AC-DC power system analysis [Book Review]

The power industry throughout the world is looking for ways to increase the capacity of transmission paths as well as means that allow better control of power flow on existing transmission equipment. One means that is becoming more prevalent is the use of d c transmission. AC-DC Power System Analysis, a book published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers QEE), UK, as part of their Power and Energy Series, continues a fine tradition of textbooks on power system analysis from Canterbury, New Zealand [ 1,2]. The text deals with analytical methods for the analysis of power systems that contain ac-dc converters and inverters. In particular, the book's main emphasis is on the use of these techniques for system studies where the power system contains or is influenced by ac-dc converters. The techniques covered include power flow (both conventional positive sequence and three phase power flow), harmonic analysis, analysis of the switching circuits using electromagnetic transient simulation software, and electromechanical stability analysis. In addition, the authors provide a complete set of appendices that cover the necessary numerical analysis background. The topics are all aimed at giving the reader an understanding of the methods necessary for the analysis of a c d c power system components. These methods are necessary if engineers are to properly design the a c d c converters, the necessary equipment that must be added outside the converters, and the effects of t h e s e converters on the remainder of the system. The first and second chapters start by introducing the reader to circuits with controlled " valves " that are drawn as diodes but have the important prop erty of having their " firing " controlled by an external signal. The second chapter C Power System Anc shows how the valves are connected and " fired " so as to effect either a rectifi-cation from acto dc or inversion from dc to ac. This is done for both balanced and unbalanced conditions. The reader is introduced t o the harmonic analysis problem that must be dealt with in any circuitry with switching elements. Chapter three begins the introduction of the numerical methods necessary to carry out the simulation of the a c d c converters within a conventional power flow. Common power flow numerical techniques such as Newton-Raphson and Decoupled Newton methods are used, but in quite different ways for analysis of voltages and currents …