Electromagnetic Transient Simulation Research Articles

Single pulse lightning and multiple lightning intrusion overvoltage in 500 kV GIS substation

Abstract Lightning intrusion wave is a key factor threatening the safe operation of substations. This paper uses electromagnetic transient simulation software to calculate and analyze the overvoltage characteristics and influencing factors of lightning intrusion waves in GIS substations. It studies the effects of lightning current waveform, corona effect, and multiple lightning strikes on the lightning overvoltage. The results show that with the same amplitude of lightning current, the longer the duration and lower the steepness are, the lower the peak and steepness of lightning overvoltage invading the power station will be. As the distance between the lightning strike point and the substation increases, the attenuation effect of corona on lightning overvoltage shows a “not obvious-significant-saturation” pattern. When multiple lightning strikes occur, the peak and steepness of overvoltage caused by the first lightning strike are the highest, and the temperature rise of the lightning arrester varies linearly with the number of lightning strikes.

Comparison Study of the Wideband Oscillation Risk of MMC between Grid-Following and Grid-Forming Control

Currently, research on the small-signal stability of grid-forming converters under two control modes, grid-following and grid-forming, mainly focuses on low-level converters. However, studies on the differences between grid-following modular multilevel converters (MMC) and grid-forming MMC are limited. A comprehensive analysis of the wideband oscillation risk differences in MMC-HVDC systems under these two control modes from the perspective of impedance characteristics is necessary. Therefore, based on the harmonic state-space (HSS) modeling theory, this article establishes wideband sequence impedance models for grid-forming and grid-following MMC. Subsequently, this article identifies key control parameters affecting the impedance characteristics of MMC under two control modes. The wideband oscillation risks of MMC-HVDC systems under both control modes are compared. The study indicates that when the grid strength weakens, grid-following MMC faces instability risks, while grid-forming MMC can maintain stability. In instances where high-frequency resonance peaks exist in the impedance of the grid, both control modes of MMC may face instability risks. Furthermore, by adjusting the obtained key control parameters of MMC, this article effectively suppresses the oscillation risk discussed above. Finally, the analysis results are verified through an electromagnetic transient simulation.

Transient overvoltage suppression of LCC‐HVDC sending‐end system based on DC current control optimisation

AbstractThe receiving‐end system AC fault of the line‐commutated‐converter‐based high voltage direct current (LCC‐HVDC) will lead to commutation failure of the inverter side. During the fault and its recovery, AC transient low voltage and transient overvoltage (TOV) will occur in the sending‐end system. The TOV has the risk of triggering the disorderly off‐grid of the nearby renewable power generations. Besides, in a serious situation, it will threaten the power system to maintain a secure and steady operation. Therefore, the authors analyse the mechanism involved in the AC transient voltage during the AC fault and the recovery period first. It reveals that the key factor causing the TOV of the sending‐end system is the setting of the DC current reference value. Then, a DC current reference value limit method based on the AC TOV sampling value is proposed, which is used to accelerate DC current recovery and suppress the TOV of the sending‐end system. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed control method has been confirmed through electromagnetic transient simulations using the CIGRE HVDC benchmark model and a ±800 kV HVDC transmission system model situated in Northwest China.

Static Equivalence Method of Power Grid Based on Genetic Algorithm

When the electromagnetic transient simulation of a large-scale power grid is carried out, because the simulation is limited by the scale of simulation software, it is necessary to divide the grid into internal and external grids, and the external grid is modeled with equivalent simplification. Aiming at resolving the difficulties of the traditional grid equivalence method, such as a cumbersome calculation process and harsh calculation conditions, a static grid equivalence method based on the genetic algorithm is proposed in this paper. The method first constructs an external grid equivalence network, which includes coupling branches between boundary nodes, and each boundary node is connected to the external grid equivalence power supply through the branches. Then, the external grid equivalence model is used to establish an optimization model for solving the equivalence network parameters based on the information of the internal network, the difference of the power input from the external grid to the boundary nodes before and after equivalence is used as the objective function, and the genetic algorithm is used to realize the iterative optimization of the objective function to obtain a set of optimal post-equivalence network model parameters so that the state variables of the internal power grid before and after the equivalence are matched. The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified through simulation with the CERPI36V7 node system.

