HVDC circuit breaker development and applications in VSC-HVDC transmission project

Abstract

High voltage direct current (HVDC), especially voltage source based HVDC (VSC-HVDC), transmission technology has been expanding in recent decades. HVDC circuit breaker therefore attracts significant interest due to its abilities of current interruption and fault isolation. This paper aims to present the technical development, specifically the topology, control and protection technology and test technology, of HVDC circuit breaker and its applications in VSC-HVDC transmission project. The project background, system configurations, and circuit breaker topology are described for each project. Based on current circuit breaker development and applications, the challenges and associated future development are also presented.