Influence of Smoothing Reacteor Arrangement on

Transients of converter station for 500kV Doublecircuit HVDC System

Manling DONG, Shijun XIE,Dandan ZHANG,
Hengxing HE, Minghui BAO, Junjia HE

China Southern Power Grid Technology Research Centre

College of Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Guangzhou, China.

Huazhong University of Science & Technology

Email: huangying@csg.cn

Ying HUANG, Xiaolin LI, Zongyuan CAI

Wuhan, China
Email: dongmanling0211@163.com
AbstractFor HVDC transmission system, the smoothing reactor

station equipment, manufacturing difficult and high cost. And

has two structural types; oil-immersed core reactor and air-core

if the insulation level was too low, it will result in the

reactor. The former needs to concentrate installed on DC-line,

increased failure rate, loss enhanced and high cost for

and the latter can be arranged flexibly on both pole line and

maintenance, all of these will result in great dissipation on

neutral line. According to the different arrangements of

economy. So the principle of converter station design is that

smoothing reactors, the system steady-state performance and

choosing the insulation level properly [1].

over-voltage of converter station have some difference. In this

paper, the influence of different smoothing reactor arrangements
on the system steady-state performance and converter station
over-voltage performance of Xiluodu-Guangdong 500kV
double-circuit HVDC project is analyzed by using ATP/EMTP.
A reasonable arrangement of smoothing reactor is proposed,
which aims at both maintaining reliability and reducing costs.
KEY words- smoothing reactor; arrangement methods of
smoothing reactor; overvoltage; insulation coordination

I.

INTRODUCTION

In

research

of

operational

characteristics

and

electromagnetic transient overvoltage of the HVDC system, it

not only needs to determine the parameters and the connection
mode of system, but also need to consider the arrangement
method of smoothing reactor. This is because the smoothing
reactor, as an important component of main circuit, plays an
important role, such as restraint DC-current system pulsation;
prevent the impulse steep wave invade into valve hall; limit the
fault current increase rate and so on

[2]

. And for the HVDC

system, the smoothing reactor has two structural types; oilimmersed core reactor and dry-type air-core reactor. Dry-type

For HVDC systems, it is particularly important to ensure

air-core reactor has good arrangement flexibility; it can be

the stability of system operation and the relevance equipment

installed on polar lines, and also be installed on neutral line.

security. Converter station, as the heart of DC transmission

But for the installation of oil-immersed core reactor, it needs to

system, its main function is to realize electrical energy

complete the construction of base sump, firewalls and other

transformation of the AC-power to DC-power, and the

construction facilities at the same time. So oil-immersed core

stability of converter station directly determines the safety and

reactor has poor arrangement flexibility and it is usually

reliability of HVDC system. Optimization of HVDC system

installed on polar lines intently

over-voltage protection and selection of the appropriate

corresponding to different arrangements of smoothing reactor.

insulation level of converter station are the foundation of

And the different arrangements will affect the steady-state

converter station design and manufacture. If the insulation

operation performance of HVDC system and the over-voltage

level was too high, it will result in the oversize of converter

of converter station. So it needs to select a reasonable

Project Supported by Key Project of the National Eleventh-Five Year

Research Program of China (2006BAA02A21)

978-1-4244-6551-4/10/$26.00 2010 IEEE

[3-4]

. Therefore, it is

arrangement of smoothing reactor and to optimize system

the result of the main circuit study. There are two types of

over-voltage. And it will be a good guide to determine the

smoothing reactors to be chosen, these are air-core reactor and

suitable insulation level of converter station and to optimize

oil-immersed core reactor. For air-core reactor, the inductance

the design of converter station.

value of each reactor is usually small. Under normal

In this paper, take Xiluodu-Guangdong 500kV doublecircuit HVDC project as an example, study the impact of
different arrangements smoothing reactor on the system
steady-state performance and over-voltage of converter
station. Through analyzing and researching, it would give a
reasonable arrangement of smoothing reactor, to ensure that
the system has good performance and to meet the optimum
design and economic.

conditions, when the DC current value of 3000A, the

inductance value of each reactor is generally no more than
100mH. Currently in actual engineering, there are usually two
inductance values of 75mH and 100mH for each air-core
reactor. And for oil-immersed core reactor, as with iron core,
the inductance value of each reactor is easy to enhance and
can be up to 300mH. So the paper mainly studies the
following three arrangements of smoothing reactor:

1 Using oil-immersed core reactor, the smoothing reactor

II.

500KV DOUBLE-CIRCUIT HVDC SYSTEMS

For Xiluodu-Guangzhou 500kV HVDC transmission

of 300mH is concentrated installed on DC pole bus (i.e.

