Investigation of a unified power flow controller

T.Makombe and N.Jenkins

Abstract: Power flow in an AC transmission system depends on three basic parameters: transmission
line impedance, voltage magnitude and phase angle. Maximum utilisation of the power system can be
ensured by the control of these parameters in real-time. It is shown experimentally that a unified
power flow controller (UPFC) can control each of the parameters either selectively or simultaneously
in appropriate combinations. It is also shown that a UPFC can control independently the real and
reactive power flow in a transmission circuit. Results from computer simulations and a hardware
laboratory model are presented.

1 Introduction nique is common in STATCOMs and has the advantages

The continuing rapid development of high-power semi-
conductor technology now makes it possible to control
electrical power systems by means of power electronic
devices. These devices constitute an emerging technology
called FACTS (flexible alternating current transmission sys-
tems). FACTS technology has a number of benefits, such
as greater power flow control, increased secure loading of
existing transmission circuits, damping of power system
oscillations, less environmental impact and, potentially, less
cost than most alternative techniques of transmission syc
tem reinforcement [I].
The UPFC is the most versatile of the FACTS devices.
The usual form of this device consists of two voltage source
inverters with a common DC link, as shown in Fig. 1. The
inverter at the input end of the UPFC is connected in shunt
to the AC power system. and the inverter at the output end
of the UPFC is connected in series with the AC transmis-
sion circuit. The UPFC can control the transmission circuit
parameters singly, or simultaneously in appropriate comhi-
nations, at its series-connected output end, while independ-
ently providing reactive power support to the transmission
line at its shunt-connected input end. Furthermore, the
W F C can independently control real and reactive power
flow along the transmission line at its output end, while
providing reactive power support to the transmission line at
fts input end.
It has been shown [ 2 4 that it is possible to independ-
ently control real and reactive power flow at the W F C
input circuit by regulating the DC-link capacitor voltage
and varying both the phase angle and the modulation
index of the input inverter. In this paper, the real and reac-
tive power flow at the UPFC input circuit is controlled
independently by keeping the modulation index of the
input inverter constant and controlling only its phase angle.
The DC-link capacitor voltage is unregulated. This tech-
0 IEE, 1999
IEE Proceedings online no. 19990037
DOL 10.1049hp-gtd19Y90037
Paper first received 22nd July 1997 and in revised form 11th March 1998
The authorj are with the Manchester Centre for Electrical Energy,
UMIST, PO Box 88, Manchester, M60 100, UK
400
that the control of the UPFC input inverter is greatly Si-
plified and its switching losses reduced.
A mathematical model of a vector-controlled UPFC has
been derived and a vector control system developed for
each of the W F C operational modes identifed. Computer
simulations and experimental implementation of a UPFC
verity the performance of the vector control strategy. Two-
level inverters were used for the UPFC. A pulse-width
modulation technique was used to switch the inverters.
Insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) were used as the
switching elements in the inverters.
2 Vector analysis and control of UPFC
In this section, we deal with the mathematical analysis and
modelling of a vector-controlled UPFC, based on previous
analysis of a STATCOM [5]. The use of vectors simplifies
the analysis and control of a UPFC connected to a sym-
metrical three-phase AC network. Vector control has long
been used in electrical machine analysis [6] and is now
being applied more widely to electrical power system analy-
sis and control [5, 71. In this analysis, instantaneous three-
phase variables are converted to vectors with orthogonal d-
axis and q-axis components in a synchronously rotating d-q
axes system.
A simplified three-phase representation of a WFC-con-
trolled transmission circuit is as shown in Fig. 1. The
inductance at the UPFC input represents the leakage reac-
tance of the power transformer used, and the resistance
represents the inverter and transformer conduction losses.
The series-connected transformer is assumed to be ideal.
The transmission line is represented as a lumped series
inductance and series resistance to represent transmission
line losses. The inverters are regarded simply as lossless
power transformers that convert DC power to AC power.
The internal structures of the inverters have not been con-
sidered.
It is convenient to define a per-unit system as follows: i =
?libnre, v = vrIvbasere = e'les,,, Q
,, = vhsJibme, x = ubaSJl
ahsea xc = I~~base%me> I' = waba.w
2.1 Analysis of UPFC input circuit
Referring to Fig. 1 the W F C input circuit equations can
be written in per-unit as
IEE Yroc.-Gener. Transm. Dirbib., Yo/. 146, No. 4. h r / y I999
Fig.1

