Operation and Challenges of Multi-Infeed LCC–HVDC System: Commutation Failure, AC/DC Power Flow, and Voltage Stability

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed analysis of commutation failure, AC/DC power flow, and voltage stability of multi-infeed high-voltage direct current (HVDC). The use of HVDC power transmission technology has become common in modern power systems. During the past two decades, HVDC technology has been extensively used for long-distance bulk power transmission to remote areas. Throughout the world, the demand for power has drastically increased in recent years due to industrialization; such situations make HVDC an economic candidate because the distance between power generation plants and load areas is significantly very long. The line-commutated converter (LCC) technology-based HVDC system is well more mature than other available conversion schemes (i.e., voltage source converters), and it is widely used in high-power projects. China had approximately 50 HVDC–LCC links in 2020, and a single LCC-based link with the highest capacity is 12 GW. The installation of several HVDC links in an existing power network has led to a situation where two or more HVDC links terminate in the electric vicinity of each other’s AC network or even in same AC busbar. Such scenarios are termed multi-infeed HVDC system. Multi-infeed HVDC systems bring various challenges related to voltage stability, local and concurrent commutation failure, and AC/DC power flow. Here, the literature available on these phenomena of LCC-based HVDC is discussed for future research. The assumptions and drawbacks of various techniques used for investigating the mentioned phenomena are also highlighted.

Keywords

• line-commutated converters
• multi-infeed HVDC
• commutation failure
• power flow
• voltage stability