Improvements for Power Systems Performance: Modeling, Analysis and Benefits of TCSCs

by

Carlos Gama
ONS pania@ons.org.br

Ricardo Ten6rio
CHESF
rtcnorio @chesCgov.br

Brazil
Abstract: This paper describes the modeling and investigation of the performance of a Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC) camed out within the EMTP-ATP program. The TCSC ccmtrol system was developed using two different languages supported by EMTP-ATP: Transient Analysis of Control Systems (TACS)and MODELS language. The modeling task is described briefly and some details of the use of the MODELS language are given. The TCSC model is then used to investigate the capability of the TCSC for improving power system performance with respect to: subsynchronous resonance phenomena. fault current limitation, and line current control. Additionally, the innovative POD structure used in an actual TCSC in the Brazilian NorthSouth interconnection is discussed along with some test results.
Keywords: TCSC, Modeling, POD. Stability, Subsynchronous

MODELS is a general technical description language

supported by a simulation solver [3]. It is a high-level, structured language for algorithms, which allows the representation of complex physical systems and their interactions with power systems. It should be noted that MODELS allows the interface between EMTP-ATP and outside programs, hesides importingkxporting variables frodto network. MODELS is much more powerful than TACS although slower [4]. The main features of this language can be summarized as follows: a) capability of creating a model description and allowing its use in different parts of the code on instruction from the user; b) capability of segmenting the model into submodels in order to make the modeling easier in addition to allowing access to subroutines written in other languages: c) self-documented code that allows a clear understanding and serves as a reference document.
B. Description of the TCSC Mudelirig

Resonance, Fault Current Limiters, Current Control.

I. INTRODUCTION
When a new device appears. the lack of reliable and easytc-use models for representing it constitutes a drawback to the widespread use of this technology. The present modeling of a TCSC for the EMTP-ATP program is intended to narrow this gap. In fact, the TCSC model was developed using both TACS (Transient Analysis of Control Systems) and the MODELS language. The TCSC modeling for MODELS. which is briefly described in this paper, providcs a high-level. self-documented code that offers an easy-to-use. -upgrade, and -maintain model. It should be noted that this TCSC model was extensively tested and validated against published TNA simulations collected from the international literature [ 2 , 5 ] . The following sections describe the TCSC modeling for the ATP-MODELS language as well as simulation results that investigate the TCSC capabilities for improving the power systems performance as far as subsynchronous resonance phenomena, and both fault current limitation and line ciirrent control are concerned. In addition, an innovative POD for an actual TCSC in operation in the Brazilian North-South interconnection is explored and some test results are shown.
11. THE TCSC MODELING
A The MODELS Lmgircige

A simplified diagram of the TCSC model for the ATPEMTP program is shown in Fig. I . A detailed description of the modeling can be found in 12, 51. The TCSC is divided into three distinct systems: power circuit; measurement and control systems: firing and synchronization systems. The power circuit comprises a capacitor bank in parallel with a thyristor controlled reactor and a MOV arrestcr to protect the capacitor. The thyristor valve includes a snubber circuit. All components were modeled using regular. built-in EMTP-ATP models. The measurement and control systems work independently in each phase. and consist of hand-pass and notch filters. a current quadratic measurcmcnt dcvice. an active power measurement device. and a proportional-integral (PI) controller. A comparison between the measured line current and the reference current is made. and the error generated is fed into the PI controller whose main function is to bring to zero its steady-state error. An open loop impedance mode is possible in addition to the closed loop current control mode. In this mode a reactance orcicr is set and the Firing systcm then provides a suitable Iiring angle ordcr to the thyristors.

