Conversion of AC lines to HVDC lines

• US 8,289,736 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Power Grids Switzerland AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Technology Limited (ABB Ltd.)
• Inventors: Asplund, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US12/443,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20100232190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,209 Days
• Field of Search: 363/35, 363/37, 363 51- 55, 363/56.01, 363/56.02, 363/56.03, 363/58, 363/127, 363/129, 363/132, 363/137
• US Class Current: 363/35
• 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

An electric power transmission system includes at each end of a high voltage direct current transmission line including three conductors, a converter station for conversion of an alternating voltage into a direct voltage for transmitting direct current between the stations in all three conductors. Each station has a voltage source converter and an extra phase leg connected between the two pole conductors of the direct voltage side of the converter. A third of the conductors is connected to a midpoint between current valves of the extra phase leg. An arrangement is adapted to control the current valves of the extra phase leg to switch for connecting the third conductor either to the first pole conductor or the second pole conductor for utilizing the third conductor for conducting current between the stations.

Claims

1. An electric power transmission system, comprising:

a high voltage direct current line transmission line comprising three conductors; and

a converter station arranged at each end of the high voltage direct current line transmission line, the converter station is configured to convert an alternating voltage into a direct voltage for transmitting direct current between said stations in all three conductors, each converter station comprises a voltage source converter comprising at least one phase legs having current valves of turn-off semiconductor devices and rectifying members arranged anti-parallel with the semiconductor devices, the rectifying members being connected in series between a first and a second pole conductor of said conductors and a midpoint being connected to an alternating voltage side of the converter, and a control unit for switching the current valves by controlling the semiconductor devices thereof for converting said alternating voltage into a direct voltage applied to said two pole conductors, wherein the converter station further comprises an extra phase leg of current valves of semiconductor devices of turn-off type and rectifying members connected in anti-parallel therewith connected in series between said two pole conductors on the direct voltage side of said converter, wherein a third of said conductors is connected to a midpoint between current valves of said extra phase leg, and wherein the converter station further comprises an arrangement adapted to control said current valves of said extra phase leg to switch for connecting said third conductor either to the first pole conductor or the second pole conductor for utilizing the third conductor for conducting current between said stations.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each said first and second conductor is arranged between said stations connected in series with a resistor and a circuit for by-passing the resistor, the system further comprising:

a control configured to control said by-pass circuit for controlling current sharing among the three conductors by conducting the current through the respective pole conductor through the resistor or by-passing the resistor.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the control is adapted to control the by-pass circuit to by-pass said resistor during periods of time when the whole direct current in one direction between the stations is flowing in the respective pole conductor and to control the current to flow continuously or at least a part of the time through the resistor during periods of time when the current flowing from one station to the other is shared by the respective pole conductor and the third conductor.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said by-pass circuit comprises a series connection of two oppositely directed current valves of a turn-off semiconductor device and a rectifying member connected in anti-parallel therewith, and wherein the control is adapted to control the by-pass circuit by controlling said semiconductor devices.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch adapted to switch the current valve or current valves between the terminal of said third conductor and the terminal of one of the two pole conductors in a said extra phase leg of one of the stations at a frequency for carrying out a DC/DC-conversion for influencing the level of the potential at said third conductor terminal connecting to the phase leg and thereby the current flowing in said third conductor for regulating current sharing between this conductor and the one of the two pole conductors conducting current in the same direction as the third conductor between the stations.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement is adapted to control the current valves of said extra phase legs of the stations so that a current of a substantially constant level is flowing in said third conductor in a direction changing while changing in which one of the two pole conductors the full direct current in one direction between the stations is flowing.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said arrangement is adapted to carry out said control for making said substantially constant level of the current in said third conductor being close to the thermal limits of the third conductor.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement is adapted to control the current valves of said extra phase legs to make the first and the third conductors share the direct current between the stations in one direction during a period of time followed by a corresponding period of time in which the second and the third conductors are sharing the current between the stations in the opposite direction, and wherein the arrangement is adapted to carry out the control according to a period of time being in the range of 20 seconds-30 minutes.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is designed to carry a voltage between said two pole conductors of 50 kV-1200 kV.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said converter has three said phase legs for connecting a three-phase alternating voltage to the alternating voltage side thereof.

