HVDC Power

Power Electronics
HVDC Power Systems
Printed in Canada
Student Manual
29975-00 |3029975000000o~
POWER ELECTRONICS
HVDC POWER SYSTEMS
by
the Staff
of
Lab-Volt (Quebec) Ltd.
Copyright © 1992 Lab-Volt Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro-

duced, in any form or by any means, without the prior written
permission of Lab-Volt Quebec Ltd.
Legal Deposit — Fourth Trimester 1992
ISBN 2-89289-270-8
FIRST EDITION, DECEMBER 1992
Printed in Canada
December 2001
Foreword
Semiconductor technology has long influenced developments in low-power

electronics fields such as instrumentation and telecommunications. It was some
time, however, before applications related to the vast domain of electric power
control became available.
Today, many reliable, flexible, and efficient power electronics systems are used in
all spheres of industry. Applications can be found in the field of both dc and ac
motor control, as well as in high-voltage electric power generation and transmission.
The Power Electronics hands-on training system from Lab-Volt offers a compre-
hensive program in the field of Power Electronics. It comprises a variety of training
modules and manuals that cover most important aspects and techniques relevant
to the field, through the use of power thyristors (SCRs) and power Metal-Oxide
Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs). The subject matter is
approached from a practical point of view. Following a discussion of theoretical
concepts in each laboratory exercise, the student is guided through a step-by-step,
hands-on exercise procedure. A conclusion and a set of review questions terminate
each exercise.
When a circuit element or circuit set-up is introduced, the related phenomena are
explained, and the student verifies the theory using the procedures given in the
exercise. Each exercise builds on that which was previously carried out. This "built-
in" progression in difficulty promotes efficient learning.
,,,
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank Mr Theodore Wildi, Professor Emeritus of

Electrical Engineering at Laval University, for his contribution to
many of the manuals in the Lab-Volt Power Electronics series.
,9
Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII
Exercise 1 Introduction to HVDC Power System Control
Start-up procedure of an HVDC power system equipped with current

controllers.
Exercise 2 Manual and Automatic Control of HVDC Power Systems
Manual and automatic control of an HVDC power system. Effect of ac

network variations on the line current.
Exercise 3 Power Flow in HVDC Systems
Active and reactive power flow versus the firing angle.
Exercise 4 Commutation at the Inverter End of an HVDC Power System
The extinction and commutation angles of thyristors used in an

inverter. Observation of failing commutations on a thyristor used in an
inverter.
Appendices A Circuit Diagram Symbols Versus the

Equipment
B Resistance and Reactance Tables for the
Resistive and Reactive Load Modules
C Equipment Utilization Chart
Bibliography
We Value Your Opinion!
9
9,
Introduction
Various symbols are used in many of the circuit diagrams given in the exercises of
this manual. Each symbol is a functional representation of a device used in power
electronics. The use of these symbols greatly simplifies the circuit diagrams, by
reducing the number of interconnections shown, and makes it easier to understand
the circuit operation. Appendix A of each manual of the Lab-Volt Power Electronics
series lists the symbols used, the name of the device which each symbol
represents, and a diagram showing the equipment, and in some cases the
connections, required to obtain the device.
The exercises in this manual can be carried out with the following ac network line
voltages: 120 V ac, 220 V ac, and 240 V ac. The values of the components in the
various circuits used often depend on the line voltage. For this reason, each
component in the circuit diagrams is identified with a capital letter and a subscript
number. A table accompanying the circuit diagram indicates the value of each
component for the various line voltages (120, 220, and 240 V ac).
Appendix B of this manual provides a table which gives usual impedances which
can be obtained using the 120-V ac, 220-V ac, and 240-V ac versions of the load
modules of the Power Electronics Training System.
Before performing the exercises in this manual, the student should be familiar with
the operation of the Chopper/Inverter Control Unit (chopper modes of operation) and
Power MOSFETS module. The student should also know the operation of buck
choppers, buck/boost choppers, and four-quadrant choppers.
Refer to the manual Familiarization with the Lab-Volt Power Electronics Equipment,
part number 29971-E0, if you are performing the exercises of this manual using the
Lab-Volt Data Acquisition and Management System (LVDAM).
VII
VIII
Exercise 1
Introduction to HVDC Power System Control
OBJECTIVE
• To understand the basic operating principles of High Voltage Direct Current

(HVDC) transmission.
DISCUSSION
Electric power transmission over high voltage lines is generally achieved using
alternating current. However, under certain conditions (undersea and long distance
transmission, power exchange between utilities and/or countries, etc.) the use of
direct current can be very advantageous.
Operating principles of a dc system are relatively simple. As shown in Figure 1-1,

a basic installation consists of:
1) a static converter to rectify ac into dc (rectifier station),

2) a transmission line that carries dc current supplied by the converter,
3) a second static converter located at the other end of the line and that converts
dc current back into ac current (inverter station).
AC DISTRIBUTION
ALTERNATORS STEP-UP TRANSMISSION STEP-DOWN
TRANSFORMERS LINE TRANSFORMERS
L ID L
STEP-UP 1 2 STEP-DOWN
TRANSFORMER TRANSFORMER
E L1 E1 E2 E L2
ED
I1 I2
RECTIFIER INVERTER
Figure 1-1. Diagram of a Basic HVDC System.
At the generating station are found the alternators, the step-up transformers, and
the static converter, which is usually made up of solid state devices such as
thyristors (SCRs). At the receiving end of the line are installed another thyristor
converter and step down transformers. The converter at the generating station is
called a rectifier and converts ac current into dc. Conversely, the converter at the
1-1
receiving station converts dc current back into ac and it is called an inverter. The dc
voltage at both of these converters is controlled by the thyristor firing angles.
Figure 1-2(a) shows the voltage-current characteristic curves of a thyristor converter

for various firing angles.
E D0 =1.35 E Scos §0
E D1 =1.35 ES cos §1
E Dn =1.35 E S cos §n
where E S = line-to-line voltage (V ac)

§ = firing angle (°)
ED ED
E D0
§0=0°
E D1
§1>§0
§2>§1
ID ID
E Dn
§n>§n-1
a) Thyristor converter b) Rectifier-inverter pair
Figure 1-2. Voltage-current characteristics.
If two thyristor converters were interconnected as shown in Figure 1-1, the new
characteristic curves of Figure 1-2(b) would then be obtained.
For instance, with the rectifier firing adjusted for an angle R = 0( and the inverter
for an I = 155( we obtain the curves shown in Figure 1-3(a).
As can be shown in this figure, the two curves intersect at one point which
determines the operating voltage and current. It is possible to shift the position of
this operating point simply by changing the firing angle of either converter. As will
1-2
be explained later, it is generally preferred not to change the inverter angle but to
control the dc line current by changing the rectifier angle.
ED ED
NEW
OPERATING
OPERATING §I=155°
VOLTAGE
§I=155° VOLTAGE
§R=0°
§R=0°
ID ID
I DN 2I DN I DN 2I DN
OPERATING OPERATING
CURRENT CURRENT
a) Operating point at two specific angles. b) Shift of operating point following drop
of inverter ac line voltage.
Figure 1-3. Rectifier-inverter characteristics.
Such a control scheme would unfortunately tend to produce unstable operation.

