A Simulator of Electrical Networks in the Quasi-Stationary State Using

MATLAB
J. Maldonado*, No Member IEEE, I. I. Lázaro+, J. J. Rico+, M. Madrigal& Members IEEE
*
Preparatoria Benito Juárez García, Cherán México
+
Universidad Michocana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia México
&
Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia, Morelia México
mapaje79@hotmail.com, ilazaro@umich.mx, jerico@umich.mx, manuelmadrigal@ieee.org

Abstract may be difficult to study using the first option

This paper presents the Electrical Networks in a
Quasi-stationary State Simulator (SREEQE), designed
in the MATLAB platform that can be used in teaching
and research in the area of electromechanical
phenomena in electrical power systems. The SREEQE
is a graphic interface that makes it possible to obtain,
in a user-friendly way, a simulation of a power system
in a quasi-stationary state with induction motors
connected in transitory regimen. For the analysis, the
simulator incorporates the algorithms of power flows
and the dynamic harmonic domain To obtain a
simulation the user must introduce the power system to
be analyzed, provide the parameters of the induction
motor(s) to be connected to the system with their
respective connection nodes and carry out the analysis
using a series of keys and menus.
Keywords— Dynamic harmonic domain, operational
matrices, phasor dynamics, power flows, induction motor,
electric networks.
1. Introduction
At present there exist a large number of
instruments designed to study electrical power systems,
some of which have been developed to analyze their
dynamic state; for example, the ATP, whose principal
potentiality is the analysis of transitory electromagnetic
conditions with duration in time of a few
microseconds. Others have been developed to analyze
the stable state, as in the case of the power flow
instrument, the use of which provides the state of
operation of a system under conditions of a constant
charge. The incorporation of dynamic
electromechanical charges, such as induction motors,
mentioned above, due to the fact that their transitory
conditions may last several seconds or even minutes.
Similarly, the second option only analyzes the
condition of the system at one particular point of
operation (steady state).
The foregoing underlines the need for a quasi-
stationary state instrument that will make it possible to
analyze electrical systems with dynamic charges that
include electromechanical phenomena. Therefore,
utilizing studies of power flows and taking as a base
the Fourier series, the principles of phasor dynamics,
and operational matrix –instruments that make up what
is now known as the Dynamic Harmonic Domain
(DHD) [1], [2], [3] and [4] it is feasible to devise a
generalized instrument that has the capacity to study
such systems. For more information, the reader can
consult [5], which provides a detailed description of the
formulation of this hybrid technique for analyzing the
quasi-stationary state.
This paper incorporates the hybrid method into a
graphic interface called Simulator of Electrical
Networks in a Quasi-stationary State (SREEQE).
Because of its graphic environment, this system allows
the user to determine, in a clear and objective fashion,
the behavior of the main variables of an electrical
system, under the incorporation of induction motors at
any of its nodes. The results obtained can then be
compared to those produced by an alternative program
developed in Simulink, which has been incorporated
into this same simulator.
The following sections offer a brief description of
the methodology utilized in the simulator. After that,
we demonstrate the application of the simulator by
describing the methods and results of a case study.
Finally, the paper presents certain conclusions.
2. Methodology START

The technique implemented in the simulator for

analyzing electrical systems with dynamic charges in a
POWER Power
quasi-stationary state uses the method of power flows SYSTEM Flows
to observe the state of the system at a certain condition
of charge, while the behavior of the charge at a |V | δ
particular excitation of the system is carried out using INDUCTION DAE
DHD. Due to the dynamic nature of the charge, the MOTOR For one t
iterative process between the condition provided by the
system and that charge that it, in turn, provides to the P
Q SYSTEM
system itself, is performed. Fig 1 shows a schematic NO
DYNAMICS
diagram that alludes to this iterative process, the steps t < T final
of which are described in the following paragraphs:
MOTOR
SI DYNAMICS
i) Calculate the state of operation of the
electrical system with the help of a conventional power
flow program, in order to obtain the voltage (magnitude Fig. 1. Methodology of the hybrid instrument.

V and angle  ), which will serve as excitation for and the rotor, respectively, and the parameters of the
rotor seen in the terminals of the stator are indicated by
the motor during a moment of time, reason for which it (‘). This model takes as its variables of condition the
is resolved iteratively (1), until the active ( Pi ) and currents and the velocity of the rotor, in a stationary
reactive ( Qi ) power differences between one frame of reference at the coordinates dq0 (   0 ,
iteration and another are negligible [6]. i0 s  0 , i '0 r  0 , v0 s  0 ) and is a simplification of
the model presented in [7].
 Pi P 
  Vi i    i 
   Pi 
 Vi  iii) On the basis of the input voltage and the
 i  V
 Qi  (1) results of the currents, the calculation of the power
 Qi Qi   i demanded by the induction motor and, in general, of
 Vi   i 
Vi V
  i
 any charge, is carried out through [3]:
nh
(7)
Jacobian Corrections Errors P V I 
m nh
m m

ii) Using the voltage calculated in step i), the

V 
nh (8)
dynamics of the induction motor must be simulated for Q  I m  Vm I mVm I m
2 2
m
a short instant of time. For this purpose, the equations m nh

of the induction motor in terms of EHD given by [5] Where the voltage and current are in the harmonic
are used: domain and nh is the number of Fourier coefficients
selected.
 
