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8/1/2012

GROUND CURRENT PROBLEMS


IN HVDC TRANSMISSION
M.M. Babu Narayanan
PRDC
babu@prdcinfotech.com

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Advantages of Ground return mode


HVDC Transmission system can be built in two stages
Operate first stage in Monopolar metallic return
(overhead or cable) or ground return in some cases
Second stage as Bipolar with full power rating
Cost advantage
In case of outage of one pole of line or converter, DC
link can be operated at half power in Ground return

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

Disadvantages
Design of Ground electrode with low resistance and
high cost of O&M
Proper siting of ground electrodes
Screening of Ground electrode to cause negligible
electrolytic corrosion of buried metallic structures
Step & tough voltages within the vicinity of electrodes
Interference with the operation of other services

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

HVDC Transmission: Modes of operation

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

HVDC Transmission: Modes of operation

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Basic Ground electrode Site Selection


Parameters

Electrical Resistivity
(Type of soil/ grain size/ chemical composition/ temperature)

Thermal Conductivity & Heat Capacitivity

Ambient Temperature & Maximum operating temperature

Moisture

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

Layering of Earth &


corresponding
generalized values of
Resistivities

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Rating of Ground electrode depends on:


Rated Current( Id )
(Allowable) Voltage Rise:
Ve 2 Volts

= Thermal Conductivity of soil (W/ m3 )


= Temperature rise of electrode, 0C
= Electrical Resistivity, Ohm-m
Re = Ve/ Id
Time Constant of soil

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

Potential Gradient:
I x
Volts/metre
E 2
2
x h

Step Potential in a Land Electrode


Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Typical Ground Electrode installations

Continuous ring electrode


Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

Electrode section for shallow Horizontal Configuration

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Star Electrode
Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

CASE STUDY:
NATIONAL HVDC PROJECT GROUND
ELECTRODE DESIGN

RATING: 100 MW, 100kV; BETWEEN LOWER SILERU & BARSOOR

MONOPOLAR GROUND RETURN

COMMISSIONED: 1989

LOWER SILERU CONVERTER STATION

NATIONAL HVDC PROJECT

OBJECTIVES:
EMPHASIS ON R&D
DEVELOP KNOW-HOW FOR DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
OF HARDWARE
INDIGENOUS DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL SYSTEM
EXPERTISE IN INSTALLATION , COMMISSIONING &
OPERATION
CONTINUOUS GROUND CURRENT OPERATION

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

Barsoor Ground Electrode :Data


Data

Unit

Value

Surface Resistivity

-m

85

Shallow level resistivity

-m

50

Apparent resistivity

-m

125

Thermal conductivity of soil

W/m 0C

1.28

Heat capacitivity of soil

J/m 3 0C

3.5 x 106

Maximum natural soil


temperature

0C

35

Maximum electrode
temperature

0C

< 100

Design criteria

Anode or cathode
Courtesy: BHEL

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Results
Data

Unit

Value

Permissible resistance

0.115

Design resistance

0.086

Tolerable ground potential

V/m

7.55

Maximum ground potential


rise

V/m

7.41

Time taken to reach


steady state

Days

59.5

Current Density at Coke


surface

A/m 2

0.424

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

Case study:
Leakage currents in Talcher-Kolar HVDC
Mono polar operation
Talcher Kolar HVDC Transmission
Rating

2000 MW

Voltage/ Current

500 kV, 2000 A

Overload current

2250 A

Maximum step potential at


the surface at Id = 2250 A

6 V/m

Resistance to ground

< 0.3

Touch voltage

< 40 V

Ref: Cigre 2006


Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Leakage currents in Kolar - Observations


Presence of DC in the neutrals of transformers due to ground
potential rise
Accompanied by humming sound
Ground potential rise attributed to geological conditions away
from the Ground electrode at Kolar
DC neutral currents were proportional to the electrode current
Chinthamani 220 kV & Kolar 400 kV AC sub stations of KPTCL
identified as the most affected (being closest to HVDC electrode)
DC power in ground return mode restricted to 150 MW (300 A)
due to this phenomenon
Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

8/1/2012

Phenomenon of leakage currents


DC flow in electrode causes a ground potential rise (GPR) at the
HVDC earth electrode as well as in other sub stations
GPR at remote sub stations depends on geological conditions
and the distance of the sub stations with respect to HVDC
ground electrode
Difference in Ground potential between AC sub stations causes
DC current flow thru the neutrals of transformers in these sub
stations
Magnitude of leakage currents depend upon voltage between
grounding systems of two sub stations and zero sequence
resistance of AC lines connecting the sub stations
For higher magnitudes of DC, saturation of transformers in AC
sub stations nearby
Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

DC Currents due to potential rise in remote sub stations

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

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Installation of Blocking device (BD) at Transformer Neutral


BD specifically designed to block flow of DC while allowing
AC
Installed in series with power transformer neutral
A custom designed capacitor (0.8 Ohm at 60 Hz)
Operates whenever absolute voltage across device below a
threshold voltage blocking level
Blocking voltage decided based on field studies of DC
distribution (GPR) at nearby sub stations
A High current by pass path provided for solid grounding of
neutral during AC side faults
No impact on protection settings of AC system
Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Schematic diagram of Blocking device

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

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8/1/2012

Operational experience with Blocking Devices at


Kolar - end AC sub stations
Maximum value depends on maximum steady state DC
ground electrode current, location of AC sub stations & ac
system configuration
Absolute maximum limit fixed at 400 V (corresponds to a DC
electrode current of 2100 A (1050 MW)
Measured maximum blocking voltage at Chinthamani S/S:
257 V ( at 1350 A DC)
Achieved a DC power of 650 MW (1300 A) with Blocking
device in Monopolar operation (Without BD: 150 MW at 200 A)

Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

Electrode current during testing of Blocking Device


Workshop on Power system Grounding Practices, August 2012, PRDC, Bangalore

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