Chapter 4

Series compensators

Prof. B. S. Sree Shailan

Education
is
a
progressive
discovery of our own ignorance.
- Will Durant
Proverb:
Little things are pretty.
Good things
packages.

come

in

small

Page 2

Introduction
The series controller could be a variable
impedance or a variable source, both are
power electronics based.
In principle, all series controllers inject
voltage in series with the line.
Combined series-series controllers:
The combination could be separate series
controllers
or
unified
series-series
controller--- Interline Power Flow Controller.
Page 3

Basic Principle
Series compensation control the overall
series impedance of transmission line.
AC power transmission is primarily limited
by the series reactive impedance of
transmission line.
It can add a voltage in opposition to the
transmission line voltage drop, thereby
reducing the series line impedance.
Page 4

BUS 1

BUS 2

jXL

V0

I
Simplified Model

Capacitance C is
defined as a portion
of the line reactance,

VC
VL

V0

X C = kX L
Phasor Diagram
Page 5

A simplified model of a transmission

system with series compensation is shown.
The voltage magnitudes of the two buses
are assumed equal as V and the phase
angle between them is .
The transmission line is assumed lossless
and represented by the reactance XL.
A controlled capacitor is series-connected
in the transmission line with voltage
addition Vinj.
Page 6

Overall series inductance of the transmission line

is X = XL XC = (1 k)XL.

V2
Active power transmitted is P =
sin
(1 k ) X L

Reactive power supplied by the capacitor is

calculated as:
2

V
k
QC = 2
1 cos )
2 (
X L (1 k )

Thus, it can be seen that the transmitted

active power increases with k.
Page 7

Relative importance of Controllers

For a given MVA, series controller is
several times more powerful than shunt
controller in controlling the power flow.
Drawing from or injecting current into the
line, the shunt controller is a good way to
control voltage at and around the point of
connection.
Shunt controller serves bus independently
of the individual lines connected to the bus.
Series connected controllers have to be
designed to ride through contingency and
dynamic overloads, and ride through or
bypass short circuit currents.
Page 8

A combination of series and shunt

controllers can provide the best of effective
power/current flow and line voltage.
Principle of controllers are based on dc to
ac converters with bidirectional power flow
capability.
Energy storage systems are needed when
active power is involved in the power flow.
Battery,
capacitor,
superconducting
magnet, or any other source of energy can
be added in parallel through an electronic
interface to replenish the converters dc
storage.
Page 9

Thyristor Controlled Series Compensator

Like SVC, TCSC connects a thyristor
controlled reactor (TCR) in parallel with a
fixed capacitor.
By varying the firing angle of anti-parallel
thyristors that are connected in series with
a reactor in the TCR, the fundamental
frequency inductive reactance of the TCR
can be changed.
Page 10

This effects a change in the reactance of

TCSC and it can be controlled to produce
either inductive or capacitive reactance.
The basic TCSC module comprises a series
capacitor C in parallel with a thyristorcontrolled reactor LS.
In addition, practical TCSC module includes
a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) connected
across series capacitor to prevent overvoltages.
Page 11

TCSC is assumed to be connected

between buses k and m in a transmission
line where it is simplified like continuously
controllable reactance (capacitive).
i

iC()=i+iL()

C
VC()

iL()

T1
LS

X C X L ( )
X T ( ) =
X L ( ) X C

T2

Page 12

TCSC behaves as a tunable parallel LCcircuit to the line current.

As the impedance of XL is varied from its
maximum (infinity) toward its minimum L,
TCSC increases its capacitive impedance.

Page 13

TCSC Characteristic

Impedance versus firing delay angle

Page 14

Typical TCSC Waveforms

Page 15

TCR Internal Control Scheme

Page 16

A Thyristor controlled series compensator

TCSC is planned for better utilization in
India in 2000.
The FACTS system was to be installed on
the
400kV,
395km
long,
KanpurBallabgarh line.
Kanpur Ballabgarh and Kanpur Agra
400kV lines in Northern grid of UP carry
about 800MW power from Singrauli and
Rihand belt to western UP and Rajasthan.
Page 17

Static Synchronous Series Compensator

Alternatively, a SSSC can be used for
series compensation.
An SSSC is an SVS with all GTO based
device which contains a VSC which is
driven by a dc capacitor. The output of VSC
is connected to a 3-phase transformer
whose other end is connected in series with
the transmission line.
This device work the same way as the
STATCOM.
Page 18

Unlike TCSC which changes the impedance

of the line, an SSSC injects a voltage in the
line in quadrature with the line current.
By making the SSSC voltage to lead or lag
the line current by 90, the SSSC can
emulate the behavior of an inductance or
capacitance.
A SSSC is able to exchange active and
reactive power with the transmission
system.
Page 19

But if our only aim is to balance the reactive

power , the energy source could be quite small.
The injected voltage can be controlled in phase
and magnitude if we have an energy source that
is big enough for the purpose.
With reactive power compensation only the
voltage is controllable, because the voltage
vector forms 90 with the line intensity.
Here serial injected voltage can delay or advance
the line current. Thus, SSSC can be uniformly
controlled in any value, in the VSC working slot.
Page 20

The Static Synchronous Series Compensator

(SSSC) uses a VSC interfaced in series to a
transmission line, as shown below:

Page 21

Basic configuration of SSSC

SSSC is placed in the
group of series connected
FACTS devices.
SSSC consists of a VSI
connected
in
series
through a coupling
transformer to the transmission line.
A source of energy is required for providing and
maintaining the DC voltage across the DC
capacitor and compensation of SSSC losses.
Page 22

Equivalent circuit of SSSC

SSSC model consists of a series

connected voltage source in series with an
impedance. This impedance represents
the impedance of coupling transformer.

