DEGGENDORF INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information and Media Technology

Flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) in the wind energy

Examination paper in the subject Renewable Energy

By
Anuj Sambhare
Matriculation number- 616964

Examiner
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gnter Keller

I Anuj sambhare do hereby declare that this paper is prepared by me.The content
such as text diagram and formulae are directly and indirectly referred from the
journals or books and are marked in the presentation .

Deggendorf, 31.12.2016 Anuj sambhare

Winter semester
2016
 Table of contents
1 Introduction3

2 Typical wind power systems...4

2.1Stand-alone system
2.2 Wind hybrid system
2.3 Grid connected wind system

3 Wind power integration concerns...

4 Flexible AC transmission system

5 Technology underlying under FACTS controller..

6 Stability control with FACTS...

6.1 Stability with shunt compensation.
6.2 Stability with series compensation

7 Power compensators in wind energy..

7.1 Thyrister based compensators
7.2 STATCOM

8 Offshore wind energy transmission.

9 Summary..

10 References.

2
1 Introduction
Power system is the most complex system in the world. Due to the industrialization
and growing mass of humans more energy is required to quench the thirst of the
demand. Due to use of the conventional energy mankind is more concerned about
the continuous carbon emission and pollution. For this reason a use of the non-
conventional resources has become a need. Human mind is always thinking about
the renewable energy sources to curb the carbon emission and also meet the power
consumption demand. Henceforth everywhere in the world alternative energies such
as wind, solar, biomass, tidal, geothermal energy etc. are being produced from last
few decades.[1]

Among the alternative energy sources wind energy is playing a vital role in the
contribution to total renewable energy production. A total of 17% increase in the wind
power generation has been there in the year 2015 than the previous year according
to the global power report which shows how rapidly renewable energy is capturing
and replacing the conventional power generation. Different technologies and design
has been introduced for generation transmission and distribution of this huge amount
of power at the user end right from the local utilities to the grids. [2]

Due to integration of the wind energy with the grid, the stability of the grid is
disturbing since the wind is unpredictable source the output of the variable speed
generator is varying with different voltage and frequency. When all these generators
are connected with transmission grid the main factors which are going to affect is the
frequency and voltage sag, harmonics, and poor power factor due to reactive power
in the system. The reactive power which is introduced in the system which does no
work reduces the total power transmitted on the transmission line. This hampers the
grid efficiency and stability. [3]

When any disturbance happens in the system or the total harmonic distortion is
increased, a solution to this problem is the different compensation devices are used
which are added in the transmission line either in series or in parallel so that the
power carrying capacity should be increased of the same existing grid. These
devices are nothing but the switching semiconductor devices such as thyristors,
GTOs and IGBTs.Using these devices various compensation controllers are
developed and the technology which revolving around these devises is called the
Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System (FACTS).Due to FACTS a higher
power controllability is achieved using the power electronics devices in the power
transmission system. Considering in the fact when the integration of the grid is done
with renewable energy sources ,the instability caused because of this has to be
overcome and flexible ac transmission controllers i.e. FACTS is one of the solution
for this.[4]

3
2 Typical wind power systems
2.1 Stand-alone system
This system is to supply power to remote areas. It can store the energy in the battery
and can be used as standby energy storage when the wind availability is not there It
is used for remote are lighting.

Figure 1.1 Stand-alone system

2.2 Wind hybrid system

This system uses one or more than one energy sources to send the power either to
dc bus or ac bus via inverter. Solar PV produce only dc and wind generator produces
ac which is converted to dc and transmitted to the dc bus which can further be
inverted to ac for ac connected load at domestic and remote level use. If the hybrid
system fails the ac bus can charged with the diesel generator.

Figure 1.2 Hybrid energy system

2.3 Grid connected wind energy systems

In the on-shore wind generators output is connected to the point of contact of the HV
bus and off-shore wind generators are first converted to DC and transmitted via
HVDC transmission as the distance is very long so it is economical to transmit dc
power rather than ac and then it is converted again in AC by converter and given to
HV bus which again stepped up to transmit onto the main grid. [4]

Figure 1.3 integration of the on-shore and off-shore wind power system schematic

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3 Wind power integration concerns

Due to wind power transmission the factors which affect the power stability and
quality are:
Voltage variation and voltage fluctuation: - Due to the direct connection of the
induction generator when it starts there is a high inrush current which flows in the
grid which can produces the voltage spikes which disturb transient stability of the
system. Excessive voltage flickering is caused from the generator and capacitor
switching.

Reactive power:-The excess reactive power is the biggest concern in the power
system. It is the main factor for the voltage sag and instability. Wind power
introduces reactive power as most of the wind generators are located in the remote
areas and the long transmission lines are the carrier of the reactive power especially
in the off-shore wind as they are transferred with underwater cables which are the
source of reactive power. Also when the fault occurs at the generator side in the wind
farm the synchronous generators will go in the out of synchronism and supplies
reactive power in the grid which totally disturbs stability.

