Non-unit wavelet transform-based protection principle for modular multi-level converter-based HVDC grids using adaptive threshold setting

• Non-unit wavelet-transform based protection solution, employing adaptive threshold setting. • Comprehensive and enhanced analysis of fault generated traveling waves. • Improve sensitivity and selectivity up to 850 Ω in fault identification. • Robust in noisy environment and with small current-limiting inductance, even at low sampling frequency. Wavelet transform has proven to be a capable tool for protection purposes in high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines due to its desired speed and accuracy. However, the need to enhance the WT-based protection methods in terms of sensitivity and selectivity is of interest. This paper proposes a new non-unit WT-based protection method with adaptive threshold setting. According to the improved time-domain analytical approach, line-mode fault-generated voltage traveling wave is adopted to identify the internal faults. The simulation results for a multi-terminal modular multilevel converter-based HVDC grid in PSCAD/EMTDC corroborate accurate and fast internal faults detection of the proposed method, up to 850 Ω, i.e., almost three times larger than conventional schemes. In addition, the reliable performance of the presented method in a noisy environment, using relatively low sampling frequencies, and different sizes of current limiting inductors is demonstrated in the presented analysis. The generality of the presented analytical approach ensures that the proposed protection method can be extended to more complex HVDC grids.