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A novel scheme is proposed to monitor the operation of capacitors scattered in MV distribution systems. It first codes each capacitor with a distinctive switching character by setting a unique combination of a three-phase switching order and time interval. As a result, the transient of the three-phase reactive power during capacitor switching will appear in a unique way. Then, the reactive power disturbances monitored in the substation are decoded to identify which capacitor is being switchedonandoff. A detailed decoding method is developed to realize this identification without being impacted by the switching interference of loads and other reactive power compensation devices. Moreover, the implementation of the proposed scheme in the field is elaborated, and the resultant three-phase voltage unbalance is analyzed in this paper. Compared with existing methods, this scheme only requires one power quality monitor located at the substation to monitor the operations (energizing or de-energizing) of downstream distribution capacitors without extra communication devices. The operation information is valuable for tackling power quality problems caused by capacitor switching and optimizing the distribution grid operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More and more consumers of electricity demand services with the highest quality standards. One of these standards that have been required is the continuity of services as well as the speedy recovery after a power outage. With the advent of smart grids, the problems of distribution systems are attacked and systemic reliability indexes are improved. It occurs as a result of the automation that has been taking place in these systems. This paper aims to present a contribution in the area of self-healing distribution networks in the event of a permanent short-circuit wherein a systemic reconfiguration is necessary. The proposed strategy, based on distributed intelligence, allows the signals to propagate between the recovery switches, without these switches requiring a large range of communication. It occurs because the sign of a switch broadcasts on the network through communication between adjacent switches to establish an optimized switching solution. This strategy has been tested in a real network and in a large distribution network for simple, sequential, and multiple short-circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new concept and approach for topology control and switching in distribution systems by extending the traditional circuit switching to laterals and single-phase loads. Voltage unbalance and other key performance indicators including voltage magnitudes, line loading, and energy losses are used to characterize and demonstrate the technical value of optimizing system topology on a per-phase basis in response to feeder conditions. The near-optimal per-phase topology control is defined as a series of hierarchical optimization problems. The proposed approach is applied to IEEE 13-bus and 123-bus test systems for demonstration, which included the impact of integrating electric vehicles (EVs) in the test circuit. It is concluded that the proposed approach can be effectively leveraged to improve voltage profiles with electric vehicles, the extent of which depends on the performance of the base case without EVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the demand for high reliability, modular multilevel converters (MMCs) are designed with redundant submodules. Redundant submodules can be integrated into the converter by employing different redundancy schemes: the conventional active scheme, the load-sharing active scheme, and the passive scheme. Different schemes have different impacts on the improvement of converter reliability. The contributions of this paper include that an analytical method is proposed to evaluate the reliability of MMCs under different redundancy schemes and the factors’ influence on the converter reliability is analyzed to determine the proper redundancy scheme. Reliability models of MMCs under different redundancy schemes are built using Markov chains and the iteration method. Based on the proposed models, the effects of redundant schemes are evaluated in terms of the converter reliability. A case study is conducted to validate the feasibility and robustness of proposed models and to specify the conditions in the favor of each redundancy scheme. The benefits of sharing redundancy among arms are also explored from the reliability point of view. If insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and capacitors are dominant components in a submodule in terms of failure rates, the load-sharing active scheme performs better; otherwise, setting the redundant submodules in an idle state is more effective. It is also found that the number of required redundant submodules is greatly reduced by sharing redundancy among arms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medium voltage direct current (MVDC) power systems are in their early phase of development, but the lack of efficient and reliable DC circuit breakers is currently one of the most significant bottlenecks for widespread adoption of MVDC applications. Compared to protection devices in high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, MVDC circuit breakers are expected to interrupt fault currents with higher rates of rise in more power-dense and more controllable structures. A hybrid approach with a piezoelectrically actuated fast mechanical switch in parallel to a solid-state circuit breaker is expected to meet the above requirements. A prototype of a 15 kV-class piezoelectrically actuated fast mechanical switch is presented in this paper. The prototype demonstrates an actuator opening time of 1 ms, a breakdown voltage of over 20 kV, and a continuous current rating of 500 A. After integrating the fast mechanical switch into a hybrid circuit breaker testbed, the fast mechanical switch was able to open within 1.5 ms and the fault was cleared within 5 ms. Therefore, piezoelectrically actuated fast mechanical switches can enable fast, reliable and controllable protection for various MVDC systems like electric ships, electric aircraft and microgrids that integrate distributed energy resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reveals the existence of poorly damped resonant modes in the modular multilevel converter (MMC) that can result in harmonic instability. A small-signal model based on dynamic phasors is introduced which takes into consideration the dynamics of internal variables, such as circulating arm currents, which have a tendency for a large second harmonic component and module capacitor voltage ripple, which has other harmonic components. The small-signal model is validated by comparison with the electromagnetic transient simulation of a detailed model. It is shown that the use of an active circulating current suppressing scheme can effectively improve the damping of internal harmonic modes in comparison with a passive filter used for the same purpose. The damping of internal harmonic modes has been shown to be significantly impacted by the gains of the MMC's outer-loop controller but is less sensitive to the ac system strength or the gain of the