2011 Seventh International Conference on Natural Computation

A Review of Module Multi-level Converters

Liu Yapeng, Hu Pengfei, Guo Jie, Jiang Daozhuo
Zhejiang University Multi-function Power System Laboratory Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhe Jiang, China E-Mail: emma.emma204@gmail.com
AbstractThis paper provides a review of the development of MMC by summarizing the proper modulation methods and the application fields compared with the common ones applied in the multi-level converters. Also the principle of energy equilibrium is presented during noticeable parameter design process. Representatives are shown in the paper of the MMC applications made by ABB, Siemens and China Electric Power Research Institute since 2007 the concept of MMC advanced. Keywords MMC(module multilevel concerter); PWM; NLM; VSC-HVDC.

ones. Apart for the three e improved topologies called multilevel converters DCMC, CCMC, CHMC, another noteworthy scheme is called as the Modular Multilevel Convertor (MMC) featured by the module structure of easy assembling and flexibility in converter design. The high voltage and power class can be reached by the cascaded sub-modules and extended to a random voltage level with lower harmonic distortion. The feature of a common dc side makes it more suitable in the VSC-HVDC transmission system in terms of the easier back-to-back connection. The hard part of its own is the capacitance voltage balance control and the inner the Circulating Current in Modular Multilevel Converter, as one focus of this paper later presented referring to [8][9] along with another on the Multilevel Modulation Methods which are divided into Space Vector Algorithms and Voltage Level Based Algorithms[1] in MMC applications.

I.

INTRODUCTION

The twentieth century sees the fast development of the Multi-level converters, its applications in various areas as shown in figure 1[1], among them the application of the VSC applied in power system needs more attention. The flexibility, economic efficiency, high-quality and good-controllability of VSC-HVDC have made it largely applied to the grid-connected renewable energy sources and distributed generation, power supply to the isle and high-developed cities, as well as the interconnection of the asynchronous ac power systems. The cascaded 2-3 level VSCs for each phase in large number, one of the realized scheme for designing the invertors with large power capacity which is the core technology of the VSC-HVDC, have been implemented by ABB corporation in its light HVDC projects with fine performance[2]. For 2-3 level VSC on most occasions using measures like PWM to reduce the high harmonic components at the AC terminal, the problems of voltage-sharing between the multiple IGBTs in series, electromagnetic interference(EMI)[3-4] among the converters and the ac power system, as well as the consistency for the abundant devices to turn on and shut off are all the limitations for further widespread engineering applications. Beyond that more have been derived from the three basic

Figure 1

Application of the multi-level converters

978-1-4244-9953-3/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE

1934

II

the MMC APPROACH The Modular Multilevel Convertor (MMC) topology is as

voltage , secondly are to substantially reduce the effects of the rising faults inside or outside the converter. The critical current rise rates can significantly drop to a very low level, say only a few tens of amperes per microsecond for the short circuit between the DC terminals. Paper [8] gives the analytical expression of circulating current based on the conservation of energy as a basis to design and determine the reactor parameter. Here puts on the brief mechanism analysis of the circulating current and the derived result equation for the reactor. With definition about the MMC output voltage and current modulation ratio as k and m( Udc is the current voltage of the VSC ):

shown in figure 2(a), the cascaded multiple bidirectional module cells presented in figure 2(b) connected in series with a buffering reactor on each leg. Every module is comprised of the IGBT half bridge as the switching element and the storage capacitor, which makes the cell has three operating modes shown in table 1 divided into six working conditions by the switching status and the current flow direction. Hence every component can be switched between one state in full module voltage (T1 = ON, T2 = OFF) and a state in zero module voltage (T1 = OFF, T2 = ON). The two directions of the current flow make the capacitor charge and discharge.
Table 1 the six working modes for sub-module Mode

im
>0

IGBT 1
OFF ON OFF

IGBT 2
OFF OFF ON OFF OFF ON

u
U dc U dc

du c dt
>0 >0 0 0 <0 0

1-3

N u u =2 N U dc / 2 U dc /2 3 i N i m= N = I dc / 3 2 I dc k=
The ratios have relations as:

(1)

