A Novel Variable Reactor with Transformer and

Inverter Control*
Dayi Li, Jun Tian
Department of Electrical Machines and Drives, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

Abstract-In the paper, a novel principle of variable reactor with

a transformer and inverter control is proposed. A transformer
with air gap is chosen and its primary winding is connected in
series or parallel in power utility, the primary winding current of
the transformer is detected and functioned as the reference signal.
A voltage source PWM inverter is applied to produce a voltage,
which is a controlled voltage and energized across the secondary
winding of the transformer. According to the transformers
voltage equations, when the controllable voltage and the primary
winding current satisfied a certain condition, the equivalent
impedance of primary winding varies continuously along with the
controlled voltages amplitude. Many types of flexible ac
transmission system (FACTS) equipments, e.g., fault current
limiter (FCL), power system unified load flow controller (UPFC),
thyristor controlled series capacitor (TCSC), can be implemented
in terms of the novel principle. Besides this, the stability condition
is analyzed when the variable reactor is connected in series with a
resistance-inductive load. The validity of the theory is proved by
the simulation results.

I.

inverter control is proposed in the paper. In the proposed novel

variable reactor, a transformer with air gap is chosen and its
primary winding is connected in series or parallel in power
utility, the primary winding current is detected and functioned as
the reference signal. A voltage source PWM inverter is applied
to produce a voltage source, which is a controlled voltage and
energized across the secondary winding of the transformer. The
equivalent impedance of primary winding will be derived in
terms of the transformers voltage equations, i.e. it varies
continuously along with the controlled voltages amplitude.
Also, the stability condition is analyzed.
II.

PRINCIPLE ANALYSIS

Fig.1 shows a circuit of a series transformer with two-winding

and air gap, the two windings are energized. Assume that the
turns of primary and secondary winding of the transformer are
W1 and W2, respectively; then the turns ratio is represented by
k=W1/W2. The equivalent T circuit of the series transformer is
shown as Fig.2.

i1

INTRODUCTION

As a fundamental device of power utility, variable reactor has

very wide application; for example, AC asynchronous and
synchronous motor starter[1], arc-suppressing coil[2], flexible
ac transmission system (FACTS) technology [3-7], which
includes static var compensation (SVC), active power filter
(APF), unified power flow controller (UPFC) and fault current
limitation (FCL), static synchronous series compensator
(SSSC), etc.
To date, the typical variable reactor strategy includes [8-11]:
reactor by adjusting the air gap or the winding turns, thyristorcontrolled reactor (TCR, TCSC and TCT (thyristor controlled
transformer)), PWM control reactor, DC controllable reactor,
AC controllable reactor. The reactor by adjusting the air gap or
the winding turns is cost-effective, but the reactor value is not
continuous or not accurate; thyristor controlled reactor generally
produces some harmonics; PWM control reactor is with high
cost since the main circuit contains high-frequency switching
devices; DC controllable reactor produce some harmonics and
insupportable noises.
A novel principle of variable reactor with a transformer and

A
u1

W1

W2

i2

u2
x

Fig.1 Series transformer circuit

.

I 2'

I1

A
.

U1
X

Z2'

Z1

E1

Zm

U2'
x

Fig.2 The equivalent T circuit of transformer with double winding energized

From the equivalent T circuit, we can obtain the voltage

equations in phasor form:

* This work was supported by HUST-SRF No. 2006M0138

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(1)
U1 = I1Z1 + ( I1 + I2 ) Z m


 
(2)
U 2 = I 2 Z 2 + ( I1 + I 2 ) Z m
Where, Z 1 = r1 + jx1 is the leakage impedance of primary

winding; Z 2 = r2 + jx2 is the leakage impedance of secondary

winding referred to primary winding; Z m = rm + jxm is the
magnetizing impedance of the transformer.
In Fig.1, assume that the primary winding of the
transformer is connected in series or parallel in power utility,
and the current of primary winding is I1 . The primary winding
current is detected and functioned as the reference signal. A
voltage PWM source inverter is applied to produce a
controllable voltage U 2 (in the T-type equivalent circuit

