Transient Stability

Large 132 kV Distributed Network

ETAP Modelling
Author: Saman Abbasian
Disturbance in a large network causes dynamic instabilities and changes the condition into transient
situation. There are different types of system disturbances such as, motor start, short circuits, and
load shedding.

A 132 KV ETAP model has been developed including transmissions lines, critical loads, and
substations. The largest generator rating is 50MW and the other two generators rated at 45MW.
Transformers ratings are 100MVA and 75MVA respectively.

The longest transmission line is 90 Km, the largest dynamic load is an off-gas compressor 3.5MW at
6.6 kV and two critical loads feeding data center units.

In this practice, transient stabilities include three phase short circuit currents at different
substations, load shedding due to the voltage drops at the receiving end and starting the largest
machine to investigate the system stability and preserving the generator synchronism.

Transient Stability Case 1- Short Circuit at Substation E

A three phase fault occurs at substation E at the instant of 4 (s) and cleaerd at 4.7 (s). Prior to the
fault at substation S, the volateg drop is 11.82% exceeding the 10% voltage rating 33kV and under
voltage relay operates at the instant 0.1 (s) and send the trip signal to both breakers CB9, CB10
respectively to perform a load shedding on load_15 at substation T due to the critical load_2
installed at this substation.

Meanwhile, the frequency deviations due to this short circuit causes the under-frequency relay
operates and send the trip signal to CB1 at substation A and results in 50MW loss in the network and
loads are shared by the two generators G_2 and G_3.

This share for G_2=1.22 MW+9.38 MW=10.6 MW and G_3=0.65 MW + 5.61 MW =6.26 MW

Fig 1 shows all system dynamics and load sharing between generators including speed variations and
MW changes.

Transient Stability Case 2 – 3.5 MW, 6.6 kV off-gas Compressor Start

To investigate the generator synchronism and network stability a 3.5 MW off-gas compressor starts
and speed deviations and current changes of all three generators are plotted and shown in Fig 2.

At the instant of 4.7 (s) the largest machine stats and due to the voltage drop at different
substations generators are reacting to these sudden changes and AVR and exciters keep the
synchronism well-tuned.
 Gen_1MW Gen_2MW Gen_3 MW
25 18 16
16 14
20 12
14
10
15 12
8
10
10 6
8 4
5 6 2
4 0
0 2 -2
0 -4
-5

Gen_1RPM Gen_2 RPM Gen_3 RPM

1600
1540 1540
1400
1520 1520
1200
1500 1500
1000
1480 1480
800
1460 1460
600
1440 1440
400
1420 1420
200
1400
1400
0

Fig 1: Speed deviations and Electrical Power G_1, G_2, G_3 Transient Stability Case-1
 Gen_1 RPM Gen_2 RPM RPM
1514 1515 1515
1512
1510 1510 1510
1508
1506
1505 1505
1504
1502
1500 1500
1500
1498
1496 1495 1495
1494
1492 1490 1490

Gen_1 Amps Gen_3 Amps Amps

600 140
100
90 120
500
80
100
70 400
60 80
300
50
60
40
200
30 40

20 100 20
10
0 0
0

Fig 1: Speed deviations and Starting Currents of G_1, G_2, G_3 Transient Stability Case-2
Fig 3: ETAP Layout of 132 kV Distributed Network