Reactive Power Compensation System Research Articles

Microwave Hybrid Sintering and Soldering of Cu-Cr-W Composite Material for Reactive Power Breakers.

Over 60% of reported failures for reactive power compensation systems are given for damage to electrical circuit breaker contacts. This paper presents a study on the development of microwave technology for sintering of W-Cu-Cr alloys at 1012 °C for 65 min using 623.38 W microwave power, as well as microwave joining at 231 °C of the W-Cu-Cr composite material on body contact using 475 W microwave power for 55 s. The joined components were subjected to mechanical and electrical tests in accordance with ICE standards to validate the applied technology. Tests of connection-disconnection of the electrical contacts were carried out in accordance with the maximum number of disconnections allowed by the manufacturer (2 cycles/min): 25 s rest time and 5 s operating time under load. The components of the electrical contact after 111237 switches were analyzed under a microscope revealing a reduction of the damaged area by 27% compared with the original contact.

An optimized AC side startup strategy of E‐STATCOM for ITER pulsed power electrical network

AbstractDuring the operation of the ITER machine, hundreds of MW/Var of active and reactive power will be exchanged with the grid. The E‐STATCOM scheme composed of the Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) and split supercapacitor energy storage has been proposed to improve the power compensation performance of the existing reactive power compensation system in the previous study. However, one of the main technical challenges which is lack of research is to precharge all submodule capacitors and supercapacitors from zero to their nominal voltage values efficiently during a startup process. As the capacitance and operating voltage of supercapacitors are much different from capacitors in each submodule, the startup of E‐STATCOM is a more complicated process. To coordinate the energy exchange between submodule capacitors and supercapacitors, submodule capacitors and the grid, this paper presents an optimized four‐stage AC side startup strategy for the E‐STATCOM. The proposed method minimizes the use of current‐limiting resistors while suppressing the surge current in the zero‐voltage startup process of supercapacitors, in addition to optimizing the energy consumption. The pulse current charging, constant current charging and constant power charging strategies of supercapacitors are adopted in different charging stages, and the detailed coordinated control scheme between submodule capacitors and supercapacitors are described and analyzed. The effectiveness and performance of the proposed method are verified by simulation results and hardware‐in‐the‐loop (HIL) experiments.

Advanced Static Var Generator in the Reactive Power Automatic Compensation System of an Underground Mine with a Thyristor Hoisting Machine

In industrial plants with dynamically varying load profiles, the problem of increased charges for over-contracted reactive power consumption is very common. To eliminate these charges, reactive power compensation systems are used. This article presents a case study of an automatic reactive power compensation system in an underground mine where a thyristor hoisting machine is used. To reduce the higher current harmonics of the hoisting machine and compensate for the reactive power of the PCC (Point of Common Coupling), the main reactive power automatic compensation system and an ASVG (Advanced Static Var Generator) with a nonstandard control loop were used. The article considers aspects of the operation of the ASVG, locally with the hoisting machine, and also as a master-controlled device that is part of the reactive power automatic compensation system. This part of the article is based on measurements taken in a mine. The reactive power automatic compensation system considered in this article has been successfully implemented, improving PQ (Power Quality) and eliminating additional overcompensation charges.

СУЧАСНІ ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ РОЗВИТКУ СИСТЕМ КОМПЕНСАЦІЇ РЕАКТИВНОЇ ПОТУЖНОСТІ

This paper surveys current trends and developments in reactive power compensation systems, elucidating their significance in enhancing system capacity and flexibility. By analyzing the capacity factor enhancement enabled by reactive power compensation, the study underscores its role in optimizing electricity delivery, thus conserving energy resources and facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources. It explores the key models and concepts driving advancements in reactive power compensation within power grids. As modern electrical systems grow in complexity, ongoing research into improving compensation methods becomes imperative to ensure the reliability and efficiency of industrial power grids. Future endeavors will involve developing a model utilizing real-world enterprise data to investigate the effects of technological variations in filter parameters on the performance of complex reactive power compensation schemes, encompassing both filters and capacitor banks. Keywords: reactive power, compensation systems, filter-compensating circuit, industrial power grid, electric power. Context. The paper considers the current trends used in the field of reactive power compensation, and the main directions of development of modern methods of reactive power compensation. Objective. The purpose of the work is to overview of current trends in the development of reactive power compensation systems, as well as an overview of possible ways of their effective application in various industrial networks. Methods. The paper presents a key aspect of reactive power compensation is its ability to increase system capacity and flexibility. By improving the capacity factor, utilities can deliver electricity more efficiently, reducing the need for excess capacity and thus conserving energy resources. In addition, this process plays an important role in supporting the integration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, which often introduce volatility into electricity generation schemes. Results. The paper presents the main models and concepts in the field of reactive power compensation in power grids. Conclusions. Given the growing complexity of modern electrical systems, it is important to continue research into improving methods and means of reactive power compensation to ensure the reliability and efficiency of industrial power grids. In further research, it is planned to develop a model using a real enterprise as an example and investigate the impact of technological deviations of filter parameters on the steady-state and transient performance of complex reactive power compensation schemes, including not only filters but also capacitor banks.