Rd, Us presents the power voltage, Ls means the source

impedance, the secondary winding ax is connected with a PWM
inverter, which is used to produce a controllable voltage, Ud is
the voltage of DC side of the inverter. Ld and Cd are designed to
suppress the switching ripples of the inverter. The current of the
primary winding are detected and functioned as the reference
signal.
TA1

cd

ld

current
detection

Ud
PWM control

(4)

and drive

(5)

Combine the equations (3) (4) and (5); we can derive the
following equation:

(Z + k )
U1 = Z1 + ( I1 + I2 ) Z m = ( Z1 + 2
Z m ) I1 (6)
Z 2 + Z m

From the terminals AX, the equivalent impedance is

Z AX =

rd+jx d

un

means U 2 ), which has the same frequency as the current I1 of

the primary winding and is energized across the secondary
winding of the transformer. When the controlled voltage and the
primary winding current satisfies a certain condition, i.e.,
U 2 = kI1
(3)
Herein, k is a real number proportional coefficient, and then the
equations (1) and (2) can be changed into:

U1 = I1Z1 + ( I1 + I2 ) Z m

 
 
kI1 = I 2 Z 2 + ( I1 + I 2 ) Z m

ln

U1
(Z + k )
= Z1 + 2
Zm
I
Z 2 + Z m
1

(7

The conclusion can be generalized when k=a+bj

U1
( Z + a + jb )
Zm =
= Z1 + 2
I
Z 2 + Z m
1
(r + jx2 + a + jb)
( rm + jxm )
r1 + jx1 + 2
r2 + jx2 + rm + jxm

Fig.3 Principle circuit of variable reactor with transformer and inverter

From the analysis of the novel principle with transformer

and inverter, the key question of overall circuit is the voltage
control. A controllable voltage with the same frequency as the
primary winding current can be produced so long as a right
control technique is chosen. In general, the most widely used
voltage-controlled PWM strategy is sine-PWM voltage control,
whose switching frequency is very high, so the order of the
output voltage harmonic is very high and can be easily
eliminated.

Z AX =

IV.

SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENT

In terms of the equation (7), from the terminals AX, the

equivalent impedance of the transformer is a function of the
variable k. The primary winding exhibits adjustable impedance
when the parameter k is adjusted. The characteristic of variable
impedance is very valuable in many FACTS devices. Many
FACTS devices can be implemented in terms of the novel
principle. For instance, the variable reactor can be used in UPFC
to change the line impedance between the sending and receiving
ends so as to control the power flow; it can also substitute the
thyristor controlled reactor of TCSC, however, the proposed
variable reactor doesnt produce any harmonics; FCL, can also
be implemented in terms of the novel principle of the variable
reactor.
III.

Fig.4 The PSIM simulation model of the novel variable reactor

PRINCIPLE CIRCUIT AND CONTROL STRATEGY

A set of principle circuit of variable reactor with Transformer

and inverter control is designed. A series transformer is
connected in series between the power utility and a resistive load

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To prove the principle of the proposed variable reactor, a

PSIM simulation model of the reactor with transformer and
inverter control shown in Fig.4 is established. The system
voltage is 220V, the frequency is 50Hz; and the system
inductance is 0.5mH. A series transformer is connected in series
with a resistance load. Fig.5, Fig.6 and Fig.7 shows the
simulation waveforms of the primary winding current and
voltage when the coefficient k equals 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
Herein, the Ipri and Vpri mean the primary winding current and
voltage, respectively.

Fig.7 The simulation waveforms of the primary winding current and voltage
when the coefficient k equals 3

According to the equation (7), Z1 and Z 2 are much smaller

than Z m , so the equation (7) can changed into Z AX k . It is
consistent with the results of the simulation waveforms of Fig.5,
Fig.6 and Fig.7.
V.

