The UK Government has set an ambitious target to achieve 15% of final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology is an attractive solution for integrating offshore wind power farms farther from the coast. In the near future, more windfarms are likely to be connected to the UK grid using HVDC links. With the onset of this fairly new technology, new challenges are inevitable. This research is undertaken to help assist with these challenges by looking at possibilities of problems with respect to faster AC/DC interaction modes, especially, on the impact of inrush currents which occur during fault-recovery transients. In addition to that, possible mitigation strategies are also investigated. Initially, the relative merits of different transformer models are analysed with respect to inrush current transient studies. The most appropriate transformer model is selected and further validated using field measurement data. A detailed electro-magnetic-transient (EMT) model of a grid-connected MMC-HVDC system is prepared in PSCAD/EMTDC to capture the key dynamics of fault-recovery transformer inrush currents. It is shown that the transformer in an MMC system can evoke inrush currents during fault recovery, and cause transient interactions with the converter and the rest of the system, which should not be neglected. It is shown for the first time through a detailed dynamic analysis that if the current sensors of the inner-current control loops are placed at the converter-side of the transformer instead of the grid-side, the inrush currents will mainly flow from the grid and decay faster. This is suggested as a basic remedial action to protect the converter from inrush currents. Afterwards, analytical calculations of peak flux-linkage magnitude in each phase, following a voltage-sag recovery transient, are derived and verified. The effects of zero-sequence currents and fault resistance on the peak flux linkage magnitude are systematically explained. A zero-sequence-current suppression controller is also proposed. A detailed study is carried out to assess the key factors that affect the maximum peak flux-linkage and magnetisation-current magnitudes, especially with regard to fault specific factors such as fault inception angle, duration and fault-current attenuation. Subsequently, the relative merits of a prior-art inrush current mitigation strategy and its implementation challenges in a grid-connected MMC converter are analysed. It is shown that the feedforward based auxiliary flux-offset compensation scheme, as incorporated in the particular strategy, need to be modified with a feedback control technique, to alleviate the major drawbacks identified. Following that, eight different feedback based control schemes are devised, and a detailed dynamic and transient analysis is carried out to find the best control scheme. The relative merits of the identified control scheme and its implementation challenges in a MMC converter are also analysed. Finally, a detailed EMT model of an islanded MMC-HVDC system is implemented in PSCAD/EMTDC and the impacts of fault-recovery inrush currents are analysed. For that, initially, a MMC control scheme is devised in the synchronous reference frame and its controllers are systematically tuned. To obtain an improved performance, an equivalent control scheme is derived in the stationary reference frame with Proportional-Resonant controllers, and incorporated in the EMT model. Following that, two novel inrush current mitigation strategies are proposed, with the support of analytical equations, and verified.

Le transformateur de puissance est un équipement essentiel d’un réseau électrique et le plus coûteux dans les postes. Pour augmenter son degré de disponibilité et de fiabilité, il est nécessaire d’appliquer la manœuvre contrôlée afin de diminuer la saturation du noyau lors de l’enclenchement, et donc limiter les courants d’appel. Ces derniers sont asymétriques, d’amplitude élevée, et riches en harmoniques. Ils peuvent causer des effets indésirables comme le disfonctionnement des dispositifs de protections, l’endommagement mécanique des enroulements du transformateur et réduire en général la durée de vie et la qualité des systèmes. Une technique efficace pour réduire ces courants d’appel est de mettre sous tension le transformateur quand le flux dynamique généré par la source est égal à son flux rémanent. Un modèle simplifié du transformateur de puissance est adopté pour l’analyse des phénomènes physiques liés à l’application des manœuvres. Pour évaluer le degré de faisabilité de cette technique, des simulations sont effectuées en utilisant le simulateur de réseau EMTP. Les contraintes requises pour chacun des composants du système de manœuvre contrôlée comme les segments de ligne, les disjoncteurs sont étudiées en détail pour déterminer l’algorithme de calcul de l’instant optimal de manœuvres. Ensuite des tests de validation statistiques sont effectués afin d’évaluer les performances des différentes approches employées. Enfin une étude consacrée à la reconstitution du flux rémanent via un transformateur capacitif de tension (TCT) est menée pour appliquer l’algorithme de manœuvre contrôlée dans les postes en utilisant les équipements de mesure déjà existants. / Power transformers are vital equipment in electrical networks and are the most expensive ones in substations. In order to increase their availability and reliability, controlled switching must be applied for reducing cores saturation during its energization, called “inrush currents”. These inrush currents are asymmetrical, high-magnitude, harmonic-rich, and may cause many undesirable effects such as maloperation of protective relays and fuse, mechanical damage to the transformer winding and generally reduce the lifetime and quality of power systems. An efficient technique to reduce these inrush currents is to energize the transformer when the dynamic flux generated by the source is equal to its residual flux. A simplified model is adopted to analyze the physical phenomena related to the switching applications. In order to assess the feasibility of this technique, numerous simulations have been performed using EMTP simulator. The critical requirements for each component of the controlled switching system such as pieces of line, circuit breakers have been studied in detail in order to determine the best switching instant calculation algorithm. Then statistical validation tests have been conducted to evaluate the performances of its different approaches. Finally a study dedicated to the reconstitution of residual flux using a capacitive voltage transformer (CVT) has been carried on in order to apply the controlled switching algorithm in substations using their existing measurement equipments.