phase-locked loop. A larger arm resistance also increases the damping of these internal modes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes an optimal design method of modular multilevel converter (MMC) levels to approach the reasonable compromise between accuracy and computational efficiency. The entire procedure is benchmarked by a Thévenin equivalent 451-level MMC model. First, the calculation method of the critical maximum simulation time step is proposed to faithfully represent each voltage level of the staircase waveforms. Second, the previously developed improved analytic hierarchy process is adopted to integrate the relative errors of all the main electrical parameters into one comprehensive relative error at each MMC level. Third, the steady state, ac, and dc transient state relative error results as well as the central-processing unit times of all models are normalized and curve fitted based on the benchmark model. Finally, the optimal MMC level is obtained by the plotted curves and the given subjective weights considering the accuracy and efficiency. And the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method are validated by various simulation scenarios on PSCAD/EMTDC. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The hybrid multilevel voltage-source converter, combining semiconductor switches and power module cells, is a new family for VSC-HVDC applications. The hybrid multilevel converter in parallel arrangement (PHMC), in terms of converter investment, is very adaptable for cable transmission systems. However, the dc voltage of the converter, synthesized by the output voltage of three-phase cell stacks, is strongly coupled with ac voltage variations, which influences the stability of converter operation. This paper proposes a dc voltage compensation strategy for the parallel hybrid multilevel converter. This strategy, implemented by introducing an isolation period, can effectively cope with the dc voltage deviation, especially under ac network faults. Simulation results in PSCAD/EMTDC verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategy under various circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel bridge-type solid-state fault current limiter (BSSFCL) based on one series reactor which operates in ac and dc modes. The proposed BSSFCL includes a rectifier bridge with a reactor. This reactor is used as a dc reactor in normal operation mode and as an ac reactor in fault conditions. The advantages of the proposed BSSFCL over the existing dc reactor-type FCLs are its negligible impedance in normal operation mode and its high impedance during a fault interval using simple and novel switching. In other words, during the normal operation mode, the proposed BSSFCL operates in dc mode and in the fault interval, its topology is changed to the ac mode. This switching decreases the switching transient recovery voltage and introduces considerable impedance during the fault period. MATLAB/Simulink software is used for simulations and a prototype is designed and tested for results verification, and to show the performance of the proposed BSSFCL. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) has become one of the most promising converter topologies for medium/high-power applications. Since the MMC is structured based upon stacking up a number of series-connected identical submodules (SMs), to improve its fault tolerance and reliability, SM failure detection and location is of significant importance. In this paper, the impact of open-circuit switch failures of the SMs on the operation of the MMC is analyzed. Based on the analysis under SM failure conditions, two SM failure detection and location methods are proposed, that is, a clustering algorithm (CA)-based method and a calculated capacitance (CC)-based method. In the proposed CA-based method, a pattern-recognition-based fault diagnosis approach, which employs the clustering algorithm to detect and locate the faulty SMs with open-switch failures through identifying the pattern of 2-D trajectories of the SM characteristic variables, is developed. The proposed CC-based method is based on the calculation and comparison of a physical component parameter, that is, the nominal SM capacitance, and is capable of failure detection, location, and classification within one stage. The performance of the proposed failure detection methods for an MMC system is evaluated based on time-domain simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC software environment. The reported study results demonstrate the capabilities of the two proposed methods in detecting and locating any SM failure under various conditions accurately and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The large number of voltage levels in a modular multilevel converter (MMC) make staircase modulation a feasible alternative, particularly in high-power applications. However, staircase waveforms do not necessarily mean operation of the MMC submodules (SMs) at the fundamental frequency. This paper presents an analysis of SM switching frequencies in staircase-modulated MMCs and their correlation to the modulation index and load phase angle. A carrier-based pulsewidth-modulation (CB-PWM) equivalent technique is also developed. This analysis demonstrates that CB-PWM techniques provide a similar switching frequency with superior harmonic performance and improved voltage balancing characteristics at all modulation indices compared to staircase modulation. The theoretical analysis is verified with extensive simulation results for MMCs with different SMs and experimental results from a laboratory prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The three-phase series-connected modular multilevel converter (SC-MMC) is presented as one option for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) tap to reduce the cost of an HVDC station. Compared with conventional three-phase parallel-connected MMC, the number of semiconductor switches in SC-MMC is reduced by one-third to withstand the same dc voltage. First, the paper studies the operating principle of SC-MMC, and then presents an interspacing phase-shifted pulsewidth-modulated method which could improve the waveform of the output ac voltage for a given switching frequency. Next, the control strategy based on the identical real power input of each phase is proposed to balance the dc voltage of each phase under an unbalanced grid condition. The current limit of switching devices is also taken into consideration to protect SC-MMC from overcurrent. Furthermore, a universal zero-sequence current controller is developed as one part of the control strategy. In addition, an innovative method to suppress the third harmonics of ac current is presented. With the third harmonic suppression strategy, the SC-MMC can operate with much smaller SM capacitors without deteriorating the ac current, which contributes to the cost reduction further. Finally, simulation results obtained in PSCAD/EMTDC are provided to validate the proposed control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in incorporating microgrids in electrical power networks. This is due to various advantages they present, particularly the possibility of working in either autonomous mode or grid connected, which makes them highly versatile structures for incorporating intermittent generation and energy storage. However, they pose safety issues in being able to support a local island in case of utility disconnection. Thus, in the event of an unintentional island situation, they should be able to detect the loss of mains and disconnect for self-protection and safety reasons. Most of the anti-islanding schemes are implemented within control of single generation devices, such as dc-ac inverters used with solar electric systems being incompatible with the concept of microgrids due to the variety and multiplicity of sources within the microgrid. In this paper, a passive islanding detection method based on the change of the 5th harmonic voltage magnitude at the point of common coupling between grid-connected and islanded modes of operation is presented. Hardware test results from the application of this approach to a laboratory scale microgrid are shown. The experimental results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method, in meeting the requirements of IEEE 1547 standards. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Network topology identification (TI) is an essential function for distributed energy resources management systems (DERMS) to organize and operate widespread distributed energy resources (DERs). In this paper, discriminant analysis (DA) is deployed to develop a network TI function that relies only on the measurements available to DERMS. The propounded method is able to identify the network switching configuration, as well as the status of protective devices. Following, to improve the TI resiliency against the interruption of communication channels, a quadratic programming optimization approach is proposed to recover the missing signals. By deploying the propounded data recovery approach and Bayes’ theorem together, a benchmark is developed afterward to identify anomalous measurements. This benchmark can make the TI function resilient against cyber-attacks. Having a low computational burden, this approach is fast-track and can be applied in real-time applications. Sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the contribution of different measurements and the impact of the system load type and loading level on the performance of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents and evaluates a discrete-event control-based Supervisory Controller (SC) for a grid-connected, battery-enabled, DC Fast-Charging (DCFC) station for Electric Vehicles’ (EVs). The SC enhances operational resiliency of the DCFC station and its host grid by decoupling the dynamics and limiting the steady-state power between the station and its host grid. The charging station includes multiple DCFC units, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a solar-PV unit, and a grid-interface Voltage-Sourced Converter (VSC). The SC (i) limits the station-imported power from the grid based on the grid-imposed requirements, (ii) dynamically dispatches power flow among the grid, PV unit, DCFC units, and BESS to meet charging needs of EVs and when applicable charges BESS or exports power to the grid, (iii) protects the BESS by enforcing its state of charge upper and lower limits and the maximum charge/discharge rates, and (iv) enables the VSC to provide grid ancillary services, if required. Simulation results in PLECS software platform are given to assess the dynamic performance of the proposed SC in response to various discrete events/transitions. The SC algorithm is implemented on a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and verified based on real-time Hardware-In-the-Loop approach using an OPAL-RT platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a line-commutated converter based high-voltage direct-current (LCC-HVDC) system, the inverter control system usually includes constant extinction angle (CEA) controller, constant current (CC) controller, current error controller (CEC), and voltage-dependent current order limiter (VDCOL). However, the interaction influence of multiple controllers may cause repetitive commutation failure (CF). For this purpose, this paper deeply investigates the mechanism and the influencing factors of repetitive CF caused by controller interaction. It is found that the lower limit value of CEA controller can affect the control switching process and thus the probability of repetitive CF. Besides, the minimum gamma measurement (MGM) unit prevents the system from acquiring the real extinction angle in time, which results in the DC current fluctuation during the recovery process. Moreover, the probability of control-induced repetitive CF is much higher when the HVDC inverter is connected to a weak AC system or the AC fault is not serious but not cleared in time. Based on the above analyses, an improved control method is proposed for recovery performance improvement, which is mainly realized by modifying the lower and upper limits of the CEA controller during recovery. Finally, the simulation and experimental results verify the theoretical analyses and the proposed control method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an economic study to find the switches that should participate in a switch upgrade plan, based on the results of reconfiguration. The traditional reconfiguration problem trend considers only one loading condition (mostly maximum demand), in order to find the optimum reconfiguration. However, as the distribution loading condition has hourly and daily variations, the optimum configuration continuously changes. Consequently, considering only one loading condition might lead to inefficiency of the results. In this paper, daily load curves of different types of distribution consumers, during various types of days (weekdays and holidays) and seasons (summer and winter), are used to obtain the best reconfiguration hours during a day. Then, genetic algorithm (GA) is used to obtain the optimum configuration during each time interval. The objective function applied to GA consists of loss and energy not supplied. The switches that contribute to reconfiguration should be remotely controlled in order to have the capability of immediate mode alteration. In order to evaluate the feasibility of automated switch installation, the benefit-to-cost ratio is calculated. The entire procedure is applied to a test distribution system, and the results are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The applications of power semiconductors in circuit-breaker (CB) technology can help achieve considerable improvement in its performance and possible new capabilities. In this paper, new trends in power electronics for the applications in CBs are presented. It also summarizes and reviews the appropriate hybrid mechanical-static CB topologies. Various conventional and derived topologies for ac as well as dc applications are described. Discussions about common and future trends in this technology development are presented. This study will provide a useful framework and point of reference for the future development of hybrid CBs for various different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Customer satisfaction counts very much to the electric power distribution companies. The improvement of reliability indices is an effective way to achieve this