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The TCSC has an additional control loop responsible for damping power oscillations, i.e. power swing damping control (PSDC). The PSDC measures the absolute value of the line active power and feeds this signal into a wash-out filter and a lead-lag compensator. The output signal is added to the reactance order in such a way as to modulate the TCSC reactance in order to damp the power oscillation. The measurement and control systems were represented in MODELS using Laplace transfer functions, logical, algebraic, and integral equations, as well as the powerful algorithm control statements available in this modeling language. The synchronization and firing systems comprise a linearisation curve, a pulse generating unit and a synchronization unit that is based on either an individual firing pulse (IFP, i.e. current zero crossings) or an equidistant firing pulse (PLL- phase locked loop system). The synchronization and firing systems were represented in MODELS through Laplace transfer functions, and trigonometric, algebraic, and integral equations There are three special modes of operation: thyristor switched reactor (TSR), thyristor blocked mode (TBM) and waiting mode (WTM). These modes of operation are activated in special circumstances by the operation mode selector. TSR means that the thyristors are fully conducting. In this condition the capacitor bank is bypassed through the TCR, and the TCSC impedance changes rapidly from a capacitive value to an inductive one.

This mode provides the means of limiting the line current by increasing the line impedance by a value that depends on the design of the TCSC. The WTM means that the TCSC waits for a certain time with a fixed firing angle until another mode of operation is set. The TBM means that the PI regulator and firing system are blocked, and the TCSC will operate at 180'. The operation mode selector was represented in MODELS basically through logical equations. Figure 2 shows the flowchart of the TCSC controls in MODELS
A . Detuning SSR Interactions

The term subsynchronous resonance describes the electromechanical subsynchronous oscillations associated with turbine-generator shafts and a series capacitor compensated power system when the oscillatory energy exchanged tends to grow. For a simple power system such as that shown in Fig. 3, the natural electrical frequency is given by equation (2) wheref, is the electrical frequency corresponding to the synchronous frequency under ideal conditions): X, is the series capacitor reactance and X, is the total reactance of the power system. However, complex power systems have often more than one resonant frequency and the analysis is then not so simple.

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I

Figure 1 : Structure of the TCSC modelling

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I "

I '

1
CURRENT O U A D R A T I C M E A S U R E M E N T

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CONTROL SYSTEM ( P I REGULATOR)

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mechanical torques on sections 3-4 (torque 3) and 4-5 (torque 4) of the turbine-generator shaft. This simulation shows a serious SSR interaction. which in the absence of countermeasures, would lead to shaft damage. As can be seen it is possible to excite SSR problems even with a moderate degree of compensation, i.e. 35%. If a TCSC is placed into the power system with a reactance order equal to 50 IR. no SSR interaction is observed. Fig. 5 shows torques 3 and 4 on the shaft which are slightly damped (note that no mechanical damping was represented on the shaft). Spectral analysis shows that no resonant frequency is found below 60 Hz [2]. This demonstrates that from the network standpoint this TCSC does not behave as a capacitor, rather it develops inductive-resistive behavior 121. Moreover. in [9] it was investigated how to decrease transient torque on turbine-generator shafts by using TCSCs.

POWER SWING DAMPING CONTROL MANUAL I AUTOMATIC OPERATION

4
FIRING SYSTEM

F I R I N G ANGLE

Figure. 3. The TCSC controls structure in MODELS

B. TCSC ns a Fault Current Litniter

To perform as a fault current limiter the TCSC has to be dimensioned to withstand the short circuit current and develop a high inductive impedance. As a consequence i t is necessary to change some characteristics of the TCSC, such as equipment ratings and natural resonant frequency of its LC circuit, in order to develop a high impedance when operating in TSR mode, i.e. thyristors fully conducting. The power system simulated in this section. seen in Fig. 6, consists of a 100 km, 230 kV transmission line that feeds three loads in a ring configuration. All transmission lines in the ring configuration have a length of 30 km and the loads can be said to be electrically close to each other. All loads are considered to have a power factor of 0.85. The loads are: S 2 = 50 MVA, S.7 = 70 MVA, and S4 = 20 MVA. The TCSC simulated was rated to vary from -j21 R up to -j52 IR. i.e. virtually a compensation degree of 100%. A surge arrester (MOV) rated for 33 kV was used for protecting the capacitor bank against overvoltages. In the TSR mode the TCSC has an impedance of j49 R which almost doubles the line impedance in this condition. In order to detect a fault condition and to place the TCSC in TSR mode, an overcurrent detector based on line current amplitude was simulated together with the TCSC modcl [2]. A three-phase fault was applied to bus 2 (Fig. 6 ) .The results are shown in Fig. 7, where fault currents are seen from bus I . The fault was applied at 30 ms and the overcurrent detectors identified a fault condition at 34.95 ms, 37.90 ms. 36.90 ms respectively for phases A, B, and C. The pickup values used for these overcurrent detectors were set to 2000 A rms.
As can be seen from this simulation for phase B

