between Rihand & Delhi.

In Vindhyachal back to back link is laid for exchange of

power between Northern & Western regions.

TheTalcherKolar

is
a
1450km,200MW,
500VHVDCtransmission connection between the eastern
and southern regions in India. In 2007 the scheme was
upgraded to 2500MW.

Undersea cables, where high capacitance causes

additional AC losses. (e.g. 250km Baltic Cable between
Sweden and Germany) .

HVDC offers powerful alternative to increase stability of a

power system, with it power flow can be controlled
rapidly and accurately.
Use of HVDC to interconnect two points in a power grid,
in many cases is the best economic alternative and
further more it has excellent environmental benefits.
Very large investment for example in China and India
shows that HVDC
very important in future especially in big,
new
industrial countries.