0 0 and
-TLWDRIl
S.
0 0 Li

x [!:::]+ [
ZPqC
-(vsb
E y
(vsa- e<.)
-e<b)]
- In the synchronously rotating reference frame, eqn. 1 can
be written as
(1)
Consider the vectorial transformation of variables from d
three-phase quantities to the synchronously rotating d-q - [ ( i p + jiq)e3ut]= -(ip
--TaWb
+ p..o ) e)ut
dt 2,
plane defmed by the following equations, in which the ref-
erence vector, and therefore the d-axis, is defined by the +c,(I(v8)l -
Wb
(ezd + j e i , ) ) e j W t
sending-end busbar voltage set, ,v ,v and: ,v
(5)
where w = d8ldt. Now
d
dt
+j w ( i p +j i q ) e j w t (6)
Substituting eqn. 6 in eqn. 5 and simplifying gives
where
dip .diq - - T i W b a s e
cos (0 -4) cos (6' + f ) x+3--- zp + wi,
1
cos(6')
dt
-sin (0 -
1
-
F) - sin (6'
-1
+?) Xi

fi fi
(2)

(7)
IEE Proc.-Cener. Trunrni. Dlstrib.. Yo/. 146, No. 4, July 1999 401
[AEquating real and imaginary parts:
Eqn. 8 is a mathematical model of the UPFC input circuit
in per-unit notation in the synchronously rotating d-q refer-
ence frame. The reactive current component iq is assumed
to be either capacitive or inductive, with a variable magni-
tude (0 5 iq L),,,,i that is independent of the terminal volt-
age. The real current component i,is due to any real power
that may he drawn by the shunt section of the power flow
controller.
Neglecting the input inverter voltage harmonics, the fol-
lowing equations can be written relating the amplitudes of
the voltage vector components at the input inverter AC-
side terminals to the capacitor voltage on the common DC
link:
eid = miv, cos a(
(9)
ei, = miv, sin ai (10)
where aiis the phase angle difference between the input
inverter AC voltage vector ei and the line voltage vector
v,. The factor mi is the modulation index of the input
inverter.
2.2 Analysis of DC-link circuit
The instantaneous powers at the AC and DC terminals of
the input and output inverters, respectively, are equal if the
inverters are assumed to be lossless. This gives two power
balance equations in per-unit: v& = eij + ei& and v& =
eo& + eoqiou.The DC-link circuit can 6e descnhed by the
per-unit equation
2,3 Analysis of UPFC output circuit
For the output inverter, the AC-side equations are (for an
[ ne&b] =
ne;,,
[$1
em
and [:;I
ideal series transformer of turns ratio of n : 1)
ne;,,
nibc
= [
These output cwcuit equations can be transformed in the
same way as the input circuit equations from the three-
phase AC form to the per-unit vector form in the synchro-
nously rotating d-q plane as follows:
Neglecting the output inverter voltage harmonia, the fol-
lowing equations can be written relating the injected com-
ponent magnitudes ed and e, to the DC-link voltage:
ed = m,v, cos cyo and e, = move sin cy,
where a, is the angle between e,, and v,, and m, is the
modulation index of the output inverter.
2,4 Analysis of transinission circuit
In terms of the instantaneous variables shown in Fig. 1, the
transmission circuit equations can be written in per-unit as
follows:
402
0
=/
0 0
f [ -(vas + edqa
%(Vsb
-(us, + e+
-
+ edqb - Wyb)
urd
- vrc) 1
(11)
Eqn. 11 can be transformed in the same manner as eqn. 1
to the synchronously rotating d-q axes reference frame as
follows:
--w 5,
?(vs + ed - wu,d)
Eqn. 12 is a mathematical model of a simplified UPFC-
controlled transmission circuit in per-unit notation in the
synchronously rotating d-q reference frame.
3 Control objectives using series voltage source
Control of transmission circuit parameters and transmitta-
ble real and reactive power flow is achieved by adding the
voltage vector e,, to the input terminal voltage vector v,, as
shown in Fig. 2d. Vector e,, is defined to have no angular
restrictions (0 h arg(e4) h 2 4 and a variable magnitude (0
5 ledql L By appropriate control of e, the unified
power flow controller can be used to accompish different
control objectives by means of its series voltage source,
and the shunt element provides reactive power support to
the AC system hy means of iu. The input inverter draws i,
from the AC system and supplies the real power require-
ments of the output inverter via the DC link. The injected
vector e& consists of the following components: e, = e,, +
e,,,, for terminal voltage magnitude control, e, = exd + e,,
for series compensation, e6 = ea + e& for phase angle con-
trol, and e& = eqd+ epq. for real and reactive power control.
It has been shown previously [8, 91 that a number of modes
of operation may be identified.
Fig.2 , Vector dwgrmnr ilhrmhg operation of UPFC
n executing terminal voltage regulation only
b erecutmg lerminal voltage rcgulafion and series line compensation
e executing terminal voltige regul~tionand phase angle ~ o n t r 0 1
d executing control of real and reactive tran~mittablepower
3. I Series element inactive (mode I )
In mode 1, the series element of the UPFC is inactive (edq).