pi qs   A11  D i qs   r A12 i ds  A13 i'qr  r A14 i'dr  B11 v qs
T T T T T T T

iv) With the powers thus calculated, the power

demands at the connection node are updated and the
(2)
procedure continues with step i).
T
 T

pi ds    r A21 i qs  A22  D i ds  r A23 i'qr  A24 i'dr B21T vds
T T T T

This procedure is repeated until the chosen period of

(3) study ends. From the results obtained, the following
T T
 T

pi'qr   A31 i qs   r A32 i ds  A33  D i'qr  r A34 i'dr  B31 v qs
T T T T can be seen with respect to the power system: the
(4) voltage level at each node, and information that is
pi'dr    r A41 i qs  A42 i ds   r A43 i'qr  A44  D i'dr  B41 v ds
T T T T T
 T
 T useful for detecting voltage depressions. At the same
time, some of the induction motor’s observable
parameters are: current in the stator, and the dynamic
(5) behavior of the harmonic components of which it is
p ω r   I' dr A 51 i qs  I' qr A 52 i ds  D ω r  B 51
T T T T T
TL made up, such as: motor velocity, the power demanded
(6) by the system (Real and Reactive), and par-velocity
Where p is the derivative with respect to time, the characteristics, among others.
sub-indexes s, r, refer to the parameters of the stator

Fig 2. Front page of the simulator.
a) b)
Fig 3. : a) Main panel of the SSEcMI; b) Window for entering the
parameters of the induction motors
3. Description of the simulator
The SREEQE uses the features of MatLab to
incorporate the algorithms of power flows and the the
DHD into a graphic interface in order to create an
instrument that is both flexible and user-friendly in its
operation; and one that makes it possible to study
electrical power systems that include electromechanical
charges at their nodes. The simulator consists of three
main windows, as described in the following sections.
3.1. Front page of the simulator
Fig 2 shows the simulator’s front panel, which
appears when a user writes the chain SREEQE on the
MatLab’s command lines. Its purpose is to display the
description of the simulator, which is accomplished by
pressing the DESCRIPCIÓN DEL PROGRAMA
[PROGRAM DESCRIPTION] key. The SSEcMI key
then opens the window for the simulation of the
electrical system. Finally, the CERRAR key [CLOSE]
allows the user to close down the program.
3.2. Panel for the simulation of electrical
systems with induction motors at their nodes
Part a) of Fig 3 shows the window that enables the
simulation of the SSEcMI electrical systems. This
panel is divided into two main sections: one for the
entry data, and one that allows the visualization of the
results of the simulation. Pressing the PARÁMETROS
DE LOS MOTORES [Motor Parameters] key calls up
the window seen in Part b) of Figure 3. Because of the
importance of this panel, it is described in detail in the
following section.
In the section entitled DATOS DE ENTRADA
[ENTRY DATA], the user will find the fields for
editing and executing the functions. Each one of these
fields has a label that refers to the data that must be
entered for the simulation. Among the data required are
the following: The name of the file where the
description of the power system is located; the power
and base frequency of the power system; the
connection nodes of the motors; the nominal voltage at
the connection nodes; the time for the simulation; the
number of harmonic coefficients for the simulation via
DHD [1] and [2]; the parameters for the start-up
resistances; selection fields for the simulation: via
DHD and/or Simulink (for validation).
This section also features two keys. They are pressed
to execute the following functions: first, to open the
window with the Simulink design in order to run the
simulation of the induction motor using this platform
VER DISEÑO [SEE DESIGN]; and, second, the
SIMULAR [SIMULATE] key, which is pressed to run
the simulation of the system with the motors connected
at the specified nodes and under the parameters
previously indicated.
The section labeled RESULTADOS DE LA
SIMULACIÓN [RESULTS OF THE SIMULATION],
consists of a series of fields the purpose of which is to
display the results of the simulation, either of the power
system or of the induction motors, according to the
user’s requirements. The results that can be visualized
are as follows:
 For the electrical power system: The voltage at one of
the nodes; the power flows in the lines. the power at
each node, total power and power lost.
 For the induction motors: Electromagnetic par;
rotor velocity; the par-velocity curve; stator current;
motor powers; evolution of the harmonics of velocity
and current.