Harmonics: - Harmonics in the system increases the power loss and heating effects.
These are caused due to the use of the converter, the switching of the
semiconductor for conversion and storage of the power. [5 - 6]

4 Flexible AC transmission system

5
The interconnection is done in the power system for economic gain and increase the
power transfer capacity and reliability of the grid. Consider a small lossless
transmission system with a generator and bus system.

Figure 1.4 lossless transmission

system with single bus and wind generator
The power transferred is given by

P12= (V1V2sin)/XL (1.1)

Where V1 and V2 are sending and receiving end voltage X L is line impedance and
-phase shift.In order to increase the power transfer capability (1) Increase V1
and V2 but to achieve this we have to add a parallel transmission line which is a big
investment. (2) Reduce the line reactance (X L) this thing can be achieved by the
compensation either in series or parallel to the `transmission line and this is the main
application of the FACTS controllers. Thus flexible AC transmission system governs
the operation of transmission systems like increase power transfer capability, system
transient stability, enhancement of system damping, mitigation of the sub
synchronous resonance,allevation of voltage instability, limiting a short circuit
current, load compensation, grid integration of renewable power generation system.
FACTS does not completely reduce these effects but they are capable to reach the
thermal limit of the power transfer capacity. [7]

5 Technologies and types under FACTS controller

FACTS mainly find application in the following areas:

Power transmission
Power quality
Railway grid connection
Wind power grid connection
Cable systems
The basic idea is to obtain a high level of control in flexible ac transmission. This can
be achieved with self-commuted and natural commuted power electronic switches.
Natural commuted switch is thyristor it switches automatically but one cannot switch
it off automatically. Self-commuted switches such as GTO, IGBT, and IGCT are
automatically been on and off. [4]

Basically facts controllers are classified in four categories:

6
1) Shunt controller:-.In shunt controller a variable inductance or a capacitance is
connected in parallel with a bypass switch or a variable source in parallel with line is
connected. The reactive current is taken or supplied in the line depending upon the
source end and receiving end voltage.
2) Series controllers: - It can be an inductor or a capacitor in series with a bypass
switch or a power electronic switching device as a voltage source. In principle series
controller inject voltage in series with transmission line.
3) Combined shunt-series controlled: - This controller is used both as a shunt and
series or combined.UPFC uniform power flow controller is one of the controller which
functions in coordinated manner.
4) Combined series-series controlled: - This could be a combination of separate
series controllers, which are controlled in a coordinated manner, in a multiline
transmission system.

Depending on the power electronic devices used in the control FACTS controller can
be again classified as 1st generation Thyristor control switch or variable impedance
type and 2nd generation voltage source converters (VSC). Fig (1.5) classifications of
different types of Facts devices is given with series, shunt as well as combined
controller.

Fig
ure 1.5 Classification of FACTS controllers
The FACTS controllers based on VSC have several advantages over the variable
impedance type. For example, a STATCOM is much more compact than a SVC for
similar rating and is technically superior. It can supply required reactive current even
at low values of the bus voltage and can be designed to have in built short term
overload capability. Also, a STATCOM can supply active power if it has an energy
source or large energy storage at its DC terminals . It supplies or absorbs the reactive
power depending on the application. [7-8]

7
6 Stability control with FACTS

6.1 Stability with shunt compensation

The voltage sag is improved by shunt compensation. Decrease in the voltage causes
increased reactive power and increase in the voltage causes decreased reactive
power. The reactive power compensation is basically done in two ways either absorb
the reactive power from the line or supply the reactive power in the line. The main
passive elements which perform this function are the inductor and capacitor. Reactor
absorbs the reactive power when bus is in overvoltage condition with reduced load
and capacitor supplies reactive power when bus is in under voltage condition and
requires more active power. This type of compensation is called as reactive VAR
compensation.

Consider a simple lossless system with two ideal generator and transmission line.
Sending end voltage is Vs and receiving end voltage is Vr respectively. Assume that
both the voltages have same magnitude. Is a phase shift and Vm is the ideal
shunt ac voltage source connected in the mid of the transmission line.

Figure 6.1 Ideal shunt compensator

If the shunt compensation is not provided then the power transferred from source to
load is given by
V2
Ps = sin
XL
(6.1)

When the ideal shunt compensator is added in parallel to the circuit at the midpoint
Shunt source has the magnitude Vm=V and phase difference of magnitude /2
with Vs and Vr shown in the phasor diagram.I m is the current flowing through the
ideal shunt compensator. In the phasor drawing Im is orthogonal with Vm means no
active current is flowing through the shunt compensator and only reactive power is
there.