Overvoltage Mechanism and Suppression Method for LCC-HVDC Rectifier Station Caused by Sending End AC Faults

This letter analyzes the mechanism of the AC bus overvoltage at the LCC-HVDC rectifier station caused by the sending-end AC faults. Firstly, the influence of commutation failure on relevant electrical quantities is analyzed. After the commutation failure disappears, the inverter switches to constant current control. Under the joint action of the constant current control of the rectifier, the DC current and the trigger angle of the rectifier decrease rapidly, which reduces the reactive power absorbed by the rectifier. With the recovery of HVDC transmission capacity, the sending end AC bus voltage sharply rises, which increases the reactive power output of the filter. Reactive power redundancy occurs in the sending end AC bus leading to overvoltage. The suppression method proposed in this letter can effectively increase the reactive power absorbed by the LCC-HVDC rectifier during fault recovery. Besides, the method can also significantly enhance the minimum value of the inverter extinction angle and avoid possible commutation failure. The effectiveness and applicability of the strategy are confirmed through Electromagnetic Transient simulation.

Influence of lightning current waveforms of cloud-to-ground lightning with multi-return strokes on the lightning withstand level of 500 kV transmission lines

The most common factor causing line tripping is lightning strokes, and it is necessary to conduct research on the lightning withstand level (LWL). The statistical results of lightning location systems (LLS) in various regions of China indicate that the total proportion of cloud-to-ground lightning with multi-return strokes in nature is 30% to 50%. The traditional method of lightning protection design for 500 kV lines based on the current waveform of single lightning strokes is no longer enough to effectively protect existing transmission lines. Therefore, in this paper an electromagnetic transient simulation model for 500 kV lines was established, to compare the LWL difference between single and multiple lightning strokes. The influence of the tower height, the grounding resistance, and the lightning current waveforms are all simulated and discussed. It is found that the back flashover LWL of 500 kV lines is significantly influenced by the lightning current waveforms. Meanwhile, reducing the grounding resistance cannot effectively increase the LWL of 500 kV lines when the tower is too high and the rise time of the lightning current is too short. It is proposed that the lightning current waveforms should be fully considered while calculating the LWL of 500 kV lines, both single and multiple lightning currents, providing a reference for practical engineering construction.

Asynchronous co-simulation of photovoltaic power generation system based on FPGA-CPU

In order to realize the real-time electromagnetic transient simulation of grid-connected photovoltaic power generation system with small time step, a heterogeneous multiplexed parallel real-time simulation method based on field programmable gate array (FPGA) and central processor is studied. According to the simulation accuracy requirements of the high and low frequency decoupling module, a differentiated simulation step size is used to solve the problem, and a 1us/50us FPGA-CPU multi-rate real-time simulation platform is constructed, in which the FPGA simulation part meets the real-time requirements of small-step transient simulation through the optimization of the response matching method and the EMTP algorithm, the offline simulation results are compared with Simulink, and the model before and after optimization is analyzed, the real-time electromagnetic transient simulation results are compared with Simulink, and the model before and after optimization is analyzed. By comparing the offline simulation results with Simulink and analyzing the FPGA resource consumption before and after model optimization, the accuracy and real-time performance of the co-simulation method for real-time simulation of grid-connected photovoltaic systems are verified.

Cooperative control of the DC-link voltage in VSC-MTDC grid via virtual synchronous generators

