IJSRD - International Journal for Scientific Research & Development| Vol.

4, Issue 11, 2017 | ISSN (online): 2321-0613

A Review on Reactive Power Compensation Technologies

Minal Dilip Sathe1 Gopal Chaudhari2
1
PG Student 2Assistant Professor
1,2
Department of Electrical Engineering
1,2
YTIET, Bhivpuri Road (Karjat), Mumbai University, India

Abstract— In general, the problem of reactive power power have been developed. Based on the use of reliable
compensation is viewed from two aspects: load high-speed power electronics, powerful analytical tools,
compensation and voltage support. In load compensation the advanced control and microcomputer technologies, Flexible
objectives are to increase the value of the system power AC Transmission Systems, also known as FACTS, have
factor, to balance the real power drawn from the ac supply, been developed and represent a new concept for the
compensate voltage regulation and to eliminate current operation of power transmission systems.
harmonic components produced by large and fluctuating
nonlinear industrial loads .Voltage support is generally II. REACTIVE POWER COMPENSATION PRINCIPLES
required to reduce voltage fluctuation at a given terminal of a In a linear circuit, the reactive power is defined as the ac
transmission line. This paper presents an overview of the component of the instantaneous power, with a frequency
state of the art of static VAR technologies. Static equal to 100 / 120 Hz in a 50 or 60 Hz system. The reactive
compensators implemented with thyristors and self- power generated by the ac power source is stored in a
commutated converters are described. Their principles of capacitor or a reactor during a quarter of a cycle, and in the
operation, compensation characteristics and performance are next quarter cycle is sent back to the power source. In other
presented and analyzed. A comparison of different VAR words, the reactive power oscillates between the ac source
generator compensation characteristics is also presented. and the capacitor or reactor, and also between them, at a
New static compensators such as Unified Power Flow frequency equals to two times the rated value (50 or 60 Hz).
Controllers (UPFC), Dynamic Voltage Restorers (DVR), For this reason it can be compensated using VAR
required to compensate modern power distribution systems generators, avoiding its circulation between the load
are also presented and described. (inductive or capacitive) and the source, and therefore
Key words: Unified Power Flow Controllers (UPFC), improving voltage stability of the power system. Reactive
Dynamic Voltage Restorers (DVR), IPFC, STATCOM, power compensation can be implemented with VAR
SVC, TCS, TCR, TSC generators connected in parallel or in series. The principles
of both, shunt and series reactive power compensation
I. INTRODUCTION alternatives, are described below
VAR compensation is defined as the management of
A. Shunt Compensation
reactive power to improve the performance of ac power
systems. The concept of VAR compensation embraces a The device is connected in parallel with the transmission
wide and diverse field of both system and customer line. It always connected in the middle of transmission line
problems, especially related with power quality issues, since it can be provided by either a current source, voltage source
most of power quality problems can be attenuated or solved or capacitor. The ideal shunt compensation provides the
with an adequate control of reactive power. Reactive power reactive power to the system. Shunt connected reactor are
compensation in transmission systems also improves the used to reduce the line over voltges by consuming the
stability of the ac system by increasing the maximum active reactive power while shunt connected capacitors are used to
power that can be transmitted. It also helps to maintain a maintain the voltage levels by compensating the reactive
substantially flat voltage profile at all levels of power power to transmission line Figure 1 shows the principles
transmission, it improves HVDC (High Voltage Direct and theoretical effects of shunt reactive power compensation
Current) conversion terminal performance, increases in a basic ac system, which comprises a source V1, a power
transmission efficiency, controls steady-state and temporary line and a typical inductive load. Figure 1-a) shows the
over voltages and can avoid disastrous blackouts. Series and system without compensation, and its associated phasor
shunt VAR compensation are used to modify the natural diagram. In the phasor diagram, the phase angle of the
electrical characteristics of ac power systems. Series current has been related to the load side, which means that
compensation modifies the transmission or distribution the active current IP is in phase with the load voltage V2.
system parameters, while shunt compensation changes the Since the load is assumed inductive, it requires reactive
equivalent impedance of the load . In both cases, the power for proper operation and hence, the source must
reactive power that flows through the system can be supply it, increasing the current from the generator and
effectively controlled improving the performance of the through power lines. If reactive power is supplied near the
overall ac power system. Traditionally, rotating synchronous load, the line current can be reduced or minimized, reducing
condensers and fixed or mechanically switched capacitors or power losses and improving voltage regulation at the load
inductors have been used for reactive power compensation. terminals. This can be done in three ways: a) with a
However, in recent years, static VAR compensators capacitor, b) with a voltage source, or c) with a current
employing thyristor switched capacitors and thyristor source. In Fig. 1-b), a current source device is being used to
controlled reactors to provide or absorb the required reactive compensate the reactive component of the load current (IQ)