P300+N0 scheme)

project, the Rectifier converter station plans to built in YanJin

2 Using air-core reactors, 4 air core reactors (75mH for

region of Yunnan Province; the Inverter converter station

each) are necessary for meeting the requirement of double-

plans to built in CongHua region of Guangdong Province

circuit HVDC system. 4 air-core reactors are split into the 2

(shown in Fig.1). And the system will adopt double-circuit

pole bus reactors and 2 neutral bus reactors. (i.e. P150+N150

transmission mode and converter station with 12 Pulse Bridge.

scheme)

Transmission power of double-circuit system is 2

3 Using air-core reactors of 100mH, an asymmetric

3200MW; rated operating voltage is 500kV; rated operating

arrangement of smoothing reactors has been adopted. 1 air-

current is 3200A; DC line is about 1286km. The system will

core reactor of 100mH is installed on DC pole bus, and 2 air-

adopt Neutral-point grounding at both ends of operating mode.

core reactors of 100mH (200mH in total) are installed on

In YanJin region will build a new DC Ground Station with

neutral bus. (i.e. P100+N200 scheme)

124km-long grounding-wire; and the other DC Ground

Station will build in CongHua region of Guangdong Province,
with 147 km-long grounding-wire.

IV.

INFLUENCE OF SMOOTHING REACTOR ARRANGEMENT

METHODS ON THE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND OVER-VOLTAGE

OF CONVERTER STATION

A. Arrangements of smoothing reactor Effect on the SteadyState Characteristics of the System

When the system adopt the schemes of smoothing reactors
installed on the pole bus and neutral bus separately (i.e.
P150+N150 scheme and P100+N200 scheme), it will produce
a harmonic voltage for the current crossing the neutral bus
Fig.1 High tension corridor of Xiluodu-Guangzhou 500kV Doublecircuit HVDC

III.

ARRANGEMENT METHODS OF SMOOTHING REACTOR

For the Xiluodu-Guangzhou 500kV HVDC transmission

project, the 300mH smoothing reactor is needed depending on

reactor. This harmonic voltage of neutral bus reactor has the

opposite direction with the harmonic voltage for the current
crossing the pole bus reactor. So it would lead to a different
voltage distribution of converter station. And it is necessary to

study the impact of the system that caused by different

arrangements of smoothing reactor.

Tab.1 Arrangements of smoothing reactor impact on Test Points PCOV

Converter
station

Test Point

PCOV(kV)

Xiluodu-Guangdong 500kV double-circuit

P300+N0

P150+N150

P100+N200

5(A-phase)

586.58

587.68

590.94

HVDC project as a research subject, the steady-state system

6(A-phase)

301.01

312.99

320.77

with different arrangements of smoothing reactor has been

292.51

289.68

288.74

Using

YanJin

0.133

22.57

29.64

515.24

502.86

478.68

7-8

299.05

294.99

290.86

simulated and analyzed. The test points of converter station

are shown in Fig.2. The voltage distribution of YanJin
converter station at test points can be obtained. And the

As can be seen from the Fig.3 and Tab.1, under the

potential comparison at test points of converter station is

different arrangements of smoothing reactor, the following

shown in Fig.3. For the different arrangements of smoothing

conclusions can be obtained by comparing the continuous

reactor, the continuous operating peak voltages at test points

operating peak voltages at test points:

are compared, as shown in Tab.1.

(1) In comparison with the scheme of all smoothing

reactors installed on DC pole bus (i.e. P300+N0 scheme),
because that, the harmonic voltage of neutral bus reactor has
the opposite direction with the harmonic voltage for the
current crossing the pole bus reactor, the schemes of
P150+N150

Fig.2 Test Points of converter station

and

P100+N200

effectively

reduce

the

continuous operating peak voltage value of 9-point .And the

steady stress of main equipments has be reduced.
(2) Because of the harmonic voltage for the current
crossing the neutral bus reactor, it results the voltage of 8point increased.
(3) Under the action of neutral bus reactor, although the
voltage of 8-point increases; the neutral line harmonic current

(a) Potential at Test Point 5 A-phase (b) Potential at Test Point 6 A-phase

is effectively restrained. The harmonic voltages of other test

points reduce. So the continuous operating peak voltage of
other points was little affected by different arrangements of
smoothing reactor.
B. Schemes of smoothing reactor Effect on the TransientState Characteristics of the System

(c) Potential at Test Point 7

(d) Potential at Test Point 8

Under the action of system harmonics, it will produce a

harmonic voltage for the current crossing the neutral bus
reactor. When the system failure, it will result the harmonic
content of system increased. So the schemes with neutral bus
reactor have some influence on transient characteristics of the
system.
The analysis of steady-state system shows that, the