The UPFC is thus equivalent to a STATCOM in this
mode of operation.
3.2 Terminal voltage regulation only (mode 2)
The first control objective using the series element is termi-
nal voltage regulation or control only. This is achieved by
TEE Proc-Gene". Tronrm. Dislrik Vol. 146, No. 4, July I999
keeping the angle of ed, zero with respect to the reference
vector:
e, = k,u, (13)
k,, is a scalar quantity and v, is a unit vector in the direo
tion of v,. Thus, only the magnitude of v, is changed with
respect to v,, as illustrated in Fig. 2u. The magnitudes of
the d-q axes components of e,,, in this mode of operation
can be expressed as
ed = emd = k m
eq = emY = 0
3.3 Terminal voltage regulation and series line
compensation (mode 31
In this mode of operation, e(,, consists of e,, the series com-
pensation component which either leads or lags the line
current vector ii by 90", and e,,,, the terminal voltage regula-
tion component orthogonal to e, in the two-dimensional
vector space, as shown in Fig. 2b. Voltage e,y presents a
capacitive or inductive virtual reactance to the line accord-
ing to whether e, lags or leads it When inserting an induc-
tive virtual reactance, e, = kJji,), and when inserting a
capacitive virtual reactance, ei = kx(jii),where k, is a sca-
lar quantity andj,, is a unit vector perpendicular to ir. The
terminal voltage regulation component is expressed as e,n =
k& The magnitudes of the d-q axes components of ed, in
this mode of operation can be expressed as
ed = ezd + emd = -k, sin ail +k, cos ail
e, = ezq + emq = k, cos + k ,azl sin ail
3.4 Terminal voltage and phase-angle
regulation (mode 4J
In this mode of operation, e,, consists of e6, the phase
angle regulation component, and e,,, the terminal voltage
regulation component, as shown in Fig. 2c. In this case, e,,
is added in phase with v, to achieve the required terminal
voltage magnitude. Vector e, is then injected to obtain the
required phase angle. Vector e,,, can he expressed as e, =
k,v,, as in mode 2. Vector e6 is given as [8] e6 = 2/v, +
e,l/sin(kd2)lexplj(-~2 + kd2)], where kd is in rad. The direc-
tion and magnitude of e6 ensure that the resultant terminal
voltage v, = v, + e, + e6 has the same magnitude as vs +
e",, hut leads or lags v, by k,. The magnitudes of the d-q
axes components of e , , in this mode of operation can be
expressed as
ed = ead+e,d = --2Iv,+e,Isin- 'I ($) +km (18)
eq = ehq + e,, = Iv, + e,l sin k6
3.5 Real and reactive power control (mode 5)
The final control objective is the control of transmittable
real and reactive power. In this mode of operation the
UPFC is fully operational as a power flow control device.
By considering Fig. 2d, it can he seen that the transmission
line 'sees' the voltage v, + ed,,,as the effective sending-end
voltage. By independently varymg the magnitude and angle
of e,,,, the UPFC acts as a general controller for transmitta-
ble real and reactive power between the sending and receiv-
ing ends. Assuming the practical situation that xl >> ri,
eqn. 12 gives the steady-state line current components as
ii, Wbnbr(eq - W?,)/(WZI)
IEE Pm.-Ger,er. Tmnsm. Disfrib.. Vol. 146, Nu. 4, Juiy 1999
ilq = -Wbase(Us fed -%d)/(WZl) (21)
The real and reactive transmittable powers in per-unit are
given, respectively, by
P = usWliase(eq - U 7 , ) / ( W Z 1 ) (22)
q = U, [-wase(~.ed - ~ + ~ d ) / ( ~ x t ) ] (23)
Eqn. 22 shows that p depends on e,, and eqn. 23 shows
that q depends on e& Real power can therefore be control-
(14) led primarily hy modulating the quadrature component of
e,,, e,, and reactive power can be controlled primarily by
(15) modulating the in-phase component of ed,, ed. It is possible
to define feedback loops and PI compensation for the inde-
pendent control o f p and q as follows:
4 UPFC control system
4.1 Control of real and reactive current
components at UPFC input
The real and reactive current components, 'p and i,, in the
UPFC input circuit can be controlled by operating the
(16) input inverter appropriately in order to obtain the required
components eidand eiq in the mathematical model of eqn.
(17) 8. Assuming the practical situation that xi >> ri, eqn. X
gives the steady-state input circuit current components as 'p
= -whseeid(uxi) and iq = ubme(-vS + eiJ/(uxi). Therefore,
the vector eid can be regulated in phase with v, in order to
control the reactive current component iq, and the vector e,
can he regulated in quadrature to v, to control the real cur-
rent component $. The factor mi in eqns. 9 and 10 is kept
constant. The angle ai between ei and v, is then vaned to
achieve real power transfer to or from the DC-link circuit,
and so establish the required value of the DC-link capacitor
voltage v,. The required values of eid and eiq are thereby
obtained.
(19) loop and 3-phose