Introduction: Virtual Synchronous Generators (VSGs) are used in Voltage Source Converter-based Multi-Terminal High-Voltage Direct Current (VSC-MTDC) systems to enhance power system stability. However, the MTDC framework can lead to instability due to reduced inertia in certain grid areas, especially during load switching at VSC stations. This instability is exacerbated by untimely adjustments of the VSG's power setpoint, leading to voltage and frequency oscillations.Methods: This study introduces a cooperative control approach for the DC voltage of the VSG, employing a consensus algorithm and Model Predictive Control (MPC). This method aims to achieve incremental power for the VSG and provide interactive power commands for both the grid side and the wind farm side. The consensus algorithm ensures coherent system adjustments, while the MPC algorithm tracks DC-side voltage changes in real time.Results: The application of this cooperative control approach significantly enhances DC voltage regulation performance. It effectively reduces the extent of frequency drops and mitigates secondary frequency drop (SFD) issues, particularly those arising from the use of wind farms for frequency regulation and the associated speed recovery in wind turbine units.Discussion: The increase in supplemental power effectively utilizes the energy stored in DC-side capacitors for power balance regulation and introduces additional inertial power into the system. Electromagnetic transient simulations have confirmed the effectiveness of the Consensus MPC-VSG method, demonstrating its ability to optimize the dynamic performance of VSC-MTDC systems and promote stability in DC voltage and frequency.Conclusion: The findings suggest that employing the Consensus MPC-VSG method offers a promising solution for enhancing the stability and operational efficiency of VSC-MTDC systems, addressing the challenges posed by the inherent segmentation of the grid and the integration of renewable energy sources like wind farms.

Frequency emergency control strategy in power systems considering the participation of energy storage clusters

Recently, the power systems with a high penetration of renewables and power electronics have come into being. In these power systems, complex system dynamics, emergency faults, and insufficient frequency regulation reserve pose threats to system frequency stability. Based on the clustering development of energy storage, to ensure the system frequency stability when emergency faults occur, this paper proposes a decentralized frequency emergency control (FEC) strategy considering the participation of energy storage clusters (ESCs). First, the overall framework of the optimal-droop-based FEC strategy is introduced, which achieves the coordination between FEC and conventional frequency regulation strategies. Second, to appropriately allocate the unbalanced power among the generators and ESCs, a general design method for optimal droop coefficients is proposed, which is applicable to various control objectives. The optimality of the droop coefficients is rigorously proven. This case study is carried out on an electromagnetic transient simulation platform, and the simulation results verify the effectiveness and optimality of the proposed FEC strategy.

An accelerated modelling method of full-bridge modular multilevel converter considering dead-time

To avoid short-circuits of the same side switching of power converters, the dead time is of significance in the pulse trigger gating signal for full bridge modular multilevel converter (FB-MMC). However, the previous equivalent models use the binary resistance switching model to equivalent the switching state which is impossible to simulate the switching with dead time, and the detailed model (DM) with higher levels is time-consuming and inefficient in electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulation. To address this problem, based on the state-space averaging method, a speed-up average value model (AVM) of FB-MMC considering dead time is proposed. Firstly, the working state of FB-MMC is obtained through analysing the switching states with dead time and is classified into three cases according to the capacitor. Secondly, derived from state-space equation, the three cases are integrated into a unified model by introducing the duty cycle, and then the equivalent controlled source is used as the interface circuit between the external grid and capacitor. Finally, a 49-level two-terminal MMC-HVDC system consisting of FB-MMC is constructed in PSCAD / EMTDC simulations, showing that the proposed AVM compared with DM has high accuracy and operation efficiency.

Research on simultaneous switch and multiple switch processing methods

In the simulation of complex power electronic equipment containing multiple power electronic switches, it is often encountered that the same switch occurs several times in one step, or there are multiple switch actions in one step, that is, multiple switches. When the switching event occurs between two moments, because the voltage value can only be updated at the end of the simulation step, there is a cumulative error in the current obtained by the integration. In traditional electromagnetic transient simulation, the interpolation algorithm and its deformation are commonly used to solve this problem. However, due to the complexity of the conventional interpolation algorithm, it will seriously affect the efficiency in large-scale power grid simulation, and can only be applied to offline simulation, which cannot meet the needs of real-time simulation. In this paper, a method is presented to deal with synchronous switches and multiple switches, which can reliably solve the problem of synchronous switches and multiple switches encountered in real-time simulation of complex power electronic systems.

