TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

• US 20090316446A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Aström, Urban, Radbrant, Ulf
• Granted Patent: US 7,830,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/35
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 11/001 in case of incorrect or interrupted earth connection disconnection by breaking of earth connection H02H5/105
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/16 responsive to fault current to earth, frame or mass with balanced or differential arrangement H02H3/26 ; monitoring earth connection H02H5/105
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/17 by means of an auxiliary voltage injected into the installation to be protected using summation current transformers H02H3/33
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/105 responsive to deterioration or interruption of earth connection for preventing switching-on H02H11/001
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/268 for dc systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/36 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks via a high-tension dc link
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/60 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between AC networks or generators via a high voltage DC link [HVCD]

Abstract

A HVDC transmission system including at one end of a bipolar HVDC transmission line a converter station for connecting the transmission line to an AC system. The station has two converters and a DC neutral arrangement in common to the converters. The DC neutral arrangement has a separate electrode line connecting member connecting to electrode lines. The electrode lines are dimensioned to be able to at monopolar operation of the converter station transmit substantially full current to an electrode station through the remaining one or ones of the electrode lines at disconnection of an arbitrary of the electrode lines.

Claims

1. A high voltage direct current transmission system, comprising:

a converter station arranged at one end of a bipolar high voltage direct current transmission line, the converter station configured to connect said transmission line to an AC-system, said converter station comprising two converters each having a DC-side thereof connected on one hand to a respective of two poles of said transmission line on high potential and to a neutral bus for a pole of a DC neutral arrangement in common to the converters on zero potential by being earthed, grounded, and each converter having an AC-side connected to said AC system, said DC neutral arrangement having a member connecting to electrode lines and the arrangement being provided with first DC breakers enabling breaking of a first current path from the neutral bus of one pole to the neutral bus of the other pole at bipolar operation of the station for changing to monopolar operation thereof, said station also comprising a control device adapted to control a said changing from bipolar to monopolar operation by controlling a said first DC breaker to open said first current path between said two buses and establish a current path to said electrode line connecting member for diverting the current from said one pole thereto,

an electrode station for earth return of current from one of said poles under monopolar operation of the converter station with the other pole disconnected, said electrode station being connected to said DC neutral arrangement by said electrode lines connecting to said connecting member,

wherein said DC neutral arrangement comprises a separate said electrode line connecting member for each of said electrode lines and a connector configured to connect each neutral bus to an optional of said electrode line connecting members, and wherein said electrode lines are dimensioned to be able to at monopolar operation of the converter station transmit substantially full current, to said electrode station through the remaining one or ones of the electrode lines at disconnection of an arbitrary of the electrode lines.

2. The transmission system according to claim 1, wherein for said DC neutral arrangement two said electrode lines each dimensioned to be able to alone transmit substantially said full current.

3. The transmission system according to claim 1, wherein for a said DC neutral arrangement at least three said electrode lines.

4. The transmission system according to claim 3, wherein for said DC neutral arrangement three said electrode lines each dimensioned to be able to transmit substantially half said full current.

5. The transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said connector comprises for each said neutral bus in a first line separate from said first current path including said first DC breaker and connecting the neutral bus to one of the electrode line connecting members associated with the neutral bus at least one disconnector and/or DC breaker and in a second line interconnecting said two first lines closer to the respective bus than the location of said at least one disconnector and/or DC breaker at least one disconnector and DC breaker.

6. The transmission system according to claim 5, wherein said interconnecting second line is provided with a DC breaker connected in series with a disconnector on each side thereof.

7. The transmission system according to claim 5, wherein the connector comprises for each first line connecting a neutral bus to one of said electrode line connecting members a series connection of a DC breaker and a disconnector closer to the neutral bus in question than the point of connection of said interconnecting second line to this first line.

8. The transmission system according to claim 1, wherein said DC neutral arrangement comprises an additional second DC breaker connected in series with said first DC breaker in said first current path between said two neutral buses for bipolar operation of the station.

9. The transmission system according to claim 8, wherein a mid point in said first current path between said first and second DC breaker is by a first disconnector connected to a mid point of a line interconnecting said two poles of the HVDC transmission line, said first disconnector being adapted to be open at bipolar operation of the station, wherein the line interconnecting said two poles is provided with a disconnector on both sides of said mid point, and wherein said control device is adapted to control said first disconnector to close and a disconnector connecting to one of the poles to close for metallic return of the current from the other pole at monopolar operation of the station after trip of said one pole.

10. The transmission system according to claim 8, wherein said DC neutral arrangement comprises a grounding switch connected to said first current path between the two neutral buses at a point between said first DC breaker and said additional second DC breaker.

11. The transmission system according to claim 7, wherein said control device is adapted to control said DC breakers and disconnectors in each said first line and said interconnecting second line to close and establish a second current path between the two neutral buses through said first lines and said interconnecting second line for enabling maintenance of equipment, in said first current path at bipolar operation of the station.

12. The transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission system is adapted for connecting an AC system to a bipolar HVDC transmission line adapted to have a voltage between each pole thereof and earth exceeding 200 kV.