Indeed, a slight voltage disturbance produced either on the rectifier side or the
inverter side would be enough to cause a very important change both in the dc
current and the transmitted power. In many cases, such high power swings could
lead into system instability. Figure 1-3(b) shows the change on the characteristic
curves if the alternating voltage were lowered at the inverter side.
In order to avoid this problem, the rectifier characteristic curve is modified so that
the dc voltage drops very rapidly at a predetermined current value IDN as shown in
Figure 1-4.
In the same way, the inverter curve is "tailored" so that the dc current does not
decrease too much, should the alternating voltage drop at the rectifier side or
increase at the inverter side. The resulting curve is shown in Figure 1-5. It can be
seen that the voltage increases very rapidly at another predetermined current value
or set point. That new current value on the inverter characteristic is generally set by
subtracting a so-called current margin I from the current set point IDN on the
rectifier characteristic.
Power flow on HVDC lines can be reversed as well as on ac transmission lines. In

order to achieve this, the polarity of the dc line voltage simply has to be reversed by
proper firing of each converter. Hence, with the dc current always flowing in the
same direction, the active power flows in the opposite direction. We then obtain the
complete HVDC system characteristics shown in Figure 1-6.
1-3
ED
ID
OPERATING
ID VOLTAGE
FIRING
SIGNALS
ID
I DN 2I DN
CURRENT MEASURED
SET POINT CURRENT
I DN P.I.D. ID
CONTROLLER OPERATING
CURRENT
a) Simplified diagram of Rectifier Current Regulator. b) Voltage-current curves with rectifier current regulation.
Figure 1-4. Rectifier current regulation.
ID
ED
ID
FIRING
SIGNALS
MEASURED
CURRENT
ID P.I.D. ID
CONTROLLER 2I DN
I DN - I I DN
CURRENT
SET POINT
I DN - I
a) Simplified diagram of Inverter Current Regulator. b) Voltage-current curves with inverter current regulation.
Figure 1-5. Inverter current regulation.
1-4
ED ED
ID ID
2I DN 2I DN
I DN −þI I DN I DN I DN +þI
a) Complete characteristics with forward power flow b) Complete characteristics with reverse power flow
Figure 1-6. Complete HVDC system characteristics.
Procedure summary
Figure 1-7 shows the circuit of the Rectifier and Inverter stations. Normally, those
two stations are kilometers apart and a high-speed communications link ensures
information transfer (I, I) between both stations. At each station, all the necessary
equipment to monitor and control the dc transmission line is available to the
operators. In this manual, both stations will be set up in the same workstation.
However, keep in mind that they are normally two distinct and separate entities.
In the first part of the exercise, you will set up in the Mobile workstation the
equipment required to carry out this experiment. You will then make the preliminary
settings on both Thyristor Firing Units and P.I.D. Controllers.
On the P.I.D. Controllers, the FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER is used to increase the

feedback signal level. In this setup, the current isolator will provide a feedback
signal level of 2 V for an input line current of 2 A. The input command signal
adjusted by a potentiometer can be varied up to 10 V. You will therefore set the
FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN to 5. Without the FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER,
adjustment of the dc output current would be more difficult due to the restricted
range of the input command on the control potentiometer. A LOWPASS FILTER
also needs to be used to filter out the ripple on the feedback signal representing the
line current flowing in the dc transmission line.
The proportional and integral amplifiers in the P.I.D. Controller are used to condition
or process the error signal between the input command signal and the feedback
signal. They process the error signal and change the firing angle of the thyristor
Firing Unit in order to keep the dc line current equal to the desired input set point.
1-5
The UPPER and LOWER LIMITS are used to restrict the firing angle range for both
the rectifier and the inverter. In the rectifier mode, it is possible and even
advantageous to operate at the beginning of its firing range with angles close to
zero degrees. Conversely in the inverter mode, it is very important for the same
converter not to be operated at the other end of the firing range or close to 180(. If
this was the case, the thyristors would not have enough time to turn off and a short
circuit would occur across the dc transmission line. The upper limit will set the firing
angle in the rectifier mode to 0(, while the lower limit will set the firing angle to 155(
in the inverter mode.
In the second part of this exercise, you will power-up the dc transmission line and
verify its operation.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
Refer to the Equipment Utilisation Chart, Appendix C of this manual, to obtain the
list of the equipment required to carry out this exercise.
PROCEDURE
CAUTION!
High voltages are present in this laboratory exercise! Do not make

or modify any banana jack connections with the power on unless
otherwise specified!
Setting up the equipment
* 1. The upper section of the Figure 1-7 represents the Rectifier Station while
the lower section represents the Inverter Station. Install the equipment
necessary to realise the Rectifier Station and the Inverter Station in the
Mobile Workstation and the Workstation – 3 Modules.
* 2. Make sure that the main power switch of both Power Supplies is set to the
O (OFF) position. Connect the Power Supplies to a three-phase wall
receptacle.
* 3. Set the rocker switch of the Enclosure/Power Supply to the O (OFF)

position. Plug the Enclosure / Power Supply line cord into a wall
receptacle. Set the rocker switch of the Enclosure/Power Supply to the I
(ON) position.
Note: Do not plug the Enclosure/Power Supply line cord into the
receptacle of the Power Supply.
* 4. Connect the modules as shown in Figure 1-7.
1-6
SMOOTHING
INDUCTOR
L 1
THREE-PHASE
TRANSFORMER A
+
AC
POWER W/var Y Y E1 dc
SUPPLY
N − COM + − +
i1 - I 1dc B
1 C
SYNC. INPUT
I
2 DN
P.I.D. CONTROLLER CURRENT
9 THYRISTOR SET POINT
FIRING
UNIT + FILTER 1
DC SOURCE
ANGLE + +
CONTROL A
BIPOLAR P 2
INPUT
LIMITER A + −
3
+ FILTER 2
A D
1
SMOOTHING
INDUCTOR
L 2
THREE-PHASE
A TRANSFORMER
+
AC
E 2 dc Y Y W/var POWER
SUPPLY
− N
B
I
CURRENT
MARGIN
1
SYNC. INPUT
DC SOURCE
2
P.I.D. CONTROLLER
THYRISTOR 9
+ FIRING
UNIT
FILTER 1 + + ANGLE
C A CONTROL
2 P BIPOLAR INPUT
- + A LIMITER
3
+
A FILTER 2
D 1
I
LINE L1 L2 E 1 dc E 2 dc I 1 dc i 1dc
VOLTAGE
(Vac) (H) (H) (V) (V) (A) (A)
120 0.8 0.8 300 300 2.5 10
220 3.2 3.2 600 600 1.5 5
240 3.2 3.2 600 600 1.5 5
Figure 1-7. Connection diagram of the Rectifier and Inverter Stations.
1-7
* 5. Make the following settings:
On the THYRISTOR FIRING UNIT (Rectifier Station)
GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

