High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Technology - Part 1

In High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Technology - Part 1, you'll learn ...

• Situations where it is technically or financially more beneficial to transfer and distribute DC power instead of AC power
• Operating philosophy and design considerations for various HVDC configurations
• Typical layout of a converter station
• How to deal with acoustical noise in a HVDC converter station

Overview

Credit: 2 PDH

Length: 37 pages

This course is the first in a two-part series covering HVDC Technology. The main objective of this course is to thoroughly present HVDC concepts, available arrangements, operation and control issues. The first part of the series presents basic configurations, substation arrangements, converter operation and control. Upon successful completion of this course, it is highly recommended that you complete Part 2, which covers the effects of harmonics in AC power systems, harmonic filter design, DC harmonic concepts and calculations, HVDC power and frequency control schemes.

Electricity is produced as an alternating current (AC). It is also transferred and distributed as AC and in the majority of applications it is used as AC. Nevertheless, in many situations, it is financially and technically beneficial to use direct current (DC) links. In some situations, it may be the only possible power transmission method.

In situations, when two different AC systems cannot be synchronized or when the interconnection cable length is too long for stable AC transmission, DC transmission can be applied. At a sending “converter station” the AC is converted to DC current, which is then transferred to a second receiving converter station and converted back to AC. In “back-to-back” HVDC arrangements the two converter stations are placed in the same building, reducing the DC transmission length to zero.

This course is intended for electrical engineers with a desire to understand basic HVDC technology design and operation principles. Presented details cover issues related to HVDC configurations, HVDC substation design arrangements and equipment, converter operation and control.