0 0
U dc

4-6

<0

OFF ON OFF

mk cos = 2
half bridge can be put into the following equations:

(2)

The leg voltage and current for the output and the upper

N sin( wN t ) Ua0 = u N sin( wN t + ) Ia = i

1 Ua1 (t ) = Udc[1 k sin(wN t)] 2 1 Ia1 (t ) = Idc[1+ msin(wN t + )] 3

(3)

(4)

Refer to the energy equation, conclusions that the inner circulating current is of the two times fundamental frequency and negative sequenced help to derive the fixed voltage and current equations for the upper leg as the following, the

U2 f

means the frequency-doubled voltage causing the circulating current:

Figure 2 (a) Configuration of the Module Multi-level Converter (b) the sub-module

A.

The Reactor Parameter Design The convertor reactors connected in parallel with those

sub-modules firstly are to damp and control the balancing circulating current due to the discrepancy of three-phase arm

1 1 Ua1 (t ) = Udc [1 k sin(wN t )] + U2 f sin(2wN t + ) 2 2 1 I a1 (t ) = Idc [1 + m sin(wN t + )] + I2 f cos(2wN t + ) 3

(5)

Considering the inner circulating current, the two energy

1935

equations about the AC component for each phase come, there

Ps equals U dc I dc / cos as the apparent power of the

converter :

WSM (m) can be deduced in terms of the energy equilibrium:

WSM (m) = WL (m) n
(10)

WPM _ AC = C0U CU 2 f sin(2 wN t + ) WPM _ AC U U P = ( s + dc2 2 f ) sin(2 wN t + ) 6 wN 8w N Lo

(6)

WSM (m) =

Pd 2 k cos 2 3/2 [1 ( ) ] 3 knwN cos 2

(11)

Lastly the current peak expression is shown,

Where the P d (7)

I2 f

P 1 = s( 2 ) 3 8w N Lo C0U C U dc

Pd =

1 2

[ud ( wN t )id ( wN t )]d ( wN t )

(12)

Moreover considering the relation between the capacitor storage and the nominal voltage, combining the ripple coefficient of voltage (8)

Hence the current peak expression inversely derived to get the reactor parameter equation is:

Lo =
B

P 1 ( s + U dc ) 8w N C0U C 3I 2 f
2

(0 < < 0.5) , at last there is the

WSM (k ) 2 2 U C

capacitor parameter expression:

The Capacitor Parameter Design The capacitor energy storage needs the capacity pre-charge,

C0 =

(13)

which ensures the normal operation of the converter. Only one auxiliary DC voltage source with the capacitors nominal voltage satisfies the pre-charge for all the capacitors in one converter. Assume N modules and n ones for each half leg. Keep the IGBT T1 off for all the N capacitors, meanwhile the IGBT T2 of the module to be charged is turned on while setting the remaining modules off. Therefore the DC source only charges one module at a time, the next module is chosen by the proper gate value. One by one all the capacitors get charged synchronically. When charging process is completed , the DC source get disconnected by an extra technical switch. The capacitor parameter designing could also derived from the point of the energy equilibrium. According to the paper [11], the parameter could be deduced as the following. The leg voltage and current for the output and the upper half bridge stays the same as the above mentioned. Then the instantaneous power on the upper half arm is shown as :

As one of the key factors influencing the total cost and the floor space of the VSC, the parameter design for capacitors surely matters in terms of the economic efficiency and operation state.

Sa1 (t ) =

U dc I dc [1 k sin(wN t )][1 + m sin(wN t + )] 6

(9)
Figure 3 the Modulation Method Applied in Multilevel Converters

The areas between the two zero points on the curve of the

S a1 (t ) can respectively show the power intake and output of

the sub-modules on the upper arm. The energy pulsation equations for one leg

III.

the MODULATION METHODS APPLIED in MMC

As explained in paper [1], the modulation method can be generally divided into the space vector based algorithms and the voltage level based algorithms. The figure 3 gives more

