Power Systems

Section 4 – Equivalent Circuits of

Power System Plant
Synchronous Machine Simplified Equivalent
Circuit
Synchronous Machine Phasor Diagrams
Under Different Load PF’s
 Representation of Transmission Lines
• Both overhead and underground cables are
“transmission” lines in the electrical sense
• Distributed (true) model always used in high
frequency (communications) analysis; only in power
system analysis for high voltages and very long
lengths (>600 km or about 0.1 wavelength)
• “Medium” length or “pi” model for sub-
transmission/transmission lines over about 80 km
• “Short” lines with a simple series R and jX for
distribution lines and sub-transmission lines < 80 km.
True Representation of a Transmission
Line (“long” line)
Exact Equivalent Network of Transmission
Circuit (“Long” line model)
• Series Impedance Z = R + jX per unit length
• Shunt Admittance Y = G + jC per unit length

X R X
R

G C G C
“Medium Length” Transmission Line

R X
½Y ½Y
“Short” Transmission Line

R X
“Short” Transmission Line (We talk more
about transmission lines later)
• Ignore capacitance & conductance to earth
• Current entering and leaving line is the
same.
• R & L factors can be lumped as one
impedance R X
IS IR

Source VS VR Load
 Transformers

• If dotted end of primary side is positive, the dotted end of the

secondary side is positive
• If current flows into the dotted end of primary side, current
flows out of the dotted end of secondary side
 Model Referring to Primary Side

• Convenient to use single voltage level and connected current

paths for analysis
• Use of turns ratio to reflect values of parameters of the
secondary side
Simplified Transformer Model for Power Flow Analysis

Req =R1+a2R2 Xeq=X1+a2X2

IS IR

Source VS VR Load

For power load-flow analysis (and also short-circuit

analysis) the magnetising current in a typical power
transformer is only about 1% of full-load current, and so
the magnetising branch can be conveniently ignored.
This gives us a simple series model much like the short
transmission line model and analysis is much easier.
 Calculating Voltage Drop Along a Simple Series R+jX AC
Circuit (e.g. “short” Transmission Line and/or
Synchronous Generator)
VS VSY
IRX

S R
R VR VSX
I RR
IR = I S

• IS and IR are equal. Hence, from the equivalent circuit:

• VS = VR + (R + jX) IR = VR + ZIR
• If receiving end conditions are known, the sending voltage
can be calculated
• Voltage Regulation: VR = ( |Vs| - |Vr| )/|Vr| * 100%
 Power System Loads
• Customer loads consist of these main types–
• Resistive, eg incandescent light bulbs, water heater
elements, bar radiators, stove elements,etc
• Motors, eg industrial drives, fans, appliance motors
(eg PC drives, washing machines, vacuum cleaners),
compressors (eg air conditioners)
• Power electronic circuits (eg rectifiers).
 Loads … Cont’d
Loads on power systems are typically
represented by a R element in parallel with
an X element.

The ‘R’ represents the real power being

consumed by the load (i.e. the ‘P’ - Watts)

The ‘X’ represents the reactive power

being consumed by the load (i.e. the ‘Q’ -
VArs)
 Loads … Cont’d

Note! earlier section discussing harmonics.

Harmonic currents are caused by non-linear loads,

(e.g. saturating components like iron cored
components) or those that chop the current wave
(e.g. rectifiers). The load model has to allow for
these harmonic components as well.