Comparisons and Improvements of Key Operating Characteristics of Current Source Converter Applied in HVDC System

Because of its controlled power factor and no commutation failure, current source converter (CSC) made up of reverse-blocking IGCTs (RB-IGCTs) offers broad application prospects in the field of HVDC system. Valve voltage and power operating range as the most important operating characteristics should be paid attention to but they are always contradictory. First, the relationship between valve voltage and modulation index is obtained. In particular, valve voltage of converter under the three typical modulation methods is compared, analyzed, and verified. Second, with the help of the independent control strategy and coordinated control strategy of both ends, power operating ranges of the three modulation methods are comprehensively analyzed and compared. Third, in order to solve power coupling at a low active power, the improved coordination control strategy at both ends in this paper is proposed and the relationships among active power, reactive power, DC current and phase angle difference are given in detail. Finally, a 500 kV/3 kA simulation system was built in PSCAD/EMTDC to obtain comparison results of the key operating characteristics of CSC under different modulation methods and the converter can realize unity power operation under random active power after adopting the improved coordinated control strategy, and DC current does not decrease to zero, verifying effectiveness of the coordinated control strategy.