STABILITY ANALYSIS

When the reactor is used in the practical power system, the

stability should first be satisfied. Therefore the stability
condition based on the dynamic model should be derived.
i1

Fig.5 The simulation waveforms of the primary winding current and voltage
when the coefficient k equals 1

r1

l1

rm

lm

l 2'

ld

ln

r2'

un

rd

-u2=ki1

Fig.8 the dynamic circuit of the variable reactor

+
un

1
(r1 + rd ) + s(ln + l1 + ld )

um

i1

+
rm + slm

im

i2

1
r2 + sl 2

Fig.9 the block diagram of Fig.8

Fig.6 The simulation waveforms of the primary winding current and
voltage when the coefficient k equals 2

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+
-

um

+
un

1
(r1 + rd ) + s (ln + l1 + ld )

um
rm + slm
1
r2 + sl 2

im

i1

+ +
-

i2

k
1
r2 + sl 2

Fig.10 the equivalent block diagram of Fig.9

For simplicitys sake, a resistance-inductive load is chosen

and the dynamic circuit is shown as Fig.8. Its block diagram and
equivalent block diagram is shown as Fig.9 and Fig.10,
respectively. From the Fig.10, the system transfer function can
be derived as follows:

G ( s) =

I ( s)
a
= 2
U ( s ) bs + cs + d

Where,
a = r2 + sl2 + rm + slm
b = l l + (l + l + l )(l + l )

2 m
n
1
d
2
m

c = (r2 + k )lm + l2 rm + (ln + l1 + ld )( r2 + rm ) + (l2 + lm )( r1 + rd )

d = (r2 + k ) rm + (r1 + rd )(r2 + rm )

PTR, 1998
[2] E. R. Detjen, K. R. Shah. Grounding Transformer Applications and
Associated Protection Schemes. IEEE Transactions on Industry
Applications, 1992, Vol. 28, 788-796
[3] Hingorani N G, Flexible ac transmission, IEEE Spectrum, 1993, (4):40~45
[4] D Li, Q Chen, Z Jia, et al. A Novel Active Power Filter With Fundamental
Magnetic Flux CompensationIEEE Transactions on Power Delivery
200419(2)799~805
[5] L. Gyugyi, Unified Power flow control concept for flexible ac transmission
systems, IEE Proceedings-C, 1992,139(4): 323-331
[6] S. Sugimoto, J. Kida, H. Arita. Principle and characteristics of a fault
current limiter with series compensation IEEE Transaction on Power
Delivery ,Vol.11,No.2,April 1996
[7] K. K. Sen. SSSC-static synchronous series compensator: theory, modeling,
and applicationIEETrans.on Power Delivery199813(1)241
246
[8] D. Li, Q. Chen and Z. Jia, A novel principle of adjustable reactor based on
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IEEE Trans. on Power Del., vol.19, no.4, pp.1718-1726, Oct. 2004.
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pp.1175-1181, Apr. 1990.

According rouths stability criterion, the following relative

equation can be derived.

l2lm + (ln + l1 + ld )(l2 + lm ) > 0

(r2 + k )lm + l2 rm + (ln + l1 + ld )( r2 + rm ) + (l2 + lm )(r1 + rd ) > 0

(r + k ) r + (r + r )(r + r ) > 0
m
1
d
2
m
2
k >max[

l2 rm + (ln + l1 + ld )(r2 + rm ) + (l2 + lm )( r1 + rd )

r2 ,
lm

(r1 + rd )(r2 + rm )
r2]
rm
When the reactor is used in other system, the stability
condition can be derived in the same way.

VI.

CONCLUSION

In the paper, a novel principle of variable reactor with a

transformer and inverter control is proposed and analyzed in
detail in terms of the voltage equations of the transformer. A
voltage produced by a PWM inverter, which has the same
frequency, is energized across the secondary winding of the
transformer. When the controlled voltage and the primary
winding current satisfies certain condition, the equivalent
impedance of the primary winding of the transformer exhibits
variable impedance.
The simulation model is established by using the power
electronics software PSIM. The validity of the novel principle is
verified by the simulation results. The stability condition is
derived when a resistance-inductive load is chosen.
REFERENCES
[1] Chee-Mun Ong. Dynamic Simulation of Electric Machinery, Prentice-Hall

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