Page 23

SSSC when operated with an appropriate DC

supply (an energy source) can inject a component
of voltage in anti-phase with the voltage
developed across the line resistance, to
counteract the effect of the resistive voltage drop
on the power transmission.
Capability of SSSC to exchange both active and
reactive power makes it possible to compensate
for the reactive and resistive voltage drops,
maintaining a high effective X/R ratio
independently of degree of series compensation.
Page 24

Thus, SSSC can work like a controllable

serial condenser and a serial reactance.
Main difference is that the voltage injected
through SSSC is not related to the line
intensity
and
can
be
controlled
independently.
Thus, SSSC can be used with excellent
results with low loads as well as with high
loads.
Page 25

Inductive and Capacitive modes of operation

Figure shows an example of a simple power
transmission system with an SSSC
operating both in inductive and capacitive
modes, and related phasor diagrams

Page 26

Transmission line with inductive reactance

XL delivering power form the sending-end
voltage source to the receiving-end voltage
source, having no compensation of any
kind, is said to be in a steady-state.
Voltage impressed by the effective
reactance is the same with the voltage drop
across uncompensated line because the
degree of series compensations is zero.
Page 27

Line reactance is constant and by adding

variable
series
(capacitive/inductive)
reactance, the amount of compensation
can be controlled.
Degree of series compensation in this case
is defined as:
Xq
% Compensation =
100 where X L is the
XL
line inductive reactance and Xq is the
emulated series reactance.
Page 28

Thyristor-Switched Series Capacitor (TSSC)

Equivalent capacitance is between 0 and C/m.

A capacitor is inserted by turning-off and
bypassed by turning-on the corresponding
thyristor switch.
Page 29

Series Static VAR Compensator(SSVC)

Control strategy of SSVC is typically based

on achieving an objective line power flow in
addition to the capability of damping power
oscillations.
Page 30

Advanced SSVC: series-connected

STATCOM
Series-connected
STATCOM is the dual
circuit
of
shuntconnected STATCOM.
This type of series
compensation
can
provide a continuous
degree
of
series
compensation
by
varying |VC|.

Also, it can reverse the phase of VC, thereby

increasing the overall line reactance; this can be
desirable to limit fault current or to dampen power
oscillations.
Page 31

Phase-Angle Compensator (PAC)

Transforming
arrangement
between the
excitation &
series
transformers
ensures that Vq is
always at 900 to
V (called
quadrature
booster)
The phase shifter controls the magnitude of Vq and
thus the phase shift to the sending-end voltage.
Page 32

Series connected controllers

Page 33

Combined shunt and series

connected controllers

Page 34

Other controllers

Page 35

UPFC
(Unified Power Flow Controller)

UPFC combines together the features of

two FACTS devices: Static Synchronous
Compensator (STATCOM) and the Static
Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC).
DC terminals of two underlying VSCs are
coupled and this creates a path for active
power exchange between the converters.
Hence, active power supplied to the line by
the series converter can now be supplied by
the shunt converter, as shown in the Figure.
Page 37

This topology offers four degrees of

freedom (two associated with each VSC)
with one constraint (active powers of the
VSCs must match).
Page 38

Thus, a fundamentally different range of

control options is available compared to
STATCOM or SSSC.
UPFC can be used to control the flow of
active and reactive power through the line
and to control the amount of reactive power
supplied to the line at the point of
installation.
Representative of the last generation of
FACTS devices is UPFC.
Page 39

UPFC is a device which can control

simultaneously all three parameters of line
power flow (line impedance, voltage and
phase angle).
Basic components of the UPFC are two
voltage source inverters (VSI's) sharing a
common dc storage capacitor, and
connected to the system through coupling
transformers.
Page 40

One VSI is connected in shunt to the

transmission
system
via
a
shunt
transformer, while the other is connected in
series through a series transformer.
Page 41

Shunt inverter is used for voltage regulation

at the point of connection, injecting an
opportune reactive power flow into the line
and to balance the real power flow
exchanged between the series inverter and
the transmission line.
Series inverter can be used to control the
real and reactive line power flow inserting
an opportune voltage with controllable
magnitude and phase in series with the
transmission line.
Page 42

Thereby, the UPFC can fulfill the functions

of reactive shunt compensation, active and
reactive series compensation and phase
shifting.
Further, the UPFC allows a secondary but
important function such as stability control
to suppress power system oscillations
improving the transient stability of power
system.
Page 43

Assignment - 4
1) Explain the basic principle of series
compensation in power transmission
systems.
2) Explain the relative importance of
controllers in power transmission system.
3) Explain the operation of Thyristor
controlled series compensator (TCSC)
with the help of a typical characteristics
and waveforms.
Page 44

4) Explain the working of Static Synchronous

Series Compensator (SSSC) with the help
of equivalent circuit.
5) Explain the inductive and capacitive
modes of operation of SSSC with the help
of phasor diagrams.
6) Explain the principle of operation of
Thyristor Switched Series Compensator
(TSSC).
Page 45

7) Explain the principle of operation of

Series Static VAR compensator (SSVC).
8) Explain the operation of Unified Power
Flow Controller (UPFC) and describe the
various components of UPFC.

Last date for submission:

13th April 13

Page 46