Chapter 6

Power Quality – Voltage Sag

RECAP
•How to determine resonance frequency &
resonance frequency order
•What is quality factor
•Harmonic mitigation techniques

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 Introduction
•Definition of voltage sag:
“A sag is decreased between 0.1 to 0.9 p.u in rms
voltage at the power frequency for duration from
0.5 cycle to 1 minute”

Figure 1

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•VS measured near or away from fault
location give different value of sag
33 kV

33/11 kV, 15 MVA

PCC

F1

Figure 2
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 Causes of voltage sag
• There are few causes of voltage sag:
1. Faults on the branches of the supply network
& in the internal supply scheme of consumer’s
installation
 Fault / SC : 3 phase balanced fault, unbalanced
fault (single line to ground, line to line, double line
to ground)
 During fault, current is very high  voltage is
drop

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 Figure 3: Voltage sag waveform due to fault

2. Starting of a large motor loads

 When large loads start, it can produce ↑ current,
similar in effect to a short circuit current (motor-3
to 6 times higher starting current)
 ↑ initial current, causes voltage drop in supply
network & the installation
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 Figure 4: Voltage sag waveform during motor starting

2. Energizing of transformer

Figure 5: Voltage sag waveform during transformer

energization

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 Effects of voltage sag
• Impact of voltage sag to industrial
equipment:
– Electronic equipment & PLC
 DC voltage applied  ↓
 Device/equipment  shutdown, lock up or garble
data
 PLC – damage (high current)
– Lighting
 Lighting system will burn brighter or dimmer
 Life span may be affected

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– Motor
 More tolerant to voltage sag
 Severe enough  motor lose rotational inertia &
draw high inrush current (CB trip)

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 Case Study
• Consider a simple power system schematic
diagram as shown in Fig. 6 & fault occur at
point X
E1
Z1 MA X MB Z2

Fault

Figure 6

• The condition of voltage sag is measured at

MA & MB

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 • Fig. 7 & Fig. 8 show the waveforms
captured at both monitoring points
Voltage (kV) & current (kA) Voltage (kV) & current (kA)

Figure 7: a) Voltage & current sag Figure 8: b) Voltage & current sag
waveforms at MA waveforms at MB

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 MA MB
Pre-fault V & I: normal V & I: normal
i) IA ↑↑, VA ↓↓ i) IB ↑, VB ↓
ii) sag occur for ii) since IB <<IA; thus,
certain period voltage sag monitored
During fault at MB is lesser than
voltage sag at MA
iii) sag occur for certain
period
Post-fault V & I back to normal V & I back to normal
Table 1: Comparison of fault condition at monitoring point A (MA)
and monitoring point B (MB)

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 Mitigation technique
• Common approach: adjust setting for the
equipment to be at higher tolerance
• If it is not possible, then, voltage sag
mitigation equipment is installed
• Purpose of voltage sag mitigation
equipment: to support the missing voltage
during the sag condition
• This can be achieved using different kinds
of technologies such as battery, capacitor,
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 booster transformer, etc
• Among the mitigation equipment used
are:
1. Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)
 Uses battery in its operation
 Advantage: provide continuous & longer support
outage & voltage sag condition
 Disadvantage: the batteries need to be stored in a
controlled environment & require regular
maintenance & replacement

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2. Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR)
 Consists of coupling transformer & gate turn-off
thyristor (GTO)  DC voltage
 Principle of operation:

Figure X: Mathematic model for DVR

Figure 11: Mathematic model for DVR
 When voltage sag occur, capacitor start to
recharge & deliver DC voltage to inverter
 Inverter: inject missing voltage to Tx

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 Inverter is fully functioned when voltage sag
occur
 Normal condition: inverter supply a small
injection voltage to Tx

Figure 12: Waveform before Figure 13: Waveform after

insertion of DVR insertion of DVR

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3. Voltage Dip Proofing Inverters (DPI)
 Consists of static switch, inverter & capacitor
 DPI block diagram:
Static
switch
Inverter

Supply Load
Storage
capacitor

Figure 14: Block diagram for DPI

 In DPI, capacitor is also used as energy storage
 DPI is capable to compensate up to 100% dip for
3.1sec
 The support time ↓ as the loading & PF ↑

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 Sag occurred and OUTPUT
INPUT
inverter activated

INPUT OUTPUT

Figure 15

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4. Voltage Dip Compensators (VDC)
 Consists of compensator or booster Tx, static
switches & the controls
 VDC: boosting the sag voltage through its
compensation Tx & ultra fast static voltage
 It can fully compensate 50% of voltage sag for
about 3sec – because the Tx need a minimum
voltage of 50% to boost the missing voltage back
to normal
5. Dynamic Sag Corrector (DySC)
 Consists of static switches, electronic controls,
converter, filter & capacitor

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 Figure 16: Block diagram for DySC

 It can compensate 50% of voltage sag for about 2sec &

momentary loss of power for 3-12 cycles

INPUT Figure 17 OUTPUT NZA2009