When the power system has its resonance excited, it causes oscillating currents at electrical frequency in the stator, which give rise to rotor currents at subsynchronous N,,=J, fr) and supersynchronous (f;,,=fo + fr) frequencies. If the subsynchronous frequency is near a torsional mode of oscillation then SSR problems may occur. It should he noted that there are different ways of identifying interactions between the turbine-generator shafts and power systems. These phenomena can be divided into selfexcitation and transient torques [2. 81. The self-excitation phenomena can be divided further into two types, namely: induction generator effect and torsional interaction. This section only deals with torsional interaction involving both series capacitor and TCSC compensated power systems. In order to investigate the capability of the TCSC in detuning SSR torsional interaction, a simulation was carried out using the IEEE first benchmark system for SSR studies 171 and a 50 L2 series capacitor. which means a compensation degree of around 35%. According to (2), the theoretical resonant frequency excited due. to the short circuit is 27.7 Hz.
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Fig. 3: One-line diagram of the IEEE first benchmark system The complementary frequency. i.e. 32.3 Hz, coincides with the fourth torsional mode of oscillation at 32.3 Hz. As a result there is a destabilization of this mode of oscillation which leads to a torsional interaction. From the mechanical standpoint. Fig. 4 shows the build-up OF the two greatest 0-7803-5935-6/00/$10.00 (c) 2000 IEEE

(highlighted by an ellipse in Fig. 7). the TCSC using detection based on line current amplitude is not able to limit all peaks of the fault current. The largest current peak in phase B was increased from 3337 A to 4245 A (an

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increase of 27%). However, the highest current peak in the three phases was reduced from 5225 A to 4233 A (19% reduction). If effective limitation of all current peaks is required, a fault detector based on a predictive strategy [IO], e.g. rate of rise, should be used. Otherwise a fault detector based on current amplitude is likely to be adequate.

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Note that the first transmission line is compensated by two series capacitors of 55 Q and 40 Q, and a TCSC rated for j l 5 to -j60 R. The parallel line is a high natural capacity (HNC) transmission line [ 1 I] that presents a smaller series reactance around 36% of the 230 kV, conventional transmission line. This corresponds roughly to a conventional line with a series compensation degree of 64%. The compensation degree of the 230 kV, conventional transmission line varies from 66.5% (TCSC at -jlS Q) to nearly 100% (TCSC at -j60Q). Therefore, with the TCSC at -jl5 SL, the two transmission lines share approximately the same power flow but the conventional line has its impedance dynamically controlled by the TCSC action. In order to investigate the TCSC behavior and its line current control action subsequent to a transmission line tripping, a three-phase fault was applied at the middle of the HNC transmission line. The fault was applied at 250 ms and 100 ms later (at 350 ms) an order was sent to trip the HNC line circuit breakers. Figure 14 shows these simulation results

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Fig. 4:Torque build-up with SO R series capacitor

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Fig. 6: One-line diagram of the power system C. TCSC Dynamic Compensator to Control Line Current The TCSC can dynamically control either line current or power [ 2 ] . The simulation results shown here deal with line current control only, although a line power control may be implemented easily. In order to demonstrate the line current control feature, a simple power system was considered. It consists of two network equivalcnts (voltage behind an impedance) with a short-circuit contribution of 9.2 and 7.3 GVA, interconnected by two 230 kV, 320 km, parallel transmission lines. Fig. 8 shows a one-line diagram of the simulated power system.
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Fig. 7: Fault currents for phases A, B,and C (thick trace: with TCSC I thin trace: without TCSC) The conventional transmission line was being regulated at 800 Arms by the TCSC. During the fault, this line current decreased slightly as both systems I and I1 were feeding the faulted parallel HNC line. The TCSC tends to correct the very sniall line current drop, when the fault is cleared by the opening of the HNC line breakers. In this occasion, the network impedance changes and the TCSC line current tries to increase rapidly, but the TCSC conlroller decreases its reactance (from roughly -j37 Q to -j25 Q) to bring thc