WL (m) and one sub-module

1936

explanations. The modulation and control method of multilevel converters applied in the above mentioned three basic topology is mainly the Pulse Width Modulation(PWM). A Pulse Width Modulation Methods Referring to Multicarrier PWM methods, there are phase shifted and level shifted PWM. The pulse control signal is generated from the comparison from the modulation wave and carriers of different phase shifts. The carriers can also be arranged with shifts in amplitude relating every carrier with every possible output voltage level generated by the inverter, then compares with one or two modulation waves. Therefore this method is called level shifted PWM. Considering the other control objectives and various performance indexes, such as the balancing of the capacitance voltage, optimization of the output wave, improvement of the dc voltage efficiency, and the inverter power balance, a regiment of optimized PWM have been studied and reported. The level shifted PWM generates low order harmonic components, especially the line voltage harmonics, but much more harmonics for the decrease of the switching frequency when there is lower modulation ratio. When applied in MMC, the different PWM waves from the sub-modules cause the differential power distribution in modules. And comparatively the modularized characteristics makes phase shifted PWM more suitable for MMC control method, different carrier phases for different modules with the same modulation wave. Here presents the application of phase shifted PWM method in MMC modulation: For a N+1 levels Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC), the N modules on one leg (six legs for a converter) are driven respectively by the N groups PWM modulation signals generated from the comparison between the triangular carriers with differential phases (360o/2N increment one by one) and the modulation wave. All the two-level signal waves from the sub-modules add to form a equivalent multi-level PWM wave. The PWM1 signal for the module 1 on the up leg is the same for the module 1 on the down leg., which is similar to the others. The Japanese scholars Makoto Hagiwara and Hirofumi Akagi have published series of papers on the study for the application of the PWM method in MMC. Paper [12] has given the elaborate analyses and experimental verifications. Firstly present the principle of the PWM on MMC as explained in figure 4. The control method is to insert the other

two variables to keep the modulation wave stable despite disturbances e.g. imbalanced power distribution, which are fed back by the two variables the capacitance voltage loop current

uC and the

if

. In figure 5, define

if

as the current loop, i.e.

the phase current except for the output current component

i f = iup

ia i 1 = idown + a = (iup + idown ) 2 2 2

14

For the averaging control, insert the instantaneous voltage

Va*1 into the modulation wave. Because the current i f is

effected by the voltage fluctuations caused by the from

uC shifts

uC * , use PI controller to get i* f . Hence the slightly Va*1 curve reflects the feedback course to keep uC

vibrating follow

uC * .

For the balancing control, insert the instantaneous voltage

* Vbi into the modulation wave. Here use the eight capacitance

voltage

uC1 to uC 8 instead of the uC

Thanks to the averaging and balancing voltage control, the output voltage and current are much more close to sine wave and more resistant to disturbances. The simulated results can best support the conclusion as in figure 5 and 6 .

Fi gure 4 Principle of the PWM on MMC

1937

magnetic flux locus control, its simple implementation and the distinct physical meaning, say discrete possible switching states chosen as the discrete voltage state vectors, as well as the better performance regarding to the higher dc voltage utilization and lower harmonic loss make it as another main control method applied in multilevel convertors field. The most recent studies of SVPWM lies in how to use different space vector to approach the reference vector at distinctive time, among them there are the most profound researches done in the three-level convertor
Figure 5 Circuit configuration of module multilevel converter

field. Besides the advantages, the distinctive disadvantages limit its application in the more levels condition, calculation involving a lot references to the trigonometric functions and the much more choices in the state vectors which probably causes the unneglected switching power dissipation to bring the convertor down. Plenty of simplified SVPWM through mathematic calculations and new chosen coordination system have not given suitable resolution to the choices of the redundant state vectors. C Nearest Level Control (NLM) Method When the number of voltage levels approaching to tens or hundreds, the Nearest Level Control (NLM) stand out among other modulation methods, here gives the brief introduction and the application in the MMC field. The basic NLM is divided in to three steps: firstly calculate the sub-module put into use from the ratio Uref/Uc (Uref is the modulation voltage reference obtained from the controller), secondly arrange the capacitance voltage according to the current direction(lower voltage sub-module triggered when capacitance discharging); finally generate trigger pulses to guarantee the capacitance voltages in one leg not much bias with each other. In NVL method the ac voltage output equals the nearest voltage level with reference sinusoidal voltage,