ANGLE CONTROL COMPLEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O
ANGLE CONTROL ARC COSINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
DC SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MINimum
On the THYRISTOR FIRING UNIT (Inverter Station)

DC SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mid-range
On the P.I.D. Controller (Both Stations)
LOW-PASS FILTER #1 CUTOFF FREQUENCY . . . MAXimum

LOW-PASS FILTER #2 CUTOFF FREQUENCY . . 3/4 of range
FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/3 of range
PROPORTIONAL GAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LOW, 1/4 of range
INTEGRAL GAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/2 of range
UPPER LIMIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAXimum
ANTI-RESET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
On the POWER THYRISTORS (Both Stations)
Interconnection switches (both) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
Note: Make sure that switches SW1 and SW2 located on the
printed circuit board of the Thyristor Firing Unit are set to the O
position.
FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN adjustment
* 6. Disconnect the leads at the input of each FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER and

apply a 2 V dc signal using the DC SOURCE located on the Thyristor Firing
Unit. Turn the FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN adjustment to obtain an
output signal of 10 V.
Reconnect the circuit as it was before. Set the DC SOURCE adjustment

knob to its previous position.
Note: The signal levels can be measured using an oscilloscope.
1-8
LOWER LIMITS adjustment
* 7. Open the transmission line by removing the cable between the two
Smoothing Inductors.
* 8. On the Power Supplies, make sure that the voltage control knob is set to
the 0 position, then set the main power switch to the I (ON) position.
* 9. On both Power Supplies, turn the voltage control knob to the 10 position,
or until the firing angle displayed on the Thyristor Firing Units remains
stable.
* 10. On each P.I.D. Controller, turn the LOWER LIMIT knob to obtain an angle
of approximately 155( on the digital readout of each Thyristor Firing Unit.
* 11. On both Power Supplies, set the voltage control knob to the 0 position then
set the main power switch to the O (OFF) position. Complete the
transmission line path by reconnecting the cable between the two
smoothing inductors.
DC transmission line power-up
* 12. Set the IDN set point potentiometer to approximately 2/3 of its range and the
I current margin potentiometer slightly below its mid-range position.
* 13. On both Power Supplies, make sure that the voltage control knob is set to
* 14. Slowly set the voltage control knob of the inverter Power Supply to the 20
position and the voltage control knob of the rectifier Power Supply to the
100 position (20% and 100% of the ac network line voltage). Adjust the IDN
set point to obtain a dc line current as stated in Table 1-1.
LINE
IDN
VOLTAGE
V ac A
120 0.5
220 0.3
240 0.3
Table 1-1. DC current (IDN) on the Transmission Line.
1-9
position while observing the active and reactive power flow on the
instruments. The power should flow over the dc transmission line from the
rectifier station to the inverter station.
* 16. At this point, the dc line current is being controlled by the rectifier in
accordance with the characteristics of Figure 1-6(a). The rectifier firing
angle should change so as to keep constant the dc current on the line. This
can be observed on the digital readout of the rectifier Thyristor Firing Unit.
As for the inverter, the firing angle as indicated by the readout on its
Thyristor Firing Unit always keeps the same value.
* 17. On both Power Supplies, set the control knob to zero and turn off the
power. Turn off both Enclosure / Power Supplies.
CONCLUSION
In this exercise you became familiar with the circuit elements making up a basic dc
transmission line. You also briefly verified its operation.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Give three examples where dc power transmission is preferable to ac.
2. Name the principal components of a dc transmission line.
3. What is the main purpose of the smoothing inductors in the dc transmission line?
1-10
Exercise 2
Manual and Automatic Control of HVDC Power Systems
OBJECTIVE
• To become familiar with the operation of an HVDC line functioning in manual and
automatic control.
DISCUSSION
Exercise 1 explained what would be the minimum arrangement of an HVDC system.

Figure 1-1 shows such an arrangement. In that elementary set-up, an operator
would be called on to monitor the various circuit conditions and adjust the dc current
and power flow of the HVDC line. In the simplest form of control, which is manual,
he would then directly interact with the thyristor converters and "manually" set the
firing angles to obtain the required circuit conditions. This type of control is very
"touchy", and a slight ac voltage change either at the rectifier side or the inverter
side, would result in a very high current change and very large power swings.
With automatic systems however, in most cases the dc line current is kept constant
and corresponds to the value indicated by the IDN operating point in Figure 1-6.
Furthermore in extreme cases, the dc line current will drop to a value slightly lower
than IDN. That new current value is determined by a current margin I which is
subtracted from IDN and usually adjusted to within 10% of the nominal dc line current
value. The power fluctuations are then much less in the automatic mode.
Procedure summary
In the first part of the exercise, you will set up in the Mobile workstations the
equipment required to carry out this experiment. The circuit used in this exercise is
the same as used in Exercise 1 except that the Thyristor Firing Units are now
manually controlled. You will then make the preliminary settings on both Thyristor
Firing Units.
In the second part of this exercise, you will power-up the dc transmission line and
observe the effect of the Rectifier firing angle on the dc line current IDN. Remember
that with the proposed Thyristor Firing Unit configuration, the firing angle is 180(
when the DC SOURCE adjustment knob is fully turned counterclockwise, 90( when
set in the middle position, and 0( when fully turned clockwise. You will also observe
that it is also possible to control the dc line current by varying the Inverter firing
angle.
In the final part of the exercise, you will modify the circuit to implement automatic
control of the dc transmission line. You will study the performance of the system
following voltage variations at the network three-phase ac voltage on the Rectifier
2-1
and Inverter sides. By reducing the three-phase ac line voltage at the Rectifier side,
you will observe that the dc line current IDN will be reduced to I DN-I, the control
being given to the Inverter side.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
PROCEDURE
CAUTION!

