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FLICKER IN ARC FURNACE APPLICATIONS

Equations are given in this document for estimating flicker in arc furnace applications.
These equations have generally been developed based upon analysis and experience.

1.0 Flicker Limits in Terms of Pst and Plt

IEEE Standard 1453-2015 – “IEEE Recommended Practice for the Analysis of
Fluctuating Installations on Power Systems” is the key standard with regard to flicker.
Some of the key points of this document are noted as follows. Other details are
available in the standard.

1. Plt is the measure of long-term perception of flicker obtained for a two-hour

period. This value is made up of 12 consecutive Pst values.

2. Pst is the measure of short-term perception of flicker obtained for a ten-minute

interval.

3. As given in Section 6 of IEEE Standard 1453-2015, Pst and Plt should not
exceed the planning levels given in Table 1 more than 5% of the time
(95% probability level) with a minimum assessment period of one week.
Table 1 – Planning levels for Pst and Plt in MV, HV, and EHV power systems

Planning levels
MV HV-EHV
Pst 0.9 0.8
Plt 0.7 0.6

4. For LV power systems the flicker levels listed in Table 2 are recommended
and are also based on 95% probability levels.
Table 2 – Compatibility levels for Pst and Plt in LV power systems

Compatibility levels
Pst 1.0
Plt 0.8

5. The 99% probability value may exceed the planning level by a factor (1-1.5),
depending on system conditions to be determined by the system operator.

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2.0 Calculation of Pst
A formula that is often used to estimate Pst95% in arc furnace applications is given as
follows:

Pst95% = Kst x (Sccf/Sccn) EQ (1)

where Kst = Characteristic emission coefficient for Pst, ranging

from 58 to 85 for 120V systems.
Sccf = Short circuit level at the arc furnace leads
Sccn = Short circuit level of the network at the PCC
%VD = Sccf/Sccn x 100% (percent voltage drop at the PCC)

See IEEE Standard 1453-2015, Section 7.2.2 for more details.

3.0 Example
The following examples and comments are noted:

1. For Kst = 60 and Pst95% = 1.0, the maximum percent voltage drop at the PCC
would equal 1.67% from EQ (1).

2. For Kst = 60 and Pst95% = 0.8 (which is the recommended planning limit in
IEEE Standard 1453 for HV-EHV systems), the maximum percent voltage
drop at the PCC would equal 1.33%.

3. Historically, the percent voltage drop at the PCC was used in many countries
as the criteria for design. The limits were > 1.6%.
a. Great Britain used 1.6% at voltages above 132 kV and 2.0% at lower
voltages.
b. The curve in Figure 1 suggests voltage drop limits in the range of 2.2% to
3.1%, depending upon the MW size of the furnace. This characteristic
was based on the observation that larger furnaces are smoother in
operation.
c. Therefore, the limit of Pst95% = 0.8, which corresponds to a voltage drop of
approximately 1.3%, is more restrictive compared to the previous
percent voltage drop limits noted above.

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 Figure 1

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4.0 Static Var Compensator (SVC)
When flicker is excessive, the typical method of reducing the flicker is to add a static var
compensator (SVC) to the system. This is a thyristor controlled reactor (TCR) in parallel
with filter capacitor banks. The SVC can generally reduce the flicker level (Pst95%) by a
factor of 2. The SVC is a mature and reliable technology, which has been used
predominantly in arc furnace and transmission applications since the 1970’s.

4.1 Voltage Drop and SVC’s

The voltage drop due to the operation of the arc furnace is caused predominantly by the
var flow to the furnace. The worst condition occurs when the furnace electrodes are
shorted. The purpose of the static var compensator (SVC) is to supply capacitive vars
to offset the inductive vars drawn by the furnace system and, therefore, to minimize the
voltage drop on the system.

1. The maximum useful Mvar size of the SVC would generally be the maximum
vars drawn by the furnace system. It is possible that being a little larger than
that could be helpful if the MW flow is also contributing significantly to the
voltage drop.

