A cut set approach for HVDC converter reliability evaluation

The reliability evaluation of HVDC systems has been gaining much significance in the recent past. A new approach for converter equipment failure analysis is proposed. The AC to DC converter equipment circuit in HVDC systems is treated as a flow network by incorporating capacity constraints. An algorithm is proposed to obtain all path sets that give the required flow at the DC terminal. This takes combination of fewer paths only. By multiplying these path sets, using Boolean algebra, all minimal cut sets that do not transmit the required flow can be obtained. From these minimal cut sets, the expression for the probability of failure of transmission of required flow at the DC terminal can be obtained