Protection Technologies of Ultra-High-Voltage AC Transmission Systems

Protection Technologies of Ultra-High-Voltage AC Transmission Systems

Bin Li

Professor, School of Electrical and Information, Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China

Jiali He

Professor, School of Electrical and Information, Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China

Yongli Li

Professor, School of Electrical and Information, Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China

Yuping Zheng

Director, State Key Laboratory of Smart Grid Protection and Operation Control, China

Table of Contents

Cover image

Title page

Copyright

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1. Development of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

1.2. Key technology of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

1.3. Relay protection of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

Chapter 2. Electromagnetic environment

2.1. Structural parameters of ultra-high-voltage transmission lines

2.2. Electric field intensity under transmission lines

2.3. Power frequency magnetic field of transmission lines

2.4. Limits for electromagnetic fields and radio interference

Chapter 3. Transmission line parameters

3.1. Distributed parameters of transmission line

3.2. Conductors arrangement

3.3. Tower structure

Chapter 4. Protection configuration

4.1. Requirements for protection

4.2. Protection configuration

4.3. Selection of protection and communication channels

Chapter 5. Directional pilot protection

5.1. Configuration of main protection

5.2. Zero-sequence current directional protection

5.3. Configuration of automatic reclosure

5.4. Basic evaluation

Chapter 6. Transmission line model

6.1. Brief introduction

6.2. Long-line equation of transmission line

6.3. Bergeron model of transmission line

6.4. Dynamic phasor model of transmission line

Chapter 7. Current differential protection

7.1. Basic principle

7.2. Protection for transmission lines with shunt reactor

Chapter 8. Distance protection

8.1. Influence of capacitance current

8.2. Nonlinear measured impedance

8.3. Distance protection for long transmission lines

Chapter 9. Overvoltage

9.1. Overview

9.2. Overvoltage characteristics of ultra-high-voltage transmission systems

9.3. Study on overvoltage of ultra-high-voltage transmission lines

9.4. Field tests of operating overvoltage

Chapter 10. Protection for transformers and shunt reactors

10.1. Structural features of ultra-high-voltage transformers

10.2. Protection configuration of ultra-high-voltage transformers

10.3. Distributed protection scheme for ultra-high-voltage transformers

10.4. Interturn short-circuit protection for ultra-high-voltage shunt reactors

10.5. Fast impedance protection for large-capacity transformers [5]

Chapter 11. Multi-circuit transmission lines

11.1. Tower structure and conductor arrangement

11.2. Unbalanced current of double-circuit lines

11.3. Unbalanced current of multicircuit lines

Chapter 12. Half-wavelength transmission lines

12.1. Basic characteristics

12.2. New principle of current differential protection

12.3. New principle of directional pilot protection

Index

Copyright

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Chapter 1

Introduction

Abstract

UHV AC transmission refers to AC transmission with a voltage level of 1000 kV and above. It has significant advantages such as large transmission capacity, long transmission distance, low line loss and space saving. This chapter introduces the development of UHV transmission systems and the construction of EHV/UHV transmission projects, as well as key technologies for UHV transmission such as voltage level, overvoltage, insulation and electromagnetic environment. The key issues that must be considered in the relay protection configuration such as capacitive current, distribution parameter characteristics and fault transient process are described.

Keywords

Extra-high-voltage (EHV); Protective relaying; Transmission lines; Ultra-high-voltage (UHV)

1.1 Development of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

1.2 Key technology of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

1.3 Relay protection of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

References

1.1. Development of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

The power industry is a basic industry related to national economies and their people's livelihoods. Power grid construction plays an important role in optimizing the allocation of energy resources, ensuring national energy security, and promoting the development of the national economy. In the 1980s, the Soviet Union built and put into operation the world's first 1150   kV transmission line across Eurasia with a total length of more than 2000   km. Its purpose is to transport energy from the energy base to the load center over long distances. In order to save the route corridor, limit short-circuit current, and transport the eastern and northern nuclear power to Tokyo, Japan has built a 1000   kV ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission line of 380   km, but it is still at the level of decompression operation. In addition, the United States, Italy, Canada, Brazil, and other countries have conducted long-term research and experiments on UHV transmission technology. In many countries around the world, the geographical distribution of primary energy and the electrical loads used to generate electricity is not balanced. For example, while building large coal-fired power bases and large hydropower bases, China has also built a national energy transmission channel with UHV backbone grids as its core, enabling long-distance and large-capacity west–east power transmission, north–south mutual supply, and nationwide networking. In 2009, China's Jindongnan–Nanyang–Jingmen UHV AC transmission line demonstration project was put into operation. In 2011, the first UHV demonstration line achieved a full capacity of 5   million kW.

Compared with UHV AC transmission, UHV DC transmission has great advantages in point-to-point power transmission, time-division economic power exchange, and grid fault isolation. However, its disadvantages include difficult point selection, high reactive power consumption, and expensive converter stations. UHV AC transmission is conducive to networking and improving power transmission economics, but its stability and reliability problems are not easy to solve. With technology development, the advantages and disadvantages of AC and DC transmission may also be mutually transformed. The two transmission technologies will coexist for a long time and have fierce competition. This book focuses on the key technical issues of relay protection for UHV AC transmission systems. Therefore, UHV as written in the book refers to AC UHV.

