FACTS Devices and Systems

MPS124
UNIT-1

Dr. Sushma Kakkar

Sharda University, Greater Noida
LIMITATIONS OF LARGE AC SYSTEMS
• (LONG DISTANCE • (INTERCONNECTED
TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS) SYSTEMS)
 • Voltage stability • Load Flow Problems (needs
• Reactive power problems management of Congestion)
• Steady state stability • Voltage Stability
• Transient Stability • Frequency Control
• Oscillation Stability
• Inter-Area Oscillations

INTRODUCTION

• The electric power supply systems of whole world are interconnected, involving
connections inside the utilities, own territories with external to inter-utility, internationals to
inter regional and then international connections.
• This is done for economic reasons, to reduce the cost of electricity and to improve reliability
of power supply. We need the interconnections to pool power plants and load centers in
order to minimize the total power generation capacity and fuel cost.
• Transmission lines interconnections enable to supply, electricity to the loads at minimized
cost with a required reliability.
• The FACTS Technology is adopted in the transmissions to enhance grid reliability and
to over come the practical difficulties which occur in mechanical devises used as
controllers of the transmission network.
• The FACTS Technology has opened a new opportunity to the transmission planner for
controlling power and enhancing the useable capacity presently, also to upgrade the
transmission lines.
• The current through the line can be controlled at a reasonable cost which enables a large
potential of increasing the capacity of existing lines with large conductors and by the use of
FACTS controllers the power flow through the lines is maintained stable.
• The FACTS controllers control the parameters governing the operation of transmission
systems, such as series impedance, shunt impedance, current, voltage, phase angle and
damping of oscillations at various frequencies below the rated frequency.
• In an A.C power flow, the electrical generation and load must be balanced all the times.
Since the electrical system is self regulating, therefore, if one of the generators supplies less
 power than the load, the voltage and frequency drop, thereby load goes on decreasing to
equalize the generated power by subtracting the transmission losses.
• How ever there is small margin of self regulating. If voltage is dropped due to reactive
power, the load will go up and frequency goes on decreasing and the system will collapse
ultimately.
• Also the system will collapse if there is a large reactive power available in it. In case of high
power generation the active power flows from surplus generating area to the deficit area
POWERFLOW
• Consider a simple case of power flow in parallel paths. Here power flows from surplus
generation area to the deficit generation area. Power flow is based on the inverse of line
impedance.
• It is likely that lower impedance line become overloaded and limits the loading on both the
paths, though the higher impedance area is not fully loaded.
• There would not be any chance to upgrade the current capacity of the overloaded path,
because it would further decrease the impedance.
• power flow with HVDC converters is controlled by high speed HVDC converters. The
parallel A.C. transmission maintains the stability of power flow.
• The power flow control with FACTS controllers can be carried out by means of controlling
impedance, phase angle and by injected voltage in series.
• For understanding free flow of power, consider a simplified case in which two generators
are sending power to load center from different sites. The Mesh network has the lines AB,
BC and AC having continuous rating of 1000 MW, 1250 MW respectively. If one of the
generators is generating 2000 MW and the other 1000 MW, a total power of 3000 MW
would be delivered to the load center.
• In Fig 2.1 (a) the three impedances 10Ω, 5Ω and 10Ω, carry the powers 600 MW, 1600
MW and 1400 MW respectively.
• Such a situation would overload line BC and therefore generation would have to be
decreased at „B‟ and increased at „A‟ in order to meet the load without overloading the
line BC.
• If a capacitor of reactance (-5Ω) at the synchronous frequency is inserted in the line AC as
in Fig 2.1 (b), it reduces the line impedance from 10Ω to 5Ω so that the power flow
through the lines AB, BC and AC are 250 MW, 1250 MW and 1750 MW respectively. It is
clear that if the series capacitor is adjusted the power flow level may be realized. The
complication is if the series capacitor is mechanically controlled it may lead to sub
synchronous resonance. This resonance occurs when one of the mechanical resonance
 frequencies of the shaft of a multiple- turbine generator unit coincides with normal
frequency by subtracting the electrical resonance frequency of the capacitor with the
inductive load impedance of the line. Then the shaft will be damaged.
• If the series capacitor is thyristor controlled, it can be varied whenever required. It can be
modulated to rapidly damped and sub synchronous conditions. Also can be modulated at
damped low frequency oscillations. The transmission system to go from one steady-state
condition to another without the risk of damaging the shaft, the system collapse. In other
words thyristor controlled series capacitor can enhance the stability of network similarly
as in Fig 2.1(c). The impedance of line BC is increased by inserting an inductor of
reactance in series with the line AB, the series inductor which is controlled by thyristor
could serve to adjust the steady-state power flow and damped unwanted oscillations.
• Another option of thyristor controlled method is, phase angle regulator could be installed
instead of series capacitor in the line as in Fig 2.1(d). The regulator is installed in line AC
to reduce the total phase angle difference along the line from 8.5 degree to 4.26 degrees.
Thus the combination of Mesh and thyristor control of the phase angle regulator may
reduce the cost. The same result could be achieved by injecting a variable voltage in one
 of the lines. Balancing of power flow in the line is carried out by the use of FACTS
controller in the line.
LOADING CAPABILITY LIMITS

