EXPERIMENT 13

STUDY OF VOLTAGE STABILITY USING Q-V CURVE

Submitted By:
Abdul Ahad
Abdul Wahab Nasir
Mian Sajawal Shah

BSEE 2016-2020
Semester 8
Instructor: Dr. Naeem Iqbal
Course: Power System Operation & Control
Date: June 18, 2020

Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences,

Islamabad, Pakistan
Abstract
Voltage Stability analysis of voltage instability in electric power system is very crucial in order to
maintain the equilibrium of the system. Voltage security is the ability of the system to maintain
adequate and controllable voltage levels at all system load buses. Using Q-V curve we can
determine the stability of a system. . A system is voltage stable if V - Q sensitivity is positive for
every bus, and voltage unstable if V - Q sensitivity is negative for at least one bus. In this lab we
will study voltage stability of a system.

Objectives
• Perform QV curve studies in power world simulator.
• Observe the effect transients on QV stability.
• Decide the operating voltage of any bus by observing QV curves.

Introduction
Voltage stability studies the effect of variation in reactive power on the voltage of the system. QV
relationship shows the sensitivity and variation of bus voltages with respect to reactive power
injections or absorptions. A system is voltage stable if V - Q sensitivity is positive for every bus,
and voltage unstable if V - Q sensitivity is negative for at least one bus.[1]
In order to create a QV curve, a fictitious generator is placed at the bus which is being analyzed.
The voltage set- point of this generator is then varied and its VAR output is allowed to be ANY
value needed to meet this voltage set- point. At some point, the MVAR value of the generator will
stop decreasing and reach the “bottom” of the curve. This point represents the maximum increase
in the load MVAR at this bus. Any higher and voltage collapse would occur. If the QV curve does
not cross the x - axis, this means the system cannot solve this case.[1]
The V- Q sensitivity of a bus is the slope of its QV curve at the given operating point. Positive
sensitivity indicates a stable system. Smaller positive sensitivity indicates more stable system.
Negative sensitivity indicates an unstable system. To maintain stability expect voltage (V) to
increase as VARs (Q) are increased.[1]

The Transient stability was run for the above circuit and the result obtained is given below in figure
(1).

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 Figure 1. Circuit to be Simulated
Tasks
1. Inspect the graphs carefully and decide the stability of the system at those buses for base cases.
State your findings • Go to QV curves -> Results -> Listing and right click on the voltage
which is resulted due to contingency on bus FIVE and select “plot QV curve”. Decide its
stability. The results are shown in figure (2) & (3).

Figure 2. Q-V Curve for Bus 3

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 Figure 3. Q-V Curve for Bus 5

2. Make the MVAR as 20 for the load connected to bus FIVE. Delete old contingency and add
the new one. Repeat all the other steps and check its QV curve and discuss its stability. The
results are shown in figure (4) & (5).

Figure 4. Q-V Curve for Bus 3

Figure 5. Q-V Curve for Bus 5

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3. Explore the options to check the stability of the whole system discuss the stability of the whole
system for above two cases by inspecting the QV curves for each bus. The results are shown
in figure (6) & (7).

Figure 6. Q-V Curve for Bus 3

Figure 7. Q-V Curve for Bus 5

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Discussion
In this lab we have done simulation of the circuit shown in figure (1) and done tasks about the
stability of the system using Q-V curves. From the results shown in figure (2) & (3) it is clearly
seen from the Q-V curves that there is only one operating point for bus 3 and two operating points
for bus 5 because for bus 3 at intersects the x-axis only at one point and for bus 5 at two points. As
we know that system is stable for positive slope points only so, the system is stable at second point.
In second task we changed the load, load is decreased so required Mvar is also decreased. From
the figure (4) & (5) it is seen that the system is still stable because a positive slope point is there.
In third task, the stability of the whole system is considered. At normal Mvars the system is stable
but when the load is increased hence more Mvar is required now the system is unstable and can be
seen from figure (6) & (7), the Q-V curve in case of bus 5 does not cross the x-axis and hence no
operating point is there for stability.

References
[1] PSCOC Lab Manual, PIEAS University.