goal. The optimal placement of power switches is a desirable procedure because while it reduces investment in network assets, it also reduces the number of customers not supplied by outages and, accordingly, improves system reliability. This paper proposes a multiobjective optimization approach for switch placement based on the particle swarm optimization method applied to radial distribution networks of power utilities. The proposed algorithm gives a set of solutions instead of a single one. It intends to be a valuable and flexible tool for planning modern and reliable power distribution networks. Simulation results when using the IEEE 123-node test system and the Roy Billinton Test System are presented as testbeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the abilities of fast tap-changer topologies by using insulated-gate bipolar transistors to mitigate flicker generated by the ac electric arc furnaces, based on technical and economic criteria. The design problems derived from the very high powers and currents involved have been solved to a preliminary industrial level. The operation of the best resulting topology is verified on a real 80-MVA arc furnace with a dedicated graphical-mathematical multilevel simulator developed to perform short- and long-term tests. Selected pattern windows of the arc voltage, taken from exhaustive logs of electric variables of a real 80-MVA furnace during a complete meltdown process, have been loaded into the simulator. This novel simulation strategy enables the testing of the proposed compensator under reproduced “real working conditions” with several degrees of flicker severity. The simulator includes an IEC flicker meter capable of checking the flicker level online at any point in the installation. The simple open-loop and closed-loop control tests confirm the new tap changer as a fast and economical competitor to other arc furnace compensators. It manages 16% of the furnace system power at a subcycle or supercycle tap changing rate (between 0 and 10 changes per half cycle), as required. This fast switching capacity reduces the compensating time to the very limited values imposed by the L/R time constant of the furnace installation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the important factors that affect statistical switching transients studies during transmission-line energization. These factors include the number of repetitions to ensure the statistical characteristic of the study, the variation range of the mean closing time of the circuit-breaker contacts, the model used for the representation of the transmission line, and the influence of transposition. In addition, a statistical analysis of mitigation methods to reduce overvoltages during transmission-line energization maneuver is presented, specifically the use of surge arresters, of controlled switching, and of a preinsertion resistor. The shunt compensation degree is considered as an independent parameter. Digital simulations were performed with PSCAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For lack of the appropriate global distribution of dc currents, the conventional suppression method to suppress dc bias based on capacitive dc blocking device (BD) redirects current to the ground as much as possible, which predisposes to the exceeding neutral current of other transformers in the regional power grid and leads to the contradiction between the power grid corporation and other public enterprises. Therefore, this paper presents a flexible suppression method for dc bias based on a novel dc-bias suppression device. First, a current balancing device (CBD) based on adjustable parallel resistances is designed. The mathematical model for global optimal switching of CBDs is established by a field-circuit coupling method with the equivalent resistance network of an ac system along with the location of substations and ground electrodes. The optimal switching scheme to minimize the global maximum dc current is obtained by gravitational search algorithm. Based on the aforementioned work, we propose a suppression strategy considering electro-corrosion of metal pipelines. The effectiveness and superiority of suppression methods are verified by comparative case studies of the Yichang power grid. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Zero-missing is a phenomenon in shunt-compensated cable systems, in which the current through the line breaker does not cross the zero point for several cycles. This paper deals with a thorough investigation on countermeasures of the zero-missing phenomenon in transmission systems and determines the requirements, benefits, and risks of applying each method. The effectiveness of countermeasures is studied on a simulated cable project with different cable lengths in an actual grid model of the Dutch 380 kV transmission system. Results are analyzed based on three criteria related to the IEC standards and the Dutch grid code. In addition, the switching sequence of circuit breakers is specified to maximize the effectiveness of the countermeasures. A statistical switching analysis is performed for the insulation coordination study since the application of some countermeasures increases the probability of high transient switching overvoltages. Moreover, the closing variation threshold of circuit breakers is calculated as a function of the circuit impedance and the shunt compensation degree. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ignoring the dynamic impedance characteristics of a thyristor-controlled series-capacitor-type fault current limiter (TCSC-FCL) may lead to maloperation/fail-to-trip or slow response of distance protection. To solve the above problem, the TCSC-FCL dynamic impedance analysis model was established. Taking the special operation mode of the TCSC-FCL into account, the time-varying characteristics of the TCSC-FCL during the whole process from the series compensation mode to the current-limiting mode were analyzed. Then, this paper proposed the function expression of dynamic impedance characteristics of the TCSC-FCL and put forward the distance protection setting strategy based on a dynamic offset impedance circle in order to eliminate the influence of TCSC-FCL dynamic impedance characteristics to the distance protection operation. By establishing a typical simulation model including the TCSC-FCL, the correctness of dynamic feature's analytic expression and the distance protection setting strategy is proved with extensive simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a breaker arrangement concept, the multiline breaker (MLB), for the protection of multiterminal high voltage dc (MTdc) networks. Based on the design of a hybrid breaker, the MLB is an economically attractive solution for the protection of multiple dc lines in nodal connection using a single main breaker path. By using commutation units, the MLB directs the fault current through the main breaker in a unidirectional way, irrespective of the fault location. Hence, this study presents the design requirements for the MLB, regarding both hardware and control, and evaluates its operation within a grid. For this reason, a four-terminal half-bridge multilevel modular converters-based MTdc grid in radial configuration was used and pole-to-ground dc fault