• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.1109-1118
• /
• 2014

A Fundamental Frequency Sorting Algorithm (FFSA) is proposed in this paper to balance the voltages of floating dc capacitors for Modular Multilevel Converters (MMCs). The main idea is to change the sequences of the CPS-PWM carriers according to the capacitor voltage increments during the previous fundamental period. Excessive frequent sorting is avoided and many calculating resources are saved for the controller. As a result, more sub-modules can be dealt with. Furthermore, it does not need to measure the arm currents. Therefore, the communication between the controllers can be simplified and the number of current sensors can be reduced. Moreover, the proposed balancing method guarantees that all of the switching frequencies of the sub-modules are equal to each other. This is quite beneficial for the thermal design of the sub-modules and the lifetime of the power switches. Simulation and experimental results acquired from a 9-level prototype verify the viability of the proposed balancing method.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.942-952
• /
• 2017

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) have been receiving extensive research interest in high/medium-voltage applications due to its modularity, scalability, reliability, high-voltage capability, and excellent harmonic performance. Submodule capacitors are usually rather bulky because they have to withstand fundamental frequency voltage fluctuations. To reduce the capacitance of these capacitors, this study proposes a modified MMC with an active power decoupling circuit within each submodule. The modified submodule contains an auxiliary half bridge, with its capacitor split in two. Also, the midpoints of the half bridge and the split capacitors are connected by an inductor. With this modified submodule, the fundamental frequency voltage fluctuation can be suppressed to a great extent. The second-order voltage fluctuation, which is the second most significant component in submodule voltage fluctuations, is removed by the proper control of the second-order circulating current. Consequently, the submodule capacitance is significantly reduced. The viability and effectiveness of the proposed new MMC are confirmed by the simulation and experimental results. The proposed MMC is best suited for medium-voltage applications where power density is given a high priority.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2016.11a
• /
• pp.7-8
• /
• 2016

본 논문에서는 모듈형 멀티레벨 컨버터 (Modular Multilevel Converter ; MMC) 고압 직류 송전 (High Voltage Direct Current ; HVDC) 시스템의 순환전류 성분을 제어하기 위해 VPI (Vector Proportional Integral) 제어기를 적용한 순환전류 제어 기법을 제안하였다. 제안한 방식은 기존의 준공진 (Quasi-Resonant) 제어기를 적용한 방식과 비교하여 계통 주파수 변동에 강인하고 넓은 공진 대역폭 선정이 용이한 장점을 갖는다. 제안한 순환전류 제어기의 성능은 기존의 준공진 제어기를 적용한 기법과 계통 전압 단상지락 및 계통 주파수 변동 상황에서 시뮬레이션을 통하여 비교 검증하였다.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2020.08a
• /
• pp.253-254
• /
• 2020

High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) 시스템은 고압 직류송전을 위한 시스템이다. 고압 직류 송전을 위해서는 전력변환기가 교류전력을 직류전력으로 변환해주어야 하는데, 최근에는 모듈형 멀티레벨 컨버터(Modular Multilevel Converter, MMC)가 많이 적용되고 있다. MMC는 다수의 서브모듈이 직렬로 구성되어 있으며 DC-link단에 대용량 커패시터가 없다. MMC의 심각한 사고 중에 하나는 DC측 전력케이블의 단락사고로 시스템에 따라서 수십 kA 정도의 사고전류가 AC측 CB(Circuit Breaker)가 열리기 전까지 수십 ms에서 수백 ms동안 흐른다. 만약 하프브릿지 회로의 서브모듈로 구성된 컨버터에 별도 보호장치가 없으면 단락전류는 서브모듈의 하단 다이오드를 통해서 흐르게 되어 소손되게 된다. 이를 방지하기 위해 단락전류를 바이패스(by-pass) 시키기 위한 별도의 사이리스터를 추가하는데 이 기기의 사양은 DC 단락 전류를 충분히 견딜 수 있어야 한다. 본 논문에서는 사이리스터의 서지 전류 내력을 평가하기 위해 사양을 분석하고 시뮬레이션과 실험을 통해서 검증하였다.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2014.11a
• /
• pp.99-100
• /
• 2014

전압형 HVDC(High Voltage Direct Current)는 현재 차세대 전력망으로써 각광을 받고 있고 그에 대한 연구가 활발하게 진행 중이다. 많은 논문에서 모듈형 멀티레벨 컨버터(Modular Multilevel Converter, MMC)의 제어 및 보호 방안에 대하여 기술하지만 운영적인 시퀀스 측면에 있어서는 아직 많은 연구가 진행되지 않고 있다. 이에 본 논문은 전압형 HVDC의 AC Yard, DC Yard 및 상위 제어기에 관한 구동 시퀀스에 대하여 기술하고자 한다.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
• /
• 2019.07a
• /
• pp.350-351
• /
• 2019