Optimal allocation of multiple capacitors in a hybrid AC/DC microgrid for power quality improvement

Along with the various features for implementing the Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid (HMG), this article proposes an approach for optimal allocation of multiple capacitors which are investigated in a proposed modeling based on the IEEE 14-bus distribution system. The power quality of the HMG has been investigated during the urgent intermittent of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Reactive Power Compensation (RPC) methods. Moreover, the investigation has been achieved in the presence of unbalanced loads and nonlinear loads with maximum and minimum demand scenarios. To cope with the power quality concerns in the studied cases, the fixed capacitor bank as an RPC system in Medium Voltage (MV) level load buses has been utilized. Although the performance indices of the power quality improved in MV-level buses, the Low Voltage (LV) level load buses still endure extensive operation performance deteriorations caused by unbalanced loads. Therefore, in this article, a compensation scheme applied in LV-level load buses and MV-level buses has been proposed consistent with the power flow computations. The Multi-Objective Grey Wolf Optimizer (MOGWO) algorithm is implemented to optimize both the size and location of capacitor banks over different voltage levels with high accuracy. The comprehensive assessment and discussion of the simulation results demonstrate the superiority of utilizing the proposed compensation scheme in both MV-level and LV-level load buses. Hence, the power quality is not only enhanced but also the installation cost is reduced. The complete model of the studied system has been validated using MATLAB/ Simulink.Article HighlightsThe reactive power compensation method is used to improve the power quality in a hybrid AC-DC microgrid.The applied RPC method verifies using the MOGWO algorithm to optimize both the location and size of multiple capacitor banks.Power quality challenges and future research trends are debated.

A New Control Strategy of Hybrid Reactive Power Compensation System in Distribution Network

Reactive power compensation is an important measure to improve the power quality of distribution networks, especially with the increasing connection of distribution transformers, heavy industrial electrical equipment, and asynchronous motors, which generate a large amount of reactive power demand. Traditional reactive power compensation devices, such as fixed capacitors (FC) and thyristor switched capacitors (TSC), have some drawbacks, such as low response speed, harmonic generation, and switching shock. A static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) is a flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) device that can provide fast and continuous reactive power compensation, but it also has some limitations, such as high cost, large capacity requirement, and low utilization rate. Therefore, hybrid reactive power compensation systems that combine FC or TSC with STATCOM have attracted much attention in recent years. Many researchers have proposed and studied different topologies and control methods of hybrid systems to overcome the disadvantages of single devices and achieve better performance. However, most of the existing hybrid systems are designed for low or medium-voltage distribution networks, and their performance under high-voltage distribution networks is still unclear. Moreover, the coordination control strategy of the hybrid system and its subsystems is also a key issue that affects the effectiveness and efficiency of reactive power compensation. In view of this, this paper aims to propose a TSC+STATCOM hybrid reactive power compensation system for high-voltage distribution networks, which optimizes the shortcomings of traditional reactive power compensation devices. The system uses the synergistic effect of TSC and STATCOM to achieve large-scale static reactive power and small-scale dynamic reactive power compensation and adopts a switching strategy based on an expert decision system. This paper introduces the working principle of each subsystem of the hybrid reactive power compensation system in detail and builds a simulation model of the hybrid reactive power compensation system under a high voltage distribution network on Matlab/Simulink platform. The simulation results verify the feasibility and excellent performance of the system control method in reactive power compensation and improving power quality.