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 A Review on Reactive Power Compensation Technologies
(IJSRD/Vol. 4/Issue 11/2017/070)

[4]. As a result, the system voltage regulation is improved

and the reactive current component from the source is
reduced or almost eliminated. If the load needs leading
compensation, then an inductor would be required. Also a
current source or a voltage source can be used for inductive
shunt compensation[3]. The main advantages of using
voltage or current source VAR generators (instead of
inductors or capacitors) is that the reactive power generated (a)
is independent of the voltage at the point of connection.

(a) (b)
Fig. 2: Principles of series compensation. (a) The same
system of figure 1-a) without compensation. (b) Series
compensation with a voltage source.

III. TRADITIONAL VAR GENERATORS

In general, VAR generators are classified depending on the
technology used in their implementation and the way they
(b) are connected to the power system (shunt or series).
Fig. 1: Principles of shunt compensation in a radial ac Rotating and static generators were commonly used to
system. a) Without reactive compensation. b) Shunt compensate reactive power. In the last decade, a large
compensation with a current source. number of different static VAR generators, using power
electronic technologies have been proposed and developed
B. Series Compensation [3]. There are two approaches to the realization of power
VAR compensation can also be of the series type. Typical electronics based VAR compensators, the one that employs
series compensation systems use capacitors to decrease the thyristor-switched capacitors and reactors with tap changing
equivalent reactance of a power line at rated frequency. The transformers, and the other group that uses self-commutated
connection of a series capacitor generates reactive power static converters. A brief description of the most commonly
that, in a self-regulated manner, balances a fraction of the used shunt and series compensators is presented below.
line's transfer reactance. The result is improved functionality A. Fixed or mechanically switched capacitors
 increased angular stability of the power corridor,
of the power transmission system through:
Shunt capacitors were first employed for power factor
 improved voltage stability of the corridor,
correction. The leading current drawn by the shunt
 optimized power sharing between parallel circuits.
capacitors compensates the lagging current drawn by the
load. The selection of shunt capacitors depends on many
Like shunt compensation, series compensation may
factors, the most important of which is the amount of
also be implemented with current or voltage source devices,
lagging reactive power taken by the load. In the case of
as shown in Fig. 2. Figure 2-a) shows the same power
widely fluctuating loads, the reactive power also varies over
system of figure 1-a), also with the reference angle in V2,
a wide range. Thus, a fixed capacitor bank may often lead to
and Fig. 2-b) the results obtained with the series
either over-compensation or under-compensation. Variable
compensation through a voltage source, which has been
VAR compensation is achieved using switched capacitors .
adjusted again to have unity power factor operation at V2.
Depending on the total VAR requirement, capacitor banks
However, the compensation strategy is different when
are switched into or switched out of the system. The
compared with shunt compensation. In this case, voltage
smoothness of control is solely dependent on the number of
VCOMP has been added between the line and the load to
capacitors switching units used. The switching is usually
change the angle of V2’, which is now the voltage at the
accomplished using relays and circuit breakers. However,
load side. With the appropriate magnitude adjustment of
these methods based on mechanical switches and relays
VCOMP, unity power factor can again be reached at V2. As
have the disadvantage of being sluggish and unreliable. Also
can be seen from the phasor diagram of Fig. 2-b), VCOMP
they generate high inrush currents, and require frequent
generates a voltage with opposite direction to the voltage
maintenance.
drop in the line inductance because it lags the current IP
B. Synchronous Condensers
Synchronous condensers have played a major role in voltage
and reactive power control for more than 50 years.
Functionally, a synchronous condenser is simply a
synchronous machine connected to the power system. After