(e) Potential at Test Point 9

(f) Potential between point 7 and 8
Fig.3 Potential Comparison at Test Points of converter station

schemes with neutral bus reactor mainly affect the continuous

operating peak voltage (PCOV) of 8-point and 9-point. So in

this paper, taking the Xiluodu-Guangzhou 500kV Double-

short-circuit fault and metal-return breaking fault, are shown

circuit HVDC as an example, studied the system transient

in Fig.5 and Fig.6 respectively. In order to further quantitative

operating characteristics under different fault conditions, that

analysis, the continuous operating peak voltages at test points

full-voltage starting fault; valve-head short-circuit fault and

are compared, as shown in Tab.2.

metal-return breaking fault. It mainly analyzes the transient

characteristics of 8-point and 9-point.

For full-voltage starting faultthat isthe system has an

emergency start after failure. And the inverter station is still
locked, while the rectifier station has been completely
unlocked and startup again with a small firing-angle. As the
transmission line was suddenly charged a very high voltage,
while the inverter station is in open status or not unlock. It is
equivalent to long-term end of the open qualifying total
reflection, which will lead to a very high over-voltage on DCline. For the DC transmission line, the full-voltage starting

(a) Potential at Test Point 9

(b) Potential at Test Point 8
Fig.4 Potential Comparison under Full-voltage starting fault

fault is one of serious faults.

As seen from Fig.3 and Tab.2, the over- voltages occur on
both pole bus and neutral bus. For the schemes of P150 +
N150 and P100 + N200, the over-voltage values on pole bus
are 960.56kV and 956.08kV. These two over-voltage values
are almost the same size and they are less than the pole bus
over-voltage value of P300 + N0 scheme (1003.1kV). As
there harmonic voltage for the current crossing the neutral bus

(a) Potential at Test Point 9

(b) Potential at Test Point 8
Fig.5 Potential Comparison under Valve-head short-circuit fault

reactor, the neutral bus over-voltage values of P150 + N150

and P100 + N200 schemes are more serious than that neutral
bus over-voltage of P300 + N0 scheme. And the greater
neutral bus reactor is, the voltage of 8-point is higher. For the
scheme with 150mH neutral bus reactor, the max voltage of 8point is 147.95 kV/-195.78 kV. While the value of neutral bus
reactor increases to 200mH, the max voltage of 8-point is
increased to 170.45kV/-237.84 kV.

(a) Potential at Test Point 9

(b) Potential at Test Point 8

Fig.6 Potential Comparison under Metal-return breaking fault

Tab.2 Schemes of smoothing reactor impact on arrester PCOV
Fault

Over-voltage(kV)

Test

When the valve-head short-circuit fault, AC-side voltage

through converter station occurs two-phase and three-phase
short-circuit; it results the current of conducting value and the
AC current sharp-increasing. So it leads to the harmonic

Point

P300+N0

Full-voltage

20.14/-17.03

starting

1003.1

960.56

956.08

voltage of 8-point is a voltage resonance caused by the

853.11/-631.90

914.47/-567.0

924.34/-573

parameter of transmission line capacitance and metal-return

Metal-return

-715.22

-717.10

-714.83

breaking

540.27

521.13

517.35

Valve-head
short-circuit

P150+N150

P100+N200

147.95/-195.78 170.45/-237.84

voltage of neutral bus reactor increases rapidly. And the over-

line (and neutral bus reactor). For the schemes of P150 +

N150 and P100 + N200, the max over-voltage values on

Under full-voltage starting fault condition, the potential

neutral bus are 914.47kV and 924.34kV. These two over-

comparison at test points of converter station is presented, as

voltage values are almost the same size and they are all

shown in Fig.4. And these comparisons, under valve-head

greater than the neutral bus over-voltage value of P300 + N0

scheme (853.11kV).
And for the metal-return breaking fault at inverter station,
the greater over- voltages occur on neutral bus as the neutral
line under the open circuit condition. The about 50Hz voltage
resonances occur on neutral bus, which mainly caused by the
parameter of line equipment and metal-return line. The neutral