* 1. The upper section of Figure 2-1 represents the Rectifier Station while the
lower section represents the Inverter Station. Install the equipment
necessary to realise the Rectifier Station and the Inverter Station in the
Mobile Workstation and the Workstation – 3 Modules. Note that the circuit
used in this exercise is the same as used in Exercise 1 except that the
Thyristor Firing Units are now manually controlled.
* 2. Make sure that the main power switch of both Power Supplies is set to the
O (OFF) position. Connect the Power Supplies to a three-phase wall
receptacle.

position. Plug the Enclosure / Power Supply line cord into a wall
(ON) position.
2-2
SMOOTHING
INDUCTOR
L 1
THREE-PHASE
TRANSFORMER A
+
AC
SUPPLY
N − − +
I 1dc B
1
SYNC. INPUT
2
THYRISTOR 9
FIRING
RECTIFIER UNIT
ANGLE
SET POINT CONTROL
INPUT
DC SOURCE
SMOOTHING
INDUCTOR
L 2
THREE-PHASE
A TRANSFORMER
+
AC
SUPPLY
− N
B
1
SYNC. INPUT
2
THYRISTOR 9
FIRING
INVERTER UNIT
ANGLE
SET POINT CONTROL
INPUT
DC SOURCE
LINE L1 L2 E 1 dc E 2 dc I 1dc
VOLTAGE
(Vac) (H) (H) (V) (V) (A)
120 0.8 0.8 300 300 2.5
220 3.2 3.2 600 600 1.5
240 3.2 3.2 600 600 1.5
Figure 2-1. Connection diagram of the Rectifier and Inverter Stations for manual control.
2-3

DC SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAXimum

position.
stable.
* 9. Set the Inverter firing angle to approximately 155(.
* 10. Set the Rectifier firing angle to minimum.
2-4
* 12. On both Power Supplies, set the main power switch to the I (ON) position.
* 13. Increase the voltage applied to the Inverter to the 70 position (70% of ac
line voltage).
* 14. Increase the voltage applied to the Rectifier to obtain a dc line current as
stated in Table 2-1.
LINE
IDN
VOLTAGE
V ac A
120 0.5
220 0.3
240 0.3
* 15. Slightly change the firing angle of the Rectifier. Does this affect the dc line
current (see Figure 2-2(a))?
* Yes * No
* 16. Varying the Rectifier firing angle, is it possible to increase the dc line
current above the value given in Table 2-1?
* Yes * No
Explain why.
* 17. Examine Figure 2-2 (b). This figure shows that the dc line current can be
increased by increasing the ac voltage applied to the Rectifier.
2-5
E D (V)
§I=155° (Voltage control knob adjusted at 70%)
§R=0°
(Voltage control knob adjusted for I D =1A and §R=0°)
§R>0°
I D (A)
0.5 1 1.5 2
a) Shift of operating point following an increase of firing angle.
E D (V)
§R=0° (Voltage control knob adjusted for I D =2A and §R=0°)
§R=0° (Voltage control knob adjusted for I D =1A and §R=0°)
I (A)
D
0.5 1 1.5 2
b) Shift of operating point following an increase of rectifier ac line voltage.
Figure 2-2. Shift of operating point.
* 18. Set the Rectifier firing angle to minimum. The current should be back to its
previous value. Refer to Table 2-1.
* 19. Increase the Rectifier ac input voltage until the dc line current reaches twice
the value indicated in Table 2-1.
* 20. Observe that you now can control the dc line current over a much wider
range by changing the firing angle of the rectifier.
* 21. Determine the maximum and minimum values of the dc line current IDN by
varying the Rectifier firing angle.
2-6
* 22. Adjust the Rectifier firing angle to set the dc line current to the value given
in Table 2-1.
* 23. Check that for small ac line voltage variations at either the Rectifier side or
the Inverter side, it is possible to maintain the dc line current on the set
point (refer to Table 2-1) by driving the Rectifier Thyristors with the proper
firing angles.
* 24. While reducing the three-phase voltage on the Rectifier side, adjust the
Rectifier firing angle to maintain the dc line current IDN at the value shown
in Table 2-1.
* 25. At what angle on the Rectifier side does it become impossible to maintain
the dc line current at the prescribed value?
* 26. Reduce the three-phase line voltage on the Rectifier side until the dc line
current becomes zero.
What is the value of the active power indicated by the wattmeter connected
to the rectifier.
Prectifier = W
* 27. Slowly decrease the inverter firing angle to again obtain the dc line current
indicated in Table 2-1. The dc line current can now be controlled from the
inverter as shown in Figure 2-3.
* 28. Set the voltage control knob to the 0 position on the Power Supply at the
Rectifier side, and then at the Inverter side. On both Power Supplies, set
the main power switch to the O (OFF) position.
Automatic control of a DC transmission line
* 29. Set-up the circuit as shown in Figure 1-7 and repeat the procedure of
Exercise 1.
* 30. Adjust the dc line current at the value indicated in Table 2-1 by properly
adjusting the IDN set point potentiometer.
2-7
E D (V)
§R = 0° (Voltage control knob adjusted for I D =0A)
I D (A)
0.5 1 1.5 2
a) Operating point for I D =0A
E D (V)
§I = 155° (Voltage control knob adjusted at 70%)

§I < 155° (Voltage control knob adjusted at 70%)
§R = 0°
I D (A)
0.5 1 1.5 2
b) Shift of the operating point following a

decrease of the inverter firing angle.
Figure 2-3. DC line current controlled from inverter
* 31. Slightly vary the ac three-phase voltage alternately at the rectifier or the
inverter and observe the effect on the dc line current. Note your
observations.
2-8
* 32. Decrease the ac voltage applied to the Rectifier until the dc current drops
to a new value. From this point keep decreasing the ac voltage. Does the
dc current change?
* Yes * No
Measure its value: ID =
* 33. Can we now say that the new value of dc current is determined by the
inverter characteristic?
* Yes * No
* 34. On both Power Supplies, set the control knob to zero and turn off the
power. Turn off the Enclosure / Power Supply.
CONCLUSION
In this exercise you verified the operation of a dc transmission line in both the
manual mode and the automatic mode. You observed that it is much easier to
control the active power flowing over the dc transmission line with the automatic
controller.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Is it possible to change the direction of current on the dc transmission line?

Explain.
2. The full load current of a dc transmission line operating at 50 kV is 600 A. Given

a current margin of 10%, evaluate the current flowing in the fault if a short-circuit
occurs on the transmission line.
2-9
2-10
Exercise 3
Power Flow in HVDC Systems
OBJECTIVE
When you have completed this exercise, you will be able to explain how electric
power flows in an HVDC system.
DISCUSSION
Figure 1-6 in Exercise 1 shows the complete Voltage-Current (E-I) characteristics

of an HVDC system for both forward and reverse power flow. As can be seen in
Figure 1-6(b), reverse power flow is obtained when the operating dc voltage
becomes negative without the dc line current changing its direction. That is achieved
by changing the polarity of the I current margin. The inverter E-I characteristic is
then shifted horizontally in the positive direction.
Like large inductors, both the rectifier and inverter absorb reactive power from their
three-phase ac network. However, the reactive power can be varied by changing the
firing angle of their thyristors. If the approximation is made that thyristor switching
is instantaneous, the reactive power can be given by the following equation:
Q = E0 ID sin
where Q is the reactive power [var]

E0 is the maximum value of the dc line voltage ED
E0 = 1.35 ED (ac line-to-line voltage) [V]
ID is the dc line current [A]
is the thyristor firing angle [(]
Figure 3-1 shows the variation of Q versus .
3-1
Q (var)
E 0 ID
0 90 180 § (°)
Figure 3-1. Curve of reactive power Q versus firing angle for constant dc line current.
In the same way the variation of P, the active power, versus is given by the
following equation:
P = E0 ID cos ,
which corresponds to the characteristic shown in Figure 3-2.
Both characteristics show that it is desirable to operate the system with the rectifier
firing angle close to 0( and the inverter firing angle close to 180(.
Procedure summary
In the first part of this exercise you will set up in the Mobile Workstation the
equipment required to carry out this experiment and power-up the dc transmission
line.
In the second part of the exercise, by varying the firing angle at the Rectifier and the
Inverter you will plot the characteristic curves of the active power P and the reactive
power Q with respect to the firing angle at the Rectifier side. To achieve this,
manual control of the transmission line will be necessary. While varying the Rectifier
firing angle, the Inverter firing angle will be adjusted to maintain the dc line current
at the value indicated in Table 3-1.
It will not be possible to plot the entire curve during this exercise. The Inverter firing
angle will reach its minimum before the Rectifier firing angle could reach its
maximum value. However, enough data should be collected to demonstrate how
electric power flows in the dc transmission line.
3-2
P (W)
E 0 ID
0 90 180 § (°)
Figure 3-2. Curve of active power P versus firing angle for constant dc line current.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
PROCEDURE
CAUTION!

