Research on fast solid state DC breaker based on a natural current zero-crossing point

The DC fault characteristics of voltage source converter based high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) systems are analyzed in this paper. The phenomenon whereby the capacitor on DC side discharges quickly during a DC fault contributes to a large short-circuit fault current. Neither traditional DC breakers nor DC switches can cut off the fault current under this condition. A fast solid state DC breaker design method is proposed in this paper. This method is based on the fault current characteristics of the inverter in multi-terminal HVDC systems (MTDC), where a fault current appears at the natural zero-crossing point near the inverter. At this point, by coordinating the AC breakers near the rectifier, the DC breaker could reliably cut off the DC fault current and protect the system. A detailed model for this fast solid state DC breaker and its operation sequence are studied, based on this design method. Simulations modeling a five-terminal meshed DC grid and a fast DC breaker were carried out with PSCAD/EMTDC using this design method. The results from the simulations confirmed the validity of the design method.

[1]  Alstom Grid,et al.  LCC-MTDC Technology for Wind Farms Integration , 2011 .

[2]  C M Franck,et al.  HVDC Circuit Breakers: A Review Identifying Future Research Needs , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.

[3]  Guangfu Tang,et al.  Characteristics and Recovery Performance of VSC-HVDC DC Transmission Line Fault , 2010, 2010 Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference.

[4]  Mu Jian-guo,et al.  Present status of DC solid-state circuit breaker and its potential application , 2009 .

[5]  Gerd Balzer,et al.  Calculation of Short Circuit Currents in HVDC Systems , 2012 .

[6]  V.G. Agelidis,et al.  VSC-Based HVDC Power Transmission Systems: An Overview , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[7]  Lie Xu,et al.  Grid connection of large offshore wind farms using HVDC , 2006 .

[8]  Jun Liang,et al.  Topologies of multiterminal HVDC-VSC transmission for large offshore wind farms , 2011 .

[9]  R.W. De Doncker,et al.  Circuit breaker concepts for future high-power DC-applications , 2005, Fourtieth IAS Annual Meeting. Conference Record of the 2005 Industry Applications Conference, 2005..

[10]  Jürgen Häfner,et al.  Proactive Hybrid HVDC Breakers - A key Innovation for Reliable HVDC Grids , 2011 .

[11]  Jin Yang,et al.  Short-Circuit and Ground Fault Analyses and Location in VSC-Based DC Network Cables , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[12]  Dirk Van Hertem,et al.  Feasibility of DC transmission networks , 2011, 2011 2nd IEEE PES International Conference and Exhibition on Innovative Smart Grid Technologies.

[13]  Bo Zhiqian,et al.  Design and simulation of DC breakers for HVDC projects , 2009 .

[14]  John E. Fletcher,et al.  An overview of DC cable modelling for fault analysis of VSC-HVDC transmission systems , 2010, 2010 20th Australasian Universities Power Engineering Conference.

[15]  Li Naihu.  A Three Terminal HVDC System to Bundle Wind Farms With Conventional Power Plants , 2012 .

[16]  Xi Chen,et al.  Potential Use of Fault Current Limiter in VSC Based DC Transmission Systems , 2012, 2012 Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference.

[17]  Zhang Wan.  STUDY ON DIGITAL SIMULATION OF TRANSFERING DIRECT CURRENT USING DC BREAKERS , 2002 .

[18]  G. Mauthe,et al.  Development of a high current HVDC circuit breaker with fast fault clearing capability , 1988 .

[19]  J. Ferreira,et al.  Zero volt switching hybrid DC circuit breakers , 2000, Conference Record of the 2000 IEEE Industry Applications Conference. Thirty-Fifth IAS Annual Meeting and World Conference on Industrial Applications of Electrical Energy (Cat. No.00CH37129).

[20]  Wei Xiaoguang,et al.  Multi-terminal HVDC and DC-grid Technology , 2013 .

[21]  D. Andersson,et al.  Passive and Active DC Breakers in the Three Gorges-Changzhou HVDC Project , 2001 .

[22]  L.M. Tolbert,et al.  Fundamental Frequency Switching Strategies of a Seven-Level Hybrid Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverter , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.