Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC).

Alternating Current (AC)

Alternating Current (AC) is the type of electricity commonly used in homes and
businesses throughout the world.
It is created by an AC electric generator, which determines the frequency.
AC waveform can be sinusoidal, square, or sawtooth-shaped. Some waveforms are
irregular or complicated.

Direct Current (DC)

A flow of electrical charge carriers that always takes place in the same direction.
The current need not always have the same magnitude, but if it is to be defined as DC,
the direction of the charge carrier flow must never reverse.

DC vs AC.
Alternating Current (AC) Direct Current (DC)
Battery power Easy to generate
Electronics use Can be transformed in voltage
Requires prohibitively high voltage to Can be limited while keeping voltage
transmit over long distance high
Can be transmitted over long distance
without super-high voltage
Discussion about HVDC System Used
AC lines become loaded closer to their thermal capacity with increasing losses. When the
reducing power quality involved in this system, the risk of network stability become
increase. Moreover, overhead lines change the landscape, that causes public resentment.
The AC power lines limit the distance of traditional AC underground cables to around 80KM.

For above information, the HVDC technology has the potential to play an important role in
achieving this solution. It provides improved power quality and power flow control as well.
Introducing extruded DC-cables which have no technical limit to distance which can be
installed. It also can provide an alternative to overhead lines particularly when the total
capital and environmental costs are considered.

About the High Voltage Direct Current

Highly efficient alternative for transmitting large amounts of electricity over long
distances and for special purpose applications.
It less expensive and loses less energy.
HVDC can be transmitted through cables both underground and underwater.

Advantages
of HVDC

Technical Advantages Economic Advantages

 Technical Advantages 10. More economical than HVAC for
schemes with transmission distances
1. Reactive power requirement.
more than 700 km.
2. System stability.
3. Short Circuit Current.
4. Independent Control of AC system.
5. Fast change of energy flow. Economic Advantages
6. Lesser Corona Loss and Radio
1. DC lines and cables are cheaper than
interference.
AC lines or cables.
7. Greater Reliability.
2. simpler and cheaper compared to
8. Direction of power flow can be
the towers of AC lines.
changed very quickly.
3. Line losses in a DC line are lower
9. Large HVDC schemes (5000 MW
than the losses in an AC lines.
6400 MW) are used to access
remote hydro power resources,
hence renewable energy with no
CO2 emissions.

Disadvantages.
1. The disadvantages of HVDC are in conversion, switching, control, availability and
maintenance.
2. Less reliable and has lower availability than alternating current (AC) systems, mainly due
to the extra conversion equipment.
3. The required converter stations are expensive and have limited overload capacity.
4. At smaller transmission distances, the losses in the converter stations may be bigger
than in an AC transmission line for the same distance.
5. Operating a HVDC scheme requires many spare parts to be kept, often exclusively for
one system, as HVDC systems are less standardized than AC systems and technology
changes faster.
How It Work
HVDC transmission utilizes a converter station at either end of the system.
A mercury arc valve or solid state valve (thyristor) is used for the conversion of AC and
DC current.
The valve at the beginning of the system converts alternating current to HVDC, the
HVDC travels to the next location through a cable.
The valve at the end of the system converts the HVDC back to alternating current (AC).