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 A Review on Reactive Power Compensation Technologies
(IJSRD/Vol. 4/Issue 11/2017/070)

the unit is synchronized, the field current is adjusted to E. Thyristor-Controlled Reactor

either generate or absorb reactive power as required by the Figure 4 shows the scheme of a static compensator of the
ac system. The machine can provide continuous reactive thyristor controlled reactor (TCR) type. In most cases, the
power control when used with the proper automatic exciter compensator also includes a fixed capacitor and a filter for
circuit. Synchronous condensers have been used at both low order harmonics, which is not show in this figure. Each
distribution and transmission voltage levels to improve of the three phase branches includes an inductor L and the
stability and to maintain voltages within desired limits under thyristor switches Sw1 and Sw2. Reactors may be both
varying load conditions and contingency situations[4]. switched and phase-angle controlled. When phase-angle
However, synchronous condensers are rarely used today control is used, a continuous range of reactive power
because they require substantial foundations and a consumption is obtained. It results, however, in the
significant amount of starting and protective equipment. generation of odd harmonic current components during the
They also contribute to the short circuit current and they control process. Full conduction is achieved with a gating
cannot be controlled fast enough to compensate for rapid angle of 90°. Partial conduction is obtained with gating
load changes. Moreover, their losses are much higher than angles between 90° and 180°. By increasing the thyristor
those associated with static compensators, and the cost is gating angle, the fundamental component of the current
much higher compared with static compensators. Their reactor is reduced. This is equivalent to increase the
advantage lies in their high temporary overload capability. inductance, reducing the reactive power absorbed by the
C. Thyristorized VAR Compensators reactor. However, it should be pointed out that the change in
the reactor current may only take place at discrete points of
As in the case of the synchronous condenser, the aim of
time, which means that adjustments cannot be made more
achieving fine control over the entire VAR range, has been
frequently than once per half-cycle. Static compensators of
fulfilled with the development of static compensators (SVC)
the TCR type are characterized by the ability to perform
but with the advantage of faster response times .Static VAR
continuous control, maximum delay of one half cycle and
compensators (SVC) consist of standard reactive power
practically no transients. The principal disadvantages of this
shunt elements (reactors and capacitors) which are
configuration are the generation of low frequency harmonic
controlled to provide rapid and variable reactive power.
current components, and higher losses when working in the
They can be grouped into two basic categories, the thyristor-
inductive region (i.e. absorbing reactive power).
switched capacitor and the thyristor-controlled reactor.
D. Thyristor-Switched Capacitors
Figure 3 shows the basic scheme of a static compensator of
the thyristor-switched capacitor (TSC) type. The shunt
capacitor bank is split up into appropriately small steps,
which are individually switched in and out using
bidirectional thyristor switches. Each single-phase branch
consists of two major parts, the capacitor C and the thyristor
switches Sw1 and Sw2[4]. In addition, there is a minor
component, the inductor L, whose purpose is to limit the Fig. 4: Static compensator of the thyristor controlled reactor
rate of rise of the current through the thyristors and to (TCR) type.
prevent resonance with the network (normally 6% with F. Combined TSC and TCR
respect to Xc). The capacitor may be switched with a
Irrespective of the reactive power control range required,
minimum of transients if the thyristor is turned on at the
any static compensator can be built up from one or both of
instant when the capacitor voltage and the network voltage
the above mentioned schemes (i.e. TSC and TCR), as shown
have the same value. Static compensators of the TSC type
in Fig. 5. In those cases where the system with switched
have the following properties: stepwise control, average
capacitors is used, the reactive power is divided into a
delay of one half a cycle (maximum one cycle), and no
suitable number of steps and the variation will therefore take
generation of harmonics since current transient component
place stepwise. Continuous control may be obtained with the
can be attenuated effectively[3].
addition of a thyristor-controlled reactor. If it is required to
absorb reactive power, the entire capacitor bank is
disconnected and the equalizing reactor becomes
responsible for the absorption. By coordinating the control
between the reactor and the capacitor steps, it is possible to
obtain fully stepless control. Static compensators of the
combined TSC and TCR type are characterized by a
continuous control, practically no transients, low generation
of harmonics (because the controlled reactor rating is small
compared to the total reactive power), and flexibility in
control and operation[3]. An obvious disadvantage of the
TSC-TCR as compared with TCR and TSC type
Fig. 3: The thyristor-switched capacitor configuration.
compensators is the higher cost. A smaller TCR rating
results in some savings, but these savings are more than