Comparison amongst Lagrange, Firefly, and ABC Algorithms for Low-Noise Economic Dispatch and Reactive Power Compensation in Islanded Microgrids

For the microgrids to operate securely, distributed generators must be able to interact with one another without experiencing any communication delays or noise. To develop a more effective economic dispatch strategy, this research focuses on noise’s effect on the performance of an islanded microgrid. Three different strategies, Lagrange, firefly, and artificial bee colony algorithms, are compared for optimal solutions of economic dispatch. Their performance is compared based on stability during noise interference and faster response time with and without the virtual synchronous generator-STATCOM strategy. The virtual synchronous generator is used as a voltage source to regulate active power and reactive power with the grid. A STATCOM controller is introduced in the system for reactive power compensation. Reactive power compensation is the process of controlling reactive power to enhance the efficiency of alternating current power systems. By boosting the active power, reactive power compensation in the transmission system will increase the stability of microgrids. The voltage, output power, power factor, and phase angle of the microgrid benefit from the stability provided by the controller. As a result, the performance and resilience of the microgrid is improved.

Research on Control Strategy of Hybrid Reactive Power Compensation System for Wind Farms

With the increasing scale of wind farms and the increasing proportion of wind power generation in the energy system, the grid has higher and higher requirements for the voltage stability of wind farms. In this paper, we propose a hybrid reactive power compensation system and its control strategy for weakly connected asynchronous wind farms, which can effectively control the compensation cost while improving the continuity of reactive power regulation. It also verifies the correctness and feasibility of the proposed hybrid reactive power compensation system and its control strategy through simulation.

ANALYSIS OF REACTIVE POWER COMPENSATION WITH PASSIVE CIRCUIT ELEMENTS FOR GRID-CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC PLANTS

The work represents the optimized solution for the selection of the reactive power compensation system for an on-grid photovoltaic plant with an installed power of 8 MW. The reactive power, of significant values, is mainly due to the length of the medium voltage cable that connects the photovoltaic plant to the connection station located at a distance of 10 km. Thus, a critical analysis is presented, with a technical-economic foundation of power factor correction solutions. The operation of the power plant's correction system was monitored both during the day (while the panels were lit) and at night (without the panels lit). Special attention was paid to the influence of the energy quality parameters regarding the additional consumptions of the plant in the two situations. It was also considered to find an optimal solution for the maximum safety of the equipment in order to avoid reaching the critical operating temperature of the transformers in the plant. In addition, a detailed economic study was also carried out to justify the choice of the adopted solution (compensation with passive circuit elements - reactance coils) over the classic ones (adjusting the ignition angle of the inverters in the plant so that they work in inductive mode ).

The ping-pang variable amplitude limiter used in the coordinated controller of a hybrid reactive power compensation system

The hybrid reactive power compensation system, which connects different reactive power compensation devices to the same bus, will be essential equipment for future power systems. In a power grid with a high proportion of photovoltaic, wind turbines, and power electronic devices, it is significant to design a coordinated control strategy for the hybrid reactive power compensation system. In this paper, a kind of ping-pang variable amplitude limiter is used in the linear optimal controller. The ping-pang variable amplitude limiter can improve the transient stability of a hybrid reactive power compensation system. The effects of the coordinated controller are verified in simulation. Compared with the conventional linear optimal controller, the coordinated controller with the ping-pang variable amplitude limiter has a better optimization effect in large disturbance conditions.

Achieving Optimal Reactive Power Compensation in Distribution Grids by Using Industrial Compensation Systems

This paper presents a method for integrating industrial consumers owning compensation systems as alternative reactive power sources into grid operating processes. In remuneration, they receive a market-based provision of reactive power. The aim is to analyze the potential of reactive power compensation systems of industrial companies connected to medium-voltage (10 kV–30 kV) AC grids in order to increase the reactive power ability of distribution grids. Measurement methods and reactive power potential results of six industrial companies are presented to characterize the amount and temporal availability of their reactive power potential. The presented approach for using the decentralized reactive power potential is a centralized reactive power control method and is based on optimal power flow (OPF) calculations. An optimization algorithm based on linear programming is used to coordinate a reactive power retrieval tuned to the actual demand. The influencing quantities are the current grid status (voltage and load flow capacity reserves at grid nodes and power lines) and the current reactive power potential of the reactive power sources. The compensation impact of six measured industrial companies on an exemplary medium-voltage grid is shown by an application example.