Figure 5

Simulated Results of PWM on MMC (a) the

Vb* 1

for balancing

control (b) the

Va*1

for averaging control (c) the

uC1* with adjustments

U O = U C NO

15 16

N O = Round mN O (max) sin(t + )

Define UC as the nominal capacitance voltage, NO as the

Figure 6 (a) the line-to-line Voltage

Ea

output (b) the current output

ia

nearest voltage level, m is the modulation ratio, is the angular frequency, is ac power system angle, NO(max) and NO(min) the most and the least voltage level

The method Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation( SVPWM) as one of the Space Vector

Modulation (SVM) is based on the principle of the electromotor

N O (max) N O N O (min)

17

1938

Considering the symmetry of the positive-to-negative half-wave, there is

Directilind Gross Sound

2000 2002

2 3

80 150

SPWM 3PWM

1950 1260

H L

N O (max) + N O (min) = 0

18

Cable Murrarylink

2002 2006

3 2

150 150

SPWM Optimum PWM

1350 1150

L L

In order to achieve the voltage number NONUp and NDown referring to the number of the sub-modules put into use in the
Estlink

up leg and the down respectively (M modules for each leg) should accord to the following equations:

N NUp = NO 2 N N + NO Down = 2

Another realized VSC-HVDC topology is MMC in spite of 19 its later appearance. So far the core technology is mastered by the Siemens Corporation and Chinese Academy of Sciences. The first order of Siemens is the project called Trans Bay Cable (HVDC PLUS)[13-15] which connected dedicatedly 20 from the East Bay to San Francisco. The system configurations are reported as the following: dc-link voltage of 200kV, active power capacity of 400MW, reactive power capacity of 170Mvar, dc line of 85KM submarine cable, each leg of 200 sub-modules. After the current commissioning stage, Trans Bay Cable project is expected to sharply reduce the transmission grid blockades phenomenon, comprehensively increase the security and the reliability of the power system. According to the unified 12 5 Power Development Plan [2] listing new energy power generation as one of the priorities, hundreds of kilowatts for the wind farms and the hydropower stations have been commissioning or being built. August 1st in 2008 witnessed the initiation of the technological patent the Core Research and Demonstration on HVDC Flexible in Shanghai, recently the first independently developed VSC-HVDC project on Shanghai Nanhui wind farm has successfully completed the commissioning experiments, including dc convertors type tests, valve base controllers experiments, all testifies the VSC-HVDC up to the international industrial standards. Therefore the State Grid of China has been the third corporation which possesses the VSC-HVDC technology. The redesign HVDC transmission project adopts submarine cable with configuration of a power rating of 100 MVA, a DC-link voltage of 100 kV. The Taiwan Kinmen island power supply is anticipated to reduce the 1 billion power deficit with a power rating of 200 MVA, a DC-link voltage of 150 kV. Another is
System Loss

0 NUp M 0 N Down M

Generally the above mentioned modulation methods all have their own application range. Regarding to the MMC field when the voltage-level number remains low, PWM including SVPWM, phase shifted PWM and SHPWM play better performance among the common methods categorized as the Space Vector Based Algorithm and the Voltage Level Based Algorithm. When the number turns to hundreds to acquire hundred kilovolts in VSC-HVDC application, the method NLM receive more attention accompanied by the modified capacitance voltage balancing methods. IV MULTILEVEL CONVERTERS ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENTS ABB corporation adopts 2-3 level convertor topology as mentioned above in its 9 representational HVDC flexible technology, mainly applied in wind power generation, power transaction, power grid interconnection and sea drilling platform etc. fields. VSC of 2-level in the early days mostly applies SPWM resulting in higher system loss at a switching frequency of 1950 HZ. Latterly the optimized Pulse Width Modulation reduces the switching frequency to 1 150 Hz. As referred to table 2 listing the key technical indexes of the main projects[13-15]:
Table 2 the technical indexes about ABB completed projects
Project name time in-use Gotland Tjaereborg level DC(kv) Voltage Modulation Method Switching\ Frequency

the Dalian grid planning to build the HVDC applied in city networking with the highest power rating of 500 MVA and DC-link voltage of 250 kV till now. All the four HVDC projects apply the MMC topology. The