2. The second key issue is that the SVC must respond fast but not too fast.
a. A voltage drop must occur before the SVC can know to respond. Also, the
current in the SCR must go through zero before the SVC can change its
response. Therefore, a response time of 0.5 to 2.0 cycles would tend to
be the minimum response time. With a delay of 0.5 to 2.0 cycles a voltage
drop will always occur, but the SVC will limit the duration of the voltage
drop.
b. The response time of the SVC cannot be too fast or else the SVC will be
over shooting or responding erroneously to the change in system voltage.

4.2 Typical Arc Furnace Parameters

Typical arc furnace circuit parameters tend to be in the following ranges:

1. The peak furnace MW value is typically in the range of 0.8 to 0.9 times the
furnace transformer MVA rating.

2. The peak furnace Mvar value is typically in the range of 1.5 to 1.75 times the
furnace transformer MVA rating.

Arc furnace circuits on the order of 100 MVA typically have an X/R ratio of 10 to 15 from
the utility source to the shorted electrodes. Approximately 80% to 90% of the circuit
resistance (R) is from the furnace transformer primary to the shorted electrodes. In this
analysis, references to the “furnace MW” and to “MW to the furnace circuit” are referring
to the total MW as measured at the primary of the furnace transformer at 34.5 kV. On
the order of 6% to 10% of this MW value is associated with the equipment losses from
the furnace transformer primary to the shorted electrodes. Approximately 90% to 94%
of this MW value is associated with the arc itself.

Flicker In Arc Furnace Applications Page 4 Qual-Tech Engineers, Inc.

4.3 Estimating the Mvar Size of the SVC

If the flicker is excessive in a given application, a static var compensator (SVC) is often
used. A typically sized SVC reduces the flicker by about 50%. The following formula is
often used to estimate the effectiveness of an SVC on the flicker:

Rsvc = 1 + 0.75 x (Ssvc/Sf) EQ (2)

where Rsvc = Flicker reduction factor

Ssvc = SVC Mvar
Sf = Furnace MVA
= ~ 1.2 x Maximum Furnace MW

This formula is believed to be a reasonable approximation up to Ssvc/Sf = 2. At Ssvc/Sf = 2,

Rsvc = 2.5. A reduction factor near 2 is typical. A reduction factor greater than 3 is not
believed to be possible with conventional SVC design. An optimized classic SVC would
generally reduce the flicker by approximately 50% with a Mvar rating on the order of 1.6
to 1.8 x the maximum MW of the furnace.

To achieve Pst95% = 0.8, Rsvc = Pst95%w/o svc/0.8. From this relationship the Mvar size of
the SVC is estimated as follows from equations (1) and (2):

Ssvc = (((Pst95%w/o svc/0.8) – 1)/0.75) x Sf EQ (3)

For a given SVC Mvar size, the resultant Pst95%w/SVC can be estimated as follows:

Pst95%w/ svc = (Pst95%w/o svc)/(1 + 0.75 x (Ssvc/Sf)) EQ (4)

For high X/R systems, the maximum useful size of the SVC is approximately equal to
the maximum Mvar drawn by the furnace. In systems with significant resistance values,
higher Mvar values may be helpful. Equations (2), (3), and (4) are to generally be used
within the bounds of the maximum Mvar that could be drawn by the system.

5.0 Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOM)

STATCOM’s began to be used in the 1980’s and 1990’s to solve transmission operation
problems due to the restrictions on the construction of new transmission lines. It is a
shunt device that can supply vars to the power system faster than an SVC. The
response time of the STATCOM is on the order of a 1 millisecond as compared to 0.5 to
2.0 cycles for an SVC. Since it is on the order of 10 times faster, it also has the
potential to control the flicker better. It is believed to be able to reduce the flicker by a
factor of 4 to 6 compared to 2 for an SVC. Although it is a technology that has been
used since the 1980’s to the 1990’s, the technology of the electronic components is
constantly changing on the order of every five years.

Qual-Tech Engineers, Inc.

QT-623-0419 201 Johnson Road ∙ Building #1 - Suite 203
Houston, PA 15342-1300
724-873-9275
FAX 724-873-8910
www.QualTechEng.com

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