TESTING OF STATCOM MODEL IN IEEE 0 BUS POWER SYSTEM NETWORK

USING PSCAD AND MATLAB

ABSTRACT

Power utilities have facing challenges due to increase load demands caused by rapid
industries growth over years. One of the problems is the voltage instability in power system.
Voltage stability is the ability of the system to maintain the voltage magnitude under normal
condition and also under heavy stressed condition. Voltage instability is the power system
that did not have the ability to meet reactive power demand. This will lead to a voltage
collapse in the system. This project will present the performance of STATCOM installation
in nine bus test system. A load flow analysis is conducted in order to obtain the power flow
magnitudes, voltage levels and power losses in the distribution system. In addition, this
project is to study the effectiveness of STATCOM by injecting at the critical location bus in
the system. Thus, STATCOM that acts as a controller will regulate the terminal voltage and
correcting the fault in transmission line of power system network.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview of the project

Heavy industries and electrical utilizes facing a number of challenges and problems
that is related to reactive power. These heavy industrial applications can cause phenomena
and problem such as voltage unbalance, distortion or flicker on the electric grid. For
electrical utilities, it may be confronted with phenomena of voltage sags, poor power factor or
even voltage instability. Reactive power control can resolve these issues. The ultimate
objective of the transmission system is to deliver electric power reliably and economically
from generators to loads.

Power systems are extremely complex, large beside has ever-changing structures that
must respond continuously real-time. The electricity should be produced and should be
delivered instantly when is demanded by a load. The system should carry out as economically
as possible, with transactions and sales monitored accurately. To overcome this problem, a
new technology was develop to replace the mechanical control. The FACTS controllers have
the ability of enhancing transmission system control, reliability, and operation, and also
improve the distribution-system power quality. Static Synchronous Compensator
(STATCOM) is one of the FACTSs’ families. Over the last two decades, advancements in
static reactive compensation technology based on VSC concepts have produced significant
benefits. STATCOM systems offer rapid response to system events, improved voltage and
power system stabilization and enhanced reliability.

1.2 Objective

The purpose of this project are:

i. to simulate STATCOM model IEEE 4 and IEEE 9 bus power system network using
PSCAD software.

ii. to analyze the performance of the IEEE 4 and IEEE 9 bus power system network with and
without STATCOM applied.

iii. to model STATCOM in IEEE 4 and IEEE 9 bus power system network.

1.3 Problem Statement

Nowadays, the increasing of power demand and loads especially non linear loads
making the power system network become complex to operate. The system becomes insecure
with large power flows without adequate control. To overcome these issues, STATCOM
controllers is introduced to the power system. Ideally, these new controllers should be able to
control voltage level and improve system’s stability by applying at the critical location.

1.4 Scope of Project

The scope of this project is focusing on:

i. modeling STATCOM in IEEE 4 and IEEE 9 bus power system network

ii. simulation on the model using PSCAD.

iii. analyze and compare the performance of IEEE 4 and IEEE 9 bus system with and without
STATCOM.
1.5 Thesis Outline

The thesis is organized into five chapters. The brief outline of each chapter is presented as
below:

Chapter 1 contained about overviewed of overall of this project, objective of doing this
project, scope of project description, and the problem statement regarding to this research.

Chapter 2 consist of literature review that been read. It contains of review of the technical
paper written by expertise that have been taken from website and also books. Literature
review is crucial for every thesis not only to support the proposed title but also for guidelines
and references on the conducted thesis.

Chapter 3 represent about the analysis approach that involve in this research.

It also included the procedures and the tools that used in the analysis which are PSCAD and
MATLAB.

Chapter 4 states the result and the analysis made from the research and the discussion during
the research done. Every result from the simulation are stated, analyzed and explained briefly.

Chapter 5 contains the conclusion of overall project by state the final result that gained from
the project. Future recommendations also stated in order to improve this project in the future
undertakings
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEWS

2.1 Power Flow

Load flow studies are performed using computer software that simulates actual
steady-state power system operating conditions, enabling the evaluation of bus voltage
profiles, real and reactive power flow and losses. Conducting a load flow study using
multiple scenarios helps ensure that the power system is adequately designed to satisfy the
performance criteria. A properly designed system helps contain initial capital investment and
future operating costs [1]. Load flow studies are commonly used to investigate:

i. the component or circuit loading

ii. the bus voltage profiles

iii. the real and reactive power flow

iv. the power system losses

v. the proper transformer tap settings

The goal of a power flow study is to obtain complete voltage angle and magnitude
information for each bus in a power system for specified load and generator real power and
voltage conditions. Once of this information is known, real and reactive power flow on each
branch as well as generator reactive power output can be analytically determined. Due to the
nonlinear nature of this problem, numerical methods are employed to obtain a solution that is
within an acceptable tolerance.

