Power flow and transmission loss analysis of modular multi-level converter based multi-terminal high-voltage DC systems

• Published in: IET renewable power generation Vol. 10; no. 6; pp. 767 - 775
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yuanze, Ravishankar, Jayashri, Fletcher, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Institution of Engineering and Technology 01.07.2016
• Subjects: Converters; Electric power transmission; Exchange; Flexibility; grid topologies; HVDC power convertors; HVDC power transmission; HVDC systems; interconnected voltage‐source converter; load flow; Mathematical analysis; modular multilevel converter; multiterminal high‐voltage DC systems; multiterminal HVDC transmission; Power flow; Special Issue: DC and HVDC System Technologies; system redundancy; Topology; transmission line losses; Transmission loss; transmission loss analysis; voltage‐power droop control based algorithm; grid topologies; HVDC power convertors; transmission line losses; power flow; voltage-power droop control based algorithm; transmission loss analysis; multiterminal high-voltage DC systems; system redundancy; multiterminal HVDC transmission; HVDC power transmission; modular multilevel converter; HVDC systems; load flow; interconnected voltage-source converter
• ISSN: 1752-1416; 1752-1424
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-rpg.2015.0449

Interconnected voltage-source converter based multi-terminal high-voltage DC (HVDC) systems provide better system redundancy, higher flexibility and capability of exchanging power between multiple areas. Recent developments in modular multi-level converter technology makes multi-terminal HVDC (MTDC) transmission more promising than before. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the power flow and transmission loss for MTDC systems with different grid topologies. A voltage–power droop control based algorithm is applied to solve the power flow problems. The main contribution of this study is the novel way of determining and calculating the transmission line losses for different MTDC network topology configurations. Three MTDC system topologies are investigated. Simulated case studies are used to observe the system power flow and transmission losses for all three topologies.