Hybrid design of active and passive strategy to suppress high-frequency resonances of MMC-based system

In recent modular multilevel converter (MMC)-based projects, high-frequency resonance (HFR) incidents have posed severe threat to the grid security. Although the active methods have been suggested, they cannot completely eliminate the HFR risk of MMC system. The hybrid method, i.e., combining the active and passive ones may be a solution to solve the HFR problem. However, the existing hybrid methods introduce additional loss. To inhibit the HFR and reduce the loss of passive devices, a hybrid active and passive strategy is proposed. Compared to existing hybrid methods, it can effectively reduce the loss introduced by passive devices. Additionally, the parameters matching relationship between the damper and the low-pass filters is revealed, and a hybrid design approach is proposed to achieve the above goals. Finally, electromagnetic transient simulations are performed to validate the correctness of the parameter design and the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.

A DCM-Based Non-Isolated Step-Down DC Transformer

DC transformers have emerged as essential devices for medium voltage DC (MVDC)-low voltage DC (LVDC) distribution systems. However, conventional step-down single-level converters have limits on the voltage level of the MVDC-LVDC distribution system. This paper proposes a non-isolated step-down (NISD) DC transformer based on discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). The proposed structure can withstand high voltage levels by sharing voltages between energy storage modules dividing voltage levels. The proposed NISD DC transformer determines operational modes based on energy storage modules and performs the voltage conversion process. The effectiveness of the proposed NISD DC transformer is verified based on a case study using a power system computer-aided design and electromagnetic transient simulation engine including DC (PSCAD/EMTDC™).

Time domain modeling of constant power loads for electromagnetic transient simulations

This paper proposes a dynamic constant power load offering constant active and reactive power and constant power factor suitable for electromagnetic transient simulations. The proposed model is agnostic to the frequency components of the system because it is developed in the time domain. The proposed model returns current and voltage quantities imitating the behavior of either inductive or capacitive loads. The model is customized so that it can be solved using readily available numeric solvers, such as branch-and-bound algorithms. The bottleneck of the computational speed depends on the numeric solver that is employed to solve the proposed model and the hardware used to process the computations. Also, convergence to a solution (an issue associated with every solver) is more likely to occur if the optimum initial solution is provided, which is left for future research. The model is validated using constant impedance load data. In this work, 2500 data points were simulated, and the output shows that the proposed model is accurate, and any approximations can be attributed to the adopted numerical differentiation method. The model is computationally exhaustive; thus, its application is limited to small systems.

A current injection method for converter power loss representation in electromagnetic transient simulation

The power-electronics converters are increasingly applied in modern power system, which contains various sub-systems, such as renewable energy power plants and high voltage direct current transmission systems, etc. The electromagnetic transient simulation has been one of the important tools for the study of complex system containing large numbers of power converters. The coordination control of the power converters and corresponding power generation and load units is one of the challenges ensuring stability and obtaining optimal efficiency. However, the detailed modeling of the power converters considering the conduction and switching losses can cost a great number of computation resources, which makes it difficult to simulate a large system. This work proposed a current injection method for converter power loss representation, which can accurately consider the conduction and switching losses of the power-electronics switches with low computation complexity. A look-up table (LUT) of the power loss ratio is calculated before the simulation, and a current source representing the power loss is connected in parallel with the converter to track the reference loss generated by the look-up table. The proposed method can be combined with multiple converter modeling schemes, such as the two-resistance model, the switching-function model, and the average value model, etc. The topologies of the two-level converter and the modular multi-level converter (MMC) were used in the case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Compared to the device-level model, the simulation power loss deviation is 0.64% and 4.13% applying the current injection method model in the case studies of the two-level converter and the MMC.

Efficient Improved Local Time Stepping with the Leapfrog Scheme for Transient 3-D Electromagnetic Analyses

An alternate boundary local time stepping (ABLTS) method is proposed for the discontinuous Galerkin time domain method for transient electromagnetic simulations to reduce the computation complexity of the local time stepping (LTS) method. The proposed method exhibites lower storage and time complexity than the conventional LF-LTS method . The stability, accuracy, and effectiveness of the ABLTS method are verified by applying it to the simulation of a resonator cavity and multi-layer microstrip antenna. The numerical results revealed that the developed method is effective for the transient electromagnetic simulation of antennas.

