2014 17th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS),Oct.

22-25, 2014, Hangzhou, China

Suppression of Sub-synchronous Oscillation Caused by HVDC Using

Supplementary Excitation Damping Controller*
Xinghua Dong, Xiuhe Wang, Yubo Yang
College of Electrical Engineering, Shandong University, China
E-mail: dongxh4553@163.com
AbstractTwo kinds of mechanism that cause Subsynchronous Oscillation (SSO) by High Voltage Direct Current
(HVDC) are introduced in this paper. The Unit Interaction
Factor (UIF) and the test signal method are used to analyze SSO
that caused by HVDC. The results show that when UIF>0.1, the
simulation model takes the risk of SSO. Then, supplementary
excitation damping controller (SEDC) is used to suppress the
HVDC-SSO. The simulation results show that the SEDC
designed has good damping effect on HVDC-SSO.
I.

Fig.1 A simple HVDC system

INTRODUCTION

Sub-synchronous Oscillation (SSO) is an abnormal

running state when the system is disturbed under normally
operation. In this state, the significant energy exchange takes
place between the electrical system and the steam turbinegenerator under one or more natural frequencies, which are
lower than the system frequency [1]. It is a very dangerous
state that causes the damage of the generator .The SSO caused
by HVDC system was found in Square Butte Power Plant of
America in 1977. It will be of great importance in studying the
suppression of SSO caused by HVDC. In [2], Subsynchronous Damping Controller(SSDC) is used to attenuate
the SSO caused by HVDC. In[3], based on an EPRI-7 ACDC system, SEDC and SSDC are designed by the same design
principles and to compensate the electrical damping of shaft
natural oscillation frequency.
In this paper, based on an IEEE SSR first benchmark
model and CIGRE benchmark model, a HVDC test system
used to study the HVDC-SSO is built. A SEDC system is
introduced and designed to suppression the HVDC-SSO.

Fig.2 The first HVDC-SSO mechanism

As was shown in Fig.2, if the generator G was close

connected with the rectifier was affected by slightly mechanic
disturbances, and it would cause the changes of the amplitude
U and phase position U in generator. The changes of the
phase position of commutation voltage would make the actual
firing angle shifted to the expected firing angle. The changes
of firing angle and amplitude could cause the disturbance of
the direct current bus voltage Ud. And the disturbance of the
DC bus voltage would cause the changes in the direct current
Id. The constant current controller of HVDC system would
rapidly respond to the changes of Id and adopt adjustment
measures, attempting to avoid the changes of Id, but it couldnt
completely eliminated the changes of Id. The results of the
adjustment measures could cause the disturbance of the
electromagnetic torque Te. If the phase angle difference
between the speed offset of the generator and the changes
of the electromagnetic torque Te exceeded 90, the Te
would increase the initial disturbance and appeared negative
damping. If the negative damping surpassed the mechanical
II. TWO KINDS OF MECHANISM CAUSE HVDC-SSO damping provided by the generator shaft, HVDC control
system would cause instability of the shaft torsion.
The mechanism that causes HVDC-SSO was really
(2) The second mechanism analysis
complex, and its confirmed that there were two kinds of
The second mechanism was found and analyzed in the late
mechanism.
1980s. It was closely related to asynchronous operation state
(1) The first mechanism analysis
of the two AC systems, which were connected to both ends of
The first mechanism was found in Square Butte direct
the HVDC system.
current project. Fig.1 was a simple HVDC system which was
Smoothing reactors couldnt be infinite, so the frequency
used to analyze the mechanism of SSO caused by HVDC
difference between two AC systems showed in direct current
current regulator and the current rectifier was closely coupling
and produced uncharacteristic harmonic current. Some of the
with steam turbine-generator. The interaction theory between
uncharacteristic harmonics are in sub-synchronous frequency.
HVDC converter control and neighboring steam turbineIf uncharacteristic harmonic current flowed into the generator
generator could be explained by Fig.2.
and was in step with the natural frequency of the shaft system,
it may cause the instability of SSO modal.
SSO caused by uncharacteristic harmonics can be
explained
by modulation theory in communications.
* The paper was supported by Research Fund for the
Considering
the converter as a modulator, the electrical
Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China under Grant
quantities
between
active current and direct current had
20110131110010.
relations as:
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978-1-4799-5162-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

v dc = v a S va + v b S vb + v c S vc
i a = i d c S ia , i b = i dc S ib , i c = i dc S ic