conditions were investigated. The dc fault response of the grid with one MLB at the central node is compared to the respective response of the grid when one hybrid breaker is employed at each dc line. The simulations show that the MLB is feasible and that the overall MTdc grid fault response for the two protection systems is very similar. As a result, the design advantages of the MLB make it a promising solution for the dc fault isolation in MTdc grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modular multilevel converter-based unified power flow controller (MMC-UPFC) is able to operate under unbalanced grid conditions with symmetric component decoupling. However, the constraint of the voltage limit of UPFC is not considered and no protection schemes are investigated to protect the UPFC from overmodulation under unbalanced grid conditions. To solve this problem, this paper proposes the cascaded control scheme for MMC-UPFC based on voltage limit control and symmetric component decoupling to balance the ac current of the transmission line. With appropriate transformer connections for MMC-UPFC, the negative- and zero-sequence currents are suppressed by the corresponding inner current loops. Considering the voltage limit of MMC, the operating ranges of UPFC-MMC under balanced and unbalanced grid conditions are investigated in both mathematical derivation and point scanning methods. The results are depicted and analyzed in 3-D vision. Based on the analysis of operating regions, the voltage limit control is proposed to protect the MMC from overmodulation and to maximize the controllable region under unbalanced grid conditions. Finally, the final cascaded control structure is constructed. The simulation results obtained in PSCAD/EMTDC are provided to validate the effectiveness and robust performance of the proposed control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-voltage direct current (HVDC) grids will require the development of dc protections that provide fast fault isolation and minimize the disturbance caused to the existing ac power networks. This paper investigates how the dc fault recovery performance of a half-bridge modular multilevel converter (HB-MMC) is impacted by different dc protection design choices. An HB-MMC point-to-point HVDC system that is protected with dc circuit breakers (CBs) is simulated on a real-time digital simulator using detailed switch models of the converters and switch gear. A dc CB controller has been developed and implemented in a software-in-the-loop fashion, and has been made available free for download. A novel blocking scheme for the HB-MMC is proposed, which limits the prospective dc-side fault current, benefiting dc switch gear. A comparison of circulating current controllers shows that the standard d —q controller is likely to be unsuitable for fault studies. Finally, benchmarking shows that a 48% reduction in power-flow recovery time and a 90% reduction in the energy dissipated in the circuit breaker can be achieved, along with other benefits, depending on the protection design. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper begins by presenting a generalized methodology for conceptualizing modular multilevel converter (MMC)-based dc–dc topologies, which is predicated on the concept of harmonic power balance. A compelling implication is that MMC-based variants of conventional switched-mode converter structures can be realized. As an example case study, this paper introduces a new dc–dc MMC for HVdc applications, which is derived from the classical buck–boost dc–dc converter. This new topology, which is revealed to be an alternative option to the well-known dual active bridge (DAB) converter with an intermediate transformer, offers buck–boost functionality and bidirectional dc fault blocking, using only two quadrant switching cells. Comparative analysis shows the proposed topology has lower operating losses and a lower total magnetics rating in comparison to an MMC-based DAB solution for dc stepping ratios around unity. A dynamic controller is developed that regulates the converter dc power throughput while maintaining balanced capacitor voltages. The converter operating principle, dynamic controller performance, and dc fault blocking are verified by simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Initiation of ac fault may lead to the commutation failure, and the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system is still confronted with the risk of subsequent commutation failure (SCF) during recovery process prior to the fault clearance. In this paper, the mechanism of subsequent commutation failure is investigated through the analysis of controller response and ac-dc interaction under the symmetrical and asymmetrical faults. According to the modulation theory, a switching function method based on the line-to-line voltages is introduced to depict the voltage transfer characteristics of converters under asymmetrical faults. The early warning criterion and its corresponding early warning system for the subsequent commutation failure (SCF-EWS) are developed by taking the risks of controller regulation and the variations of electrical quantities into account. For the purpose of suppression, an emergency advance control strategy against the subsequent commutation failure (SCF-EAC) is also presented. The analysis and the proposed schemes are verified by the CIGRE benchmark model that is shipped with the PSCAD/EMTDC software under different fault conditions, and the simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing penetration of renewable energies in modern power grids, large amounts of voltage source converters (VSCs) have been installed, resulting in many new transient issues. Electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation plays an essential role in investigating and solving the issues. However, simulation efficiency plunges when object grids contain multiple VSCs, because each switching event incurs modification or re-decomposition of the network matrix in traditional EMT programs, which is very time-consuming. Thus, this paper proposes a VSC model represented by pulse voltage-current source pairs. Accordingly, a unidirectional loosely-coupled solving algorithm is designed. Synthetically, the authors propose a novel EMT simulation approach adaptive to systems with multiple VSCs. The proposed approach keeps the computational network invariable while sufficiently considers detailed switching events, thereby significantly improving the simulation efficiency of the EMTP program without precision loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ground return current of a high voltage direct current system will intrude the transformers adjacent to the grounding electrode in the case of monopole operation, leading to the half-cycle saturation of transformers. To mitigate the adverse effect, placing dc blocking devices (BDs) in transformer neutrals is popularly advocated. The conventional switching method of BDs may redirect the dc flow from one transformer with a BD to neighboring transformers without BDs. In this case, the dc currents through the neutrals of those transformers may possibly exceed the threshold undesirably. This problem is due to the lack of guidance for dc current distribution