Reduced‐order electromagnetic transient model based on equivalent flux linkage derivative for induction motors under voltage sag condition

AbstractPrecise electromagnetic transient simulation of induction motors (IMs) under voltage sag condition is necessary in Electro‐Magnetic Transient Programme. Although traditional fifth‐order model can accurately reflect the electromagnetic transient behaviour of IMs, the disadvantage of massive computation limits its application in the large‐scale system simulation. Considering voltage sag is a typical power quality issue, a novel reduced‐order electromagnetic transient model based on equivalent flux linkage derivative is proposed to shorten simulation time during voltage sag. When characteristic parameters of voltage sag are given, an equivalent flux linkage derivative can be obtained simply, and the proposed model can effectively shorten the simulation time while ensuring accuracy of the fifth‐order model. Simulation results of small capacity (5.5‐kW) and large capacity (315‐kW and 1600‐kW) IMs in simple system and IEEE 9‐bus system confirm the applicability of the proposed model. It is estimated that simulation time of the proposed model decreases by 76% compared with the fifth‐order model. Finally, the experimental validation with the 5.5‐kW IM is carried out to show the effectiveness of the theory.

High frequency resonance characteristics analysis of voltage‐source virtual synchronous generator and suppression strategy

AbstractThe voltage‐source virtual synchronous generator is a grid‐forming type power electronic control technology and is able to support converters that have the ability of inertial, primary frequency and voltage regulation. Firstly, the authors build the small‐signal model of the voltage‐source virtual synchronous generator and conventional converters, compare and analyse the characteristics of the high‐frequency resonance modes, the results show that the voltage‐source virtual synchronous generator has almost the same high‐frequency resonance characteristics as the conventional converter. Secondly, the different control parameters and power grid strength that affect the high‐frequency resonance characteristic are analysed with eigenvalue, and the mechanism of voltage‐source VSG that caused high‐frequency resonance is derived. The leading factor that causes high‐frequency resonance is power grid strengths, and the authors proposed introducing virtual impedance into the front‐end channel of the current inner loop control strategy to suppress resonance for the voltage‐source virtual synchronous generator based on the theoretical analysis with the small‐signal model and eigenvalue analysis. In addition, the electromagnetic transient simulation model and RT‐LAB controller‐in‐loop platform are built, and the simulation and experiment results indicate the effectiveness of the virtual impedance control strategy.

Dynamic Phasor Simulation of Systems with High Shares of Inverter-Based Resources

Integrating inverter-based resources into power systems increases their complexity, and makes their operation more challenging. The conventional approach for simulating power systems neglects transients of the power grid, using steady-state phasors and considering only fundamental frequency values. However, to accurately predict the dynamic behavior of systems with high shares of inverter based resources, electromagnetic transient simulations (EMTSs) are necessary. The primary limitation of classical time-domain EMTSs is their frequent time-consuming nature, making them impractical for larger systems. In this work, we explore the use of dynamic phasors (DPs) as a technique to accelerate EMTSs. For this purpose, we first adapt the power grid and inverter model to DP simulation. Subsequently, we assess the effectiveness of this approach through three numerical examples, demonstrating a reduction in the simulation times by a factor of 4 to 40.

Validation of Phasor-Domain Transmission and Distribution Co-simulation Against Electromagnetic Transient Simulation

The rapid deployment of renewable energy resources has led to the widespread use of power electronics in modern power systems. As these systems transition from being dominated by large synchronous machines to increasingly incorporating inverter-based resources (IBRs), traditional transmission simulation tools that do not model the dynamics of distribution networks with a large amount of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) are becoming inadequate. Addressing this challenge, this paper introduces a scalable phasor-domain transmission and distribution (T&D) co-simulation framework that accurately captures system dynamic behaviors under various configurations of grid-forming and grid-following inverters based on open-source software. The main focus is on the validation of this co-simulation framework against the PSCAD Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) analysis tool for a three-phase line-to-ground fault scenario. The validation results clearly demonstrate the framework’s high fidelity and a computational time speed-up of 60 to 100 times, marking a pioneering validation effort between phasor-domain and EMT simulation in T&D co-simulation research.