Evaluation of lightning overvoltage at neutral point of HVDC converter transformer based on EMTP

Abstract

In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of high voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, this paper studies the lightning overvoltage at the neutral point of the HVDC converter transformer. The work first introduces the basic types of lightning overvoltage based on the CIGRE Benchmark 500 kV HVDC transmission system which is modeled in the electromagnetic transient program (EMTP) software. The high-frequency model of the HVDC transmission system is considered where lightning overvoltage at the converter transformer neutral point is studied at different values of the small reactance connected at neutral point grounding and different lightning strike locations. Although increasing the small reactance value can effectively suppress the lightning current, the lightning overvoltage will gradually increase. When the neutral point is grounded by 11 Ω small reactance, the lightning overvoltage is most serious, where the peak value can reach 415 kV. Also, the farther the lightning strike position from the converter transformer, the smaller the lightning overvoltage.

Keywords

• Converter transformer
• Small reactance
• Neutral point
• Lightning Overvoltage
• HVDC transmission
• EMTP