from the global view by means of finite BDs. Thus, this paper presents an optimization approach for the switching of BDs based on the gravitational search algorithm. A mathematical model for investigating the dc global distribution is established with the equivalent resistive network of an ac system, the location distribution of substations and grounding electrodes. Then, an optimal switching scheme to minimize the adverse impact of dc bias is presented, and the principle and the concrete implementation process are detailed. The feasibility and the advantage of the proposed scheme are demonstrated by numerous comparative case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a modular multilevel converter (MMC) has become one of the most popular converters in medium/high-power applications. In this paper, a new technique is presented to decrease the computational time of the MMC by using switching state grouping for the predictive controller. The proposed technique has the ability to control the output current, minimize the circulating currents, and balance all capacitor voltages, simultaneously. For a predefined number of MMC submodules, the number available switching states is known. The proposed technique uses two stages of predictive modules. In the first stage, the switching states of the MMC are divided equally into a number of groups, controlled simultaneously by the same number of predictive modules. The optimal number of the switching state groups in the first stage is obtained. In the second stage, only one predictive module is used to obtain the optimal switching state of the MMC without any other complexities or additional sorting controllers. The effectiveness of the proposed control technique has been verified by using MATLAB/SIMULINK software considering steady state and dynamic analysis. The results of the proposed technique are compared with the conventional one in terms of computation time, verifying better performance of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper investigates a new family of converters for high-power transfer between dc buses with different voltage levels. The proposed converters achieve high-voltage dc-dc conversion without an intermediate ac conversion stage. Three converter circuits are investigated, all based on the use of a common switching cell module. The first is a step-down converter, the second is a step-up converter, and the third is an inverting step-up/downconverter. For each converter, the structure is presented, its operation principle is explained, and the design equations are derived. A comparative analysis between the converters is carried out to highlight the merits and limitations of each topology. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

During the switching of disconnectors in gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), repeated strikes occur in the contact gap and lead to very fast transient overvoltage (VFTO). Severe VFTO may bring damage to transformers and other equipment. The switching speed of the disconnector is one of the important factors which influences VFTO. There are still different opinions on this factor. Very little quantitative study was done before this paper. In this paper, the whole repeated strike process associated with the switching operation of the disconnector was simulated and analyzed. The polarity and the probability characteristics of breakdown voltage were analyzed. The impacts of the switching speed of the disconnector on VFTO were studied by statistical methods. Comparisons were made between simulated and measured results. The simulation result shows that within a certain range of speed, disconnectors with a lower switching speed generate lower trapped charge voltage after opening operation and lower VFTO magnitude during the opening and closing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the MMC-HVDC, the lightweight requirements of the converter valves have become increasingly urgent. The reduction of submodule (SM) capacitance is difficult because the ripple of capacitor voltage cannot be too large, which is one of the key factors that affect the weight and the volume of the MMC. On the basis of the fundamental frequency and double fundamental frequency components are the critical factors for voltage ripples, this paper proposes an arm inductor switching control (AISC) strategy to reduce the voltage ripples of SM capacitor by controlling the inductance value of the bridge arm. The proposed strategy and the existing circulating current suppression controller (CCSC) are researched in terms of mathematical principles. A two terminal DC transmission model is built in PSCAD/EMTDC simulation environment, then the capacitor voltage fluctuation curves of non-capacitance-reducing control, CCSC, and proposed strategy with the same parameters are simulated. Afterwards, an experiment prototype is built to verify the simulation results. Simulation and experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging voltage source converters (VSCs) such as hybrid cascaded multilevel converters (HCMCs) are promising converter technologies which enable higher converter efficiency, compactness, and DC fault resilience for high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission. However, the large number of switching events due to the converters’ submodules introduces a heavy computational burden for electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulations. Efficient and accurate EMT-type converter models play a vital role in the control and design of HVDC converters. Several computationally efficient models for the HCMCs are proposed in this paper, including the detailed equivalent model (DEM) and several average value models (AVMs) of varying accuracy. Additionally, a combined model is proposed which allows the users to switch among the DEM and AVMs during dynamic simulations. The proposed models are validated against the DEM for dynamic transients. The simulation results demonstrate good modeling accuracy of the proposed models. The AVMs are also shown to significantly improve simulation efficiency compared to the DEM, which is very desirable especially for HCMCs with a large number of submodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converter based high voltage direct current (MMC-HVDC) transmission is the prospective technology for large-scale wind farms integration. In this paper, a comprehensive coordinated control strategy for DC fault ride-through (FRT) of wind farms connected to the grid through bipolar MMC-HVDC transmission is proposed. To reduce the requirement of breaking speed and capacity of DC breakers, an active current-limiting control method is proposed to limit the rise rate of DC fault current, and the principle of parameter selection is designed. After DC breakers isolate fault, the control mode switching methods of bipolar MMC are designed to make the fault pole MMC operate as a STATCOM to support the AC grid and improve the active power transmission capability of the healthy pole MMC, which can reduce the impact range of unbalanced power between wind farms and converter station. In addition, a coordinated control strategy for wind farms load-shedding considering speed constraints is designed to realize the optimal