IEC TR 63463:2024

IEC TR 63463 ®
Edition 1.0 2024-01
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
Life extension guidelines for HVDC converter stations

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IEC TR 63463 ®
Edition 1.0 2024-01
TECHNICAL
REPORT
colour
inside
Life extension guidelines for HVDC converter stations

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 29.020; 29.240.10 ISBN 978-2-8322-8064-5

– 2 – IEC TR 63463:2024 © IEC 2024
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 7
INTRODUCTION . 9
1 Scope . 12
2 Normative references . 12
3 Terms and definitions . 12
4 General procedure for performing a life assessment . 14
4.1 General . 14
4.2 Preparation . 15
4.3 Team . 15
4.4 Assessment process . 16
4.5 Deliverable . 17
4.6 Life assessment timetable . 17
5 Thyristor based HVDC systems performance issues . 20
5.1 General . 20
5.2 Survey of availability and reliability of HVDC systems in the world . 20
5.2.1 General . 20
5.2.2 AC and auxiliary equipment . 20
5.3 Operating history . 21
5.4 Major equipment/system/sub-system failure/refurbishment summary . 21
5.5 Life assessment and various options for a refurbishment project . 22
5.6 Methods for assessing reliability, availability and maintainability of existing
components . 24
5.7 Basis for replacement/refurbishment of equipment . 25
5.8 Performance after replacement and refurbishment . 27
6 Life assessment and life extension measures of equipment . 27
6.1 General . 27
6.2 Spares . 28
6.3 Converter transformers . 28
6.3.1 General . 28
6.3.2 Life assessment . 29
6.3.3 Refurbishment/Replacement . 29
6.4 HVDC control and protection . 30
6.4.1 General . 30
6.4.2 HVDC converter controls . 30
6.4.3 Valve base electronics (VBE). 31
6.5 Thyristor valves . 32
6.5.1 General . 32
6.5.2 Life assessment . 32
6.5.3 Refurbishment/Replacement . 33
6.6 Valve cooling system . 34
6.6.1 General . 34
6.6.2 Life assessment . 34
6.6.3 Refurbishment/Replacement . 34
6.7 DC equipment . 35
6.7.1 General . 35
6.7.2 Oil-filled smoothing reactors . 35

6.7.3 Air-core smoothing reactors . 36
6.7.4 DC voltage dividers . 36
6.7.5 DC current transducers . 37
6.7.6 DC surge arresters . 37
6.7.7 DC support insulators and bus work. 38
6.7.8 DC switches . 39
6.7.9 Station auxiliary supplies . 39
6.7.10 Earth electrodes and electrode lines . 40
6.8 Cyber security . 40
6.9 AC filters . 41
6.9.1 General . 41
6.9.2 AC filter capacitors . 42
6.9.3 AC filter reactors . 42
6.9.4 AC filter resistors . 43
6.10 DC filters . 43
7 Guideline for assessing techno-economic life of major equipment: Operational
issues – Maintenance cost/management and availability of spares . 43
7.1 Types of components used within HVDC systems . 43
7.1.1 General . 43
7.1.2 Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components . 44
7.1.3 Configured products . 44
7.1.4 Bespoke (customized) products . 44
7.2 Management of obsolescence . 44
7.2.1 General . 44
7.2.2 COTS, configured COTS components and bespoke components . 45
7.2.3 Components designed to meet a specific specification. 45
8 Recommendation for specification of refurbishing HVDC system . 46
8.1 General . 46
8.2 Main components of a converter station: guideline for the specification . 47
8.2.1 Thyristor valves . 47
8.2.2 Cooling of the valves . 48
8.2.3 Converter transformers . 49
8.2.4 Smoothing reactor . 50
8.2.5 Control system . 51
8.3 Interfaces . 53
8.3.1 General . 53
8.3.2 Electrical interfaces . 53
8.3.3 Mechanical interfaces . 53
8.3.4 Environmental interfaces . 53
8.3.5 Space interface . 53
8.3.6 Auxiliaries interface . 54
8.3.7 I/O interfaces . 54
8.3.8 Example: valve and control system refurbishment . 54
8.4 Maintainability including spares requirement . 55
8.5 Cost minimization . 55
8.6 Replacement time minimization . 56
8.7 Operation outage minimization . 56
8.7.1 Outage due to refurbishment works: brownfield and greenfield . 56
8.7.2 Outage due to a forced maintenance . 57

– 4 – IEC TR 63463:2024 © IEC 2024
8.7.3 Outage for scheduled maintenance . 57
8.8 Guarantees, performance and warranties . 57
9 Testing of refurbished/replacement equipment. 58
10 Environmental issues.
...