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 A Review on Reactive Power Compensation Technologies
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absorbed by the cost of the capacitor switches and the more C. Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR)
complex control system. A DVR, shown in Fig. 7, is a device connected in series
with the power system and is used to keep the load voltage
constant, independently of the source voltage fluctuations.
When voltage sags or swells are present at the load
terminals, the DVR responds by injecting three ac voltages
in series with the incoming three-phase network voltages,
compensating for the difference and prefault between
faulted voltages. Each phase of the injected voltages can be
controlled separately (ie, their magnitude and angle). Active
Fig. 5: Combined TSC and TCR configuration and reactive power required for generating these voltages
are supplied by the voltage source converter, fed from a DC
IV. NEW VAR COMPENSATOR´S TECHNOLOGY link. In order to be able to mitigate voltage sag, the DVR
Based on power electronics converters and digital control must present a fast control response. The key components of

 Switchgear
schemes, reactive power compensators implemented ith self- the DVR are[3]:

 Booster transformer
commutated converters have been developed to compensate

 Harmonic filter
not only reactive power, but also voltage regulation, flicker,

 IGCT voltage source converter

harmonics, real and reactive power, transmission line

 DC charging unit
impedance and phase-shift angle. It is important to ote, that

 Control and protection system

even though the final effect is to improve power system

 Energy source, that is, a storage capacitor bank

performance, the control variable in all cases is basically the
reactive power. Using self-commutated converters the
following high performance power system controllers have When power supply conditions remain normal the
been implemented: Static Synchronous Compensator DVR can operate in low-loss standby mode, with the
(STATCOM), the Static Synchronous Series Compensator converter side of the booster transformer shorted. Since no
(SSSC), the Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR), the Unified voltage source converter (VSC) modulation takes place, the
Power Flow Controller (UPFC), the Interline Power Flow DVR produces only conduction losses. Use of Integrated
Controller (IPFC) and the Superconducting Magnetic Gate Commutated Thyristor (IGCT) technology minimizes
Energy Storage (SMES). The principles of operation and these losses. Static Synchronous Series Compensators
power circuit topology of each one are described below. (SSSC) and Dynamic Voltage Restorers (DVR) can be
A. Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) integrated to get a system capable of controlling the power
flow of a transmission line during steady state conditions
The static synchronous compensator is based on a solid-state and providing dynamic voltage compensation and short
voltage source, implemented with an inverter and connected circuit current limitation during system disturbances.
in parallel to the power system through a coupling reactor,
in analogy with a synchronous machine, generating
balanced set of three sinusoidal voltages at the fundamental
frequency, with controllable amplitude and phase-shift
angle. This equipment, however, has no inertia and no
overload capability.
B. Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC)
A voltage source converter can also be used as a series
compensator as shown in Fig. 6. The SSSC injects a voltage
in series to the line, 90º phase-shifted with the load current,
operating as a controllable series capacitor. The basic
difference, as compared with series capacitor, is that the Fig. 7: Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR)
voltage injected by an SSSC is not related to the line current D. Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC)
and can be independently controlled[3].
The unified power flow controller (UPFC) consists of two
switching converters operated from a common dc link
provided by a dc storage capacitor. One connected in series
with the line, and the other in parallel. This arrangement
functions as an ideal ac to ac power converter in which the
real power can freely flow in either direction between the ac
terminals of the two inverters and each inverter can
independently generate (or absorb) reactive power at its own
ac output terminal. The series converter of the UPFC injects
via series transformer, an ac voltage with controllable
magnitude and phase angle in series with the transmission
Fig. 6: Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC). line. The shunt converter supplies or absorbs the real power
demanded by the series converter through the common dc

