A Postfault Strategy to Control the Modular Multilevel Converter under Submodule Failure

Qichen Yang, Jiangchao Qin, Maryam Saeedifard

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

55 Scopus citations

Abstract

The modular multilevel converter (MMC) has become one of the most promising topologies for high-voltage applications. Although the MMC has a modular and redundant structure, which can significantly enhance its reliability and fault tolerance, its fault handling capability can be further improved by adopting a postfault strategy. In this paper, a postfault strategy based on the neutral-shift method is proposed, which, subsequent to bypassing the faulty submodule(s), aims at improving the maximum attainable line-to-line voltages of the MMC. Based on a newly developed internal variable analysis method, the impact of the neutral-shift strategy on the operation of the MMC is analyzed. In conjunction with the proposed postfault strategy, a modified circulating current suppression (CCS) method is used to mitigate the double-frequency component of the circulating currents. Performance and effectiveness of the proposed neutral-shift strategy with and without the CCS method is evaluated based on time-domain simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC software environment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2453-2463
Number of pages11
JournalIEEE Transactions on Power Delivery
Volume31
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2016

Keywords

  • Modular multilevel converter (MMC)
  • neutral shift
  • postfault strategy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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