For the best use of the transmission and to improve the loading capability of the
system one has to over come the following three kinds of limitations:-

❖ Thermal Limitations

❖ Dielectric Limitations

❖ Limitations of Stability
 Thermal Limitations
• Thermal capability is function of ambient temp., wind conditions, conductor
size and its cross-section area, ground clearance etc. It is the main limiting
factor.
• If thermal limit exceeds, heat generated by the transmission line increases, sag
is increased and line may come in contact with trees.
• If the system is operated close to thermal limit, it is being used to its maximum
capacity. But thermal limit is hardly achieved since voltage stability restricts
the capability of the transmission system.
• Thermal limit establishes maximum amount of electrical current that a
transmission line can conduct over a specified period of time before it sustains
permanent damage by overheating or before it violates public safety
requirements.
• Thermal Limitations:
• Thermal capability of an overhead lines is a function of the ambient temperature, wind
conditions, conductors condition and ground clearance. It varies by a factor of 2 to 1 due to
variable environment and the loading history. It needs to find out the nature of environment
and other loading parameters.
• For this, off-line computer programs are made use to calculate a line loading capability based
on available ambient environment and present loading history. The over load line monitoring
devices are also used to know the on line loading capability of the line.
• The normal loading of the line is also decided on a loss evaluation basis which may vary for
many reasons. The increase of the rating of transmission line involves the consideration of the
real time rating of a transformer which is a function of ambient temperature, aging of
transformer and present loading history of off-line and on-line monitoring.
• The loading capability of transformer is also used to obtain real time loading capability.
Enhancement of cooling of transformer is also a factor of increase of load on transmission
line.
• From the above discussion it is necessary of upgrading line loading capability which can be
done by changing the conductor of higher current rating which requires the structural
upgrading.
• The loading capability of line is also achieved by converting a single circuit to double circuit
line. If the higher current capability is available then the question arises, how to control this
high current in the line, also, the acceptance of sudden voltage drop with such high current
etc. The FACTS technology helps in making an effective use of the above technique of
upgrading the loading capability of line.
Dielectric Limitations
• From insulation point of view, many transmission lines are designed very conservatively.
• For a normal voltage rating, it is rarely possible to increase normal operation by +10%
voltages, e.g. 500 kV, 550 kV or even higher. Care must be taken such that the dynamic and
transient over voltages are within the limit.
• Modern type of gapless arresters, or line insulators with internal gapless arresters or
powerful Thyristorcontrolled over voltage suppressors at the sub-stations are used to
increase the line and sub station voltage capability.
• The FACTS technology could be used to ensure acceptable over-voltage and power
conditions
Stability

• The conventional power system do not have fast and flexible control over transmission
networks. Their stability limits are usually less than thermal limits. Therefore, the power
transfer capability of existing power networks are not fully utilized.

• This problem can be solved by FACTS which can implement fast and flexible control over
the transmission lines.

Limitations of Stability
• There are a number of stability issues that limit the transmission capability. They are:
❖ Transient Stability
❖ Dynamic Stability
❖ Steady-state Stability
❖ Frequency Collapse
❖ Voltage collapse
❖ Sub synchronous Resonance
IMPORTANCE OF CONTROLLABLE PARAMETERS : Control of line impedance
„X‟ with a Thyristor controlled series capacitor can provide a powerful means of current
control.
❖ When the angle is not large in some cases the control of „X‟ or the angle provides the
control of active power.
❖ Control of angle with a phase angle regulator controls the driving voltage, which
provides the powerful means of controlling the current flow and hence active power
flow when the angle is not large.
❖ Injecting a voltage in series with the line, which is perpendicular to the current flow
can increase or decrease the magnitude of current flow. Since the current flow lags the
driving voltage by 90º, this means injection of reactive power in series compensation
can provide a powerful means of controlling the line current and hence the active
power when the angle is not large.
❖ Injecting voltage in series with line with any phase angle with respect to the driving
voltage can control the magnitude and the phase of the line current. This means that
injecting a voltage phasor with variable phase angle can provide a powerful means of
controlling the active and reactive power flow. This requires injection if both active and
reactive power are in series.
❖ When the angle is not-large, controlling the magnitude of one or the other line voltages
with a Thyristorcontrolled voltage regularly can very cost-effective means for the
control of reactive power flow through the inter connection.
❖ Combination of the line impedance with a series controller and voltage regulation with
shunt controller can also provide a cost effective means to control both the active and
reactive power flow between the two systems.
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OVER VIEW OF FACTS