Static Voltage Stability Assessment of Ethiopian power System Using Normalized Active Power Margin Index

Voltage stability assessments, made so far on the Ethiopian electric power system (EEP), are limited both in number and in methodology. Here, in this paper the static voltage stability of the Ethiopian power system is investigated using an index called normalized active power margin. The methodology starts from determining Thevenin equivalent of a system as viewed from the load buses. The Thevenin equivalent parameters help to determine the load bus maximum active power transfer limit and to draw the PV relation curves. The approach avoids the time-consuming method of PV curve based maximum active power transfer determination, which requires large number of power flow computations. The resulting maximum active power transfer and current operating active power load are used for the index calculation. The index is tested using IEEE 30 bus system and produced results matching with other previously established indices. The index is capable of ranking vulnerability of load buses to voltage instability. Then, scenarios of heavy load and light load EEP cases, with and without system reactive power compensation, are investigated. Results reveal weakest buses are supplied from 66kV transmission lines, load bus 232 being the weakest of all. On the other hand, the most stable buses are supplied from 132 kV transmission lines, bus 149 being the most stable bus. PV curves drawn, also, reveal the improvement that come with reactive power compensation and with operating in light load condition.

Research and Application of Combined Reactive Power Compensation Device Based on SVG+SC in Wind Power Gathering Area

With the increasing proportion of wind power access year by year, it brings many challenges to the voltage stability of power systems. In order to maintain the stability of the voltage in the power grid, it is impossible to take into account the regulation ability and economy when a single reactive power compensation device is installed. In this paper, a combined reactive power compensation device was installed, which is composed of a static var generator (SVG) and a parallel capacitor bank. The SVG has the characteristics of fast and smooth adjustment, and the application of the capacitor bank reduces the overall investment cost and has a great economy. The modal analysis method was used to find the optimal installation position for the reactive power compensation device. The improved particle swarm algorithm was used to optimize the capacity of the optimal reactive power compensation device to ensure the best performance of the compensation device. Finally, by formulating the control strategy of the combined reactive power compensation system, the reliable switching of the compensation device is controlled. The PSCAD simulation software was used to model the power grid in the Hami area, and six different configuration programs were set for static voltage stability simulation verification and three different configurations. The program was simulated and verified for transient voltage stability, and comparative analysis showed that the proposed method was correct, which strongly supports the voltage stability of the region and meets the demand of reactive power compensation of the power grid. This provides a good reference program for other wind power gathering areas.

Complete operational voltage assessment of Shandong pilot offshore wind project

AbstractThis article presents a thorough methodology for the voltage assessment of pilot offshore wind project in Shandong province, China. The results presented in this paper can be considered as the milestone of the offshore wind research in Shandong Province since there is still no grid codes for offshore wind power plant grid connection in the local electrical power grid. It mainly consists of three parts. In the first part, a detailed model of the offshore wind farm created in the DIgSILENT PowerFacotry simulation platform is presented, including wind turbines, power converters, transformers, submarine cables and relevant control schemes. In the second part, nonlinear time‐domain simulations were performed to analyze the wind farm's active power, reactive power, and voltage conditions under different wind scenarios. Based on the simulations results, a dynamic reactive power compensation system was proposed, and the consequence of the reactive power compensation was also demonstrated using nonlinear time‐domain simulations.

Static Analysis and Optimization of Voltage and Reactive Power Regulation Systems in the HV/MV Substation with Electronic Transformer Tap-Changers

The quality of electricity is a very important indicator. The durability and reliable operation of all connected devices depend on the quality of the network voltage. Rapid changes in loads, changes in network connections and the presence of uncontrolled energy sources require the development of new voltage regulation systems. This requires voltage regulation systems capable of responding quickly to sudden voltage changes. In substations with control transformers, it is possible thanks to the use of semiconductor tap changers. Moreover, voltage regulation and reactive power compensation systems should be built as one system. This is due to the close dependence of voltage and reactive power in the network node. Therefore, it was proposed to use artificial intelligence methods to build a new voltage regulation and reactive power compensation system using all measurement voltages of network nodes. In the first stage of the research, active and reactive powers, as well as the voltage of the reference node, were selected for 6420 periods of the mains voltage. The simulation results were compared for the classic voltage regulation system with semiconductor tap changers and the evolution algorithm based on voltage measurements from the entire MV network. A significant improvement in the quality of voltage regulation with the use of an evolutionary algorithm was demonstrated. Then, a second set of input data with increased values of reactive power was generated. The results of the evolutionary algorithm after the application of the classic, independent reactive power compensation system and two-criteria optimization were compared. It has been shown that only the two-criteria optimization algorithm keeps both |tgφ| within the acceptable range and the quality of voltage regulation is the best. The article compares different working algorithms for semiconductor tap changers.

