A CASE FOR MEDIUM VOLTAGE DIRECT CURRENT

(MVDC) POWER FOR DISTRIBUTION APPLICATIONS

IEEE-PES Power Systems

y Conference and Exposition
p
Paper Session: Substation Innovations from Conventional Design
March 23, 2011 Phoenix, AZ

Authors:
D Gregory
Dr. G Reed,
R d Dr.
D G
George K
Kusic
i University
U i it off Pitt
Pittsburgh
b h
Dr. Jan Svensson, Dr. Zhenyuan (John) Wang ABB Inc., R&D
Background, Motivation, and Introduction

2
 A New Era of DC Power Systems

Corporate research centers, universities, and industry are

beginning
g g to (re)consider
( ) the premise
p of DC power
p in future
transmission and distribution system applications.
Historically, AC has dominated the power industry
W
Westinghouse,
i h Tesla,
T l Edison,
Edi andd others
h intensely
i l fought
f h the
h initial
i ii l
AC/DC Wars at the turn of 20th Century
AC proved superior for all the right reasons at the time
H
However, we continue
ti ttoday
d tot depend
d d on a legacy
l century-old
t ld and
d
aging AC approach, concept, technology-base, and infrastructure

What has changed for DC in the 21st Century?

The era of Power Electronics Technologies
Continued improvements and efficiencies in semiconductors, devices,
circuits, designs, systems, and applications scaled at all levels
Consumer devices, emerging resources, energy storage, and other
systems operating at or supplying absolute DC power
3
 DC Applications in Modern Society

Rapidly Emerging DC Applications in the 21st Century

Consumer Electronics
Devices and Equipment Operated at Low-Level DC (Res/Comm)
Renewable Energy Systems
Generation Systems Producing DC Output Power (e.g.,
(e g Solar)
Transportation Electrification
Electric Vehicles Powered by DC
Information Technology and the Internet
Enhancement of Energy Efficiency via DC (e.g., Data Centers)
Energy Storage Technologies
DC O
Output and
d Integration
I i through
h h DC Interconnections
I i
Transmission and Distribution Infrastructure
High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Systems (i.e., Transmission)

What is Missing?
Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) Distribution Infrastructure
4
 Medium Voltage DC Networks
MVDC Technology Development
Benefits for installations of large
g and small scale wind / solar
farms, and other forms of bulk and distributed generation; as
well as for DC-loads, energy storage, EV integration, etc.
Efficiency is expected to increase due to minimized power
conversions; but overall complexity may increase
New technical requirements, standards, protective devices,
schemes, and other concepts require development / proof
R&D is necessary for evaluating the MVDC potential
High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Systems
Proven benefits and merit over high voltage AC transmission
for long distance power delivery applications and recent off-
shore and other generation interconnections
MVDC, however, is not a simple scaling of voltage level
Focused research, development, and demonstration is needed 5
The MVDC Distribution Network Concept

6
 Medium Voltage DC Network Concept

Fuel Cells
Existing AC FACTS AC Transmission Photovoltaic
Infrastructure Supply Generation Non-Synchronous
Compensation Generation(Wind)

Future HVDC STATCOM / SVC

Intertie

DC DC AC
DC DC DC
HVDC System DC AC
DC DC

HVDC / MVDC

DC DC DC
DC DC DC
DC
DC
Distribution DC DC DC
Load Circuits DC AC
DC
AC
Electric Vehicle Electronic and
DC AC Loads
Future DC AC
Future DC
Industrial Facility
Data Centers Motor
Distribution Level
Variable Storage Sensitive Load
Frequency Drives

Control Algorithm
7
 MVDC Network Applications

Development Program Applications

Renewable energy resource integration and end
end-use
use aspects:
Solar energy distributed, remote
Wind energy distributed, off-shore, remote
Fuel cell integration
Electric vehicle integration
Variable frequency drives supply
Sensitive
S iti and
d electronic
l t i load
l d supply
l
Data centers supply infrastructure
Power plants internal plant distribution systems
Greenfield industrial parks
Energy storage interconnection and control
DC/AC power factor correction for distribution load circuits
Dynamic voltage and VAR optimization
High Voltage AC and DC transmission integration
 Preliminary Work
Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis

9
 Preliminary MVDC Development
Subsystem 1

+ - Three Level
20 kV / 460 V
1.4 MW Neutral Point IM
Supply Clamp #1 #2
Wind Turbine Six Pulse Multilevel
MOD 2 Type 575 V / 14 kV Graetz Inverter 10 kW
#1 #2 Bridge
AC/DC
Rectifier
Bidirectional AC
C
DC/DC Load
Converter
n=5

