Spurious power and its elimination in modular multilevel converter models

Anton Stepanov; Hani Saad; Ulas Karaagac; Jean Mahseredjian

doi:10.1016/j.epsr.2020.106704

Spurious power and its elimination in modular multilevel converter models

Anton Stepanov, Hani Saad, Ulas Karaagac, Jean Mahseredjian

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the presence of spurious power generation or losses in two commonly used Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) models: the Arm Equivalent Model (AEM) and the Average Value Model (AVM). Such power does not represent any physical phenomenon and appears due to numerical effects. It is demonstrated that spurious power is present when the model equations are not solved simultaneously with the surrounding electrical circuit equations, which is the case when the AEM and AVM are implemented using control system blocks. Depending on operating conditions and simulation parameters, such power can represent a significant part of the total converter station losses or even surpass them, thus making simulation results inaccurate. Several solutions to eliminate the spurious power are proposed for the AEM and AVM. Their effects are demonstrated in steady-state and transient conditions on a point-to-point MMC-HVDC simulation test case.

Original language	English
Article number	106704
Journal	Electric Power Systems Research
Volume	190
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsr.2020.106704
Publication status	Published - Jan 2021

Keywords

Arm equivalent model
Average value model
HVDC
Modular multilevel converter
Simulation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

More information

10.1016/j.epsr.2020.106704

Cite this

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title = "Spurious power and its elimination in modular multilevel converter models",

abstract = "This paper demonstrates the presence of spurious power generation or losses in two commonly used Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) models: the Arm Equivalent Model (AEM) and the Average Value Model (AVM). Such power does not represent any physical phenomenon and appears due to numerical effects. It is demonstrated that spurious power is present when the model equations are not solved simultaneously with the surrounding electrical circuit equations, which is the case when the AEM and AVM are implemented using control system blocks. Depending on operating conditions and simulation parameters, such power can represent a significant part of the total converter station losses or even surpass them, thus making simulation results inaccurate. Several solutions to eliminate the spurious power are proposed for the AEM and AVM. Their effects are demonstrated in steady-state and transient conditions on a point-to-point MMC-HVDC simulation test case.",

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AU - Stepanov, Anton

AU - Saad, Hani

AU - Karaagac, Ulas

AU - Mahseredjian, Jean

PY - 2021/1

Y1 - 2021/1

N2 - This paper demonstrates the presence of spurious power generation or losses in two commonly used Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) models: the Arm Equivalent Model (AEM) and the Average Value Model (AVM). Such power does not represent any physical phenomenon and appears due to numerical effects. It is demonstrated that spurious power is present when the model equations are not solved simultaneously with the surrounding electrical circuit equations, which is the case when the AEM and AVM are implemented using control system blocks. Depending on operating conditions and simulation parameters, such power can represent a significant part of the total converter station losses or even surpass them, thus making simulation results inaccurate. Several solutions to eliminate the spurious power are proposed for the AEM and AVM. Their effects are demonstrated in steady-state and transient conditions on a point-to-point MMC-HVDC simulation test case.

AB - This paper demonstrates the presence of spurious power generation or losses in two commonly used Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) models: the Arm Equivalent Model (AEM) and the Average Value Model (AVM). Such power does not represent any physical phenomenon and appears due to numerical effects. It is demonstrated that spurious power is present when the model equations are not solved simultaneously with the surrounding electrical circuit equations, which is the case when the AEM and AVM are implemented using control system blocks. Depending on operating conditions and simulation parameters, such power can represent a significant part of the total converter station losses or even surpass them, thus making simulation results inaccurate. Several solutions to eliminate the spurious power are proposed for the AEM and AVM. Their effects are demonstrated in steady-state and transient conditions on a point-to-point MMC-HVDC simulation test case.

KW - Arm equivalent model

KW - Average value model

KW - HVDC

KW - Modular multilevel converter

KW - Simulation

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JO - Electric Power Systems Research

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Spurious power and its elimination in modular multilevel converter models

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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