The ever increasing progress of high-voltage high-power fully controlled semiconductor technology continues to have a significant impact on the development of advanced power electronic apparatus used to support optimized operations and efficient management of electrical grids, which, in many cases, are fully or partially deregulated networks. Developments advance both the HVDC power transmission and the flexible ac transmission system technologies. In this paper, an overview of the recent advances in the area of voltage-source converter (VSC) HVdc technology is provided. Selected key multilevel converter topologies are presented. Control and modeling methods are discussed. A list of VSC-based HVdc installations worldwide is included. It is confirmed that the continuous development of power electronics presents cost-effective opportunities for the utilities to exploit, and HVdc remains a key technology. In particular, VSC-HVdc can address not only conventional network issues such as bulk power transmission, asynchronous network interconnections, back-to-back ac system linking, and voltage/stability support to mention a few, but also niche markets such as the integration of large-scale renewable energy sources with the grid and most recently large onshore/offshore wind farms.

VSC-Based HVDC Power Transmission Systems: An Overview

Solid-state switch-mode rectification converters have reached a matured level for improving power quality in terms of power-factor correction (PFC), reduced total harmonic distortion at input AC mains and precisely regulated DC output in buck, boost, buck-boost and multilevel modes with unidirectional and bidirectional power flow. This paper deals with a comprehensive review of improved power quality converters (IPQCs) configurations, control approaches, design features, selection of components, other related considerations, and their suitability and selection for specific applications. It is targeted to provide a wide spectrum on the status of IPQC technology to researchers, designers and application engineers working on switched-mode AC-DC converters. A classified list of more than 450 research publications on the state of art of IPQC is also given for a quick reference.

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A review of single-phase improved power quality AC-DC converters

The authors discuss high-voltage power conversion. Conventional series connection and three-level voltage source inverter techniques are reviewed and compared. A novel versatile multilevel commutation cell is introduced: it is shown that this topology is safer and more simple to control, and delivers purer output waveforms. The authors show how this technique can be applied to either choppers or voltage-source inverters and generalized to any number of switches.<<ETX>>

Multi-level conversion : high voltage choppers and voltage-source inverters

In this paper, the principle of modularity is used to derive the different multilevel voltage and current source converter topologies. The paper is primarily focused on high-power applications and specifically on high-voltage dc systems. The derived converter cells are treated as building blocks and are contributing to the modularity of the system. By combining the different building blocks, i.e., the converter cells, a variety of voltage and current source modular multilevel converter topologies are derived and thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, by applying the modularity principle at the system level, various types of high-power converters are introduced. The modularity of the multilevel converters is studied in depth, and the challenges as well as the opportunities for high-power applications are illustrated.

Modular Multilevel Converters for HVDC Applications: Review on Converter Cells and Functionalities

New regulations impose more stringent limits on current harmonics injected by power converters that are achieved with pulsewidth-modulated (PWM) rectifiers. In addition, several applications demand the capability of power regeneration to the power supply. This work presents the state of the art in the field of regenerative rectifiers with reduced input harmonics and improved power factor. Regenerative rectifiers are able to deliver energy back from the dc side to the ac power supply. Topologies for single- and three-phase power supplies are considered with their corresponding control strategies. Special attention is given to the application of voltage- and current-source PWM rectifiers in different processes with a power range from a few kilowatts up to several megawatts. This paper shows that PWM regenerative rectifiers are a highly developed and mature technology with a wide industrial acceptance.

http://www.lcda.cl/descargas/rodriguez_dixon_pont_espinoza_lezana05.pdf

PWM regenerative rectifiers: state of the art

Frequency dependent network equivalents are important for modelling modern power systems due to their size and complexity. The first stage is to determine the response of the portion of the network to be replaced by an equivalent, as seen from its boundary busbar(s). This is most efficiently performed using frequency domain techniques to perform a frequency scan. Once determined, a rational function which is easily implemented can be fitted to match this response.

Frequency dependent network equivalents

Reverse cycle air-source heat-pumps are an increasingly significant load in New Zealand and in many other countries. This has raised concern over the impact wide-spread use of heat-pumps may have on the grid. The characteristics of the loads connected to the power system are changing because of heat-pumps. Their performance during under-voltage events such as voltage dips has the potential to compound the event and possibly cause voltage collapse. In this study, results from testing six heat-pumps are presented to assess their performance at various voltages and hence their impact on voltage stability.

Heat-pump performance: voltage dip/sag, under-voltage and over-voltage

AC–DC Conversion—Frequency Domain

This paper presents an electronically tunable Proportional Integral (PI) controller employing Operational Transconductance Amplifiers (OTA) for use in a Phase Lock Loop (PLL). Bandwidth, time constants, phase margin, cross-over frequency, damping factor can all be electronically tuned by the use of OTA based PI controller. Parameter design equations based on OTA bias currents, and results are presented. OTAs have the advantage that they are free from input voltage linearity restriction and temperature dependence.

Electronically tunable PLL controller design using OTA

The continuing increase of demand for electrical energy has resulted in power grids being operated closer to its operating limits. At the same time, integration of renewable energy sources introduces conditions of high uncertainty a nd high variability. Maintaining power system reliability un der these conditions is a challenging task. Development in telecommu nications and other advances have enabled more accurate and faster influx of data. However, more data does not equate to more information. With the plethora of data available it becomes necessary to extract information that a control room operat or can act upon. Situational awareness (SA) in simple terms is t o understand the current state of the system and based on that understanding project how things are to evolve over time. The situational awareness platform presented in this paper ext racts information from data for the next time instance i.e. a step ahead of time and maps this data with geographic coordinates of uti l ty assets. The geographic information system (GIS) provides a visual indication of health of individual units as well as that of the entire system.

Neville R. Watson

Papers

Frequency dependent network equivalents

Heat-pump performance: voltage dip/sag, under-voltage and over-voltage

AC–DC Conversion—Frequency Domain

Electronically tunable PLL controller design using OTA

Situational Awareness System for Power Grids