For GuiZhou-GuangDong HVDC project, the oilimmersed core smoothing reactor of 300mH is used and
concentrated installed on DC pole bus. So for P300+N0
scheme of Xiluodu-Guangdong 500kV double-circuit
HVDC project, all-types arrester parameters can directly use
the same type arrester parameters of GuiZhou-GuangDong
HVDC project.
But for the schemes of P150+N150 and P100+N200, as

bus reactor has little effect for this fault resonance processes.
According to these analysis, in comparison with the
scheme of all smoothing reactors installed on DC pole bus (i.e.
P300+N0 scheme), because of neutral bus reactor harmonic
voltage, the schemes with neutral bus reactor effectively
reduce the continuous operating peak voltage value of 9-point
and its main equipments steady stress also reduces.
Meanwhile, the transient overvoltage of pole line is reduced.

the

action

of

neutral

bus

reactor,

the

steady-state

characteristics and transient characteristics of system have

been affected by smoothing reactor arrangements. So the
arrester parameters under these two reactor schemes need to
be accounted for Xiluodu-Guangdong 500kV double-circuit
HVDC projects .
According to our analysis, the schemes with neutral bus
reactor mainly affect the continuous operating peak voltage

V.

INFLUENCE OF SMOOTHING REACTOR SCHEME

(PCOV) of 8-point and 9-point. With the neutral bus reactor,

METHODS ON THE OVER-VOLTAGE PROTECTION SCHEME

the continuous operating peak voltage and its transient over-

The main protection equipment for converter station

voltage of 9-point are reduced. So DC line D-type arrester

equipment is zinc-oxide arresters. So in order to effectively

will not put forward new demand. These Uref of DB/DL

restrain the system over-voltage and to protect the system

arresters under different reactor schemes can directly use the

equipments from over-voltage danger, it usually needs to

same arrester type Uref of GuiZhou-GuangDong HVDC

choose reasonable arrester scheme and to determine the

project. In comparison with the absorbing energy of arrester

reasonable parameter of arrester.

DB/DL of P300+N0 scheme, the arresters DB/DL of schemes

For Xiluodu-Guangdong 500kV double-circuit HVDC

P150+N150 and P100+N200 will absorb less energy.

project the DC voltage level is the same with the DC

But under the action of the neutral bus reactor, because of

voltage level of GuiZhou-GuangDong HVDC project. So

the harmonic voltage for the current crossing the neutral bus

in this paper, the arrester scheme of Xiluodu HVDC project

reactor, the continuous operating peak voltage and its

can be temporarily adopted the GuiZhou-GuangDong

transient over-voltage of 8-point are greatly increased. If the

arrester scheme (Shown in Fig.7).

neutral line E-type arrester Uref of GuiZhou-GuangDong

HVDC project was used directly, it will result that the
absorbing arrester energy of E-type arrester was too larger to
exceed the max absorbing energy of E arrester. It harms badly
for the system security and reliability. So the neutral line Etype arrester Uref under the schemes with neutral bus reactor
needs to be accounted for reasonable parameter.
The CCOV of the arrester type E equals to the sum of the
voltage generated across the smoothing reactor on the DC side

Fig.7 The Arrester Configuration Scheme of Xiluodu-Guangdong HVDC

Converter Station

under various operating conditions by the maximum harmonic

current through the neutral bus smoothing reactor and the DC

voltage drop through the metallic return line (rectifier station)

or the ground return line (inverter station).
The amplitude of continuous operating voltage (CCOV)
for E arrester has the relationship as shown in the following
formula:

CCOV = I dcm K d (12) 12 2 f L 2 + Rdcl I dcm

Tab.4 Arrester

Absorbing Energy
Absorbed Energy of Arrester (kJ)

Fault

Arrester

Full-voltage

DB/DL

2418.6

2143.7

1912.5

starting

0.0006

0.0006

0.0007

P300+N0

P150+N150

P100+N200

Valve-head

DB/DL

0.0805

0.0525

0.0532

short-circuit

443.83

747.96

749.18

Metal-return

DB/DL

1409.2

52.618

29.772

breaking

205.08

134.40

114.54

Where Idcm is a maximum DC current of 3305A; Kd(12) is

As seen from Fig.3 and Tab.2, the full-voltage starting

the 12th harmonic component; f is the AC system frequency

fault is one of serious faults for the DC transmission line. For

of 50Hz; L is the inductance of the smoothing reactor and its

the schemes of P150 + N150 and P100 + N200, the over-

value is 150mH or 200mH. Rdcl is the resistance varies from

voltage on pole bus is reduced. The max absorbing energy

10.15 (20 ) to 12.52.

values of D-type arresters are 2143.7kJ and 1912.5kJ. These

And the CCOV of EL arrester is determined by the DC

voltage drop through the metallic return line. Then CCOV=
Rdcl*Idcm.

value of P300 + N0 scheme (2418.6kJ). And the greater

neutral bus reactor is, the D-type arresters absorbing energy
value is smaller. If it is necessary, the Uref of D-type arrester

Under different arrangements of smoothing reactor, the

continuous operating voltages (CCOV) of the E-type arrester
are shown in Tab.3.

can be properly reduced.