The solution to the power flow problem begins with identifying the known and
unknown variables in the system. The known and unknown variables are dependent on the
type of bus. A bus without any generators connected to it is called a Load Bus. With one
exception, a bus with at least one generator connected to it is called a Generator Bus. The
exception is one arbitrarily-selected bus that has a generator. This bus is referred to as the
Slack Bus [1]. For assessing the impact of the STATCOM in controlling the grid voltage,
power flow study is necessary. Moreover, in the planning stage, to determine the ratings of
the STATCOM, among others, repeated load flow studies are carried out. Also, in a stability
study, load flow solution is required to establish the initial operating point. Thus, power flow
studies are indeed one of the most fundamental studies necessary to be carried out before
implementing any STATCOM in a power system [2].

2.2 FACTS

FACTS is stand for Flexible AC Transmission System. FACTS is an evolving

technology based solution envisioned to help the utility industry to deal with changes in the
power delivery business. FACTS is defined by the IEEE as “a power electronic based system
and other static equipment that provide control of one or more AC transmission system
parameters to enhance controllability and increase power transfer capability [3]. FACTS
provide high speed and precise control of one or more AC system parameters within
synchronous AC system, thereby greatly enhancing the value of AC transmission assets.
These parameters include voltages, impedances, phase angle, currents, reactive power and
active power [4].

There are three widely known FACTS controllers, namely as STATCOM, SSSC and
UPFC. All of these controllers have a converter based which is VoltageSource Converters
(VSC). A basic building block of any VSC is the three phase 6 converter bridge. One is
commonly known configuration for a three phase bridge is shown in Figure 2.1. The bridge
has two DC terminals indicated by “+” sign and “-” sign in the Figure 2.1 and three AC
terminals “~” in the mid points of the converter legs. By controlling the states of switches in
the legs we can produce arbitrary voltage waveforms at the AC terminals [5].
 Figure 2.1: A three phase converter bridge-the basic building block of a Voltage

Source Converters [5].

When a VSC is interfaced to a transmission system it has to operate at the line

frequency and to produce a balanced set of sinusoidal voltages. Therefore, a VSC coupled to
the transmission system has only two control degrees of freedom; it can vary the magnitude
and the phase angle of its output voltage relative to the system voltage [5]. These two control
degrees of freedom can be mapped to exchange active and reactive power with the
transmission system. The amount of exchanged reactive power is limited only by the current
capacity of the converter switches, while the active power coupled to (from) the line has to be
supplied from (delivered to ) the DC terminals, as shown symbolically in Figure 2.2 [5].
 Figure 2.2: A VSC interfaced to a transmission line- P and Q exchange.

Among the main functions of FACTS devices that can enhance the flexibility and increase
the security of a power system are [5]:

i. phase shifting: this is realized by injecting a voltage in series into the power system.

ii. voltage support by means of shunt device.

iii. line impedance adaption by means of series devices.

FACTS controllers can be connected to the system in the number of ways [5];

i. In shunt, the preferred way to meet equipment isolation requirements (one end of the device
is referenced to ground) and from the stand point of protection from system short circuit
currents.

ii. In series, which has the disadvantages mention above, but only requires relatively low
voltage ratings; technological solutions have been develop to solve problems associated with
insulating the equipment from ground and the full potential of series connections can now be
exploited.

iii. With both shunt and series elements, such as in the UPFC.
2.2.1 Theory and control of STATCOM

The Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) is based on the principal that a

voltage source inverter generates a controllable AC voltage source behind a transformer
reactance so that the voltage difference across the reactance produces active and reactive
power exchange between the STATCOM and the transmission network [6]. The STATCOM
is a shunt reactive power compensating electronic device that generates AC voltage, which
intern causes a current of variable magnitude at the point of connection. This injected current
is almost in quadrature with the line voltage, thereby emulating an inductive or a capacitive
reactance at the point of connection with the transmission line. The functionality of the
STATCOM model is verified by regulating the reactive current flow through it. This is useful
to generate or absorb reactive power for regulating the line voltage of the bus where the
STATCOM is connected [7].

A STATCOM installation plays an important role in power industries to improve the

stability of the system. STATCOM in it basis is one DC-AC voltage source convertor having
one storage unit energy, usually a DC capacitor. It operating as Synchronous Voltage Source
(SVS) that connected to the line through a coupling transformer. STATCOM has a dynamic
performance far exceeding the other Var Compensators [8]. Figure 2.3 demonstrates a
simplified diagram of the STATCOM with an inverter voltage source, E and a tie reactance,
Xtie connected to an ac system with voltage source, Vth and a Thevenin reactance, Xth.
When the converter voltage is greater than the system voltage, the STATCOM “sees” an
inductive reactance connected at its terminal. Hence, the system “sees” the STATCOM as a
capacitive reactance and the STATCOM is operating in a capacitive mode [7]. The current
flows from the STATCOM to the AC system, and the device generates reactive power. In this
case, the system draws capacitive current that leads by and angle of 90° the system voltage,
assuming that the converter losses are equal to zero [9].