FLEXIBLE AC TRANSMISSION CONTROLLERS

BY:
S. Sivaraman,
Final B.E. (EEE)
K.S.R. College of Technology
Technology
Tiruchengode.
E-mail ID: sivaram_engg@yahoo.com
jagan_hot1@yahoo.co.in

G.A Jagannath,
G. A.
Jagannath,
Final
B.E. (EEE)
Final B.E. (EEE)
K.S.R. College of
K.S.R. College of Technology
Tiruchengode.
Tiruchengode.

Abstract:
Energy is the basic necessity for the economic development of the country.
The rate of growth of electricity usage thought out the world is increasingly high in
the last ten years. in recent years ecological concerns and high installation costs
have put constraints over construction of new plants and overhead lines in many
countries; thereby forcing existing system to be used more efficiently. AC
transmission systems are thought of as being 'inflexible. Power flow in AC networks
simply follows ohms law and ordinarily cannot be made to flow from the source to
load is in inverse proportion to the relative impedance path take the largest fraction
of flow; but all lines in the interconnection are a part of the flow path.
With these number of operating constraints in terms of voltage profile, power
flow, stability and sub synchronic resonance (SSR) are figured. Conventional means
such as circuit breakers, isolators, shunt and series compensators along with
synchronous condensers help a lot to deal with these problems. But the overall
control is slow and at times may result in loss of synchronism and serious over
voltages on load buses.
Development of flexible A.C transmission systems (FACTS) technologies has
made it possible the control of power flow on AC transmission lines and utilizes the
existing facilities all the way to its thermal limit without degrading reliability. FACTS
include the use of high power electronics, advanced control centers and
communications links.
This paper covers the modern trends in flexible A.C transmission system,
envisaging the FACTs controllers with present and future applications.

1. INTRODUCTION
The need for more efficient electricity management has given rise to
innovative technologies in power generation and transmission. The combined cycle
power station is good example of a new development in power generation and
flexible A.C transmission systems Facts; as they are generally known are new
devices that improve transmission systems. Worldwide transmission system are
undergoing continues changes and restricting. They are becoming more heavily
loaded and are being operated in ways not originally envisioned. Transmission
system must be flexible to react more diverse generation and load patterns. In
addition to the economical utilization of transmission systems is of vital importance to
enable utilities in industrialized countries to remain competitive and survive. In
developing countries; the optimized use of transmission system investments is also
important to supply industries, create employment and utilize efficiently scarce
economic resources.
FACTs is a technology that responds to these needs. It significantly alters the
way transmission systems are developed and controlled together with improvements
in assets utilization, system flexibility and system performance.
FACTs devices consists of thruster controlled series and shunt compensation
and make is possible to operate transmission lines stably at power levels well
beyond those normally used.FACTs is in the development stages from quite a few
time and considerable innovation have been reported recently in FACTs.the latest in
the series is the unified power flow controller (UPFC).and the generalized unified
power flow controller (GUPFC).the evolution of UPFC not only allows the combined
application of phase angle control but also real time transition from one selected
compensation mode into another; to handle particular system contingencies more
effectively
FACTs use controllable series and shunt compensation located at
intermediate substation with the following objectives.
Rapid control of reactive power and voltage profile flow using series and shunt
connected controllers.
Secure loading of lines close to their thermal limits.
Improve power tansferability.transcient stability and dynamic stability of line during
fault switching etc..

2.GENERATION OF FACTS CONTROLLERS:

FACTs devices are used for the dynamic control of voltage,impedence and
phase angle of high voltage A.C transmission lines.FACTs devices can be divided
into number of generations depending upon their development stages. These are
2.1First-generation FACTs controllers
Static VAR compensator (SVC)
Thyristor controlled reactor -fixed capacitor (TCR -FC) system
Thyristor switched capacitor (TSC) system
TCR-TSR system
Thyristor controlled phase angle regulator (TCPAR) System or static phase shifter
(SPS)
2.2SECOND GENERATION FACTS CONTROLLERS:
Thyristor controlled series compensator (TCSC)
Static condensers (STATCONS)
2.3TODAY'S FACTS CONTROLLERS
Unified power flow controllers (UPFC)
Generalized unified power flow controllers (GUPFC)
3.DEVELOPMENT OF FACTS CONTROLLERS:
Static VAR compensator (SVC)
An SVC is based on thyristor controlled reactors (TCR), thyristor controlled
capacitor (TSC) and /or fixed capacitors (FC) tuned filters. A TCR consists of a fixed
reactor in series with a bidirectional thyristor valve. A TSC consists of a capacitor
bank in series with a bidirectional thyristor valve and a damping reactor, which also
serves to de-tune the circuit to avoid parallel resonance with the network. two very
common design types, both having each their specific merits
3.1Few improvements obtained by use of SVC :
The transient stability and steady state power handling capacity can be improved by
using SVC at intermediate buses of long lines.
Dynamic stability is increased due to the increased damping provided.
Steady state and temporary over voltages can be controlled
Load power factor is improved and hence system efficiency is improved.
SVC is in faster in response than synchronous condensers and provides damping for
SSR for oscillations

