Development of novel operational stability control systems for embedded high voltage DC links

Abstract

In order to achieve the ambitious decarbonisation targets of the UK government, up to 30GW of wind generation could be connected to the GB transmission system by 2020. The challenges imposed when incorporating this volume of renewable energy are significant, introducing new technical challenges for National Grid as the system operator for the Great Britain transmission system. The majority of this new renewable generation will be connecting in Scotland and offshore in the UK as a whole. This results in greater uncertainty in the system from significant changes to the direction and volume of power flows across the network. In addition this implies a higher power transfer capacity requirement on the AC transmission lines, which are currently stability-limited, connecting SPT (Scottish Power Transmission) and National Grid networks. The required power transfer capability increases every year because of the large-scale increase in wind generation. Therefore, there is insufficient transmission capacity in the existing network to accommodate the increasing power transfer without constraining output of some generation plants. A range of new state of art technologies such as embedded HVDC link and Thyristor Controlled Series Compensation (TCSC) are planned to be added to the GB system in order to provide additional capacity and consequently facilitate the integration of large-scale renewable generation. It is, therefore essential that National Grid explores new ways of operating the transmission network and new devices to gain additional benefit from the HVDC link and the TCSC capabilities with regard to the system stability enhancement. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of the HVDC link and the TCSC with a view to system stability enhancement. A hierarchical stability control system to enhance the stability limit and achieve the best transient and dynamic performance using the HVDC link and the TCSCs as actuators in the feedback control system is proposed. In addition, a stability control system, using a robust and stabilising Sample Regulator multivariable control design method , to guarantee the system robustness and stability is proposed and designed. The performance and capability of the designed controller in co-ordinated control of the forthcoming power flow control devices are demonstrated on benchmark networks as well as full dynamic models of the GB transmission system using various study cases. Finally, the effectiveness of the West Coast HVDC link in improving the inter-area oscillation damping is presented using the developed model of the future GB transmission system.