Advantages of the TCSC

1. Rapid, continuous control of the transmission-line series-

compensation level.

2. Dynamic control of power flow in selected transmission lines

within the network to enable optimal power-flow conditions and
prevent the loop flow of power.

3. Damping of the power swings from local and inter-area

oscillations.

4. Suppression of sub synchronous oscillations. At sub synchronous

frequencies, the TCSC presents an inherently resistiveinductive
reactance. The sub synchronous oscillations cannot be sustained in
this situation and consequently get damped.
6. Enhanced level of protection for series capacitors. A fast bypass
of the series capacitors can be achieved through thyristor control
when large over voltages develop across capacitors following faults.

Likewise, the capacitors can be quickly reinserted by thyristor action

after fault clearing to aid in system stabilization.

7. Voltage support. The TCSC, in conjunction with series capacitors,

can generate reactive power that increases with line loading,
thereby aiding the regulation of local network voltages and, in
addition, the alleviation of any voltage instability.
 TCSC APPLICATIONS
Open Loop Control

Closed Loop Control

Constant current Control (CC)

Constant Angle Control(CA)

Constant Power Control

 Open Loop Control

The open-loop impedance control, is the most basic type of TCSC control,
used primarily for power-flow control.

The desired steady-state level of series compensation or line power flow

is expressed in the form of a reactance reference applied to the
controller.

The controller is modeled by a delay block that represents TCSC action;

its magnitude is typically chosen as 15 ms.
In the constant-current (CC) control, the desired line-current
magnitude is fed as a reference signal to the TCSC controller, which
strives to maintain the actual line current at this value. The 3-phase
current is measured and rectified in the measurement unit.

The rectified signal is passed through a filter block that comprises a

60-Hz and a 120-Hz notch filter as well as a high-pass filter.

The emanating signal is then normalized to ensure per-unit

consistency with the reference-current signal.

The controller is typically of the proportionalintegral (PI) type that

outputs the desired susceptance signal within the preset limits.

A linearizer block converts the susceptance signal into a firing-angle

signal.
An operation-mode selector unit is generally used for TCSC protection.

During short-circuit conditions, at which time the current through the metal oxide
varistor (MOV) exceeds a threshold, the TCSC is made to switch to the bypassed-
thyristor mode or the thyristor-switched reactor (TSR) mode.

In this mode, the thyristors conduct fully , reducing both the TCSC voltage and the
current substantially and thereby reducing the stress on the MOV.

During the clearance of faults, the waiting mode is implemented; when the
capacitors are brought back into the circuit, a dc-voltage offset builds up that is
discharged into this waiting mode.

The steady-state control characteristic of the CC control on the VTCSC IL (the

TCSC voltageline current) convention used in the figure is to treat the capacitor
voltage as positive (which is opposite of the convention used in load flow).
The characteristic is divided into three segments: OA, AB, and BC.
Segments OA and BC represent the maximum and minimum TCSC
reactance limits, respectively.
Segment AB represents the control range in which the TCSC
reactance is varied through the firing control to maintain a specified
line current, Iref.
CA control is useful and relevant for situations in which
transmission paths exist in parallel with the TCSC-
compensated line.

The control objective during transient or contingency situations

is to keep the power flow unchanged in the parallel paths while
allowing variations in the power transmitted across the TCSC-
compensated line.

To keep the power flow constant in shunt paths necessitates

maintaining the angular difference constant across the lines,
thus imparting the name constant-angle control, or CA control,
to this strategy.
For CC control, the integral gain KI is considered positive.

In this control scheme, a positive current-error signal implies that the TCSC capacitive
reactance must be increased to enhance the line current and thereby reduce the error
signal.
 Measureme
nt unit

In CC control, the multiplier block S is set to zero, whereas in CA control, S is assigned

the value 1/ XLR.

The regulator is primarily a PI controller that is occasionally in cascade with a phase-

lead circuit.

If pure-integral action is required, KP is set to zero.

 Integral
Controlle Proportion
Lead-Lag
r al
Compensato
r Controller

A lead compensator can increase the stability or speed of response of a system; a lag
compensator can reduce (but not eliminate) the steady state error.

Depending on the effect desired, one or more lead and lag compensators may be used
in various combinations.
The gain KI is positive in the case of current control and negative in case of CA control. In the latter
case Iref is actually the voltage reference divided by X.

A positive error signal implies the net voltage drop in the line is less than the reference and X TCSC
(assumed to be positive in capacitive region) is to be reduced.
To improve the damping of certain oscillatory modes, such as sub- synchronous
oscillations, an
optimized, derivative line-current feedback is embedded in the TCSC controller.
Derivative control is a crudeprediction ofthe error in future, based on the current
slope
The of the error.
derivative control mode gives a controller additional control action when the
error changes consistently.
It also makes the loop more stable.
 The TCSC power controllers are usually effective if used as slow controllers for damping
power oscillations or sub synchronous oscillations.

Usually, Tp is set to 100 ms.

It consists of two control loopsa fast, inner-current control loop and a slow, outer power
control loop.

The power controller provides the current-reference signal for the current controller.
Such a controller allows a fast TCSC response to system faults, yet it also allows a
Power Oscillations Damping using TCSC
Common power oscillations in transmission system

Causes of power oscillations

Fault of systems
Transmission line switching
Sudden change of output of generators
Sudden change of critical loads

Oscillation lasting for up to 20s, frequency < 2Hz

Difficult to be damped by transmission line

naturally
 Inter-Area Mode of Oscillations Intra-Area Mode of Oscillations

Anytime two large power systems are These low frequency oscillations are
interconnected via a relatively weak formed within power systems when
transmission path, those systems are pockets of generation oscillate with
at risk of inter-area mode oscillations. respect to one another.
 Local Mode Intra-Plant Mode

In this mode of oscillation each In multi-unit stations, the generators

generator oscillates with respect to may oscillate with respect to
the rest of the power system. neighboring units.

When a generator is tied to a large

power system via a long radial line.
A two-area, four-machine system
The two-area system exhibits three electromechanical oscillation modes:

An inter-area mode with a frequency of 0.65 Hz in which the generating units in

one area oscillate against those in the other area.

A local mode in area 1, with a frequency of 1.13 Hz, in which generator Gl and
G2 oscillate against each other.

A local mode in area 2, with a frequency of 1.16 Hz, in which generator G3 and
G4 oscillate against each other.

The damping ratio determines the rate of decay of the amplitude of the
oscillation.

A damping ratio of -5 % means that in three oscillation periods the amplitude is

damped to about 32 % of its initial value.