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 Figure 6.2
Phasor diagram of shunt compensation

Power transferred with compensation is given by

2V 2
Active power P sc= sin
XL 2
(6.2)

Comparing the two equations power after compensation Psc is greater than Ps.Thus
it can be said ideal shunt compensator increases the power transfer capability.

6.2 Stability with series compensation

In the power transmission the line impedance is cause of the reactive power. The
more it is reduced more power will flow on the line since line reactance is inversely
proportional to power flow. Basically in order to reduce the line reactance
capacitance is added in series with the transmission line. Consider a two machine
model from figure 6.2 having sending and receiving end voltage Vs and Vr
respectively X as the line reactance and Xc as capacitance. Assuming the circuit as
the ideal series compensator at the midpoint impedance is divided equally as Xc/2
and X/2.

Figure 6.2
Ideal series compensator
The effective transmission impedance of the line can be written as
Xeff=X-Xc (6.3)

Let Xc=kX (6.4)

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Where k is a degree of series compensation constant, 0k1

Xeff=X-kX= (1-k) X (6.5)

Assuming Vs=Vr=V from phasor diagram 6.3

Figure 6.5 Series

compensator

Active Power transmitted is given by

V2
P= sin (6.6)
( 1-k ) X

From the equation when k=0 the line is called as uncompensated with moderate
power transfer capability but when k increases from 0 to 1 the power transferred
from sending end to receiving end increases drastically. Thus series compensator is
used for power improvement and stability.

According to the power transfer characteristics fig 6.6 maximum per unit power is
one without compensatiom.With k=0.5 as a compensation factor maximum power
has increased to 2pu in capacitive series compensation. This states series
compensation is for increasing the power transfer capability. The shunt compensator

Figure 6.6 Power transfer characteristics of shunt and series compensation

also increases power transfer capacity but not in the desired way since most of the
generators operate in the angle which is less than 90 and in general around
30 .Power stability can be achieved under fault condition with shunt compensator.
From the P- curve in Figure 6.8 at first line is transmitting power P s0 at an angle
0.when the fault is occurred in the line the mechanical power cannot be changed

10
immediately after the fault.Occurence of the fault causes the generator to accelerate
resulting angle increase from 0 to 1 and now power is reached to P s1.It
crosses the synchronous speed and reach to angle 2. When the line is again
resumed for the operation transmitted power P s1> Ps0, generator starts decelerating.
During the time of acceleration at angle 2 area A2 is equal to A1.The equal area
criterion states that the system is dynamically stable. On the other hand when the
fault is for longer duration then generator will accelerate further and if the
compensation is not there, in Fig. 6.7 the P- curve area and the peak value of
the curve will be less. Hence the generator will accelerate more to cross the critical
angle c which is 90 in general case. At the time of deceleration of generator
after the resumption of the fault the deceleration area A 2 becomes less than the
acceleration area A1 and leading the system in unstable condition. While with
compensation generator does not reach to the critical angle but slightly less than the
critical angle thereby maintaining the stability.

From the Fig. 6.6 and Fig. 6.8 it can be stated that Area of the P- curve is
increased and per unit power is also increased by the shunt compensator. Thus
shunt compensator is the most suitable option for improvement of power system
stability.
[4 -7]

Fig. 6.7 Power stability-unstable condition Fig. 6.8 Power stability-stable condition

7 Power compensators in wind energy

7.1 Thyristor based controllers

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Inductor absorbs reactive power and capacitor supply reactive power. Earlier in
power transmission capacitor and inductor banks were switched on with a manual
switches which causes a problem of transients. A power electronics technology
replaced these switches with controlled switching to produce variable reactive power.
In static VAR compensation thyristors are used in series with inductor, capacitor or
both.

7.1.1 Thyristor controlled reactor

In Fig.7.1 the inductor is connected in series with the bidirectional thyristor switch.
The current iL () flowing through the inductor is controlled using thyristor by firing it
at the different firing delay angle. In Fig. 7.2 with varying from 0 to 4 the current
magnitude is reduced. TCR helps in controlling the current flowing though the
inductor which is in quadrature with voltage thereby absorbs only reactive power
flowing in the transmission line. Firing angle varies from 0 to /2 where at angle 0
thyristor valve is completely close and at /2 it is completely open i.e. TCR is
disconnected from the circuit.