1999 2000

2 2

80 9

SPWM SPWM

1950 1950

H H

1939

electric main circuits and the technical parameters for Shanghai Nanhui HVDC project are shown in table 3 and figure 7:
Table 3
Substation Topology Nanhui

[6] Rodriguez J Lai J S Peng Fangzheng Multilevel inverters a survey of topologies control and applications IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics200249(4)724-738 [7] Lai J S Peng Fangzheng Multilevel converter a new breed

Parameter for Shanghai Nanhui HVDC project

AC Voltage AC Frequency Nominal Capacity DC Current DC Voltage

of

power

converters IEEE

Trans.

on

Industrial

Applications199632(3)509-517 [8] Guan Minyuan , Xu Zheng , Tu Qingrui , Pan Weiyong. Nearest Level Modulation for Modular Multilevel Converters in HVDC Transmission .Automation of Electric Power Systems, 2010, 34(2):48-52. [9] Tu Qingrui , Xu Zheng , Zheng Xiang , Guan Minyuan. Mechanism Analysis on the Circulating Current in Modular Multilevel Converter Based HVDC, High Voltage Engineering, 2010, 36(2):547-552. [10] Jose Rodriguez, Jih-Sheng Lai, Fang Zheng Peng.

MMC

35

50

20MVA/ 18MW

300

30

Dazhi

MMC

35

50

20MVA/ 18MW

300

30

Figure 7 The Electric Main Circuit of VSC-HVDC demo project

Multilevel Inverters: A Survey of Topologies, Controls, and Applications. IEEE TRANSACTIONSINDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS, VOL. 49, NO. 4, August 2002. [11] DING Guan-jun; DING Ming; TANG Guang-fu; HE Zhi-yuan. Submodule Capacitance Parameter and Voltage Balancing Scheme of a New Multilevel VSC Modular. Proceedings of CSEE. 2009, 30(2), 1-6. [12] Makoto HagiwaraHirofumi Akagi. PWM Control and Experiment of Modular Multilevel Converters. Power Electronics Specialists Conference, 2008. PESC 2008. IEEE. [13] H.Huang. Multilevel Voltage-Sourced Converters for HVDC and FACTS Applications, Cigr Session, B4-401, 2009, Bergen. [14] B. Gemmell, J. Dorn, D. Retzmann, and D. Soerangr. Prospects of Multilevel VSC Technologies for Power Transmission, IEEE Transmission and Distribution Conference and Exposition, pp. 1-16,April 2008. [15] J. Dorn, H. Huang, and D. Retzmann. A new Voltage-Sourced Converter Topology for HVDC Applications, Cigr Session, B4-304,2008, Paris.

CONCLUTION

This paper gives the review of MMC development from the perspectives of the modulation methods, mainly for the PWM and NLM and the latest engineering applications. NLM has better performance in the fields of hundreds of levels and the PWM is mainly used in not very much high voltage levels for its switching loss. Besides that the common difficult points such as the capacitor and reactor parameter design, the energy pre-storage of the capacitor. REFERENCES [1] Franquelo L G, Rodriguez J , Leon J I , et al . The age of multi2level converters arrives. IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine , 2008 , 2 (2) : 28-39. [2] TANG Guang-fu; HE Zhi-yuan; TENG Le-tian; YI Rong; HE Wei-guo. New Progress on HVDC Technology Based on Voltage Source Converter. Power System Technology, 32(22). 2008,39-44. [3] Dorn J , Huang H , Retzmann D. Novel voltage2sourced converters for HVDC and FACTS applications [ C] CIGRE Symposium. Osaka , J apan : CIGRE , 2007. [4] Dorn J , Huang H , Retzmann D. A new multilevel voltage sourced converter topology for HVDC applications [ C ] CIGRE Session. Paris , France : CIGRE , 2008. [5] Tolbert L MPeng FangzhengMultilevel converters for large electric drives IEEE Apec00 New Orleans LouisianaUSA2000

1940