11. A converter station for converting an alternating voltage into a direct voltage, comprising:

a voltage source converter comprising at least one phase legs comprising current valves of turn-off semiconductor devices and rectifying members arranged anti-parallel with the semiconductor devices, the rectifying members being connected in series between a first and a second pole conductor of said conductors and a midpoint being connected to an alternating voltage side of the converter, and a control unit for switching the current valves by controlling the semiconductor devices thereof for converting said alternating voltage into a direct voltage applied to said two pole conductors;

an extra phase leg of current valves of turn-off semiconductor devices and rectifying members connected in anti-parallel with the turn-off semiconductor device connected in series between said two pole conductors on the direct voltage side of said converter, wherein a third of said conductors is connected to a midpoint between current valves of said extra phase leg; and

an arrangement adapted to control said current valves of said extra phase leg to switch for connecting said third conductor either to the first pole conductor or the second pole conductor for utilizing the third conductor for conducting current between said stations.

12. A method for controlling a flow of electric power in an electric power transmission system comprising at each end of a high voltage direct current transmission line comprising three conductors, a converter station for conversion of an alternating voltage into a direct voltage for transmitting direct current between said stations in all three conductors, the method comprising:

carrying out the control for a system in which each converter station comprises a voltage source converter with one or more phase legs having current valves of turn-off semiconductor devices and rectifying members in anti-parallel therewith connected in series between a first and a second pole conductor of said conductors and a midpoint being connected to an alternating voltage side of the converter, and a control unit for switching the current valves by controlling the semiconductor devices thereof for converting said alternating voltage into a direct voltage applied to said two pole conductors, the station further comprising an extra phase leg of current valves of semiconductor devices of turn-off type and rectifying members connected in anti-parallel therewith connected in series between said two pole conductors on the direct voltage side of said converter, in which a third of said conductors is connected to a midpoint between current valves of said extra phase leg, and

controlling the current valves of said extra phase leg to switch for connecting said third conductor either to the first pole conductor or the second pole conductor for utilizing the third conductor for conducting current between said stations.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the current through each of the pole conductors is controlled to either flow through a resistor or by-pass said resistor for controlling current sharing among the three conductors.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein when the whole direct current in one direction between the stations is flowing in a pole conductor this is controlled to by-pass said resistor, and when the current flowing from one station to the other is by this pole conductor shared with the third conductor the current is controlled to flow continuously for at least a part of the time through the resistor.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the current valve or current valves between the terminal of said third conductor and that of one of the two pole conductors in a said extra phase leg of one of the stations is switched at a frequency for carrying out a DC/DC-conversion for influencing the level of the potential at said third conductor terminal connecting to that phase leg and by that the current flowing in said third conductor for regulating current sharing between this conductor and the one of the two pole conductors conducting current in the same direction as the third conductor between said stations.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the current valves of said extra phase legs of the stations are controlled so that a current of a substantially constant level is flowing in said third conductor in a direction changing while changing in which one of the two pole conductors the full direct current in one direction between the stations is flowing.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said control of the current valves of said extra phase legs is carried out so that said substantially constant level of the current in said third conductor is close to the thermal limits of the third conductor.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the current valves of said extra phase legs are controlled to make the first and the third conductors share the direct current between the stations in one direction during a period of time followed by a corresponding period of time in which the second and the third conductors are sharing the current between the stations in the opposite direction, and that the control is carried out according to a period of time being in the range of 20 seconds-30 minutes.

19. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable medium; and

computer program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium and executable by a processor for carrying out a method for controlling a flow of electric power in an electric power transmission system comprising at each end of a high voltage direct current transmission line comprising three conductors, a converter station for conversion of an alternating voltage into a direct voltage for transmitting direct current between said stations in all three conductors, the method comprising;

carrying out the control for a system in which each converter station comprises a voltage source converter with one or more phase legs having current valves of turn-off semiconductor devices and rectifying members in anti-parallel therewith connected in series between a first and a second pole conductor of said conductors and a midpoint being connected to an alternating voltage side of the converter, and a control unit for switching the current valves by controlling the semiconductor devices thereof for converting said alternating voltage into a direct voltage applied to said two pole conductors, the station further comprising an extra phase leg of current valves of semiconductor devices of turn-off type and rectifying members connected in anti-parallel therewith connected in series between said two pole conductors on the direct voltage side of said converter, in which a third of said conductors is connected to a midpoint between current valves of said extra phase leg, and

controlling the current valves of said extra phase leg to switch for connecting said third conductor either to the first pole conductor or the second pole conductor for utilizing the third conductor for conducting current between said stations.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the computer program instructions are at least partially provided through a network.