distribution of load-shedding power among wind turbines, which can regulate unbalanced power together with the healthy pole MMC to realize DC FRT. Finally, the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed control methods are verified by simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the essential reason for subsequent commutation failures (SCFs) in high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, and accordingly proposes a novel adaptive extinction angle recovery (AEAR) control strategy to prevent SCFs. Firstly, based on the changes of the inverter control mode after the first CF, the interaction process of inverter control loops is divided into 3 stages and analyzed in detail. It is found that the control aim of DC current is ambiguous in stage 2, causing the output of current error control (CEC) to persist above zero. In stage 3, however, the CEC output drops rapidly, leading to an uncontrolled status of extinction angle and bringing the risk of SCFs. Furthermore, the precondition for the control mode switching is derived. On the basis of that, an AEAR control strategy is proposed. By adopting an adaptive extinction angle reference, the proposed scheme maintains the inverter at the constant extinction angle (CEA) mode after the first CF. Thus, the uncontrolled status of extinction angle can be avoided. The problem of SCFs due to improper inverter control interactions is also able to be fixed at the root. Simulation results show the validity of the analysis and the superiority of the proposed control strategy in preventing SCFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes observation of lightning overvoltages in a 500 kV switching station at Kansai Electric Power Co., Japan. Three types of lightning overvoltages, such as back flashover, direct lightning hit to a phase conductor, and lightning-induced voltage have been observed. The lightning overvoltages due to a back flashover were lower than operation voltage of a surge arrester. The observation suggests that induced voltage caused by electromagnetic fields radiated from a lightning channel affects lightning overvoltages in a station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulation monitoring is crucial to personal safety and equipment operation in the power distribution system. Recently, with the rapid development of distributed generators, the three-phase voltage-source PWM converter (VSC) is widely used as the bidirectional interface between the dc microgrids and the distribution networks. This paper presents the relationship between the response of insulation monitoring device (IMD) and the neutral-point voltage deviation (NPVD) of VSC, by analyzing the disturbances of the switching function and the dc-side insulation balancing. Then, a method of detecting the NPVD for grid-connected VSC is proposed, based on the dc signal injection and the Duffing oscillator. Furthermore, the proposed method takes the mean and spectrum of the neutral-point voltage as the primal characteristics. Thus, the dc signal injection is adopted to detect the mean of the neutral-point voltage, and the Duffing oscillator is adopted to determine the frequency disturbance of the neutral-point voltage, respectively. The test result confirms the existence of the neutral-point voltage deviation and verifies the availability of the proposed method. Hence, the proposed method could be used to improve the response of IMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preinsertion resistors (PIR) are used in combination with circuit breakers to absorb switching transients and come into effect during the “closing” operation of the breaker. It is mainly used for rated voltages equal to or higher than 420 kV for line lengths above 200 km. Although it is an important component, power testing of complete PIR is very complicated and not well defined. Therefore, an attempt has been made in this paper to provide alternative test methods for power testing of PIR without compromising its important parameters. Due to high energy requirements and limitations of the test laboratory, a multipart testing of PIR is necessary to prove its thermal capability and dielectric behavior. Before proceeding with the complete PIR test, the critical parameters of PIR, such as mechanical insertion time, rate of decay of dielectric strength of the interrupter, and PIR switch, etc., should be verified with testing. These test procedures are also explained in detail along with a method to theoretically evaluate electrical insertion time for different network conditions. The series PIR configuration for the metal-enclosed \mathrmSF6 system has been considered in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modular multilevel converter (MMC or M2C) is an emerging attractive multilevel topology for medium-voltage high-power applications. The capacitor voltage balancing control and the improvement of output current rating are two challenging issues of MMC. This paper proposed a new parallel-connected diode-clamped M2C (DCM2C), in which each arm consists of two parallel-connected clusters. In this topology, the capacitor voltages can be balanced automatically without any balancing control algorithms. Theoretically, no voltage sensors are needed to measure the capacitor voltages theoretically. Thus, the control of the converter can be simplified greatly. With a simple current-sharing control, an equal current distribution can be achieved between the two clusters. Furthermore, an extended parallel-DCM2C is proposed for larger current applications, and the corresponding current-sharing control method is developed. Experimental results validated the voltage self-balancing capability of parallel-DCM2C and the effectiveness of the proposed current-sharing control. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The large number of switching elements in the modular multilevel converter (MMC) is a challenging problem when modeling the MMC-HVDC systems for the computation of electromagnetic transients. The modeling complexity increases even further when a multiterminal (MT) MMC-HVDC system is used to integrate offshore wind farms (OWFs) with power-electronics-based wind energy converters, such as doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs). This paper compares modeling accuracy and computational performances for various combinations of MMC and OWF models. Onshore and offshore ac fault simulations are performed for an OWF system composed of DFIG-type wind turbines and connected to a practical ac grid through an MT MMC-HVDC system. The OWF system model includes the detailed representation of the offshore collector grid and the associated overcurrent protection. The offshore MMC controls include an offshore fault current limiter and fast OWF power generation reduction-based fault-ride-through function. