Flexible AC Transmission Systems FACTS

FACTS refers to a range of controllers which control voltage, phase angle, and series
and shunt system impedance. Traditionally this was achieved with electromechanical
equipment or thyristor controlled devices.

Modern power electronic equipment offers the opportunity for extremely flexible
power quality control. In order to appreciate how power electronic devices can
improve power transfer it is worth examining the effect of shunt and series devices on
an ideal transmission system.

Voltage compensation with a shunt connected device

Consider a lossless transmission system with a shunt connected compensator at the

centre of the transmission line, as shown in Figure 1. Without compensation we have
the following relationships for the real and reactive power at the receiving and
sending line terminations R and S (see power transfer notes equations (14-17). Given
the ideal situation where the terminals are at rated voltage

Then
(1)

(2)

(3)
jX/2 jX/2
ISM IMR

VS VM VR
IM

Figure 1 Lossless transmission line with shunt compensation providing voltage

VM and current IM at the centre

The phasor diagram for the non-compensated transmission line is as given in Figure 2
(see power transfer notes Figure. 4).
 VS
Imaginary jXI

δ/2 θ = π/2

δ/2 I VM Real

VR

Figure 2 Phasor diagram for non-compensated lossless transmission line

For shunt compensation at the centre of the lossless transmission line so that centre is
at rated voltage. We have a phasor diagram as given in Figure 3.

VS
Imaginary jXISM /2
δ/2
ISM
IM
VM Real
IMR
δ/2
jXIMR /2
VR

Figure 3. Phasor diagram for a compensated lossless transmission line where the
centre and terminals of the transmission line is at rated voltage

For the compensated transmission line the phasor diagram depicted in Figure 3.
represents the transmission line split into two sections of impedance jX/2 and we have
the following relationships

and from (1) and (2)

(4)

(5)

From Kirchhoff’s current law we have

(6)
The compensator current IM is depicted in Figure 3. Notice that the compensator
current is in quadrature with the compensator voltage (IM, Vm) so that no real power is
injected on the system but from (5) the total reactive power provided by the
compensator is
(7)

Equation (7) can be used to define the MVA rating required for the compensator. The
variation of power transfer with load angle δ for the compensated and uncompensated
case is given in Figure. 4. By improving the voltage level at the midpoint of the
transmission system we have also allowed an increase in the transfer of real power.

4V2/X

2V2/X

V2/X

π/2 π load angle

Figure 4 variation of real power transferred and compensator reactive power

demand with load angle
Series compensation or phase angle control

The usual arrangement for series compensation is as depicted in Figure 5. Two

possible connections or operating modes are possible, either positive or negative load
angle compensation.

The compensator applies a series voltage Vpq as depicted in Figure 5. The phasor
diagram for this arrangement is given in Figure 6

jX/2 jX/2

VS VM VR
VG
Vpq

Figure 5 Series compensator arrangement for a power transmission system

VG
Vcomp

VS
Imaginary α jXI

(δ-α)/2 θ = π/2
(δ-α)/2 I VM Real

VR

Figure 6. Phasor diagram for the transmission system depicted in Figure 5. with
series compensation

If we assume that all phase voltages depicted are at rated voltage such that
The power transferred is then given by

(8)

The compensator current is now the same as the system current I and is no longer in
quadrature with the compensator voltage so that both real and reactive power is
required. From the phasor diagram given in Figure 6. we can derive the magnitude of
the compensator MVA Scomp in terms of the phase shift α. The compensator current
magnetude is given by:

(9)

Similarly the compensator voltage magnitude can be expressed as:

(10)

Thus the MVA required for the phase shifter is:

(11)

The phase shift α is therefore limited by the MVA of the compensator.

Example 1

A 3 phase 11 kV cable of length 2 km is to have a shunt compensator installed at the

midpoint along its length. The impedance of the cable is j0.08 Ω/km/phase. Calculate
the compensator VA required to provide rated voltage at the cable midpoint for an
initial uncompensated 3 phase power transfer of 1 MW in the cable.

Answer

From equation (2) we can derive the load angle as:

Thus

The compensator rating is then given by equation (7) giving:

Notice that the compensator VA is much less than the VA of the total power
transferred which has will have only marginally increased from the uncompensated
condition.

Example 2

A 3 phase 11 kV cable of length 2 km is to have a series compensator installed at the

supply end. The impedance of the cable is j0.08 Ω/km/phase. Calculate the
compensator VA required to increase the power transferred by 0.1 MW when the total
3 phase power transfer is 1 MW in the uncompensated cable.

Answer

From equation (8):

Thus

Comparing with the previous example we have that:

The VA of the series compensator is then found from equation (11)

Notice that the compensator rating is much less than the total increase in power flow
although the compensator has to conduct the full rated current.
 Conventional FACTS controllers

In the past full flexible compensation was achieved through thyristor switching and
the common form of the devices is as depicted in Figure 7.

Phase-a

Phase-b

Phase-c

a) b)
c)

Figure 7 Conventional Facts controller designs. a) shunt thyristor controlled

inductor Static VAR Compensator (reactive power load) b) shunt thyristor
switched capacitor Static VAR compensator (reactive power source) c) thyristor
controlled phase shift transformer.

The use of thyristor switching gives more flexibility but at the expense of increased
injected harmonics. The capacitor can only be switched at voltage zeros to limit the
current. Both the shunt inductor and capacitor reactive power is also related to the
line voltage and therefore not completely flexible.

Advanced compensators using voltage converters

Complete flexibility with little or no harmonic distortion can be achieved with the use
of modern power converters and three common arrangements are shown.

Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM)

The usual static synchronous compensator arrangement is for a voltage sourced

converter to feed a step down transformer as depicted in Figure 8. By arranging the
converter voltage to be in phase with the line voltage reactive power can be controlled
by adjusting the converter voltage amplitude to be either greater of less than the line
voltage as reflected at the transformer secondary terminals. From considering the pu
phasor diagrams given in Figure 9 it can be seen that if the converter voltage is greater
than the line voltage (as is reflected on the transformer secondary circuit) then the
compensator acts as a reactive power source (capacitor) and if the converter voltage is
less than the line voltage (as is reflected on the secondary circuit of the step down
transformer) then the compensator acts as a reactive power load (inductor) as.
 (12)

busbar

I V
potential Step down transformer
transformer V0 with leakage reactance XL

controller Voltage
sourced
converter
settings

Figure 8 Typical STATCOM arrangement using a voltage sourced convertor

V
V = V0 , I = 0
V0
a)

V jXLI
I
Leading I ≡ capacitor
V0
b)
V
Lagging I ≡ inductor
V0 jXLI
I
c)

Figure 9. pu phasor diagrams for different STATCOM conditions. a) converter

voltage and line voltage identical giving no injected current b) converter voltage
greater than line voltage creating a leading current c) converter voltage less than
the line voltage creating a lagging current.
Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC)

A series compensator which can inject real and reactive power is known as a Unified
Power Flow Controller and the usual arrangement using 2 back to back convertors is
as shown in Figure 10.

busbar Vcomp

Step down
transformer Series transformer

controller Voltage Voltage

sourced sourced
converter 1 converter 2
settings

Figure 10 Realisation of a Unified Power Flow Controller using two back to back
voltage sourced converters

Converter 2 can provide Vcomp fully controlled in phase angle and amplitude and is
limited by the converter VA rating and the VA rating of the series transformer.
Converter 1 is to absorb or provide real power for converter 2. Both converter 1 and
converter 2 can provide/control line reactive power independently.