* 1. Install the equipment necessary to realise the Rectifier Station and the
Inverter Station in the Mobile Workstation and the Workstation – 3 Modu-
les. Refer to Figure 2-1, Exercise 2.
3-3
* 2. Set the rocker switch of both Enclosure/Power Supply modules to the O

(OFF) position. Plug the Enclosure / Power Supply line cord into a wall
(ON) position.

DC SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAXimum

position.
stable.
* 8. Set the Inverter firing angle to approximately 160(.
3-4
* 9. Set the Rectifier firing angle to minimum.
* 11. On both Power Supplies, set the main power switch to the I (ON) position.
* 12. Increase the voltage applied to the Inverter to the 100 position (100% of ac
line voltage).
* 13. Increase the voltage applied to the Rectifier to the 100 position (100% of ac
line voltage).
* 14. Decrease the voltage applied to the Inverter to obtain a dc line current as
stated in Table 3-1.
LINE
IDN
VOLTAGE
V ac A
120 0.5
220 0.3
240 0.3
Active and reactive power characteristic curves
* 15. You will now plot the characteristic curves of the active power P and the
reactive power Q with respect to the firing angle at the Rectifier side. In
doing so, ensure that the dc line current is kept fixed at the value indicated
in Table 3-1 by adjusting the firing angle at the Inverter side. For various
rectifier firing angles , measure P and Q and record them in Table 3-2.
When the Inverter firing angle reaches minimum, move to the next step
even if Table 3-2 is not completely filled in.
3-5
RECTIFIER INVERTER
P Q P Q
( W var W var
minimum
15
30
45
60
75
90
105
120
135
150
Table 3-2. Active and reactive power versus firing angle.
* 16. Plot your results in Figure 3-3. Compare these curves obtained experi-
mentally with those shown in the discussion. Are they similar?
* 17. Set the voltage control knob to the 0 position on the Power Supply at the
Inverter side, and then at the Reverser side. On both Power Supplies, set
the main power switch to the O (OFF) position.
CONCLUSION
In this exercise, you saw that a thyristor converter can supply as well as receive
active power from the three-phase ac network. You also saw that a thyristor
converter can only absorb reactive power from the ac network.
3-6
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Did the power flow change direction while recording the characteristic
curves? Explain.
2. Assuming the dc transmission line was under automatic control, how would
it be possible to reverse the power flow?
3. When you reverse the power flow on a transmission line (rectifier firing
angles around 90(), does the reactive power vary as much as the active
power? Explain.
4. For optimum power transfer what should be the firing angles at the rectifier
and the inverter stations?
3-7
300
200
Q (var)
100
0
0 45 90 135 180
§ (°)
300
200
100
P (W)
-100
-200
-300
45 90 135 180
§ (°)
Figure 3-3. Relationship of active power P and reactive power Q versus firing angle .
3-8
Exercise 4
Commutation at the Inverter End

of an HVDC Power System
OBJECTIVE
When you have completed this exercise you will be able to explain what are the
commutation and extinction angles of a thyristor, and measure them using an
oscilloscope.
DISCUSSION
As stated previously in Exercise 1, to avoid faulty commutation, a thyristor converter

functioning as an inverter cannot be operated at a firing angle of 180(. In order to
understand thyristor commutation, let's review the fundamental operating principles
of a thyristor.
A thyristor is turned on when:
it is forward biased, i.e. the anode is positive with respect to the cathode, and
a firing signal is applied to the gate.
A thyristor is turned off when:
the anode current is forced to zero, and
a reverse bias is applied across the thyristor, i.e. the anode is made negative
with respect to the cathode, during a certain time called the extinction time.
This reverse bias allows the thyristor to regain its forward blocking capability.
Depending on the circuit conditions, the minimum time over which the bias must be
applied across the thyristor corresponds to an angle that rarely exceeds a few
degrees. For an inverter with a firing angle approaching 180(, both the negative
voltage amplitude and the time of its application become very small. In fact, if is
too close to 180(, the outgoing thyristor may not have sufficient time to commutate
the current to the next thyristor and completely turn off. This would cause a short
circuit across the dc transmission line.
Consequently, due to the time required to commutate the current of an outgoing

thyristor (commutation time) and its extinction time, each thyristor in the inverter
must be fired before the 180( mark, with sufficient lead time to ensure an adequate
safety margin. Depending on circuit conditions, a lead time corresponding to an
angle as high as 30( may be required.
4-1
Procedure summary
In the first part of this exercise you will set up in the Mobile Workstations the
equipment required to carry out this experiment and make the preliminary
adjustments.
In the second part of the exercise you will power-up the dc transmission line.
In the final part of the exercise, you will use the oscilloscope to visualize t1, the
reverse voltage application time (extinction angle) and t2, the commutation time
(commutation angle). You will also observe the effect of changing the dc line current
on t1 and t2. Finally, by varying the firing angle at the Inverter you will observe what
happens when not enough time is given to the thyristor to turn off.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
PROCEDURE
CAUTION!