to rotatino D-Q
I oxis transfirmotion I
In this control strategy, therefore, the capacitor voltage is
not regulated, hut varies with the operational conditions.
Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of the control system for the
UPFC input circuit. The output of the PI compensation
block is the angle a,. The vector phase-locked loop ensures
synchronous operation of the input inverter by providing
the transformation angle 8. The input inverter fVing angle
is given by pi = ai+ 8. The three-phase to d-q axes trans-
(20) formation is as defined by eqns. 2, 3 and 4.
403
 j mode
Fig.4 Cmtrolsf trmmiwion c i r a i r p v m t e r s ondpuwn.
4.2 Control of transmission circuit parameters
and power
Fig. 4 shows a block diagram for the control of terminal
voltage magnitude, series reactance, phase angle and real
and reactive power using PI controllers. The closed loops
force the output inverter to produce the AC voltage which
corresponds to the appropriate combination of control sig-
nals, as determined by eqns. 26 and 27, and the truth table
for the combination of control signals shown in Fig. 4
ed&f + Gzezd f G 6 e 6 d f Gpqeqd
= Gmemd
eqRef = Gmem, + G A , f Gaes, + G,,e,,
5 Computer simulation and experimental
implementation of UPFC
Computer simulation and experimental implementation of
a vector-controlled UPFC were carried out. The electro-
magnetic transients simulation program, EMTDC, was
employed for the computer simulation. Referring to Fig. 1,
the parameters of the circuit used in both the experimental
implementation and the computer simulation were as fol-
lows: Li= 19mH, Ri = 0.652, C = 220pF, L1= 58mH and
RI = 0.652. The transformation ratio of the series-connected
transformer was 21, with a leakage reactance of 0.738.
The system base voltage and base current were 50 V,
and 0.64 respectively. The sending end was connected
to the laboratory supply and set at 1 per-unit using a var-
iac. A phase-variable solid-state generator comprising a
voltage-source inverter (VSI) and DC source constituted
the receiving end, also set at 1 per-unit. The transmission
angle was set at 27'. The VSIs in Fig. 1 were implemented
in the experimental model using IGBT modules with inter-
nal diodes. A programmed pulse-width modulation tech-
nique [IO], implemented using a 68020 microprocessor, was
used to switch the inverters and selectively eliminate three
low-order non-triplen harmonics without generating triplen
or even harmonics, or operating at an excessively high
switching frequency. The UPFC was digitally controlled
using a 33MHz 486 host processor and various electronic
404
"0
interface circuits, such as current and voltage sensors and a
multi-channel analogueidigital convertor. Inverter control
data were transferred between the asynchronous 486 proc-
essor and 68020 microprocessor systems using data latch
circuits.
The experimental results were compromised by two fac-
tors. First, the control loop time delay of the experimental
controller was between 6ms and Sms, depending on the
mode of operation. This delay was excessive and resulted in
(26) slow response and steady-state ripple. Secondly, the trans-
formation of instantaneous three-phase variables to syn-
(27) chronously rotating d-q axes, described by eqns. 2, 3 and 4,
requires that all variables are sampled at the same instant,
i.e. in parallel. For this application, however, only a single,
multi-channel analogue/digital convertor was used. This
resulted in an 18" separation between the first and last s m -
pling points and consequent errors in the computation of
the d-y components.
Owing to the inadequate speed of the 486 host processor
for this application, the 68020 microprocessor was synchro-
nised with the AC system using a semi-digital phase-locked
loop, based on the 4046 integrated circuit, driven by a volt-
age signal from the sending-end busbar [Ill.
The calculation time step for computer simulations was
lops, but the speed of response was slower than would be
desirable in a practical installation owing to the rather sim-
ple representation of the phase-locked loop and the control
system filters [Ill.
Figs. 5 1 6 show the computer simulation and experimen-
tal results for operation of the WFC in modes 1, 2, 3, 4
and 5. In all the modes of operation, it is seen that the
sending-end busbar voltage is maintained at 1 per-unit by
the reactive power support provided by the input inverter
of the W F C . This demonstrates the independence of the
input and output circuits of the UPFC. In modes 3 and 4,
the series reactance and phase angle, respectively, are con-
trolled independently of the terminal voltage. In mode 5,
the transmittable real and reactive powers are controlled
independently.
IEE Proc.-Gorer. Trunrm. Disirib.. Vol. 146, No. 4, July 1999
 0.91
0