In the 1960s, the need for electricity was rapidly increasing in some industrialized countries with large electricity demand—the Soviet Union, the United States, Canada, Brazil, etc.—due to industrial development and the improvement of people's lives. At the same time, due to the vast territory of these countries, energy production areas (mainly hydropower resources) and load centers were far away, and 400–500   kV transmission lines could not meet the needs of long-distance, large-capacity power transmission, so study and design began for UHV transmission lines, namely 735, 750, 765, and 800   kV transmission lines. In 1963, the Soviet Union put into operation the first 750   kV test transmission line, which is 90 km long, through Konakovo–Moscow [1]. The line was decompression-operated for 4 years and was officially operated at 750   kV in 1967 [2]. After that, a 1118   km long 750   kV line was built through Donbass–Dnepr–Vinnitsa–Western Ukraine, and a 525   km long 750   kV line was built through Leningrad–Konakovo [2,3]. In 1970, a 750   kV transmission line of 479   km through Western Ukraine–Albertirsa was built [4].

The number of 750   kV lines from Ukraine to Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Poland totals 15, with a length of 120–500   km. Hydro Quebec of Canada was completed and put into operation as the first 735   kV transmission line in 1965 [5]. By 1986, about 21 735   kV lines had been built [6], most of which were double-circuit lines. In order to improve the line transmission capacity and system stability, series compensation capacitors were installed on these lines [7], and 37 sets of series-compensated capacitors were installed, for a total compensation capacity of 15,000 Mvar. In 1966, the United States approved the construction of a 765   kV transmission line in the American Electric Power Service Company (AEP) system. In February 1969, the first 765   kV transmission line was put into operation. By 1973, ten 765   kV lines with a total length of approximately 1760   km had been built. At present, AEP's 765   kV line is about 3000   km long.

The Itaipu hydropower station built by Brazil and Paraguay has eighteen 700   MW units. With a total capacity of 12,600   MW, it was put into operation in 1985. Among them, nine units are 60   Hz, and power is transmitted by three 750   kV transmission lines of about 900   km each to the load centers of the Brazilian capital and São Paulo. The other nine units are 50 Hz, and three 750 kV transmission lines are used to send power to the Paraguay load center. Each line is about 570   km long. Most of these 750   kV lines have series capacitor compensation, which was completed and put into operation in 1985–1990 [8].

The power industry in Venezuela is developing well. Six 765   kV lines were built from 1981 to 1984. The 765   kV line from the large power plant with ten 700 MVA generator sets in Guri to the load centers in San Geronimo, La Arenosa, and La Horqueta was 1249   km long in total. Five additional 765   kV lines were built after that, and power was sent from San Geronimo to four areas [9].

In addition to the aforementioned countries that first built 750   kV lines, China, India, South Korea, Japan, South Africa, and other countries have also built 750   kV transmission lines. Before the construction of 750   kV lines, they carried out long-term research on many technical problems, equipment problems, radio interference caused by the 750   kV line corona, and possible impacts on ground organisms. It can be said that the technology of the 750   kV transmission line has been basically mature and perfect with rich operational experience. These scientific research achievements and operational experience have laid a solid foundation for UHV transmission.

Since the 1970s, some industrialized countries such as the United States, the Soviet Union, Canada, Japan, and Italy have realized that due to the rapid growth of power loads, 750   kV transmission lines will soon be unable to meet the needs of long-distance and large-capacity power transmission. The need for the development of higher-level voltage transmission led to the study of 1000–1500   kV transmission technology [10]. From 1975 to 1978, the Soviet Union and United States jointly established the US–USSR Joint Committee on Cooperation in the Field of Energy and cooperated in research on UHV transmission technology to promote development of the technology.

In 1975, the US–USSR Joint Committee on Cooperation in the Field of Energy held a seminar on UHV AC transmission in Washington, DC, and in 1978, another seminar was held in Tashkent, the Soviet Union [11]. The seminar held in 1975 mainly discussed the results of research on 750–1150   kV lines including various structural types of 750–1150   kV transmission equipment, the main parameters of 750–1150   kV line design, measurement methods of electric field strength, protection principles and methods concerning operating and lightning overvoltages, insulation distances of 750–1150   kV lines, substation insulation and environmental protection, load conditions and standards of UHV transmission lines, calculation of foundation stress on the tower, wire, lightning protection lines, wire icing and wind load, wind load and vibration, vibration of split wires, and corona and its interference with radio waves. It involved nearly all problems of UHV transmission. The seminar held in 1978 focused on various issues regarding 1100–1200   kV transmission lines including measures to limit 1200   kV line overcurrent to 1.3, 1.5, and 1.8 times the rated voltage, protection measures for overvoltage caused by 1200   kV transmission line single-phase fault removal, 1100   kV (maximum voltage 1200   kV) line active and reactive power adjustment methods, long-term dielectric strength of 1200   kV tower, insulator and air gap, 1200   kV transmission line tower design considering environmental protection, minimum material consumption, the reduction of electrical distance and line corridor conditions, the impacts of power frequency electromagnetic fields on organisms, and other research results.

