This' super heart 'achieves 100% independent innovation in China, with comprehensive and controllable control over chips and systems, increasing the grid's ability to accept new energy by 30%, becoming a vivid witness of China's power equipment moving from following to leading.

In the early morning, in the control room of Lingbao Converter Station in Henan, the power curve on the screen smoothly jumped. With the completion of 168 hours of trial operation, the world's first Hybrid Converter Valve (HCC) has officially been put into operation. At this moment, the chronic problem of "commutation failure" known as the "millennium problem" of the power grid has been completely overcome by China's independently developed technology.

Twenty years ago, China's first nationwide production back-to-back DC project was built here, connecting the northwest and central China power grids for the first time. Now, the same converter station once again witnesses history - the "heart" of the traditional power grid has been replaced with a brand new "super heart".

What is' phase change failure '?  

The 'commutation failure' is the fatal weakness of the direct current transmission system. Traditional converter valves rely on grid voltage to turn off thyristors. Once there is an instantaneous fluctuation in the grid and the commutation process is interrupted, it will lead to a "sudden stop" in power transmission.

This problem is particularly prominent in the densely populated East and South regions of China's power grid. Multiple DC lines may experience simultaneous "downtime", causing a power shock of tens of millions of kilowatts and posing a threat to the safety of the power grid. Yu Zhanqing, director of the DC Research Center at Tsinghua University, described it as "like a precision gear suddenly getting stuck

Independent innovation refines into a 'super heart'

Nine years ago, State Grid, together with teams from Tsinghua University, Huairou Laboratory, and China Electrical Equipment, aimed to tackle the core of power semiconductor devices and initiated research and development.

The team chose IGCT (Integrated Gate Converter Thyristor) as a breakthrough point and successfully developed the world's first 8kV/3kA reverse resistance IGCT device, achieving "bidirectional pressure and controllable turn off". Based on this, the world's first HCC converter valve was born.

From chips to systems, we have built a complete independent technology system, "said Wang Jiangping, the project technical leader. The project is also equipped with a nationwide chip control and protection system, truly realizing the "Chinese chip". This' super heart 'has the ability of' mixed commutation ': it operates efficiently under normal conditions; When the power grid is disturbed, it can switch modes within microseconds, actively turn off the current, and fundamentally prevent commutation failure.

Stabilizer for new energy consumption

The revitalized Lingbao converter station has become a "super hub" for the consumption of new energy.

The green power such as wind and photovoltaic in the northwest has posed challenges to the stability of the power grid in the past due to large fluctuations and difficult predictions. Nowadays, HCC converter valves can not only efficiently convert electrical energy, but also actively smooth power fluctuations and resist grid disturbances. Actual testing shows that the new energy consumption capacity has increased by 30% after the station replacement.

Xiong Fei, the project manager of Xuji Electric, said, "We have achieved 100% autonomous control from chips to systems, providing a new Chinese solution for national energy security. The installation process is also full of innovation. The team adopts the process of "prefabricated wiring and standardized wiring" to achieve seamless integration of new and old equipment; Using 3D layout technology to ensure precise and compliant fiber laying, with traceable quality throughout the entire process.

The road from following to leading in China

The two "first" breakthroughs of Lingbao Converter Station outline the path of China's DC transmission technology leap.

In 2005, the first generation of localization project was put into operation here, solving the problem of "whether there is a problem or not"; Twenty years later, the second generation of "super hearts" will be on duty here, solving "world-class problems". China's power equipment has achieved a transformation from following to leading. This technology has been included in the National Major Technical Equipment Promotion Catalogue. The appraisal opinion points out that its "performance indicators have reached the international leading level".

Yu Zhanqing emphasized that this breakthrough marks China's achievement of original leadership in the full chain of "principle device equipment" in the field of high-voltage direct current transmission, providing a new choice for global high-capacity and long-distance transmission. Keywords: New Infrastructure News, International News

From cracking the bottleneck to contributing to the Chinese solution, China Electric Power has carved new coordinates in the history of world power technology with this independently built "super heart".Editor/Yang Meiling