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Institute for Automation of Complex Power Systems
Univ.-Prof. Antonello Monti, PhD
Written Exam
Automation of Complex Power Systems
Summer Semester 2021
Date: September 16th 2021
Do NOT scroll further until you are instructed to do so.
Please write all your answers (text, numbers, and diagrams) on your solution
sheet. Answers on the present task sheet will not be evaluated.
Please answer the short questions with short sentences. For calculation problems
please provide the necessary steps of the solution to justify your result; a simple
number is not sufficient.
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Part 1: Short Questions (30 points)
Q1: Constant power load (CPL) (3 points)
a. What is an ideal DC constant power load? Explain analytically what the
negative incremental resistance is. (1 point)
b. How does a CPL curve look graphically? Sketch on your solution sheet
the negative resistance characteristic of the CPL. (1 point)
c. In a system with constant power load, what is the problem caused by neg-
ative incremental resistance? Is the system stable? (1 point)
Q2: Frequency control (6 points)
a. List the three levels of frequency control and their characteristics. (3x2
points)
Q3: Renewable Energy Interfaces (2 points)
a. List the three different types of wind interfaces. (0.5x3 points)
b. Which of the three interfaces has a converter sized for a fraction of the
power? (0.5 point)
Q4: State estimation (4 points)
With respect to static state estimation problem in AC power systems:
Define a state vector for a system with 𝑁 buses. (1 point)
Name two common measurements that are used. (2x0.5 points)
What are the two main inputs to the state estimation problem? (2x0.5
points)
What are the two main assumptions made in static state estimation? (2x0.5
points)
Q5: Grid codes (3 points)
a. What are Grid codes? Why are they needed? (2 points)
b. Sketch the voltage profile across the length of a feeder for the following
cases:
i. High load and no feed-in from distributed generation (0.5 point)
ii. Low load and high feed-in from distributed generation (0.5 point)
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Q6: Microgrid (3 points)
a. Please name the three possible control modes of AC microgrid converters.
(3x0.5 points)
b. How can each of them be represented by an equivalent circuit with ideal
components? (3x0.5 points)
Q7: Common Information Model (3 points)
Figure 1 represents the CIM class diagram for a 132kV/33kV transformer
within a substation.
a. Which classes are represented by the labels A and B respectively high-
lighted in Figure 1? (1 point)
b. Explain the relationship between the TransformerWinding and class rep-
resented by label B. (1 point)
c. What is the relationship between the class represented by label A and the
TransformerWinding? (1 point)
Figure 1: CIM Class diagram of a transformer within a substation
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Q8: Virtual Inertia and Sychronverter (3 points)
a. List two features that distinguish converter-interfaced generators (CIGs)
from synchronous generators. (1x2 points)
b. What is the purpose of the Synchronverter in the operation of the grid? (1
point)
Q9: DC Distribution grids (3 points)
a. What are the three stages of short circuit faults in DC distribution grids?
(0.5x3 points)
b. Which of these three stages does not exist when the system is an
overdamped condition? What happens in this condition? (0.5x3 point)
Part 2: Calculation Problems (70 points)
Task 1: Frequency control (15 points)
Two 60 Hz generators, generator A and generator B with nominal production of
1000 MW and 2000 MW respectively are operating in parallel. The speed-droop
characteristics of generators A and B are 2% and 3% respectively.
Task 1.1.
a. Plot the generators’ droop characteristic curve. Determine the change in
the power output of both generators, if there is an increase of 600 MW in
the overall load. (7 points)
b. Calculate the new frequency of each generator for the case described in
the previous task. (2 points)
For the following subtask, after the additional load is connected as described in
task 1.1, it is to be assumed that, the generators A and B operate in an island to
which a wind farm of 500 MW capacity is subsequently connected. In case you
did not solve Task 1.1, assume the values given below to proceed with Task 1.2:
∆𝑃𝐴 = 260 MW, ∆𝑃𝐵 = 340 MW, 𝑓𝑛𝑒𝑤 = 59Hz.
Task 1.2. Calculate the change in system frequency and the output power of the
generators A and B. (6 points)
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Task 2: State-space model and discretization (20 points)
The electrical circuit to be considered is shown in Figure 2. The input to the sys-
tem is the current source 𝑖(𝑡). Parameters of the circuit are: 𝐿, 𝑅 and 𝐶. The sys-
tem is observed by measuring the current 𝑦(𝑡) flowing into the capacitor 𝐶.
y(t)
i(t) C L
Figure 2: Electrical Circuit for Task 2
Task 2.1. Derive the state-space equations and state-space model of the illustrated
circuit. (11 points)
Task 2.2. Derive the discrete-time state-space equations and state-space model of
the illustrated circuit assuming sampling period 𝑇𝑠 . (9 points)
𝑑𝑥
Hint: Use the following approximation: 𝑥𝑘+1 = 𝑥𝑘 + 𝑇𝑠
𝑑𝑡
Task 3: Voltage Control (20 points)
The 110 kV transmission system model and its simplified circuit diagram are
shown in Figure 3, in which the excitation branch of the transformer and the line
capacitance are ignored. 𝑍 = 15 + 𝑗70 Ω is the sum of impedances of the trans-
mission line and the transformer. The voltage 𝑈1 equals 115 kV and remains con-
stant.
1 2 1
𝑍
𝑆 𝑆1 𝑆
𝑈1 ∆𝑈, ∆𝑆 𝑈 𝑈
𝑗 𝑗
Figure 3: Simplified circuit Diagram of the 110 kV transmission system
The 110/11kV transformer has five taps on the primary winding giving -5%, -
2.5%, 0%, 2.5% and 5% turns. The maximum and minimum load consumption
power 𝑆 is given by 𝑆max = 20 + j12 MVA, 𝑆min = 10 + j5 MVA respectively.
In this task, first write the equation used for calculation and then substitute the
variables in the relevant equation with values.
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Task 3.1 When the capacitor bank is NOT switched on, calculate the transmis-
sion power under the maximum and the minimum load conditions
(𝑆1max ,𝑆1min ). (5 points)
Task 3.2 When the capacitor bank is NOT switched on, calculate the primary
voltage of the transformer under the maximum and the minimum load condi-
tions (𝑈 max ,𝑈 min ). (5 points)
Task 3.3 (8 points)
a. Select the tap (-5%, -2.5 %,…) of the transformer in order to maintain 𝑈
at 10.5 kV. (2 points)
b. Calculate the transformer ratio k (1 point)
c. Calculate the secondary voltage of the transformer under the minimum
and the maximum load conditions when the capacitor bank is NOT
switched on (𝑈 min , 𝑈 max ) (5 points)
Task 3.4 Calculate the required capacity of the capacitor bank in order to
maintain 𝑈 at 10.5 kV. (2 points)
Task 4: System stability and Observability (15 points)
A continuous-time system is described in state space by the matrices
0 0 5a
A(a) ≔ (1 0 6a 5) ∈ ℝ3×3 , a∈ℝ
0 1 a 6
B ≔ (0 1 0)T ∈ ℝ3×1 , C ≔ (2 0 0) ∈ ℝ1×3 .
Task 4.1 What is the characteristic polynomial of A(a)? (2 points)
Task 4.2 Calculate all eigenvalues of A(a). (5 points)
Hint: There exists a vector 𝑣 ≠ 0 in ℝ3×1 such that 𝐴(a)𝑣 = 5𝑣.
Task 4.3 For which a is the system represented by A(a) asymptotically stable?
(2 points)
Task 4.4:
a. Calculate the observability matrix of the system with the matrices A and
C. (4 points)
b. Show whether the system is observable for a = 6 and a = 0. (2 points)
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