Lors de la réalimentation des auxiliaires d'une tranche nucléaire ou hydraulique, l'étape la plus à risque est la remise sous tension brusque du transformateur à cause des surtensions et courants d'appels générés. Ces phénomènes transitoires engendrent des effets très indésirables autant pour le réseau comme pour le transformateur (efforts électrodynamiques sous les bobinages, vibration du circuit magnétique, bruit et vieillissement prématuré du transformateur.) Le but de ces travaux de thèse est de proposer de nouvelles méthodologies permettant d'évaluer les paramètres mal connus (les valeurs des flux rémanents présents dans le circuit magnétique du transformateur avant sa mise sous tension). Face aux problèmes actuelles pour l'estimer (méthode non directe, dérive, imprécision de la mesure de la tension, etc.), deux nouvelles méthodes basées sur la magnétisation préalable du circuit magnétique (méthode de prefluxing) et sur la mesure des flux de fuites du circuit magnétique (méthode de mesure directe de flux par mesure de l’induction magnétique) sont proposées. / During the re-energization of the auxiliaries of a nuclear or hydraulic power plant, the most dangerous step is the re-energization of the power transformer, because of the temporary overvoltage and inrush currents. These transients phenomenon causes undesirable effects for both network and for the power transformer (electrodynamic forces over the windings, the magnetic circuit’s vibration, noise and the premature aging of the transformer). The goal of these thesis is to suggest new methodologies allowing us to evaluate unknown parameters (the residual flux’s values in the magnetic circuit before transformer’s energization). According to the latest problems in order to evaluate it (no direct method, derivation, voltage measurement error, etc) two new methods based on the previous magnetization of the magnetic circuit (prefluxing method) and on the leakage flux measurement of the magnetic circuit (direct measurement of the flux by measuring the magnetic induction method) are proposed.

Cette thèse présente un nouveau système de stabilisation de la tension batterie spécialement destinés aux véhicules Stop-Start, économique et compact, nommé LVSS (Linear Voltage Stabilization System). Le LVSS se comporte comme une résistance variable et limite le courant à l’aide de transistors MOSFET fonctionnant en mode linéaire. Il permet donc de stabiliser la tension de la batterie pendant le démarrage du moteur à combustion interne (ICE). Un prototype a été conçu et testé sur une voiture. Les résultats ont montré que la tension était stabilisée tout en limitant le courant de démarrage. De plus la solution proposée n’impacte pas sur les performances globales du système Stop-Start et comme les transistors fonctionnent en mode linéaire, cette solution n’émet pas de perturbations CEM. / This thesis presents a new Linear Voltage Stabilization System (LVSS) specially designed for µ-hybrid vehicles using the Stop-Start function. The LVSS stabilizes the battery voltage during the start-up of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) limiting the start-up current using parallels MOSFETs working in linear mode. A prototype was developed and tested in a car. Results have shown the battery voltage properly stabilized limiting the start-up current. Furthermore the proposed solution does not impact on the overall performance of the Stop-Start. Main advantages are its small volume, low price and the fact that there is no EMC perturbation as transistors work in linear mode.

In this thesis is described the function and design of the transformer designed on ferromagnetic core, composed of transformer sheets. It is explained a transient inrush current of the transformer. In this work is inserted voltage and current waveforms, designed printed circuit board, serving to reduce the inrush current.

In this thesis is described the function and design of the transformer designed on ferromagnetic core, composed of transformer sheets. It is explained a transient inrush current of the transformer. In this work is inserted voltage and current waveforms, designed printed circuit board, serving to reduce the inrush current.