3.3. Panel auxiliary window for entering the

parameters of the induction motors

Part b) of Fig 3 shows the auxiliary interface for Fig. 4. Electrical system.
entering the parameters of the induction motors, which
contains 3 sections:

 The first section has three editing fields that allow

the user to introduce the nominal data, including:
Apparent power; line-to-line voltage; electrical
frequency.
 The second section allows the user to incorporate
the electrical parameters, including: The resistance of
the stator’s coil; the dispersion inductance in the
stator’s coil; the resistance in the rotor’s coil in relation
to the stator; the dispersion inductance in the rotor’s
coil in relation to the stator; the mutual inductance
between the stator and the rotor.
 In the third section, the mechanical parameters of
the motors are introduced, including: The moment of
inertia; the coefficient of mechanical friction; the
number of pairs of poles; the par of the charge
connected to the mechanical axis.
Fig 5. Simulation data for the case study.
4. Test Case
Fig. 5 shows the interface with the data required
For the purpose of illustrating the use of the for the simulation, where the first three harmonic
simulator, this section presents a test case of a 14- components are considered (nh=3), with mt=64, for the
node power system in which a 2250 HP induction approximation to DHD. The time of study is 7 seconds
motor is connected at node 5. The mechanical charge (s), with a connection at each 0.001 seconds between
connected to the axle of the motor is 2000 Nm. Fig 4 the system and the motor, and each 0.0001s for
shows a scheme that represents the network studied. calculating the dynamics of the motor. Fig 6 shows a
The data for the electrical system being tested and comparison of the behavior of the voltage at node 5
the parameters of the induction motor are reported in with the connection of the motor, through the technique
[8]. that uses DHD and Simulink; showing that the voltage
in the system suffers a depression that for an instant
reaches a value of 0.986 p.u, which due to the operating
characteristics of the motor is kept at an operating
voltage of approximately 0.988 p.u.; once the motor
reaches its nominal velocity, the voltage of the system
returns practically to its initial level.

Fig 7. Current of the 2250HP motor’s stator, with TL =2000Nm,
connected to node 5 of the SEP.
VARIATION OF HARMONICS] key, the dynamic
behavior of the fundamental will appear. Finally a
simple copy/paste command will superimpose the
figures.
In the abovementioned figure, it is clear that during
the entire transitory the current is a sinusoid of the
apparently constant peak value, which places the motor
in critical operating conditions. Also, one can see that
the motor reaches the stable state in the time in which
voltage is recovered.
Fig 8 shows the behavior of the velocity under these
operating conditions. Observe once again that the time
that the motor takes to reach the stable state coincides
with the time in which voltage is recovered. To access
this observation just choose the “Velocidad del Motor”
[Motor Speed] option from the pull-down menu.

Fig 6. Voltage at node 5 of the test system.

