Hybrid high voltage direct current converter system and method of operating the same

• US 9,602,021 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Chaudhuri, Nilanjan Ray, Gupta, Ranjan Kumar, Larsen, Einar Vaughn
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEMISSE, AFEWORK S
• Application Number:
  US14/201,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20150256094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 363/35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/36 Arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks via a high-tension dc link
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0095 Hybrid converter topologies, e.g. NPC mixed with flying capacitor, thyristor converter mixed with MMC or charge pump mixed with buck
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/7575 for high voltage direct transmission 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 hybrid HVDC converter system includes a DC bus, at least one capacitor commutated converter (CCC) and at least one self-commutated converter (SCC) coupled in series through the DC bus. The CCC induces a first voltage on the DC buses, the SCC induces a second voltage on the DC bus, the first voltage and the second voltage are summed to define a total DC voltage. The method includes at least one of regulating the total DC voltage induced on the DC buses including regulating the first DC voltage through the CCC and regulating the second DC voltage through the SCC substantially simultaneously, regulating the total DC voltage induced on the DC bus including regulating the second DC voltage through the SCC, and regulating the total DC voltage induced on the DC bus including regulating the first DC voltage through the CCC.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a hybrid high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter system, the hybrid HVDC converter system including at least one direct current (DC) bus, at least one capacitor commutated converter (CCC), at least one self-commutated converter (SCC), the at least one CCC and the at least one SCC coupled in series to the at least one DC bus, the at least one CCC configured to induce a first DC voltage on the at least one DC bus, the at least one SCC configured to induce a second DC voltage on the at least one DC bus, the first DC voltage and the second DC voltage summed to define a total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus, said method comprising at least one of:

regulating the total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus comprising regulating the first DC voltage through the at least one CCC and regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC substantially simultaneously;

regulating the total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus comprising regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC; and

regulating the total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus comprising regulating the first DC voltage through the at least one CCC;

wherein the at least one CCC and the at least one SCC are coupled in series.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hybrid HVDC converter system further includes at least one alternating current (AC) bus, said method further comprising regulating the at least one SCC to regulate at least one of an AC frequency, an AC voltage, and an AC current on the at least one AC bus.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the hybrid HVDC converter system further includes a control system configured to regulate the at least one SCC, the control system includes a volt-VAR control loop and a DC link control loop, wherein the at least one SCC includes an AC/DC converter stage, a DC/DC converter stage, and a DC link extending therebetween, wherein regulating the at least one SCC to regulate at least one of an AC frequency, an AC voltage, and an AC current on the at least one AC bus comprises at least one of:

using the volt-VAR control loop to regulate reactive power injection through the at least one AC bus;

using at least a portion of reactive power generated by the AC/DC converter stage to facilitate reducing a reactive power requirement of at least one AC filter to a predetermined range, thereby further reducing voltage support requirements from the at least one capacitive device to the hybrid HVDC converter system;

using measurements of current on the at least one AC bus to regulate the hybrid HVDC converter system to inject low order harmonic currents into the at least one AC bus, thereby facilitating decreasing a requirement of low order AC harmonic filters to compensate for low order harmonic currents;

using the DC link control loop to at least partially regulate a voltage induced on the DC link; and

determining a voltage transient condition on the at least one DC bus and prioritizing regulating the voltage induced on the DC link over regulating reactive power injection through the at least one AC bus.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one CCC includes a plurality of thyristor valves, wherein regulating the first DC voltage through the at least one CCC comprises regulating a firing angle value of the plurality of thyristor valves to approximately a firing command reference value.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein regulating the first DC voltage through the at least one CCC and regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC substantially simultaneously comprises:

determining a voltage transient condition on the at least one DC bus;

determining if the second DC voltage induced by the at least one SCC is approaching a predetermined parameter; and

regulating the firing command reference value to increase a portion of control of the total DC voltage through regulating the first DC voltage induced by the at least one CCC, thereby facilitating increasing a margin of the second DC voltage to the predetermined parameter.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein increasing a margin of the second DC voltage to the predetermined parameter comprises increasing an operational bandwidth of the at least one SCC to regulate the total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus.

7. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the at least one CCC includes at least one series capacitive device configured to provide voltage support to the hybrid HVDC converter system, wherein regulating the firing angle value of the plurality of thyristor valves to approximately a firing command reference value comprises regulating the firing angle of the plurality of thyristor valves to reduce a reactive power requirement of the plurality of thyristor valves to a predetermined range, thereby reducing voltage support requirements from the at least one series capacitive device of the hybrid HVDC converter system and reducing voltage stresses induced on the plurality of thyristor valves.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the hybrid HVDC converter system further includes at least one AC filter, wherein regulating the firing angle value of the plurality of thyristor valves to approximately a firing command reference value comprises regulating the firing angle of the plurality of thyristor valves to reduce a reactive power requirement of the at least one AC filter to a predetermined range, thereby further reducing at least one of voltage support requirements and a reactive power nameplate rating from the at least one series capacitive device of the hybrid HVDC converter system.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one SCC includes an AC/DC converter stage, a DC/DC converter stage, and a DC link extending therebetween, wherein the DC/DC converter stage includes a plurality of semiconductor switching devices configured to regulate the second DC voltage through pulse width modulation (PWM), wherein regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC comprises regulating the PWM, thereby operating the DC/DC converter stage to induce the second DC voltage in at least two quadrants of a four quadrant voltage-current system.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the four quadrant voltage-current system is defined by a voltage axis and a current axis, wherein operating the DC/DC converter stage to induce the second DC voltage in at least two quadrants of a four quadrant voltage-current system comprises regulating the second DC voltage between a positive DC voltage polarity range and a negative DC voltage polarity range, thereby facilitating a reduction of a voltage rating of the at least one SCC.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hybrid HVDC converter system further includes at least one AC bus, wherein the at least one transformer has a tap changing function, wherein regulating the total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus comprising regulating the first DC voltage through the at least one CCC and regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC substantially simultaneously comprises:

determining if there is an electric power transient associated with at least one of a measured real-time voltage value, current value, power value on the at least one AC bus, and at least one of a measured real-time voltage value, current value, and power value on the at least one DC bus; and

regulating the second DC voltage generated by the at least one SCC, thereby indirectly regulating AC voltages, currents, and powers and DC voltages, currents, and powers of the hybrid HVDC converter system through decreasing the control action required of the at least one CCC to maintain the total DC voltage, thereby facilitating substantially reducing tap changing operation of the at least one transformer.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hybrid HVDC converter system further includes a control system configured to regulate the at least one SCC, the control system includes at least one module configured to generate control signals to facilitate operation of the hybrid HVDC converter system during transient conditions thereon, wherein regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC comprises:

determining a voltage transient condition on the at least one DC bus; and

generating a voltage control signal configured to regulate a voltage induced on the DC link, wherein the voltage control signal is at least partially based on a DC link voltage profile as a function of a measured real-time voltage of the DC link and at least one of a substantially constant-value profile and a droop profile.

13. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one CCC includes a plurality of thyristor valves, wherein regulating the total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus comprising regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC comprises:

determining if at least one of at least one AC bus outage and a black start condition exists on at least a portion of the hybrid HVDC converter system;

substantially removing the at least one CCC from service through at least one of closing a switch coupled to the at least one DC bus and at least one of bypassing the at least one CCC and regulating the firing angle values of the plurality of thyristor valves such the first DC voltage is substantially zero;

regulating the at least one SCC to induce the second DC voltage on the at least one DC bus such that the total DC voltage is substantially equal to the second DC voltage; and

regulating the at least one SCC of the hybrid HVDC converter during at least one of electrical outage conditions and black start conditions to induce an AC voltage of predetermined frequency and amplitude to perform a black start on at least a portion of the hybrid HVDC converter system.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC comprises:

determining a measured real-time value of DC ripple of the total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus; and

regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC to decrease the value of the DC ripple.

15. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hybrid HVDC converter system further includes at least one of an AC filter, a DC filter, and at least one AC bus, wherein regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC comprises:

determining if an unbalance exists between at least one of a measured real-time voltage and current on the at least one AC bus and a measured real-time voltage on the at least one DC bus; and

inducing an AC voltage having a predetermined frequency on the at least one DC bus, wherein the frequency of the AC voltage induced on the DC bus is substantially similar to the second harmonic frequency of a fundamental frequency of an AC voltage measured on the at least one AC bus, thereby facilitating a reduction of the nameplate rating of at least one of the AC filter and DC filter, thereby also reducing the effect of classical AC and DC system interaction.

16. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the hybrid HVDC converter system further includes at least one AC bus, wherein the at least one DC bus and the at least one AC bus have a physical proximity to each other that facilitates inductive coupling therebetween, wherein regulating the second DC voltage through the at least one SCC comprises:

determining if an AC voltage at a fundamental frequency is induced on the at least one DC bus by the at least one AC bus;

measuring an amplitude and phase angle of the AC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus by the at least one AC bus; and

injecting an AC voltage on the at least one DC bus through the at least one SCC, the phase angle and amplitude of the injected AC voltage reduces the AC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus by the at least one AC bus.

17. A method for controlling a hybrid high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter system, the hybrid HVDC converter system including at least one alternating current (AC) bus and at least one direct current (DC) bus, at least one capacitor commutated converter (CCC), and at least one self-commutated converter (SCC), the at least one CCC and the at least one SCC coupled in series to at least one DC bus, the at least one CCC configured to induce a first voltage on the at least one DC bus, the at least one SCC configured to induce a second voltage on the at least one DC bus, the first voltage and the second voltage summed to define a total DC voltage induced on the at least one DC bus, said method comprising:

operating the hybrid HVDC converter system during steady-state operating conditions comprising regulating the at least one CCC to induce the first voltage on the at least one DC bus at a value substantially similar to the total DC voltage; and

regulating the at least one SCC to induce the second voltage on the at least one DC bus at a residual voltage that is substantially equal to the total DC voltage minus the first voltage, thereby using the at least one SCC to finely regulate at least one of current and voltage on at least one of the at least one AC bus and the at least one DC bus;

wherein the at least one CCC and the at least one SCC are coupled in series.

18. The method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising operating the hybrid HVDC converter system during each of predetermined upward and downward transients of the voltage on the at least one AC bus comprising regulating the at least one CCC to induce the first voltage on the at least one DC bus at a value substantially similar to a rated DC bus voltage multiplied by a factor proportional to the real-time magnitude of the measured voltage on the at least one AC bus, and regulating the at least one SCC to induce the second voltage on the at least one DC bus at a residual voltage that is substantially equal to the total DC voltage minus the first voltage, thereby using the at least one SCC to finely regulate at least one of current and voltage on at least one of the at least one AC bus and the at least one DC bus.

19. The method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising operating the hybrid HVDC converter system during transient conditions induced by at least one of an AC fault condition and a DC fault condition comprising regulating the at least one CCC to induce the first voltage on the at least one DC bus at a value substantially similar to a predetermined voltage-dependent-current-order-limit (VDCOL) value, and regulating the at least one SCC to induce the second voltage on the at least one DC bus at a residual voltage that is substantially equal to the total DC voltage minus the first voltage, thereby using the at least one SCC to finely regulate at least one of current and voltage on the at least one AC bus.

20. The method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising operating the hybrid HVDC converter system during at least one of at least one AC bus outage and black start conditions comprising regulating the at least one CCC to generate the first voltage at a value of approximately zero, and regulating the at least one SCC to induce the second voltage on the at least one DC bus such that the total DC voltage is approximately equal to the second voltage, thereby reducing an influence of the at least one CCC to regulate a voltage on the at last one AC bus at a residual voltage that is substantially equal to the total DC voltage.