Enhancement of fault ride-through capability of three-level NPC converter-based HVDC system through robust nonlinear control strategy

Abstract

Voltage source converter-based high-voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) transmission systems are becoming increasingly popular for long-distance power transmission due to their numerous advantages. However, the fault ride-through (FRT) capabil-ity of VSC-HVDC systems during AC faults remains a key challenge that needs to be addressed to ensure their uninterrupted operation under challenging grid conditions. This paper presents and analyzes a novel nonlinear control scheme based on a robust sliding mode control approach to improve the FRT capability of VSC-HVDC systems. The proposed control scheme based on the modification of the converter’s active power to make it more sensitive to any changes in voltage magnitude at the points of common coupling (PCCs) on the AC side. This helps to maintain the DC voltage sta-bility and prevent the converter from tripping during AC faults. The performance of the proposed control scheme is evaluated using a series of ex-perimental investigations using a digital signal processor (DSP) within Processor-in-the-Loop (PIL) quasi-real-time simulation. The PIL simulations closely examine the system’s response to AC faults with varying remaining voltages and durations. The results demonstrate that the proposed control scheme can effectively improve the FRT capability of VSC-HVDC systems and ensure their stable operation during AC faults.

Keywords

• VSC-HVDC
• FRT
• Nonlinear control
• AC Fault
• Robust sliding mode control
• Processor-in-the-Loop (PIL) simulations