In the 1960s, the Soviet Union built the 450   MW Bratsk Grand Hydropower Station on the Ankara River in Siberia, and in the 1970s built a thermal power plant group in Krasnoyarsk. In order to transport the electricity to the Ural Heavy Industries Base and the European Load Center, construction was started in the 1980s from Itatsk, Siberia, 440   km to Barnaul, then 693   km to Ekibastuz in Kazakhstan, 494   km to Kokshetau, 396   km to Kostanay, and finally 321   km to the 1150   kV transmission line of Chelyabinsk in Ural. In total, the line was approximately 2500   km long and capable of delivering 6000   MW of power. This is the world's first UHV transmission line and has been tested for quite a long time.

Japan has a high load density. In order to save power transmission corridors, limit system short-circuit capacity, and improve system stability, Japanese researchers have studied transmission schemes of four voltage levels—800, 1100, 1200, and 1500   kV—in light of national conditions. Considering factors such as far–near integration, system structure, construction cost, operating cost, and environmental impact [12], it was determined that a UHV transmission system with a rated voltage of 1000   kV and a maximum voltage of 1100   kV should be constructed within the Tokyo Power Grid. The Tokyo Electric Power Company has built four 1000   kV transmission lines to send power from power plants in Fukushima and Kashiwabara to the 500   kV power grid outside the Tokyo area. In addition to the Soviet Union, Japan, and the United States, Canada, France, Italy, India, and other countries have carried out research on various problems of 1000–1200   kV transmission lines and established test circuits. Therefore, experience with 1000–1200   kV AC transmission technology is considerable and quite mature.

When installed system capacity reaches a certain level, the backbone grid’s voltage level must be increased. Studies in Ref. [13] have shown that transmission energy consumption of the 345   kV main network is lower than transmission energy consumption of the main network of 230   kV, and transmission energy consumption of the 500   kV main network is lower than transmission energy consumption of the 345   kV main network. If the main network is 1100   kV, energy consumption can be further reduced.

The unit transmission capacity corridor width of a 1000   kV AC line is only one-third that of a 500   kV line, and the comprehensive cost of unit transmission capacity is less than three-fourths that of the 500   kV transmission scheme [14]. Due to increasingly tight land resources, the construction cost of transmission networks is becoming increasingly higher. UHV double-circuit/multicircuit/compact transmission lines will also become an inevitable trend in the development of UHV power grids. In the United States, the 220   and 345   kV voltage levels use common-tower double-transmission lines to reach 47% and 52% respectively. All UK 400   kV grades use common-tower double-transmission lines. More than 90% of the 500   kV lines in Japan are common-tower double-transmission. All three 1000   kV UHV systems that have been built us common-tower double-transmission lines. Following the idea of common-tower double-transmission lines, many countries have studied and built multiple transmission lines from the same tower to further improve transmission capacity under the unit corridor.

In general, the construction of UHV power grids is the fundamental guarantee for meeting power demand for continued future growth and is conducive to the realization of a wide range of resource optimization configurations. It is the basic way to improve the efficiency of energy development and utilization and is conducive to cracking the contradiction of power grid investment imbalance. It is an inevitable choice for improving the overall efficiency of the power industry and is conducive to achieving close coordination between power grids in various regions, possessing many advantages in terms of the safety, reliability, flexibility, and economy of large power grids.

1.2. Key technology of the ultra-high-voltage AC transmission system

(1) Voltage level

    The highest operating voltage is the basis for the power system’s design and equipment selection. There have been four schemes for the highest operating voltage of UHV transmission in the world, namely 1050, 1100, 1200 and 1600kV. In terms of the highest operating voltages, China has carried out a comparative evaluation of network operational characteristics, line loss and corona loss, external insulation of the equipment at high altitude, transmission capacity and transient stability, manufacturing difficulty of UHV equipment, the impact of costs and pollution degree, etc. A large number of research calculations show that with the highest operating voltage of 1100kV, system stability, operational flexibility, and resource allocation capabilities are all higher than they are for a 1050kV system, and the total transmission loss and unit power investment costs are lower than they are for 1050kV [15]. For these reasons, China has put forward the voltage standard of a nominal voltage of 1000kV and a maximum voltage of 1100kV, which has become the IEC voltage standard [16]. UHV transmission has a high voltage level and great influence on the system. Therefore, it is particularly important to strengthen voltage control, which has a great influence on the power system’s security, reliability, and economy. The voltage control of a UHV transmission system mainly includes the suppression of power frequency overvoltage, switching overvoltage, and lightning overvoltage as well as control of system operating voltage.

(2) Overvoltage

    Overvoltage for extra-high-voltage (EHV) transmission systems includes power frequency overvoltage, switching overvoltage, lightning overvoltage, and system