Investigation of a Solid-State Damping Resistor for HVDC applications

Significant drivers for Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based semiconductor devices focus on the areas of increased power density, voltage and thermal rating. The high breakdown field of SiC allows good thermal conductivity and power densities; as such, SiC devices unlock a potential for use in applications with extreme operating conditions. This paper presents the investigations undertaken to characterise the performance of a SiC-based Solid State Damping Resistor installed within an High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Line Commutated Converter (LCC) Valve as a replacement for the passive damping resistor.