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a novel modified Viterbi algorithm to identify the optimal distribution system restoration plan for improving the grid resiliency. In the proposed algorithm, the switching operations performed for system restoration are the states with the minimum bus voltage being seen as the cost metric for each state and the extent of load recovery as the observed event. When full load recovery is spotted, the dynamic programming algorithm stops, thereby giving the least number of switching pairs necessary for system restoration. Moreover, an improved flexible switching pair operation is employed to maintain the radial nature of distribution system. Several case studies are presented for verifying the performance of the proposed strategy. Multi-fault conditions are considered in testing the system restoration scheme on 33-bus and 69-bus distribution systems. Furthermore, the effects of integrating distributed energy resources and microgrid systems are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the task of real-time identification of dynamic events leading to a layer of situational awareness that can become a reality due to increased penetration of phasor measurement units in transmission systems. Two underlying models for this task—data driven and physics based—are explored with examples. Challenges, advantages, and drawbacks of each model are discussed based on the availability of data, attributes of such data, and processing options. Potential applications of the task to improve security of power system protection and anomaly detection in the case of a cyberattack are conceptualized. Some known issues in data communications are discussed vis-a-vis the requirements imposed by the proposed task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding mechanisms of switching transient overvoltages in modern electrical power systems is a necessity to ensure a proper design of power plants and switchgear and the required level of reliable and secure system operation. High fidelity plant modelling and accurate transient analysis is a prerequisite for understanding the mechanisms of how overvoltages are created and whether or not the voltage withstand capabilities of system components will be exceeded. This research is focused on switching overvoltages typical for an offshore wind farm power collection grid configuration that comprises vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs), cables and transformers. An in-depth understanding of the prestrike effects in VCBs is a prerequisite for studying switching transient overvoltages. In this paper, the impact of VCB parameters (e.g., stray capacitance and withstand voltage ability)and cable length on the transformer terminal voltage during closing operation was studied. A wind farm power collection system was modelled in ATP-EMTP environment. To validate the results obtained through computer simulation, field measurements from an actual system were used. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Traditional connection of a generating station to the transmission grid typically requires either a new transmission line to an existing substation or building a new substation to segment an existing transmission line. Both of these options are capital intensive which often hurts economic viability especially small- or medium-size nonconventional generating stations. The direct connection to an existing transmission line, without the switching station, is the most economical solution to interconnect the generating station but it desensitizes the line protection and poses a risk to the ability of the protection to detect faults, particularly ground faults involving fault resistances. Multifunction relays, combined with communication-assisted schemes, now offer innovative solutions to overcome protection desensitization concerns. This paper describes these solutions which are successfully implemented by a large Canadian electric utility over the last two decades to tap connect numerous generators to the transmission grid. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An improved switching scheme for static VAr compensators (SVCs) that have fixed capacitor-thyristor-controlled reactors (FC-TCRs) for load balancing and power factor improvement has been addressed in this paper. The proposed control scheme can eliminate negative-sequence current caused by unbalanced load while improving the source power factor simultaneously. Thus total current supplied by the source can be minimized along with improvement of the load voltage profile. As the switching of TCR can introduce additional harmonics in the line, an optimized switching function is adopted in the proposed scheme for minimum injected harmonics without using an external filter. The gravitational search algorithm has been used for obtaining the optimized switching angle. The proposed scheme has been verified through proper simulations backed by suitable experimental results on a practical system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents design and control methods for fault-tolerant operations with redundant converter modules, one of the most prominent features in modular multilevel converter (MMC) topology. In fully implementing MMC functionalities, a nearest level control is applied as a low-switching modulation method. A dual sorting algorithm is newly proposed for effectively reducing the switching commutations of each power module as well as for voltage balancing control. Built upon these primary MMC topological and control features, its redundant operation is comprehensively investigated for fail-safe energy transfer. In particular, a novel spare process is proposed to handle an emergency situation when the number of faulty power modules exceeds the module redundancy. Since topological redundancy may cause the switching commutations of power modules in an arm to be unevenly distributed, a practical and effective mitigation measure is incorporated to keep the energy balance while avoiding the undesired switching stresses. Rigorous simulation studies for MMC and its application for high-voltage direct current are performed to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed spare process under normal and emergency conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the conditions for transformer winding resonances with an emphasis on oscillatory excitation voltages originating from various switching events in the power grids. A section of the Eastern Regional Power Grid in India has been simulated in this paper by using the Alternative Transient Program for the purpose of defining high-frequency transient voltages which may occur during various switching events. The investigation reveals that such oscillatory voltages could excite natural frequencies of a 400/220/132-kV power transformer, which closely matches the terminal excitation frequencies. Short time Fourier transform (STFT) has been used to analyze the frequency contents of the oscillatory terminal excitation as well as the voltage response of the windings. The results of the STFT confirmed the presence of resonant frequency in the oscillatory terminal voltage and in the 400-kV main and tap changer windings of the transformer. It has been demonstrated that the voltage stresses in the windings under certain critical switching operations can exceed the stresses developed under the standard 1.2/50-\mus lightning impulse at the transformer's basic insulation level voltage. The reduction in winding voltage stresses under resonance is possible by deploying some remedial measures involving winding design modifications which have also been suggested in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]