Enhanced Modular Multilevel Converter for HVdc Applications: Assessments of Dynamic and Transient Responses to AC and DC Faults

This article describes the operating principles and theoretical relationships that underpin the modeling and control system of the enhanced modular multilevel converter (EMMC). A full-scale model of a point-to-point high-voltage direct current (HVdc) link that employs EMMCs is used to examine its performance during normal operation in all four quadrants and resiliency to symmetrical and asymmetrical ac and dc faults. Results of exhaustive simulation studies reveal that the improved ac and dc power qualities, which are achieved by incorporation of a few full-bridge (FB) cells into the arms of the conventional half-bridge modular multilevel converter (HB-MMC) with medium-voltage cells to create the EMMC, do not affect its ac and dc fault ride-through capability nor its dynamics during normal operation as active and reactive power set points being varied. In addition, a variant of the EMMC is proposed, in which the number of FB cells to be added into the arms of HB-MMC could be increased to offer bespoke features beyond that explicitly defined in the original vision of the EMMC, such as reduced dc voltage operation during the pole-to-ground dc fault, and potential extension of fault clearance times in multiterminal HVdc grids. Moreover, the validity of the new variant has been confirmed using results obtained from high-fidelity HVdc link models developed in the EMPT-RV platform, in which the EMMCs are replaced by the proposed variant.

Automated summary

This article discusses the operating principles, performance, and variant design of the enhanced modular multilevel converter (EMMC). Through comprehensive simulation studies, it has been confirmed that EMMC is reliable in normal operation, fault tolerance, and specific functionalities.