High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) 시스템은 고압 직류 송전을 위한 시스템이다. 고압 직류 송전을 위해서는 전력변환기가 교류전력을 직류전력으로 변환해주어야 하는데, 최근에는 모듈형 멀티레벨 컨버터(Modular Multilevel Converter, MMC)가 많이 적용되고 있다. 모듈형 멀티레벨 컨버터는 단위 서브모듈이 직렬로 구성되어야 하는데 기구적으로 하나의 밸브 구조물에 6개의 서브모듈이 일정한 간격을 두고 위치하게 된다. 모듈형 멀티레벨 컨버터의 특징 중에 하나는 예비모듈이 구성되어 가용율을 높일 수 있다는 것이다. 본 논문에서는 서브모듈의 IGBT 폭파에 의해 발생되는 플라즈마가 주변 서브모듈에 도달해 절연파괴를 발생시키는지 확인하였다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.65-71
• /
• 2020

Recently, interest in the DC transmission is rapidly increasing worldwide. In many countries and leading companies are prior to the aggressive development of HVDC technology and application. Especially, VSC-HVDC system has been widely applied to transfer power at long distance between power plant and power consumption area. Therefore in this paper, we analyzed the benefit-cost of VSC-HVDC system which has more advantages than existing transmission system. The proposed system is MMC(Modular Multilevel Converter) VSC-HVDC system that have stability of Power Grid, interconnect Large-scale New Power Generation Plants by prevents Blackout. And MMC VSC-HVDC system Reduced the loss importing foreign systems. And the benefits were calculated in four stages, and the costs were applied to the actual project. By evaluating the various avoidance costs compared to the benefit-cost, it was confirmed that MMC VSC-HVDC system was advantageous in system stability and economic and social benefits.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.204-211
• /
• 2018

At present, one of two LCC-HVDC systems is responsible for controlling the grid frequency of the Jeju Island Power System (JIPS). The grid voltage is regulated by using STATCOMs. However, these two objectives can be achieved in one device that is called by a modular multilevel converter-high voltage direct current (MMC-HVDC) system. Therefore, this paper proposes frequency and voltage control strategies for the JIPS based on a MMC-HVDC system. In this case, the ancillary frequency and voltage controllers are implemented into the MMC-HVDC system. The modelling of the JIPS is done based on the parameters and measured data from the real JIPS. The simulation results obtained from the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation program are confirmed by comparing them to measured data from the real JIPS. Then, the effect of the MMC-HVDC system on the JIPS will be tested in many cases of operation when the JIPS operates with and without STATCOMs. The objective is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.82-88
• /
• 2017

This study proposes a new topology for the performance test of a valve consisting of a modular multilevel converter (MMC)-based static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). The conventional valve performance test equipment requires high-voltage AC source of several kV rating because the number of submodules to be tested in a valve should be at least six or eight. However, the power source of the proposed scheme is DC and not AC source. The DC power source voltage range of the proposed test circuit is from several volts to several tens of volts. Therefore, the size and cost for the performance test equipment can be reduced considerably compared with the conventional method. The proposed scheme satisfies the requirements of the IEC 62927 standard. Simulations are conducted for a valve of 50[MVA] MMC-based STATCOM. Experimental results with a scale-downed setup show the validity of the proposed performance test topology.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.9 no.5
• /
• pp.1471-1481
• /
• 2014

This paper presents the new power dissipation model of individual switching device in a high-level modular multilevel converter (MMC), which can be mostly used in voltage sourced converter (VSC) based high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system and flexible AC transmission system (FACTS). Also, the voltage balancing method based on sorting algorithm is newly proposed to advance the MMC functionalities by effectively adjusting switching variations of the sub-module (SM). The proposed power dissipation model does not fully calculate the average power dissipation for numerous switching devices in an arm module. Instead, it estimates the power dissipation of every switching element based on the inherent operational principle of SM in MMC. In other words, the power dissipation is computed in every single switching event by using the polynomial curve fitting model with minimum computational efforts and high accuracy, which are required to manage the large number of SMs. After estimating the value of power dissipation, the thermal condition of every switching element is considered in the case of external disturbance. Then, the arm modeling for high-level MMC and its control scheme is implemented with the electromagnetic transient simulation program. Finally, the case study for applying to the MMC based HVDC system is carried out to select the appropriate insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module in a steady-state, as well as to estimate the proper thermal condition of every switching element in a transient state.