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 A Review on Reactive Power Compensation Technologies
(IJSRD/Vol. 4/Issue 11/2017/070)

link. The transmission line current flows through the series examples show that VAR compensators will be used on a
voltage source resulting in real and reactive power exchange much wider scale in the future as grid performance and
between it and the ac system. The real power exchanged at reliability becomes an even more important factor. Having
the ac terminal, that is the terminal of the coupling better grid controllability will allow utilities to reduce
transformer, is converted by the inverter into dc power investment in the transmission lines themselves. The
which appears at the dc link as positive or negative real combination of modern control with real-time information
power demand. The reactive power exchanged at the ac and information technologies will move them very close to
terminal is generated internally by the inverter. their physical limits. Besides, the development of faster and
The basic function of the inverter connected in more powerful semiconductor valves will increase the
parallel (inverter 1) is to supply or absorb the real power applicability of VAR generators to higher limits.
demanded by the inverter connected in series to the ac
system (inverter 2), at the common dc link. Inverter 1 can REFERENCES
also generate or absorb controllable reactive power, if it is [1] A Review on Reactive Power Compensation
desired, and thereby it can provide independent shunt Techniques using FACTS Devices Volume-4, Issue-1,
reactive compensation for the line. It is important to note February-2014, ISSN No.: 2250-0758
that whereas there is a closed “direct” path for the real [2] Reactive Power Compensation Techniques in
power negotiated by the action of series voltage injection Transmission lines Volume: 3 Issue: 5 3224 – 3226
through inverter 1 and back to the line, the corresponding [3] Reactive Power Compensation Technologies, Stateof-
reactive power exchanged is supplied or absorbed locally by the-Art Review (Invited Paper)
inverter 2 and therefore it does not flow through the line. [4] Narain G. Hingorani, “Understanding FACTS Concept
Thus, inverter 1 can be operated at a unity power factor or and Technology of Flexibal AC Transmission System,’’
be controlled to have a reactive power exchange with the
line independently of the reactive power exchanged by
inverter 2. This means that there is no continuous reactive
power flow through the UPFC.
E. Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC)
An Interline Power Flow Controller (IPFC) consists of two
series VSCs whose DC capacitors are coupled, allowing
active power to circulate between different power lines.
When operating below its rated capacity, the IPFC is in
regulation mode, allowing the regulation of the P and Q
flows on one line, and the P flow on the other line. In power
losses addition, the net active power generation by the two
coupled VSCs is zero, neglecting.

V. ADVANTAGES
 Better efficiency of power generation, transmission


and distribution.


Improvement in voltage.


Reduced KVA demand.


Higher load capability.


Reduced system losses.
Increase transfer capability.

VI. CONCLUSION
An overview of the technological development of VAR
generators and compensators has been presented. Starting
from the principles of VAR compensation classical solutions
using phase controlled semiconductors have been reviewed.
The introduction of self-commutated topologies based on
IGBTs and IGCTs semiconductors produced a dramatic
improvement in the performance of VAR compensators:
they have a faster dynamic behavior and they can control
more variables. The introduction of new self-commutated
topologies at even higher voltage levels will increase the
impact of VAR compensation in future applications. Some
relevant examples of projects have been described, where it
can be observed that modern VAR compensators improve
power systems performance, helping to increase reliability
and the quality of power delivered to the customers. These

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