A MATLAB APP FOR BALANCING A CAPACITOR BANK IN THE DOUBLE STAR CONNECTION - NEUTRAL, NOT CONNECTED

Abstract

This study presents a methodology for maintaining and rebalancing Double Star configuration capacitor banks, which are critical for managing power consumption peaks. As electricity demand is projected to rise by 21% by 2040, efficient maintenance methods are essential to ensure energy security. The paper introduces a novel approach to rebalance capacitor banks using a Matlab application, which simulates the unbalance current that may occur due to capacitive unit failures. Key aspects of capacitor banks, such as construction, connections, and protection methods, were reviewed to inform the methodology. Capacitor banks are used to control voltage, correct power factor, and reduce losses, but they can experience imbalances due to natural variances in capacitance or failures. The study developed a mathematical model to calculate the unbalance current and validated this model through simulations in LTspice software. The resulting rebalancing flowchart provides a step-by-step guide for technicians to follow during maintenance. The project achieved its goals, demonstrating through 24 simulations that the developed methodology and Matlab application could successfully predict unbalance currents with a negligible margin of error. The paper concludes that the methodology is ready for implementation, and each capacitor bank will require a tailored rebalancing application based on the presented calculations.