90℃ Allowable Conductor Temp.
Taihan Cable & Solution has successfully developed the world's most advanced HVDC cable.
Taihan (CEO Song Jong-min) announced on August 2 that it has completed the development of a 525kV VSC (Voltage Source Converter) HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) land cable system and obtained internationally recognized certification. This was achieved in approximately eight months following the company's successful development of the first 500kV LCC (Line Commutated Converter) system in Korea last December.
525kV is the highest voltage of HVDC cable commercialized to date, and only a few global companies have the technology due to the difficulty of development. In this development, Taihan designed the conductor cross-sectional area of the cable to be 3,000㎟ and raised the allowable conductor temperature of the conductor to more than 90℃ to achieve internationally recognized certification.
The larger the cross-sectional area of the conductor and the higher the allowable conductor temperature, the more current it can carry, which is advantageous for large-scale power transmission, but Taihan is the only company in Korea to be certified with an allowable conductor temperature of over 90℃ for a 3,000㎟ conductor. It is not easy to find successful development cases overseas, so Taihan is credited with taking HVDC cable technology to the next level.
HVDC is a method of converting alternating current (AC) power generated by power plants into direct current (DC) and transmitting it, and is considered a key technology for long-distance, high-capacity power transmission. According to the conversion method, it is divided into Voltage Source Converter (VSC) and Line Commutated Converter (LCC), and VSC is becoming a global trend because it can be transmitted in both directions and converter stations are easy to install. As the application of HVDC in renewable energy generation, such as wind and solar power, is actively expanding, the demand is expected to increase.
In fact, transmission system operators (TSOs) in Europe are adopting voltage-type HVDC for many of their recent grid-connected renewable energy projects and cross-border supergrid projects.
An official from Taihan said, "Following the certification of 500kV LCC HVDC cables for the first time in Korea, we have secured unrivaled technological competitiveness in 525kV VSC HVDC cables." "As investment in power infrastructure expands worldwide, especially in developed markets such as the United States and Europe, we will be able to secure business opportunities in various HVDC projects."
"Once the submarine cable plant under construction in Dangjin, Chungcheongnam-do, is completed, we will accelerate the development and certification of submarine HVDC cable systems. As the HVDC market continues to expand in the medium to long term, we are committed to ensuring our technological and business competitiveness.
According to industry estimates, the global market for HVDC cables will expand from KRW 70 trillion in 2020 to KRW 159 trillion in 2030.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of the expanding demand for HVDC, Taihan has selected HVDC cables as a key driver and has made efforts to develop them. After successfully developing 500kV MI-PPLP (Mass Impregnated cables insulated with polypropylene laminated paper) HVDC cables in 2017, it successfully developed 500kV XLPE voltage and current HVDC in 2022.