(1)

(2)
Sva, Svb, Svc, Sia, Sib, Sic were switch functions.
The switch function in ideal conditions was shown in
Fig.3, and it was expanded in Fourier series as:

1
1
( cos t co s 5t + co s 7t
5
7

1
1
co s11t + cos1 3 t
11
13
1
co s17t + .. .. .. )
17

S (t ) =

2 3

(4)

z =1

az was the amplitude of the sinusoidal harmonic components,

z and z were frequency and phase angle.
According to (3) and (4)

Id +

3a z

[sin(t + z t + z )

3a z
[sin(5t + z t + z )
5
3a z
[sin(7t + z t + z )
sin(5t z t z )] +
7
sin(7t z t z )] ......
sin(t z t z )]

(5)
As was shown in (5), some combinations of the
frequencies could emerged the frequency that was less than .
If the frequency was equal to shafting natural frequency, and
had certain amplitude, then it may have the possibilities to
accelerate SSO. These were the mechanism that
uncharacteristic harmonics caused SSO.
III. THE UIF AND TEST SIGNAL METHOD
(1)The Unit Interaction Factor(UIF)
The UIF was an analysis method proposed with HVDCSSO problems. It showed the strength of the interactions
between generator and HVDC system.
The degree of interaction between HVDC system and ith
generator could be shown as:

UIFi =

S HVDC
SC i 2
(1
)
Si
S tot al

(7)

UIFi 0

2 3

SC i 2
) 0
S tot al

Then

Fig.3 Ideal switch function

i ac (t ) = i(t )<S (t ) =

(1

(3)

Assumed that direct current had ripples and its expression

was shown as:

i (t ) = I d + a z s i n( z t + z )

filter(MVA) were not included; Stotal was the three phase short
circuit capacity of HVDC system rectifier station AC bus,
including the short circuit capacity of the ith generator but not
including AC filter(MVA).
The criteria of UIF was:
If UIFi<0.1, we considered that the ith generator had no
significant interaction with HVDC system, i.e. it would not
cause SSO. Or, SSO analysis was necessary. If SCiStotal, as

(6)

(8)
According to the experiences of short circuit study, when
generators were far away from rectifier station, SCiStotal; or
when AC systems connected closely and system capacity was
huge, SCiStotal
As a selecting method, UIF was a simple and effective
way in studying SSO caused by HVDC. It was a rough
method and used as a screening tool. The method was used to
choose generators that needed detailed analysis.
(2)The test signal method
The test signal method was the simulation method of the
complex torque coefficient method. The basic principle of the
test signal method was based on the synchronous torque and
electromagnetic torque theory, using time domain
electromagnetic transient simulation to analyze the dynamic
characteristic of the system. Then by turning the results from
time domain to frequency domain, we could calculate and get
the damping characteristics of the system to judge the
potential danger of the system SSO.
The basic steps of the test signal method was:
1.To a certain operating point, when the system was in
steady state operation, some small rippled torque values whose
frequencies were integer multiples were added into the rotor of
the generator to be developed:

Tm = T co s( 0 t + )

(9)

<1, T and were the amplitude and initial phase angle

of the rippled torque whose frequency was 0;
2. When rippled torque was added, the simulation needed
running to steady state. Then electromagnetic torque and angle
frequency of generator of rippled torque in the same period
were intercepted.
3. The Fourier decomposition was used in the
electromagnetic torque Te and angle frequency .
4. The electrical damping torque coefficient was calculated
by:
De( ) = Re(