I
b

0.25 t
-0.25 0.125

-5.0- - 0 . 2 5 0 1
0.L 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.1 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.8 2.0 2.1
tirne.s time.s

1.11
?
-;
a

1.0
>
3

?
4
Y

9
p -0.125

50.-1-
c
Fi 6 UPFC made o/opwarion rerpone io siep c h g e s h experimn-
lui?&li.Y
0 ' ' ' ' - ' ~ ,
b----,, ~~
~~

"Rd
~ ~ Cd~ .... .. ....
~

time scale = 2OOmddiu.
6 Conclusions
Computer simulation and experimental results have shown
that a UPFC is a highly versatile FACTS device that can
IEE Proc.-Gener. Trmsm. Di.strib.. Vol. 146, No. 4, July 1999
control transmission circuit voltage, series reactance and
phase angle singularly, or in appropriate combinations, at
its series-connected output while maintaining reactive
power support at its shunt-connectedinput. It can also per-
form independent control of transmittable real and reactive
power at its series-connected output while maintaining
405
 0.71

0.1
0.3

cl

?
..L
4
l.LL

1.2- a
*
1
1.1
1.2
1.02 : i - :
I - 2 " * 1.0
;o 0.8- ZoB 0.8
0.6 I a 5 c 0 b ' a 0.6

1.1
1.2
$
a 1.0

<(Y
0.8
5
>
0.6
>U 04
0.2
0
0 4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.1 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.L
time,s
c
, ,a
Fig.11 UPFC mude 4 ofopmtim, response to step changes k vu r e p
lated a1 I permit: .+mulation result3
0 0 8 06,<
b 0x ' ~ 0VoRd
c 0 vr 0 v.R./ A vc

0.7r
35 t

l.L

2
-0
1.2

1.0
B
,
o 0.8

' OL

02
o.61
0.1

Fig.10 UPFCmde 3 of opwalzo~m p o m to step h g o u1 xR# yo reg-

ulated at I per-mu experunental results

406 TEE Prac.-Cmer. T P M .Disirib..

~ Vol. 146. No. 4, Jut" I999
 1.41 1.41
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.L
a
0.2
0
a
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6

-0.12:p7=-
b
0.250
1.250-
0.125
0.125 -

-0.250
b -0.125-
D
w -0.150-
-0.375
-0.375-
0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4
tirne.5
C

1.2,
1.0

0.8 -i 0.81
D

t
0.6
o.6
0.4 a
a 0.4
a
-U
0.2
0
a

3
a
1.2-

0.125-
0.125-

IEE Proc.-Gener Trunrm Di.wib, Vol 146. No. 4, July 1999 407
reactive power support at its shunt-connected input. This
has been achieved using a vector control strategy for the
UPFC. The versatility of the UPFC means that an appro-
priate operating mode for the device can be chosen to suit
the requirements of the transmission circuit at the time.
Both the hardware model and computer simulations had a
speed of response considerably slower than would be desir-
able in practice. Further work is in progress to investigate
faster control circuits.
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~~~~
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IEE Proc-Gener. Tronsn,. Diwib., Vol. 146, No. 4, July I999