Hydropower is the most important power balancing resource in the Swedish electrical power system, regulating the power supply to match the load. Consequently, several hydropower plants have periods of stand-by operation where the power production is absent but where several devices within a plant are still active. Such a device is the step-up power transformer, which during stand-by operation still generates no-load energy losses. These losses can accumulate to a considerable amount of energy and costs during the long technical lifetime of the apparatus. One option to minimize these no-load energy losses is by turning the transformer off when its generating unit is in stand-by operation. However, when this transformer operational change has been explained to experts in the field, the most common response has been that a more frequent reenergizing of a transformer leads to higher risks for errors or transformer breakdowns. This study aimed to analytically investigate three effects from this operational change. First, the potential of fatigue failure for the windings due to the increased sequences of inrush current. Secondly, the thermal cycling as a consequence of change in present losses. Lastly, the energy and economic saving potentials for hydropower plants where this operational adjustment is applied. The study used both established as well as analytical tools explicitly created for this study. These were then applied on currently active transformers in different plant categories in Fortum’s hydropower fleet.  The study primarily showed three things. Firstly, risk of fatigue failure due to the increased presence of inrush currents did not affect the transformer’s technical lifetime. Secondly, the thermal cycling changes were slightly larger with absent no-load losses during stand-by operation. The average temperature for the transformer decreased, which in general is seen as a positive indicator for a longer insulation lifetime and thus the transformer’s technical lifetime. Finally, the created frameworks showed the potential of saving energy and money for all plant categories, where the potential grew with the installed production capacity and the stand-by operation timeshare. Despite the simplifications made to describe the complex reality of a transformer operating in a hydropower plant, this thesis contributes to lay a foundation for future investigation of an easy adjustment to avoid unnecessary energy losses and costs for transformers in hydropower plants.

This thesis investigates the impact of resonant overvoltages and their origin. Series and parallel resonances are present in any electrical grid. The frequency of which this resonance occurs is called resonance frequency. For parallel resonance, which is mainly being studied in this thesis, a high impedance peak can be found at the resonance frequency. This impedance peak in conjunction with a harmonic rich current cause a kind of temporary overvoltages called resonant overvoltages. The harmonic content of the current is high following a fault clearing in the grid, due to transformer saturation. The resonance frequency is heavily dependent on the amount of reactance present in the grid, which entail that a change in reactance causes a change in the resonance frequency. The electromagnetic transient tool PSCAD has been used to investigate resonant overvoltages following transformer energization caused by faults and switching in Stockholm. Secondly, a model was created of a grid connecting off-shore wind power to the mainland via long AC submarine transmission cables. These cables, having a high capacitance, lower the resonance frequency. Faults in this model were simulated to investigate the phenomenon of resonant overvoltages in such a grid. This was especially interesting due to Swedens planned expansion of wind power in the Baltic sea. While resonant overvoltages were found in Stockholm they were not deemed significant due to their low magnitude and longevity. However, severe resonant overvoltages were found in the off-shore wind farm model. The worst resonant overvoltages had a maximum amplitude of the 2nd order harmonic voltage of 130 kV which, while eventually damped, were significant for up to 50 periods. Lastly, the phenomenon of an increased resonance frequency during the saturation of a transformer was studied. The most severe resonant overvoltages occured in a model where the frequency scans showed a resonance frequency of 98 Hz. Indicating, caution needs to be had during EMT-studies of resonant overvoltages while choosing what resonance frequency to study.

Hydropower is the most important power balancing resource in the Swedish electrical power system, regulating the power supply to match the load. Consequently, several hydropower plants have periods of stand-by operation where the power production is absent but where several devices within a plant are still active. Such a device is the step-up power transformer, which during stand-by operation still generates no-load energy losses. These losses can accumulate to a considerable amount of energy and costs during the long technical lifetime of the apparatus. One option to minimize these no-load energy losses is by turning the transformer off when its generating unit is in stand-by operation. However, when this transformer operational change has been explained to experts in the field, the most common response has been that a more frequent reenergizing of a transformer leads to higher risks for errors or transformer breakdowns. This study aimed to analytically investigate three effects from this operational change. First, the potential of fatigue failure for the windings due to the increased sequences of inrush current. Secondly, the thermal cycling as a consequence of change in present losses. Lastly, the energy and economic saving potentials for hydropower plants where this operational adjustment is applied. The study used both established as well as analytical tools explicitly created for this study. These were then applied on currently active transformers in different plant categories in Fortum’s hydropower fleet. The study primarily showed three things. Firstly, risk of fatigue failure due to the increased presence of inrush currents did not affect the transformer’s technical lifetime. Secondly, the thermal cycling changes were slightly larger with absent no-load losses during stand-by operation. The average temperature for the transformer decreased, which in general is seen as a positive indicator for a longer insulation lifetime and thus the transformer’s technical lifetime. Finally, the created frameworks showed the potential of saving energy and money for all plant categories, where the potential grew with the installed production capacity and the stand-by operation timeshare. Despite the simplifications made to describe the complex reality of a transformer operating in a hydropower plant, this thesis contributes to lay a foundation for future investigation of an easy adjustment to avoid unnecessary energy losses and costs for transformers in hydropower plants