So we can see that, for the schemes with neutral bus
reactor, it is good for the system security and reliability and

Tab.3 Schemes of smoothing reactor impact on arrester E/EL PCOV

Arrester

two values are less than the D-type arresters absorbing energy

CCOV(kV)

also reduce the demand to DC line arrester.

For the fault conditions of valve-head short-circuit and

P300+N0

P150+ N 150

P100+ N 200

53.21

132.50

158.93

metal-return breaking, E-type arrester arresters absorbing

EL

53.21

53.21

53.21

energy does not exceed 800kJ, far less than 3.6MJ. So the

As shown in Tab.3, the E-type arrester Uref of P300+N0

scheme can directly use the same E-type arrester Uref of
GuiZhou-GuangDong HVDC project, that is 75kV, and the
max single discharge absorbing energy is 1.2MJ. According
the E-type arrester CCOV of P150+N150 and P100+N200,
and using the Yunnan-Guangdong HVDC project, the E-type
arrester Uref of P150+N150 and P100+N200 is 238kV. And
the max single discharge absorbing energy is 3.6MJ.

parameter of E-type arrester meets the requirements, and it

has enough energy safety margins.
At the same time, the insulation against ground of neutral
bus is easy to be realized. So the schemes of P150+N150 and
P100+N200 are best than P300+N0 scheme and are
recommended in this paper. And according the fault analysis,
the system has a very large enough energy safety margins
with 238kV E-type arrester Uref. If it is necessary, this Uref of

Studied the arresters transient operating characteristics

E-type arrester can be also properly reduced. To reduce the

under different fault conditions, that full-voltage starting fault;

Uref of the arresters can reduce the protection level of the

valve-head short-circuit fault and metal-return breaking fault.

arresters and the insulation level of the equipment, if the D-

It mainly analyzes the characteristics of D-type arrester and E-

type arresters absorbing energy sufficient to meet a

type arrester.

requriment for single discharge energy absorption under

The results of different faults are shown in Fig.8 to Fig.10

respectively. In order to further quantitative analysis, the
absorbing energy of D-type arrester and E-type arrester, under
these three kinds of fault, are compared and as shown in Tab.4.

lightning invading surge. It would realizes the optimal design

and economic.

(a) Potential at Test Point 9

(b) Potential at Test Point 8

(c) Absorbing Energy of Arrester DB

(d) Absorbing Energy of Arrester E

Fig.8 Transient Characteristics Comparison under Full-voltage starting fault

(a) Potential at Test Point 9

(b) Potential at Test Point 8

(c) Absorbing Energy of Arrester DB

(d) Absorbing Energy of Arrester E

Fig.9 Transient Characteristics Comparison under Valve-head short-circuit fault

(a) Potential at Test Point 9

(b) Potential at Test Point 8

(c) Absorbing Energy of Arrester DB

(d) Absorbing Energy of Arrester E

Fig.10 Transient Characteristics Comparison under Metal-return breaking fault

VI.

CONCLUSION

In this paper, the influence of different smoothing reactor

arrangements on the system steady-state performance and
converter station over-voltage performance of XiluoduGuangdong 500kV double-circuit HVDC project is
analyzed. The following conclusions can be obtained:

little effect on the steady state characteristics and transient

characteristics of other points.
(3) For the schemes with neutral bus reactor (i.e.
P150+N150 scheme and P100+N200 scheme), the max
absorbing energy values of D-type arresters in failures are less
than the D-type arresters absorbing energy of P300 + N0
scheme. They have enough energy safety margins. It may

(1) In comparison with the scheme of all smoothing

appropriately be further reduced its Uref. And the insulation

reactors installed on DC pole bus (i.e. P300+N0 scheme), the

against ground of neutral bus air-core reactor is easy to realize

schemes with neutral bus reactor (i.e. P150+N150 scheme and

for neutral bus reactor. So the air-core reactor and its schemes

P100+N200 scheme) reduce the continuous operating peak

are recommended.

voltage value of 9-point. The steady stress of main

equipments has been reduced. And the transient overvoltage
of pole line is reduced
(2) For the schemes with neutral bus reactor, because of

(4) The schemes with neutral bus reactor almost have the
same effect on the system steady-state characteristics and
transient characteristics. It shows that 50%~33% of smoothing
reactor can guarantee the system with a good performance.

the harmonic voltage for the current crossing the neutral bus
reactor, it results the voltage of 8-point increased. And it has

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