* 1. Install the equipment necessary to realise the Rectifier Station and the
Inverter Station in the Mobile Workstation and the Workstation – 3
Modules. Refer to Figure 4-1.

position. Plug the Enclosure / Power Supply line cord into a wall receptacle.
Set the rocker switch of the Enclosure/Power Supplies to the I (ON)
position.
4-2
SMOOTHING
INDUCTOR
L 1
THREE-PHASE
TRANSFORMER A
+
AC
SUPPLY
N − COM + − +
i1 - I 1dc B
1
SYNC. INPUT
I
2 DN
P.I.D. CONTROLLER CURRENT
9 THYRISTOR SET POINT
FIRING
UNIT + FILTER 1
DC SOURCE
ANGLE + +
CONTROL A
BIPOLAR P 2
INPUT
LIMITER A + -
3
+ FILTER 2
A
1
SMOOTHING
INDUCTOR POWER
L THYRISTORS
2
A
THREE-PHASE
TRANSFORMER
+
AC
SUPPLY
− N
+
-
e1
COM + COM OSCILLOSCOPE

i2 -
B
CH-1
(X)
CH-2
(Y)
1 EXT. TRIG.
INPUT
SYNC. INPUT
2
I THYRISTOR 9
CURRENT FIRING
ANGLE
MARGIN CONTROL UNIT
INPUT
DC SOURCE
LINE L 1
L 2 E1 dc E 2 dc I1 dc i 1 dc i 2dc e1 dc
VOLTAGE
(Vac) (H) (H) (V) (V) (A) (A) (A) (V)
120 0.8 0.8 300 300 2.5 10 1.0 300
220 3.2 3.2 600 600 1.5 5 0.5 600
240 3.2 3.2 600 600 1.5 5 0.5 600
Figure 4-1. Connection diagram of the Rectifier and Inverter Stations.
4-3

DC SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/3 of range

DC SOURCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/4 of range
position.
On the P.I.D. Controller (Both Stations)
LOW-PASS FILTER #1 CUTOFF FREQUENCY . . . MAXimum

LOW-PASS FILTER #2 CUTOFF FREQUENCY . . 3/4 of range
FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/3 of range
PROPORTIONAL GAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LOW, 1/4 of range
INTEGRAL GAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/2 of range
UPPER LIMIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MAXimum
ANTI-RESET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
On the POWER THYRISTORS (Rectifier)
On the POWER THYRISTORS (Inverter)
Interconnection switch (Upper) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O

Interconnection switch (Lower) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I
Note: Additional wiring may be required to complete the three-

phase thyristor inverter depending on the interconnection
switches configuration on the Power Thyristor module.
On the oscilloscope:
Channel-1 Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 V/DIV. (DC coupled)

Vertical mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHOPped
Time Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 ms/DIV.
Trigger Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CH 2
Trigger Slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . positive (+)
Trigger Coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HF REJection
4-4
FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN adjustment
* 5. Disconnect the leads at the input of each FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER and

apply a 2 V dc signal using the DC SOURCE located on the Thyristor Firing
Unit. Turn the FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN adjustment to obtain an
output signal of 10 V.
Reconnect the circuit as it was before.
Note: The signal levels can be measured using the oscilloscope.
LOWER LIMITS adjustment
* 7. On the Power Supply, make sure that the voltage control knob is set to the
0 position, then set the main power switch to the I (ON) position.
stable.
* 9. On each P.I.D. Controller, turn the LOWER LIMIT knob to obtain an angle
of approximately 155( on the digital readout of each Thyristor Firing Unit.
* 11. Set the IDN set point potentiometer to approximately 2/3 of its range.
position and the voltage control knob of the rectifier Power Supply to the
100 position (20% and 100% of the ac network line voltage). Adjust the IDN
set point to obtain a dc line current as stated in Table 4-1.
4-5
LINE
IDN
VOLTAGE
V ac A
120 0.5
220 0.3
240 0.3
* 14. Slowly set the voltage control knob of the Inverter Power Supply to the 70
position while observing the active and reactive power flow on the
instruments. The power should flow over the dc transmission line from the
Rectifier Station to the Inverter Station.
Extinction and commutation angles of a thyristor
* 15. On the oscilloscope, make the appropriate settings to position the traces
of channels 1 and 2 in the upper and lower halves of the screen
respectively. The commutation time (the time it takes for the thyristor
current to drop to zero) and the reverse voltage application time for that
same thyristor can be observed as highlighted by the window of Figure 4-2.
VOLTAGE
CURRENT
Figure 4-2. Voltage and current waveforms of outgoing thyristor.
4-6
* 16. We will now expand the region comprised within the window. Make the
following adjustments:
On the oscilloscope:

Vertical mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHOPped
Time Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 ms/DIV.
Trigger Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CH 2
Trigger Slope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . negative (-)
Trigger Coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HF REJection
* 17. Pull the 10X Time Base magnifier (calibrated position) and use the
horizontal position adjustment knob to position the traces as shown in
Figure 4-3. You should be able to visualise t1, the reverse voltage
application time (extinction angle), and t2 the commutation time (commu-
tation angle).
* 18. Change the dc line current ID and observe its effect on both t1 and t2.
VOLTAGE
t1
CURRENT
t2
Figure 4-3. Expanded display of thyristor current and voltage waveforms.
4-7
* 19. While keeping ID fixed at the value shown in Table 4-2, slowly increase the
inverter firing angle and observe t1 and t2. As exposed in the Discussion, a
point will be reached where the inverter will not operate properly since not
enough time is allowed for complete turn off of outgoing thyristors. Increase
the angle up to 180(, and describe what happens to the dc line current and
the power flow into the inverter ac source.
LINE
IDN
VOLTAGE
V ac A
120 0.7
220 0.4
240 0.4
* 20. Decrease the inverter firing angle to return to the normal mode. Describe
what happens to the dc line voltage, the dc line current and the ac power
flow.
* 21. On both Power Supplies, set the control knob to zero, the Rectifier first and
then the Inverter. Turn off the power. Turn off the Enclosure / Power
Supply.
CONCLUSION
In this exercise, you measured the commutation time of a switching-off thyristor and
the reverse voltage application time needed to ensure complete turn off. You have
also seen that for proper operation, an inverter must not be fired too close to 180(
angle due to possible faulty commutation.
4-8
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What are the two conditions required to force a thyristor into conduction?
2. What is the condition necessary to interrupt a thyristor from conduction?
3. What do we mean by "commutation time" of a thyristor?
4. Is it true to say that the commutation time of a thyristor is independent of the

circuit conditions? Explain.
4-9
4-10
Appendix A
Circuit Diagram Symbols
Introduction
Various symbols are used in many of the circuit diagrams given in the DISCUSSION
and PROCEDURE sections of this manual. Each symbol is a functional
representation of a device used in power electronics. For example, different symbols
represent a variable-voltage single-phase ac power supply, a three-phase thyristor
bridge, and a synchronous motor/generator. The use of these symbols greatly
simplifies the circuit diagrams, by reducing the number of interconnections shown,
and makes it easier to understand operation.
For each symbol used in this and other manuals of the Lab-Volt Power Electronics
series, this appendix gives the name of the device which the symbol represents and
a diagram showing the equipment, and in some cases the connections, required to
obtain the device. Notice that the terminals of each symbol are identified using
encircled numbers. Identical encircled numbers identify the corresponding terminals
in the equipment and connections diagram.
SYMBOL EQUIPMENT AND CONNECTIONS
1
8 1
POWER
SUPPLY
(8821)
N 2
2
FIXED-VOLTAGE
DC POWER SUPPLY
1
7 1
POWER
SUPPLY
(8821)
N 2
2
VARIABLE-VOLTAGE
DC POWER SUPPLY
A-1
POWER
SUPPLY
(8821)
N
TANDEM
RHEOSTATS
(8737)
1 3 4 6
2 5
- +
I 1 dc
DC MOTOR / GENERATOR
(8211)
1 1 1 5
SHUNT
E
2 2 2 6
REVERSIBLE
DC POWER SUPPLY
FOUR-POLE SQUIRREL-CAGE
INDUCTION MOTOR
(8221)
1 1 4
POWER
SUPPLY 2 2 5
(8821)
3 3 6
LINE IF dc
VOLTAGE
(Vac) (mA)
120 500
220 300
240 300
A-2
1
1 1
AC POWER
POWER SUPPLY
SUPPLY (8821)
N N 2
2
FIXED-VOLTAGE * Note: Terminal 2 or 3