Analysis of Electromagnetic Processes in a Traction Network in Connecting a Reactive Power Compensation and Harmonic Filtering System at a Sectioning Station

To increase the railway capacity, a controlled static reactive power generator is connected at a sectioning station. To reduce the cost indicators of the controlled installation and decrease the power losses, a combined reactive power compensation and harmonic filtering system is proposed, in which the following components are connected in parallel: an uncontrolled bank of shunt capacitive compensation with reduced cost indicators and a static reactive power generator. The total reactive power of the combined system is equal to the specified one. At low traction loads, the static generator operates in the mode of inductive power generation, due to which reactive power is smoothly regulated over the entire load range. Since the existing generator power is reduced by 2-3 times (at the same set power), the total increased power losses are also reduced. For analyzing the electromagnetic processes in the traction network, an electric rolling stock nonlinear model is developed. The article shows how the traction current higher harmonic components are filtered and demonstrates the combined system operability in terms of reactive power compensation under various traction loads by analyzing the waveforms of electromagnetic processes.

Improved Hybrid Reactive Power Compensation System Based on FC and STATCOM and Its Control Method

The purpose of this study is to solve the main problems in distribution networks, including increased line loss and reduced power supply quality caused by insufficient capacitive reactive power. To reduce the capacity, voltage, and current stress of an active module of a compensation device and improve the cost performance of the device, an improved hybrid reactive power compensation system based on a fixed capacitor (FC) and a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) is proposed. The topological structure and basic operating principle of the proposed reactive power compensation system are introduced. In addition, from the perspectives of output voltage, current, power, loss of the active part, and system compensation cost, the performances of the proposed reactive compensator and the inductively coupled STATCOM (L-STATCOM) are compared and analyzed. Furthermore, the key parameters of the proposed system are designed, and the joint optimization control strategy of the FC and STATCOM is studied. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed topology structure and control method are verified by simulations.

РАСПРЕДЕЛИТЕЛЬНЫЕ ЭЛЕКТРОСЕТЕВЫЕ КОМПАНИИ: ПРОБЛЕМЫ, ПУТИ РАЗВИТИЯ

Electrical circuits of reactive power compensation on the basis of thyristor control circuits in the power supply system of oil refineries are considered. The main advantages, advantages over traditional reactive power compensation systems and directions of introduction into the power supply system of modern production are formulated.

Distribution system power quality compensation using a HSeAPF based on SRF and SMC features

The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of a Hybrid Series Active Power Filter (HSeAPF) system to improve the quality of power on three-phase power distribution grids. The system controls are comprise of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) based on the Synchronous Reference Frame (SRF) theory, and supported by Phase Locked Loop (PLL) for generating the switching pulses to control a Voltage Source Converter (VSC). The DC link voltage is controlled by Non-Linear Sliding Mode Control (SMC) for faster response and to ensure that it is maintained at a constant value. When this voltage is compared with Proportional Integral (PI), then the improvements made can be shown. The function of HSeAPF control is to eliminate voltage fluctuations, voltage swell/sag, and prevent voltage/current harmonics are produced by both non-linear loads and small inverters connected to the distribution network. A digital Phase Locked Loop that generates frequencies and an oscillating phase-locked output signal controls the voltage. The results from the simulation indicate that the HSeAPF can effectively suppress the dynamic and harmonic reactive power compensation system. Also, the distribution network has a low Total Harmonic Distortion (< 5%), demonstrating that the designed system is efficient, which is an essential requirement when it comes to the IEEE-519 and IEC 61,000–3-6 standards.

Reactive Power Compensation and Power Factor Correction by using Static VAR Compensator (SVC)

In this paper, a reactive power compensation system using static VAR compensator is presented. To confine on system stability and reliability, the reactive power compensation is the fundamental way forflexible AC transmission systems (FACTS). The variations of reactive power have an effect on thegenerating units, lines, circuit breakers, transformers, relays, and isolators. It can also cause effective voltage sags and increase losses. In the proposed system, the lead time between voltage pulse and curren pulse is measured and fed to the interrupt pins of the microcontroller where the program takes over to bring the shunt capacitors to the circuit to get the reactive power compensated. Back-to-back SCRs interfaced through optical isolation from the microcontroller are used in parallel for controlling the capacitor.