3.2TCPAR SYSTEM
This is also known as static phase shifter (SPS).The phase shift with respect
to bus voltage is achieved by adding or subtracting variable voltage component in
quadrature with the bus voltage. The variable quadrature voltage component in one
phase is obtained by thyristor switches and by exciting transformer, which is
connected between the two other phases.
The quadrature voltage is injected in series with the transmission line by a
boosting transformer.
4.THYRISTOR CONTROLLED SERIES COMPENSATION :
TCSC is used to control the effective line reactance by connecting a TCR
combination with mechanically switched capacitors sections in series. Series
compensation is used with long lines for providing compensation of reactive power
and giving higher power transferability. It is preferred to the shunt

Compensation as the rating required for the series compensation is comparatively

smaller. However the series compensated lines suffer from the drawback of
producing series resonance at frequencies lower than power frequencies, which is
called Sub Synchronous Resonance. Sub Synchronous Resonance results in
damage to rotor shafts of turbo alternators producing torsional torque.
5.STATCON (static condensers)
STATCON is actually a shut compensation device. The major differences
between a SVC and STATCON are
Use of gate turn off switch(GTO)in STATCON compared to use of conventional
thyristors in SVC
SVC is a voltage regulator and a variable susceptance controller whereas STATCON
is based on voltage source converter(VSC)
The operating principle is like a synchronous condensers is coupled to circuit
through a transformer, which provides the safe operating voltage and small
reactance. An inverter generates the three phase voltages in phase with the ac
system voltages. The current lags if the inverter voltage is greater than the system
voltage. The reactive power delivered by STATCON is a function of voltage and
current. This device can deliver reactive power under reduced voltage condition and
has a better performance than a static var compensator.
Expect a very small loss-taking place in the VSC, no real energy exchange
taking place.

The STATCON
is capable of supplying required reactive power even at small
values of bus voltages where reactive power supply capability gets limited to its
susceptence limit. The susceptence decreases linearly with decrease in bus voltage
Due to susceptence limit., SVC cannot have a short time overload capacity whereas
STATCON can have the same.
STATCON can serve as a real power exchanger if it has an energy source at DC
bus, conversely supply DC power.
6.UNIFIED POWER FLOW CONTROLLER (UPFC):
This is the latest in the series of FACTs controllers. The principle is based
upon injecting a variable voltage in series with the transmission line in order to
control real and reactive power flow through the line. The device has two branches:
A series branch
A shunt branch
Each branch is a GTO based inverter branch. The series branch has a voltage
source inverter, which injects a voltage in series through a transformer. In doing so it
can exchange real power with the transmission line by injecting a voltage in series
through a transformer. But this exchange of power is only possible if it has an energy
source at its DC terminal. The UPFC with only series branch functioning but
exchanging real power is called Static Synchronous Series Compensation (SSSC)
The shunt branch exchanges the reactive power independently with the system.
6.1GENERALIZED UNIFIED POWER FLOW CONTROLLER :
The Generalized unified power flow controller (GUPFC) is multilane UPFC,
which can control bus voltage and power flows of more than one line or even a sub
network. The GUPFC with combing three or more converters working together
extends the concepts of voltage and power flow control beyond what is achievable
with the known two-converter UPFC Facts controller.
The simplest GUPFC consists of three converters, one connected in shunt
and other two in series with two in series with two transmission lines in a substation.
It can control total five power system quantities such as a bus voltage and
independent active and reactive power flows of two lines. With more series
converters included in GUPFC, more degree of freedom can be introduced and
hence more control objective can be achieved. Real power can be exchanged
among shunt and series converters via the common DC link
The GUPFC can construct a multi terminal sub network, which can control active
and reactive power flows for a group of lines and selected bus voltage within a
substation to their specified objectives. This has significantly extended the voltage
and power flow control capability that was achieved by the independent STATCON or
SSSC or UPFC.