AC POWER SUPPLY can also be used.
1
4 1
POWER
SUPPLY
(8821)
N N 2
2
VARIABLE-VOLTAGE * Note: Terminal 5 or 6

AC POWER SUPPLY can also be used.
1
1 1
2
POWER 2 2
SUPPLY
(8821) 3 3
N
3 4
N
4
FIXED-VOLTAGE THREE-PHASE
AC POWER SUPPLY
1
4 1
2 POWER 5 2
SUPPLY
(8821) 6 3
N
3 4
N
4
VARIABLE-VOLTAGE THREE-PHASE
AC POWER SUPPLY
A-3
DC
+ - VOLTMETER/
1 I 1 dc 2 1 A* - 2
AMMETER
(8412-1)
DC AMMETER * Note: Select the terminal which

corresponds to the desired scale.
DC
+ - VOLTMETER/
1 E 1 dc 2 1 V* - 2
AMMETER
(8412-1)
DC VOLTMETER * Note: Select the terminal which

AC
1 I ac
1 2 1 A* AMMETER ± 2
(8425)
AC AMMETER * Note: Select the terminal which

AC
1 E ac
1 2 1 V* VOLTMETER ± 2
(8426)
AC VOLTMETER * Note: Select the terminal which

1 3
1 1 4 3
THREE-PHASE
W 2 2
WATTMETER / 5 4
VARMETER
* 3 (8446) 6 *
2 4
SINGLE-PHASE * Note: These terminals are not used.

WATTMETER
A-4
1 4
1 1 4 4
THREE-PHASE
2 W/var 5 2 2
WATTMETER / 5 5
VARMETER
3 3 (8446) 6 6
3 6
THREE-PHASE
WATTMETER / VARMETER
± 1 ± * 0-±10 V
CURRENT
OUTPUT
I1 3 INPUT ISOLATOR OUTPUT 3
(9050)
COM. 2 COM.
CURRENT ISOLATOR * Note: Select the terminal which

± 1 ±* 0-±10 V
VOLTAGE
OUTPUT
E1 3 INPUT ISOLATOR OUTPUT 3
(9051)
COM. 2 COM.
VOLTAGE ISOLATOR * Note: Select the terminal which

A-5
1
±
1 ± *
I1
I INPUT
COM.
2 2 COM. 0-±10 V
CURRENT/
OUTPUT VOLTAGE
5 OUTPUT 5
ISOLATOR
(9056)
3 3 ± *
±
E INPUT
E
1
4 COM.
COM.
4
* Note: Select the terminal which

CURRENT/VOLTAGE
ISOLATOR
FOUR-POLE SQUIRREL-CAGE
INDUCTION MOTOR
(8221)
1
1 1 4
SQUIRREL-
2 CAGE 5
2 2
INDUCTION
MOTOR
3 3 6
3
SQUIRREL-CAGE
INDUCTION MOTOR
1
WOUND-ROTOR
WOUND-
ROTOR INDUCTION MOTOR
2
INDUCTION (8231)
MOTOR
3
1 1 4 7 4
2 2 5 N 8 5
3 3 6 9 6
4 5 6
WOUND-ROTOR
INDUCTION MOTOR
A-6
DC MOTOR / GENERATOR
(8211)
1 1 2 2
SHUNT
5 6 7 8
DC
INDEPENDENT-
1 2
FIELD +
MOTOR 8
I F dc
POWER
DC INDEPENDENT-FIELD SUPPLY
-
MOTOR (8821)
N
LINE IF dc
VOLTAGE
(Vac) (mA)
120 500
220 300
240 300
SYNCHRONOUS
MOTOR / GENERATOR
(8241)
1
1 1 4
SYNCHRONOUS
2 2 2 5
MOTOR
3 3 6
3
4 5 7 8
SYNCHRONOUS
MOTOR
4 5
±
SPEED
TACHO GEN. SENSOR /
1 S 2 1 TACHO GENERATOR
INPUT
OUTPUT 2
TACHOMETER
(8931)
SPEED SENSOR /
TACHOMETER
A-7
2
2
ELECTRO- ELECTRODYNAMOMETER
1 1 SUPPLY
DYNAMOMETER (8911)
3
3
ELECTRODYNAMOMETER
THREE-PHASE TRANSFORMER (8348)
1 1 3 5
1 5
2 5
2 Y Y 6
2 6 8 6
3 7
7 10
4 8
3 11 13 7
Y-Y THREE-PHASE
TRANSFORMER
4 12 15 8
THREE-PHASE TRANSFORMER (8348)
1 1 4 4
1 4
2 5
2 Y 5 2 6 9 5
3 6
7 10
-Y THREE-PHASE
TRANSFORMER 3 11 14 6
12 15
A-8
POWER DIODES (8842)
1 4 D1 D2 D3
1
2
2
3 5 3
D4 D5 D6
THREE-PHASE
DIODE RECTIFIER 5
POWER DIODES (8842)
1 4 D1 D2 D3
1
2
2
3 5 3
D4 D5 D6
THREE-PHASE
DIODE RECTIFIER 4
POWER THYRISTORS (8841)
1 4 Q Q2 Q3
1
1
2
2
3 5 3
Q4 Q5 Q6
5
6
FIRING
THREE-PHASE CONTROL
9
THYRISTOR BRIDGE INPUTS
A-9
POWER THYRISTORS (8841)
1 4 Q Q2 Q3
1
1
2
2
3 5 3
Q4 Q5 Q6
4
6
FIRING
THREE-PHASE CONTROL
9
THYRISTOR BRIDGE INPUTS
MOSFET CHOPPER / INVERTER (8837)
1 3
1 3
BUCK
Q
1
D4
2 4
2 4
SWITCHING SWITCHING
CONTROL 9 CONTROL
5 INPUT 4 INPUTS
5
BUCK
CHOPPER
1 3
1 3 D1
BOOST
Q4
2 4
2 4
SWITCHING SWITCHING
CONTROL 9 CONTROL
5 INPUT 1 INPUTS
5
BOOST
CHOPPER
A-10
D1
1 3 1 3
BUCK/
BOOST
Q4
Q
1
D4
2 4
2 4
SWITCHING
5
9 CONTROL
INPUTS
BUCK/BOOST 5
CHOPPER
1
Q Q2
1
D D2
1
1 4 3
QUADRANTS
3
2 4 4
Q4 Q5
D4 D5
5
2
FOUR-QUADRANT
CHOPPER SWITCHING
9 CONTROL
INPUTS
5
1
Q Q2 Q3
1
D D2 D3
1
1 3
VSI
3
4
4
2 5 5
Q4 Q5 Q6
D4 D5 D6
6
2
VOLTAGE-SOURCE
INVERTER (VSI) SWITCHING
9 CONTROL
INPUTS
6
A-11
A-12
Appendix B
Impedance Table for the Load Modules
The following table gives impedance values which can be obtained using either the
Resistive Load, Model 8311, the Inductive Load, Model 8321, or the Capacitive
Load, Model 8331. Figure B-1 shows the load elements and connections. Other
parallel combinations can be used to obtain the same impedance values listed.
IMPEDANCE (6) SWITCH POSITIONS FOR LOAD ELEMENTS