This can be seen when “5” is introduced into the

section DATOS A OBSERVAR DEL SEP [SEP Fig 8, Speed of the 2250 HP motor, with TL=2000Nm,
DATA TO BE SEEN] in the space that corresponds to connected to the power system.
the voltage of a node of the SSEcMI window, to
indicate the desire to see the voltage in node 5 of the
system. Next, press the GRAFICAR [PLOT] key found
immediately to the right.
Similarly, one can obtain the behavior of the current
that the motor is demanding from the system. In
addition to the current, Fig 7 uses the EHD technique
to display the behavior of the magnitude of the
fundamental component that participates in the
formation of this signal, where one can see that it is
practically its wrapping, such that the participation of
the other components (DC, 2nd, 3er, etc.) is almost nil.
This graph is obtained by superimposing the curve that
the simulator provides upon selecting the option
“Corriente en el Estator” [Current in the stator], from
the pull-down menu, together with the previous
indication that it is motor number 1. After that, place Fig. 9. Par-velocity of the 2250HP induction motor, with
the cursor in the box that corresponds to the harmonics TL =2000Nm, connected at node 5 of the SEP.
of the current and enter number 1 so that upon pressing
the VER VARIACIÓN DE LAS ARMÓNICAS [SEE
 Fig 9 displays the behavior of the par as a function
of velocity. It is clear that for some values of par, this
velocity is above that of synchrony. This can occur in
high capacity motors and is attributed to the inertia of
the mass of the rotor [7]. Similarly, to access this
figure, simply choose the “Característica par
velocidad” [Par Velocity Characteristic] option from
the pull-down menu.
6. Conclusions
This paper outlines the implementation, in an
interactive simulator, of a technique based on a Fourier
series that studies the impact of high capacity motors
on electrical distribution networks. The model
considers that the equations of the induction motors can
be represented in the Dynamic Harmonic Domain. One
salient characteristic of this transformation is that the
variables of condition in the Dynamic Harmonic
Domain evolve more slowly than those in the time
domain. This makes it possible to improve the
efficiency of the numerical integration methods utilized
in our proposal. For example, one can use larger
integration steps to reduce computer costs. In the model
implemented in the interface, the distribution network
is analyzed through monophasic flows but the model
can incorporate a triphasic formulation with minimal
effort.
The results obtained using the proposed techniques
coincide with those generated by conventional models.
In this case, the implementation carried out in the
interface has been validated by using the models for
induction motors provided in Simulink MatLab ®.
In reality, the computer programs used in the study
of these electromechanical phenomena have generally
been designed for industrial use, so it is very expensive
for an undergraduate student to obtain such
instruments. For this reason, the simulator that we have
developed may be an attractive option for students, as it
will allow them to carry out a generalized analysis and
study of an electrical system that contains induction
motors. And, because of its graphic structure and
flexibility in terms of entering and visualizing the
results, it provides a user-friendly environment that
makes the study of the system or device more
objective, as the user does not require a great deal off
training in order to use it adequately.
Finally, as with all simulators in this category,
development must be ongoing, as there are several
issues still to be worked out and, of course, the
demands made during its utilization must be taken into
account in order to continually improve the instrument.
7. References
[1] A. M. Stankovic, B. C. Lesieutre T. Aydin , “Modeling and
Analysis of Single-Phase Induction Machines with Dynamic
Phasors”, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, Vol. 14,
No. 1 February 1999.
[2] I. Lázaro, J. J. Rico, G. T. Heydt, “Analysis of Switching
Loads in Networks Using Operational Matrices”, IEEE
Power Review, Vol. 20, No. 3, March 2000.
[3] M. Madrigal, “Modelling of Power Electronics Controllers
for Harmonics Analysis in Power Systems”, Ph.D. thesis,
University of Glasgow, Scotland, U.K., 2001.
[4] J. J. Rico, M. Madrigal and E. Acha, “Dynamic Harmonic
Evolution Using the Extended Harmonic Domain”, IEEE
Trans. on Power Delivery, Vol. 18, No 2, pp. 587-594, April
2003.
[5] J. Maldonado, “Análisis del Arranque de Motores de
Inducción de Gran Capacidad Conectados a Redes de
Distribución usando el Dominio Armónico Extendido”,
M.Sc. thesis, División de Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de
Ingeniería Eléctrica UMSNH, October 2005.
[6] J. J. Grainger, W.D. Stevenson, “Analysis of Power
Sistems”, McGraw Hill Interamericana of México, S.A. de
C.V., 2da ed., September 1990.
[7] P. C. Krause, Analysis of Electric Machinery, IEEE Press,
New York, 1995.
[8] Lázaro C. Isidro, Maldonado P. Jesús y Rico M. Jesús
“Aplicación del Dominio Armónico Extendido al Análisis de
Estado Quasi-Estacionario de los Sistemas Eléctricos de
Potencia”, RIEE&C, Vol. 5 No. 2, December 2008.
Biographies
Jesús Maldonado Paleo was born in Uruapan Michoacán, Mexico.
He received his degree as an Electrical Engineer at the Universidad
Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), and his Master’s
degree in Electrical Engineering at the same institution in 2002 and
2005, respectively. Currently he is working as a high school teacher
at the “Lic. Benito Juárez García” High School that is incorporated
into the UMSNH. His areas of interest are Power Quality, Control
and Instrumentation.
Isidro Ignacio Lázaro Castillo was born in Córdoba, Veracruz,
Mexico. He received his degree in Electrical Engineering at the
Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), and
his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the same institution
in 1992 and 1999, respectively. He is now a full-time
Professor/Researcher on the Faculty at the UMSNH. He has
published various scientific and technical articles in national and
international congresses and in journals. He is the author of the book
Ingeniería de Sistemas de Control Continuo. His areas of interest are
Energy Quality, the Electronics of Power, Control Systems and
Identification of Parameters.
J. Jesús Rico Melgoza was born in Purépero, Michoacán, México.
He received the degree of Electrical Engineer at the Universidad
Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), his Master’s
degree in Sciences in Electrical Engineering at the University of
Nuevo León, and his Ph.D. from the Glasgow University in 1990,
1993 and 1997, respectively. In 1999 he enjoyed a postdoctoral
period at Arizona State University. Today he is a
Professor/Researcher in the Graduate Studies Program of the Faculty
of Electrical Engineering at the UMSNH. His areas of interest are
Power Quality, Harmonics, and the Analysis and Identification of
Parameters.
Manuel Madrigal Martínez obtained his BSc (with honors) and
MSc from the Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia and Universidad
Autónoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico in 1993 and 1996, respectively.
And he obtained his PhD from the University of Glasgow in 2001.
Since 1996 he is with the Instituto Tecnológico de Morelia where he
teaches and conducts research in the area of power quality and
harmonic analysis in electrical networks.