IEC 62751-1-2018 PDF

Full title and description

Power losses in voltage sourced converter (VSC) valves for high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems — Part 1: General requirements. This entry refers specifically to Amendment 1 (A1) issued in 2018 to IEC 62751-1:2014, which clarifies and updates general requirements for loss measurement, traceability and uncertainty for VSC valve loss evaluations.

Abstract

IEC 62751-1 (first published 2014) establishes the principles and procedures for calculating and reporting power losses in converter valves of voltage-sourced converters used in HVDC systems. Amendment 1 (2018) provides clarifications and additions — notably reinforcing measurement traceability and uncertainty treatment, and updating normative references and annex material — to improve comparability and defensibility of reported loss figures.

General information

• Status: Amendment to IEC 62751-1:2014 (IEC 62751-1:2014/A1:2018). The contents of A1:2018 are incorporated in later consolidated editions (CSV) of IEC 62751-1.
• Publication date: 2018 (Amendment 1 ratified in 2018; national adoptions and effective dates occurred through mid‑to‑late 2018).
• Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• ICS / categories: 29.200 (Rectifiers, converters, stabilised power supplies); 29.240 (Power transmission and distribution networks) — often listed as 29.200 / 29.240.99.
• Edition / version: Amendment 1 (A1) to Edition 1.0 (2014) — commonly cited as IEC 62751-1:2014+A1:2018; consolidated editions including later amendments (A2:2022) are also available.
• Number of pages: Base publication (IEC 62751-1:2014) — 61 pages; Amendment 1 (A1:2018) — short amendment document (typically under 10 pages); consolidated edition (with A1 and later amendments) — 125 pages (CSV).

Scope

Sets out general principles for calculating the power losses in converter valves of voltage‑sourced converters (VSC) for HVDC applications, independent of converter topology. Clauses and annex material provide methods applicable also to dynamic braking valves and guidance for STATCOM valve loss estimation. Equipment outside the valve (other substation items) is excluded except where referenced in informative annexes that compare VSC and LCC loss‑calculation approaches (see IEC 61803 for many other substation items).

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of loss categories (conduction, switching, DC‑voltage dependent losses, capacitor and snubber losses, valve electronics consumption).
• Procedures for using measured characterization and routine test data versus manufacturer data for loss estimation.
• Requirements for traceability of measurements to national/international measurement standards.
• Explicit treatment and reporting of measurement uncertainty and guidance on uncertainty management in loss figures (added/clarified in A1:2018).
• Aggregation methods to combine component‑level losses into total valve and converter station loss figures, and guidance for verification in procurement and testing.
• Normative references updates (including adoption of GUM / ISO/IEC Guide 98‑3 in amendment) and editorial updates to annexes.

Typical use and users

Used by HVDC equipment manufacturers, converter station designers, test and calibration laboratories, utilities and transmission owners, validation and acceptance teams, and procurement engineers who need standardized, traceable and comparable loss figures for bidding, specification and verification of VSC valve performance.

Related standards

Closely related to other parts of IEC 62751 (for example Part 2: Modular multilevel converters) and to IEC 61803 (loss calculations for LCC HVDC equipment), plus normative references such as measurement and uncertainty guides (GUM / ISO/IEC Guide 98‑3) adopted or referenced by the amendment.

Keywords

HVDC, VSC, converter valve losses, power losses, loss calculation, measurement traceability, measurement uncertainty, IGBT, diode, STATCOM, dynamic braking valve, IEC 62751.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: IEC 62751‑1 is an international standard that defines general requirements and methods for calculating power losses in voltage‑sourced converter (VSC) valves used in HVDC systems; the 2018 item is Amendment 1 (A1) to the 2014 edition which clarifies measurement, traceability and uncertainty aspects.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers definitions, measurement and calculation procedures for valve losses (conduction, switching, DC‑dependent, capacitor/snubber and electronics losses), guidance on using measured data, methods to aggregate component losses into total valve losses, and requirements for traceability and uncertainty reporting.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: HVDC transmission designers, converter/semiconductor manufacturers, utilities and transmission operators, test/calibration laboratories, and procurement or acceptance engineers who require consistent, verifiable loss figures.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: Amendment A1:2018 is an official amendment to the 2014 edition; the amendment’s content is incorporated into later consolidated editions (for example the 2022 consolidated CSV that includes A1 and A2). Users should refer to the most recent consolidated edition or the base edition plus amendments for the current, authoritative text.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — IEC 62751 is a multipart series. Part 1 covers general requirements; Part 2 covers modular multilevel converters (MMC). Each part has its own amendments and consolidated editions.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: HVDC, VSC, converter valve losses, loss calculation, measurement traceability, uncertainty, IGBT/diode conduction and switching losses, STATCOM, dynamic braking valve.