IEC 62501:2009/AMD1:2014

IEC 62501 ®
Edition 1.0 2014-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
A MENDMENT 1
AM ENDEMENT 1
Voltage sourced converter (VSC) valves for high-voltage direct current (HVDC)
power transmission – Electrical testing

Valves à convertisseur de source de tension (VSC) pour le transport d’énergie
en courant continu à haute tension (CCHT) – Essais électriques

IEC 62501:2009-06/AMD1:2014-08(en-fr)

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite
ni utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie
et les microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de l'IEC ou du Comité national de l'IEC du pays du demandeur. Si vous avez des
questions sur le copyright de l'IEC ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette publication, utilisez
les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de l'IEC de votre pays de résidence.

IEC Central Office Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé Fax: +41 22 919 03 00
CH-1211 Geneva 20 info@iec.ch
Switzerland www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

IEC Catalogue - webstore.iec.ch/catalogue Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The stand-alone application for consulting the entire The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and
bibliographical information on IEC International Standards, electrical terms containing more than 30 000 terms and
Technical Specifications, Technical Reports and other definitions in English and French, with equivalent terms in 14
documents. Available for PC, Mac OS, Android Tablets and additional languages. Also known as the International
iPad. Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV) online.

IEC publications search - www.iec.ch/searchpub IEC Glossary - std.iec.ch/glossary
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a More than 55 000 electrotechnical terminology entries in
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical English and French extracted from the Terms and Definitions
committee,…). It also gives information on projects, replaced clause of IEC publications issued since 2002. Some entries
and withdrawn publications. have been collected from earlier publications of IEC TC 37,

77, 86 and CISPR.
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
details all new publications released. Available online and If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or
also once a month by email. need further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: csc@iec.ch.
A propos de l'IEC
La Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (IEC) est la première organisation mondiale qui élabore et publie des
Normes internationales pour tout ce qui a trait à l'électricité, à l'électronique et aux technologies apparentées.

A propos des publications IEC
Le contenu technique des publications IEC est constamment revu. Veuillez vous assurer que vous possédez l’édition la
plus récente, un corrigendum ou amendement peut avoir été publié.

Catalogue IEC - webstore.iec.ch/catalogue Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
Application autonome pour consulter tous les renseignements
Le premier dictionnaire en ligne de termes électroniques et
bibliographiques sur les Normes internationales,
électriques. Il contient plus de 30 000 termes et définitions en
Spécifications techniques, Rapports techniques et autres
anglais et en français, ainsi que les termes équivalents dans
documents de l'IEC. Disponible pour PC, Mac OS, tablettes
14 langues additionnelles. Egalement appelé Vocabulaire
Android et iPad.
Electrotechnique International (IEV) en ligne.

Recherche de publications IEC - www.iec.ch/searchpub
Glossaire IEC - std.iec.ch/glossary
Plus de 55 000 entrées terminologiques électrotechniques, en
La recherche avancée permet de trouver des publications IEC
en utilisant différents critères (numéro de référence, texte, anglais et en français, extraites des articles Termes et
comité d’études,…). Elle donne aussi des informations sur les Définitions des publications IEC parues depuis 2002. Plus
projets et les publications remplacées ou retirées. certaines entrées antérieures extraites des publications des

CE 37, 77, 86 et CISPR de l'IEC.
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished

Service Clients - webstore.iec.ch/csc
Restez informé sur les nouvelles publications IEC. Just
Published détaille les nouvelles publications parues. Si vous désirez nous donner des commentaires sur cette
Disponible en ligne et aussi une fois par mois par email. publication ou si vous avez des questions contactez-nous:
csc@iec.ch.
IEC 62501 ®
Edition 1.0 2014-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
A MENDMENT 1
AM ENDEMENT 1
Voltage sourced converter (VSC) valves for high-voltage direct current (HVDC)

power transmission – Electrical testing

Valves à convertisseur de source de tension (VSC) pour le transport d’énergie

en courant continu à haute tension (CCHT) – Essais électriques

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX S
ICS 29.200; 29.240 ISBN 978-2-8891-0744-5

– 2 – IEC 62501:2009/AMD1:2014
© IEC 2014
FOREWORD
This amendment has been prepared by subcommittee 22F: Power electronics for electrical
transmission and distribution systems, of IEC technical committee 22: Power electronic
systems and equipment.
The text of this amendment is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
22F/299/CDV 22F/316A/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this amendment can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
The committee has decided that the contents of this amendment and the base publication will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under
"http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the
publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
_____________
CONTENTS
3.3 Operating states
Replace the subclause title as follows:
3.3 Operating states of converter
4.1.3 Sequence of test
Delete the subclause title.
Add the titles of new Subclause 4.1.8 and new Clause 15 as follows:
4.1.8 Conditions to be considered in determination of type test parameters
15 Tests for dynamic braking valves
Annex A (informative) Overview of VSC topology