Te
)

(10)

If in the jth torsion mode of the discussed generator,

UIFi was the unit interaction factor of ith generator;
(11)
Dej + Dj ( m ) < 0
SHVDCwas the rated capacity of HVDC system, the unit was
The generator would generate torsion vibration instability
MW; Si was the rated capacity of ith generator, the unit was
MVA; SCi was the three phase short circuit capacity of HVDC in the natural torsion frequency. Dej was the electrical
system rectifier station AC bus, when calculating the short damping torque coefficient in the jth torsion mode frequency;
circuit capacity, the ith generator and not including AC
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Dj(m) was mechanical damping coefficient of the jth torsion

mode, and Dj(m)>0.
IV. THE SYSTEM MODEL AND SIMULATION
RESULTS
(1)The system model
The system model was based on an IEEE SSR first
benchmark model and CIGRE benchmark model, as shown in
Fig.4.

Fig.4 The system model

First, the generator G connected to rectifier was studied

separately and was based on parameters in IEEE SSR first
benchmark model. Its rated capacity was 892.4MW. The IEEE
ST1A excitation was used in excitation system. The multibody model was used in the generator shaft. The shaft
concluded high-pressure cylinder(HP)intermediate pressure
cylinder(IP) low-pressure cylinder A(LPA) low-pressure
cylinder B(LPB) generator(GEN) and excitation
system(EXC) 6 blocks, as was shown in Fig.5. The shaft had 5
torsion mode and the torsion frequencies were 15.71 Hz
20.21 Hz 25.55 Hz32.28 Hz and 47.75 Hz. The shaft
parameters were shown in Table.1. SR was given by Thevenin
theoremis and was the generators that excluded the generator
to be studied, and its impedance was ZSR.

Fig.6 The structure of constant current control

The supplementary excitation damping controller (SEDC)

used the speed deviation of the generator as its input signal.
Then by shifting the phase, enlarging and limiting the signal,
using its output signal as the supplementary control signal of
the excitation voltage regulator to change the excitation
voltage of the generator. Therefore, an electrical damping
torque addition was produced to suppress the SSO.
The basic structure of SEDC included blocking link,
enlarge link, phase compensation link and limiting link, as
shown in Fig.7.

Fig.7 The basic structure of SEDC

(2) The simulation results

As was shown before, if the UIF>0.1, there were
possibilities that would cause SSO, as shown in Fig.8. Then by
correctly designing SEDC, the HVDC-SSO was effectively
restrained, as shown in Fig.9.

Fig.5 The shaft model

TABLE.1 THE SHAFT PARAMETERS

The HVDC model of the system was Cigre Benchmark

Model in PSCAD/EMTDC. Its rated transmission power was
1000MW and its rated voltage was 500kV. At the rectifier
side, the constant current control and the minimum firing
angle control were used; at the inverter side, the constant
extinction angle control was used. The structure of constant
current control was shown in Fig.6. The PI parameters of
controller were K=1.0989 T=0.01092 s max=3.05
rad(175)min =0.52 rad(30).

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Fig.8 SSO caused by HVDC

Fig.9 Suppression of SSO

The simulation showed that it was an effective method

used to suppress HVDC-SSO
V. CONCLUSION
In this paper, the UIF and test signal method were used to
analyze the HVDC-SSO problems. By building a HVDC
system model, SSO was induced. In the end, using SEDC
system suppressed the problem.
VI.

REFERENCES

[1]Shijie Cheng, Yijia Cao, Quanyuan Jiang. Sub-synchronous oscillation

theory and method of the power system[M].Beijing: Science Press,2004.
[2] Fan Zhang Zheng Xu. Studies on a supplementary excitation damping
controller for mitigating SSR[J].Automation of Electric Power System
2007312324-29.
[3] Bofeng Dong, Zhou Li, Qiulan Wan. Suppress SSO of HVDC system
using SEDC and SSDC[J]. Power System Protection and Control,201
1,39(9):77-82

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