Figure 7.1 Basic TCR Figure 7.2 Operating waveform

7.1.2 Thyristor switched capacitor

In Fig. 7.3 a capacitor is connected in series with the bidirectional thyristor valve and
also a surge inductor is connected to avoid a sudden increase in the rate of change
of current which can damage the thyristors connected in the circuit. The thyristor is
switched on when the voltage across the thyristor is zero or minimum. Hence TSCs
can only be completely connected or disconnected from the grid i.e. a single branch
of TSC with fixed Vars when connected. This compensation cannot be a continuous
control. [7]

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 Figure 7.3 TSC

7.1.3 Static VAR compensator

This is the most widely used shunt compensator in the wind farm which is the
combination of TCR and TSC.SVC does a voltage regulation by controlling the
reactive power. When the system voltage is low SVC generates reactive power by
switching the capacitor leg TSC.when system voltage is high SVC absorbs reactive
power i.e. inductive leg is switched on and connected in line. Fig 7.4 shows the line
diagram and control system of SVC. Primary positive sequence voltage (V m) is
measured at the point of common coupling which has to be maintained as constant.
This voltage is then compared with the reference voltage V ref and the difference error
is then sent to voltage regulator which calculates the susceptance. Based on the
susceptance values received from the voltage regulator distribution unit decides how
many TSC legs to be switched on or how much firing angle should be given to the
TCR. Synchronisation unit generates a gate driving pulse of the thyristor.

Figure 7.5 SVC line diagram and control system

In fig. 7.5 the operating characteristics of SVC has two modes voltage regulation
mode and VAR control mode. The SVC acts in the voltage regulation mode when
susceptance stays within maximum capacitance value B cmax and maximum reactive
susceptance Blmax the voltage is regulated at the reference voltage. The operative
voltage is can be described as
V=Vref+Xs*I if (-Bcmax<B<Blmax) (7.1)

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 1
V= if B=Bcmax
B cmax
(7.2)
1
V= if B=Blmax
B lmax
(7.3)

Where V is the positive sequence voltage in pu, I is the reactive current in

pu/Pbase,Xs is the slope or droop reactance in pu/Pbase, B cmax is the maximum
capacitive susceptance in pu/Pbase, B lmax is the maximum inductive susceptance in
pu/Pbase, Pbase is the three phase base power . [9]

Figure 7.6 V-I characteristics of SVC

Fig. 7.7 is the SVC compensator of MaxSine designed by the Alstom Company
showing the voltage sag is avoided during transients with injection of the reactive
power.

Figure 7.7 Voltage profile with SVC MaxSine compensation [10]

7.2 Voltage source converter based controller

Voltage source converter VSC are the most widely used controllers in the wind farm.
According to the figure 7.8 the function of the VSC controller is same as the
synchronous condenser but the exciter of the synchronous machine is replaced with

14
the charged capacitor Cs. The DC powered capacitor voltage is converted to 3 phase
AC by pulse converter. Each output of the converter is coupled with a tie reactor and
then a coupling transformer. Changing the amplitude of the output voltages produced
by the converter, the reactive power exchange between the converter and the
system bus can be controlled. When the output voltage is more than the ac system
voltage, then the current flows through the tie reactance from the converter to the ac
system, and the converter generates reactive power for the ac system acting as a
capacitive compensation. On the other hand if output voltage is less than the ac
system, then the reactive current flows from the ac system to the converter, and the
converter absorbs reactive power acting as an inductive compensation. If the output
voltage is equal to that of the ac system voltage, the reactive power exchange is
zero.

Figure 7.8 Basic voltage source converter

7.2.2 STATCOM

A typical Statcom consists of a six pulse converter and a coupling transformer in

shunt with the point of common coupling.

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Figure 7.9 Typical Statcom configuration

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REFERENCES
1. M.J. Hossain, H.R. Pota, M.A. Mahmud, and R. A. Ramos, "Impacts of large-scale
Wind generators penetration on the voltage stability of power systems, IEEE Power
and Energy Society General Meeting, PP: 1-8, July 2011

2. Wind energy report 2015

3. Power Quality Improvement in Wind Energy system by using STATCOM on

Integration to the Grid
V. Amarnath Reddy, P. Harshavardhan Reddy, M. Sudheer babu, IJMER, Issue. 5,
Sep.-Oct. 2012

4. M.H.Rashid Power electronics handbook third edition pp (851,

5. Issues of Connecting Wind Farms into Power Systems Z. Chen, Senior Member,
IEEE, 2005 IEEE/PES Transmission and Distribution Conference & Exhibition: Asia
and Pacific Dalian, China

6. Harmonics in a Wind Power Plant V. Preciado and M. Madrigal, E. Muljadi and

V. Gevorgian, IEEE Power and Energy Society, July 2630, 2015

7. Narain G Hingorani Understanding FACTS pp (1, 10, 12, 13)

8. K.R.Padiyar FACTS controllers in power transmission and distribution pp(8)

9. Qusay. Salem Overall Control Strategy of Grid Connected to Wind Farm Using
FACTS Bonfring International Journal of Power Systems and Integrated Circuits-
Feb-2014

10.http://www.gegridsolutions.com/alstomenergy/grid/global/Resources/Documents/
PEA/PEA/FACTS/Grid-PEA-L3-SVC_MaxSine-0540-2015_11-EN.pdf,accessed on
09/12/2016

11.

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