7.FACTS IMPLEMENTATION
Steps for the identification of FACTS Projects
Operation of FACTS Devices
Maintenance of FACTS Devices
Testing of FACTS Devices
7.1WORLD WIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF FACTS CONTROLLERS :
TCSC Schemes:
-345kv Kanawha river substation, west Virginia,USA
-230kv kayenta substation,Arizona
-500kv slatt substation in Oregon,USA
STATCON Schemes:
A 100 MVA at Sullivan substation in TVA power system
UPFC schemes:
By American Electric power Co. at Inez station in Kentucky,
USA in two phases.
Phase I with the installation of (+-) 160 MVAr shunt inverter for voltage support
Phase II with (+-) 160 MVAr series inverter is being installed
The UPFC is located at mead to control the west wing-Mead power flow and is rated
for 1060 MVA (series injection) with 475 MVAr shunt var compensation capability.
Mead phoenix project involves the construction of a 500kv line from the phoenix
Area (West wing) to the las vegas area (mead and Marketplace) and on to los
angeles
A 100 MVA,48 pulse inverter UPFC, installed at the Sullivan substation of Tennessee
valley authority transmission network to provide (+-) MVAr compensation.
8.IMPACT OF FACTS IN INTERCONNECTED NETWORKS:
It enables the participating to share the benefits of large power systems such as
optimization of power generation, utilization of difference in load profiles and polling
of reversed capacity.
Environmental benefits are achieved when e.g. surplus of clean hydro resources
from one origin can help to replace polluting fossil fuelled generation in another.
FACTS help to enable mutually beneficial trade of electric energy between the
countries.

8.1FACTS for minimizing of grid investments:

It has been mentioned that an improvement incentive for considering of
FACTS for grid planning is its being an economically as well as politically and
environmentally attractive to larger, more costly and more time consuming
investments in extended transmission networks i.e. basically more lines.
Thus for instance it can be shown that the cost of installing series capacitors as
means for improving the power transmission capacity of existing line amounts to only
a friction of the cost for installing one or more several lines. This is valid for all
existing transmission voltages and for all transmission distances where series
compensation from the very beginning, power transmission between regions can be
planned with a minimum of transmission circuits ,there by minimizing of transmission
circuits, there by minimizing costs as well as environmental impact from the start.
9.FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN FACTS
Future developments will include the combination of existing devices, e.g.
combining a STATCON with a TSC (thyristor switched capacitor) to extend the
operational range. In addition, more sophisticated control systems will improve the
operation of FACTS devices. Improvements in semiconductor technology (e.g.
higher current carrying capability, higher blocking voltages) could replace the costs
of FACTS devices and extend their operation ranges. Finally developments in
superconductor technology open the door to new devices like SCCL (super
conducting current limiter) and SMES (Super conducting magnetic energy storage).
There is a version for as high voltage transmission system around the world to
generate electrical energy economically and environmental friendly and provide
electrical energy where it is needed. FACTS are the key to make this vision live.
9.1BENEFITS OF UTILIZING FACTS DEVICES
Better Utilization of existing transmission system assets
Increased transmission system reliability and availability
Increased dynamic and transient grid stability
Increased quality of supply for sensitive industries
Environmental Benefits
10.CONCLUSION
The advent of FACTs controller has provided fast, reliable control of bus
voltages, stability and SSR. With the advent of FACTs the AC system will become
more and more flexible using the thyristor as base component. It can be foreseen
that the world is heading for a power system, which is electronically controlled than
mechanically controlled providing better flexibility and reliability to the existing AC
system. It is strongly believed that FACTs controllers will be able to solve the
problems related to voltage profile, stability and SSR in a big way in the coming
decades.

11.REFERENCES:
Basic Control of Unified Power Controller, by I Papic, P. Zuko, IEEE transaction
power system, vol. 12 No.4, November 1997
Hingorani NG 1993, Flexible A.C. Transmission System, IEEE Spectrum.
Padiyar K.R. and Kulkarni A.M.,