Department of Electrical & Communication Engineering POWER SYSTEMS

CHAPTER 1 Per Unit Calculations

1. Power System Representation

Power Component Symbol Power Component Symbol

= Generator = Circuit breaker

Transmission
= Transformer =
line

M = Motor = Feeder + load

= Busbar (substation)

Power components and symbols

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Interconnections among these components in the power system may be shown is a so-called one-line diagram
or single-line diagram. Single-line diagram represents all 3- of balanced system. For the purpose of
analysis, the single-line diagram of a particular power system network is represented to its equivalent
reactance or impedance diagram. A sample of a interconnected of individual power component is shown in
Figure 1.1. This represent a circuit diagram of a power network which is referred to as a single-line diagram.

Figure 1.1 – Single-line diagram

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Impedance diagram
In power system fault calculations it is often that a single-line diagram representing a typical power network in
3- be converted into its per phase impedance diagram. Some assumptions for converting from single-line
diagram into its equivalent impedance diagram needed to be considered.

(i) A generator can be represented by a voltage source in series with an inductive reactance. The internal
resistance of the generator is assumed to be negligible compared to the reactance.
(ii) The loads are usually inductive represented by resistance and inductance.
(iii) The transformer core is assumed to be ideal, and the transformer may be represented by a reactance
only.
(iv) The transmission line is represented by its resistance and inductance, the line-to-ground capacitance is
assumed to be negligible.

Let us consider the following on how the single-line diagram of Figure 1.2 converted into its impedance
diagram counterpart.

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Generator Station A Transmission Transformer Station B

Transformer
G1 T1 Line T2
TL G3

G2 G4

Load Load
L1 L2

Figure 1.2 – Single-line diagram of a power network

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Transmission
Transformer Line Transformer
T1 TL T2
Station A Station B
j XT1 RTL j XTL j XT2

j X1 j X2 RL1 RL2 j X3 j X4

G1 G2 j XL2 G3 G4
j XL1

Figure 1.3 – Impedance diagram of Figure 1.2

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Per-Unit Quantities
Per unit quantities are quantities that have been normalized to a base quantity. In general,

Z actual
Z pu  per-unit (p.u)
Z base
Choice of the base value Zbase is normally a rated value which is often one of the normal full-load operations of
power component in a power network.
Let us look at two of the most common per unit formula which are widely used when per unit calculations are
involved.

(i) Base impedance (Zbase)

For a given single-line (one-line) diagram of a power network, all component parameters are expressed in 3-
quantity whether it is the rating (capacity) expressed as MVA or voltage as kV. Let begin with 3- base
quantity of
S base  3V base I base ----- (i)

where Vbase = line voltage, Ibase= line or phase current

Per phase base impedance,

V base
3 -----(ii) This is line-to-neutral impedance
Z base 
I base 6
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Combining (i) and (ii) yields,

V base
3
Z base 
kV base 2
Z base 
S base MVAbase
3V base

where kVbase and MVAbase are 3- qualtities

(ii) Changing base impedance (Znew]

Sometimes the parameters for two elements in the same circuit (network) are quoted in per-unit on a different
base. The changing base impedance is given as,

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 kVbase OLD  MVAbase NEW
Z NEW  pu   Z OLD  2

 kVbase NEW  MVAbase OLD

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Example 1
Determine the per-unit values of the following single-line diagram and draw the impedance diagram.

5 MVA 100 MVA 50 MVA

275 kV/132 kV Transmission line 132 kV/66 kV
Xg = 16%
j 3.48 

XT1 = 0.1 p.u XT2 = 0.04 p.u Load

40 MW, 0.8 p.f. lagging

Solution:
Chosen base: Always choose the largest rating, therefore Sbase = 100 MVA, V = 66 kV, 132 kV and 275 kV

Per-unit calculations:

Generator G1: Transformer T1:

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 kVbase OLD  MVAbase NEW
Z NEW   OLD
pu  Z  2

X T 1 ( pu )  0.1 p.u.
 kVbase NEW  MVAbase OLD

100
X g ( pu )  0.16   0.32 p.u.
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Transmission line TL: Transformer T2:

Z base 
kV base 2
Z pu 
Z actual X T 2 ( pu )  0.04 
100
 0.08 p.u.
50
MVAbase Z base

3.4  100
X TL ( pu )   0.0195 p.u.
132 2

Inductive load:

66  10 3
3
Z actual  6
 87.1236.87 o 
40  10
3  66  10 3  0.8

87.1236.87 o  100
Z L ( pu )  2
 236.87 o or (1.6  j1.2) p.u.
66

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Now, we have all the impedance values in per-unit with a common base and we can now combine all the
impedances and determine the overall impedance.

5 MVA 100 MVA 50 MVA

275 kV/132 kV Transmission line 132 kV/66 kV
Xg = 16%
j 3.48 

XT1 = 0.1 p.u XT2 = 0.04 p.u Load

40 MW, 0.8 p.f. lagging

Transformer Transmission Line Transformer

T1 TL T2

j 0.1 p.u. j 0.0195 p.u. j 0.08 p.u.

j 0.32 p.u. 1.6 p.u..

Generator Load
G j 1.2 p.u.

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Load

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Summarise:

Load

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Load

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