120 V 220 V 240 V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
60 Hz 50 Hz 50 Hz
1200 4400 4800 I

600 2200 2400 I
300 1100 1200 I
400 1467 1600 I I
240 880 960 I I
200 733 800 I I
171 629 686 I I I
150 550 600 I I I I
133 489 533 I I I I
120 440 480 I I I
109 400 436 I I I I
100 367 400 I I I I I
92 338 369 I I I I I
86 314 343 I I I I I I
80 293 320 I I I I I I I
75 275 300 I I I I I I I
71 259 282 I I I I I I
67 244 267 I I I I I I I
63 232 253 I I I I I I I I
60 220 240 I I I I I I I I
57 210 229 I I I I I I I I I
Table B-1. Impedance table for the load modules.
B-13
Impedance Table for the Load Modules
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Figure B-1. Location of the load elements.
B-14
Appendix C
Equipment Utilization Chart
The following Lab-Volt equipment is required to perform the exercises in this

manual. Quantities in shaded areas indicate that two student groups can collaborate
to perform the exercises. If so, the second model or the third model (and
single 8131) is required only for stand-alone installation.
EQUIPMENT EXERCISE
MODEL DESCRIPTION 1 2 3 4
8110 Mobile Workstation 1 1 1 1
8131 Workstation - 3 Modules 1 1 1 1
8325-1X Smoothing Inductors 1 1 1 1
8348 Three-Phase Transformer 2 2 2 2
8412-1X DC Voltmeter / Ammeter 2 2 2 2
8446-1X Three-Phase Wattmeter / Varmeter 2 2 2 2
8821-2X Power Supply 2 2 2 2
8840 Enclosure / Power Supply 1 1 1 1
8841-2X Power Thyristors 2 2 2 2
8951 Connection Leads and Accessories 1 1 1 1
9030-3X Thyristor Firing Unit 2 2 2 2
9034 P.I.D. Controller 2 2 1
9056-1X Current/Voltage Isolator 1 1 1 2
Additional Equipment
Completion of exercises 1, 2, and 4 in this manual requires a dual-trace oscillo-

scope, Lab-Volt Model 797 or equivalent.
C-1
C-2
Bibliography
Bühler, H. Électronique de puissance, 2e édition, Paris: Éditions Georgi, 1981.
ISBN 2-604-00017-2
Leonhard, W. Control of Electrical Drives, Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1985.

ISBN 3-540-13650-9
Séguier, Guy. L'électronique de puissance, 4e édition, Paris: Dunod, 1979.

ISBN 2-04-010821-1
Various authors. SCR Manual Including Triacs and other Thyristors, 6th edition,
New York: General Electric Company, 1979.
Wildi, Theodore. Electrical Machines, Drives, and Power Systems , 2nd edition,
New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1991.
ISBN 0-13-251547-4
POWER ELECTRONICS
HVDC POWER SYSTEMS
29975-00
First Edition: December 1992
Printed: December 2001
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Power Electronics

HVDC Power Systems

HVDC POWER SYSTEMS

Copyright © 1992 Lab-Volt Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro-

Legal Deposit — Fourth Trimester 1992

FIRST EDITION, DECEMBER 1992

Semiconductor technology has long influenced developments in low-power

We sincerely thank Mr Theodore Wildi, Professor Emeritus of

Exercise 1 Introduction to HVDC Power System Control

Start-up procedure of an HVDC power system equipped with current

Exercise 2 Manual and Automatic Control of HVDC Power Systems

Manual and automatic control of an HVDC power system. Effect of ac

Exercise 3 Power Flow in HVDC Systems

Active and reactive power flow versus the firing angle.

Exercise 4 Commutation at the Inverter End of an HVDC Power System

The extinction and commutation angles of thyristors used in an

Appendices A Circuit Diagram Symbols Versus the

Introduction to HVDC Power System Control

• To understand the basic operating principles of High Voltage Direct Current

Operating principles of a dc system are relatively simple. As shown in Figure 1-1,

1) a static converter to rectify ac into dc (rectifier station),

Figure 1-1. Diagram of a Basic HVDC System.

Figure 1-2(a) shows the voltage-current characteristic curves of a thyristor converter

where E S = line-to-line voltage (V ac)

a) Thyristor converter b) Rectifier-inverter pair

Figure 1-2. Voltage-current characteristics.

Figure 1-3. Rectifier-inverter characteristics.

Such a control scheme would unfortunately tend to produce unstable operation.

Power flow on HVDC lines can be reversed as well as on ac transmission lines. In

Figure 1-4. Rectifier current regulation.

Figure 1-5. Inverter current regulation.

Figure 1-6. Complete HVDC system characteristics.

On the P.I.D. Controllers, the FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER is used to increase the

High voltages are present in this laboratory exercise! Do not make

Setting up the equipment

* 3. Set the rocker switch of the Enclosure/Power Supply to the O (OFF)

* 4. Connect the modules as shown in Figure 1-7.

Figure 1-7. Connection diagram of the Rectifier and Inverter Stations.

* 5. Make the following settings:

On the THYRISTOR FIRING UNIT (Rectifier Station)

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

On the THYRISTOR FIRING UNIT (Inverter Station)

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

On the P.I.D. Controller (Both Stations)

LOW-PASS FILTER #1 CUTOFF FREQUENCY . . . MAXimum

On the POWER THYRISTORS (Both Stations)

Interconnection switches (both) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I

FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER GAIN adjustment

* 6. Disconnect the leads at the input of each FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER and

Reconnect the circuit as it was before. Set the DC SOURCE adjustment

Note: The signal levels can be measured using an oscilloscope.

LOWER LIMITS adjustment

DC transmission line power-up

Table 1-1. DC current (IDN) on the Transmission Line.

1. Give three examples where dc power transmission is preferable to ac.

2. Name the principal components of a dc transmission line.

Manual and Automatic Control of HVDC Power Systems

Exercise 1 explained what would be the minimum arrangement of an HVDC system.

High voltages are present in this laboratory exercise! Do not make

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Figure 3-1 shows the variation of Q versus .

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

GATE CONTROL MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3