GRID Transmission
Five Level 20 kV / 460 V
69 kV / 14 kV Neutral Point IM
#1 #2 Clamp #1 #2
Multilevel
69 kV
I
Inverter
t 10 kW
20 kV

10
 Research Objectives
Subsystem 1
Analysis conducted within the PSCAD simulation environment
Evaluating
a uat g tthe
e pe
performance
o a ce oof ttwo
oppractical
act ca topo
topologies
og es o
of
multilevel inverters which include the neutral point clamp
converter and flying capacitor circuitry.
PWM Techniques: Phase Disposition
Disposition, Phase Opposition
Disposition, and Alternate Phase Opposition Disposition
Total Harmonic Distortion: THD appears to be the best metric for
g their performance.
evaluating p
Dynamic Performance Evaluation of Network
Wind Speed Adjustments: Average wind speed will be modeled
initially without ramp and fluctuation effects in the wind source.
source
DC Bus and Motor Faults: Analyze the effects of capacitor
balancing of the power electronic inverters and effects of motor
torque and speeds.
Load Energizing: Impacts on THD distribution as certain loads
are connected in and out of the circuitry.
11
 Preliminary MVDC Development
Subsystem 2

60 0 [MVA]
60.0
230.0 [kV] / 20.0 [kV]

#1 #2

MW MVAR

60.0 [[MVA]]
575 [V] / 20.0 [kV]

#1 #2

12
 MVAC System for Comparison
Subsystem 2

60.0 [MVA]
230 0 [kV] / 20
230.0 20.0
0 [kV]

#1 #2
60.0 [MVA]
20.0 [kV] / 4.0 [kV]

#1 #2
60.0 [MVA]
5.0 [kV] / 20.0 [kV]

#1 #2 MW MVAR
60.0 [[MVA]]
20.0 [kV] / 5.0 [kV]

#1 #2
60.0 [MVA]
575 [V] / 20.0 [kV]

#1 #2

13
 Factors for Comparison of MVDC/AC
Subsystem 2
Performance under the following conditions
Loss of Generation
i.e., PV Array is lost due to a fault, how does the system
react and recover from this loss?
Dynamic Changes in Renewable Generation
Similar to loss of generation but generation is not
completely lost
lost, only its voltage and thus power are altered
Switch Misfiring
If the power electronics do not react in an ideal manner
manner,
how is voltage and power flow affected?
Preliminary MVDC Development
Subsystem 3

15
 Research Objectives
Subsystem 3
DC Distribution for Future Industrial Facilities
Manufacturing/Industry
Direct DC Supply for VFDs, Industrial Automation and
Electronics Equipment
Data Centers and IT
Direct DC Supply for Computer, UPS and Battery Systems,
LED lighting
DC Bus Architecture
Easily incorporates on-site solar generation and hybrid
electrical storage options
 Next Steps in MVDC Development

Program Objectives, Goals, and Future Vision

Complete the modeling,
modeling analysis,
analysis and verification of all
subsystems of the MVDC concept
Integrate the various subsystems, resources, and loads into
one model for full-scale
full scale analysis
Development and integration of control concepts
Establish full verification of total system concepts, including
operation and control
Model and test various improvements and enhancements for
parameter evaluation (e.g., advanced semiconductor
characteristics, optimized converter designs and control, etc.)
Scaled proto-type development and testing
Full scale deployment
p y and demonstration
Application for retrofit or green-field facility/site as a complete
DC-based network
Summary

18
 Summary

MVDC Technology Development Benefits

Improved efficiency for renewable energy integration
Support for the continued evolution of greater penetrations of
DC-based loads and resources
Enhanced integration of energy storage systems and EVs
Advancements in optimization, design, and applications of high
capacity power electronics converter technologies
Advanced semi-conductor device developments
Advanced smart grid methodology development for integrated
resource/load energy management and control
Enhancement of existing interconnecting alternating current (AC)
infrastructure
p
Enabled development of additional HVDC delivery
y infrastructure
Increased efficiency and lower operating losses in overall power
system delivery, generation, and end-use applications
 Acknowledgments

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Dept. of Community and Economic Development,
Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority

University of Pittsburgh
Electric
ect c Power
o e Research
esea c GGroup
oup Graduate
G aduate Students:
Stude ts
Brandon Grainger, Matthew Korytowski, Emmanuel Taylor
 Q&A

THANK YOU