© IEC 2014
Replace the annex title as follows:
Annex A (informative) Overview of VSC converters in HVDC power transmission
Add the titles of new Subclauses A.5.1 to A.5.4 and new Clause A.7 as follows:
A.5.1 General
A.5.2 Modular multi-level converter (MMC)
A.5.3 Cascaded two level converter (CTL)
A.5.4 Terminology for valves of the controllable voltage source type
A.7 Hybrid VSC valves
Annex B (informative) Fault tolerance capability
Replace the annex title as follows:
Annex B (informative) Valve component fault tolerance
Figure A.9 – One possible implementation of a multi-level “voltage source” VSC valve
Replace the figure title as follows:
Figure A.9 - The half-bridge MMC circuit
Add, in the list of figures, the titles of new Figures A.10 to A.13 as follows:
Figure A.10 – The full-bridge MMC circuit
Figure A.11 – The half-bridge CTL circuit
Figure A.12 – Construction terms in MMC valves
Figure A.13 – Construction terms in CTL valves
1 Scope
Add, after the first paragraph, the following two paragraphs:
The scope of this standard includes the electrical type and production tests of dynamic
braking valves which may be used in some HVDC schemes for d.c. overvoltage limitation.
This standard can be used as a guide for testing of STATCOM valves.
Add, at the end of the last sentence of the last paragraph, the words “between the purchaser
and the supplier” so that the last sentence reads as follows:
For other types of valves, the test requirements and acceptance criteria should be agreed
between the purchaser and the supplier.
2 Normative references
Delete from the existing list, the following references:
IEC 60060-1:1989, High-voltage test techniques – Part 1: General definitions and test
requirements
IEC 60071-1:2006, Insulation co-ordination – Part 1: Definitions, principles and rules

– 4 – IEC 62501:2009/AMD1:2014
© IEC 2014
Add to the list, the following references:
IEC 60071 (all parts), Insulation co-ordination
IEC 60270:2000, High-voltage test techniques – Partial discharge measurements
3.2 Power semiconductor terms
Replace the existing introductory text, terms and definitions by the following new terms and
definitions:
3.2.1
turn-off semiconductor device
controllable semiconductor device which may be turned on and off by a control signal, for
example an IGBT
NOTE There are several types of turn-off semiconductor devices which can be used in VSC converters for HVDC.
For convenience, the term IGBT is used throughout this standard to refer to the main turn-off semiconductor device.
However, the standard is equally applicable to other types of turn-off semiconductor devices.
3.2.2
insulated gate bipolar transistor
IGBT
turn-off semiconductor device with three terminals: a gate terminal (G) and two load terminals
emitter (E) and collector (C)
NOTE By applying appropriate gate to emitter voltages, the load current can be controlled, i.e. turned on and
turned off.
3.2.3
free-wheeling diode
FWD
power semiconductor device with diode characteristic
NOTE 1 A FWD has two terminals: an anode (A) and a cathode (K). The current through FWDs is in the opposite
direction to the IGBT current.
NOTE 2 FWDs are characterized by the capability to cope with high rates of decrease of current caused by the
switching behaviour of the IGBT.
3.2.4
IGBT-diode pair
arrangement of IGBT and FWD connected in inverse parallel
3.3 Operating states
Replace the existing title, terms and definitions by the following new title, terms and
definitions.
3.3 Operating states of converter
3.3.1
blocking state
condition of the converter, in which a turn-off signal is applied continuously to all IGBTs of the
converter
NOTE Typically, the converter is in the blocking state condition after energization.

© IEC 2014
3.3.2
de-blocked state
condition of the converter, in which turn-on and turn-off signals are applied repetitively to
IGBTs of the converter
3.3.3
valve protective blocking
means of protecting the valve or converter from excessive electrical stress by the emergency
turn-off of all IGBTs in one or more valves
3.3.4
voltage step level
voltage step caused by switching of a valve or part of a valve during the de-blocked state of
the converter
NOTE For valves of the controllable voltage source type, the voltage step level corresponds to the change of
voltage caused by switching one submodule or cell. For valves of the switch type, the voltage step level
corresponds to the change of voltage caused by switching the complete valve.
3.4 VSC construction terms
Replace the existing terms and definitions by the following new terms and definitions:
3.4.1
VSC phase unit
equipment used to connect the two d.c. busbars to one a.c. terminal
3.4.2
switch type VSC valve
arrangement of IGBT-diode pairs connected in series and arranged to be switched
simultaneously as a single function unit
3.4.3
controllable voltage source type VSC valve
complete controllable voltage source assembly, which is generally connected between one a.c.
terminal and one d.c. terminal
3.4.4
diode valve
semiconductor valve containing only diodes as the main semiconductor devices, which might
be used in some VSC topologies
3.4.5
dynamic braking valve
complete controllable device assembly, which is used to control energy absorption in braking
resistor
3.4.6
valve
VSC valve, dynamic braking valve or diode valve according to the context
3.4.7
submodule
part of a VSC valve comprising controllable switches and diodes connected to a half bridge or
full bridge arrangement, together with their immediate auxiliaries, storage capacitor, if any,
where each controllable switch consists of only one switched valve device connected in series

– 6 – IEC 62501:2009/AMD1:2014
© IEC 2014
3.4.8
cell
MMC building block where each switch position consists of more than one IGBT-diode pair
connected in series
NOTE See Figure A.13
3.4.9
VSC valve level
smallest indivisible functional unit of VSC valve
NOTE For any VSC valve in which IGBTs are connected in
...