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line current back to 800 Arms. This illustrates how a TCSC can assist power systems by maintaining their scheduled interchange
TCSC COMPENSATED TRANSMISSION LINE

is caused by the step in the average power in the line, which appears at the onset of the power oscillation.

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A new scheme for deriving the reactance reference for the Imperatriz TCSC in Brazil was used. It exploits the a priori knowledge of the power swing frequency representing it by a phasor in a rotating coordinate system. Doing so the correct phase relationship can be maintained irrespective of the change in average power and limitations can be applied on the reference signal without impact on the dynamic gain.
Based on the knowledge about frequency of oscillation, the following assumptions are done: 0 The measured active power on the interconnection can be described as the sum of two contributions. The first contribution is an average power on the interconnection. 0 The second contribution is the 0.20 Hz active power oscillation corresponding to the power oscillation. Now, if one can separate the two contributions in such a way that as to get the instantaneous phase angle and the amplitude of the power oscillation signal, then it is possible to get a very good basis for a damping controller In order to extract the power oscillation contribution, a 0.2 Hz reference signal is generated. Then using the same type of technology as in a PLL, four different signals are extract out of the measured active power: 0 0.2 Hz active power oscillation Average active power flow on the interconnection 0 Amplitude of the power oscillation 0 Phase angle of the power oscillation With the above information it's straightforward to generate a TCSC reactance that adds damping to the system. According to [15], the desired reactance output of the TCSC should have a phase angle of -90 O relative to the active power (90 O lag strategy). The reactance output from the controller is proportional to the amplitude of the oscillation and since the signal is centered around zero there are no problems with saturation at one side of the controllable range of the main circuit. Note that the active power is used as the input signal, besides the sign correction for powerflow direction is included, being this essential for the proper POD behavior
The controller illustrated in Fig. 10 works with a fixed,

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D.Power System Stability Enhancement

The application of TCSC for damping power oscillations has been demonstrated consistently via time domain simulations in many technical publications [ 141. This section aims at presenting a brief description of an innovative structure for a Power Oscillation Damper (POD) implemented in a TCSC in Brazil. This TCSC has been in reliable commercial operation for 10 months, providing damping for a 0.2 Hz inter-area mode. The effectiveness of such controller will be illustrated by means of system test results [ 161. Choosing and manipulation of input signals in order to provide the correct reference for PODS has always shown to be a critical task. Traditionally, e.g. in Power system Stabilizers (PSS), this is accomplished using cascade connected washout filters and lead-lag links. This technique exhibits some problems at large disturbances, e.g. at tripping of generators or lines in either of the interconnected systems. One problem is related to the limited available dynamic range of the TCSC and the other 0-7803-5935-6/00/$10.00(c) 2000 IEEE

predefined frequency of oscillation. However, this frequency could be adaptively changed in order to generate a controller that works in a wider frequency band. One way of doing this adaptation is to compute the relative angle between phasor reference signal and the estimated oscillation signal, If this relative angle increases, then the actual oscillation liequency is higher than 1hG frequency ol' the phasor rcference and hence the frequency of the phasor reference should be increased and vice versa. Figures I 1 and 12 present system test results. The disturbance was a trip of generation in the Norlh system

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having the POD disabled (Fig. 11 ) and enabled (Fig. 12). Note also in Fig. 12 that the TCSC apparent reactance (Xtcsc) goes into the inductive region (thyristor switched reactor mode) in such a way as to damp effectively the power oscillation out.

The TCSC may be designed to develop an inductive impedance at a range of subsynchronous frequencies. Therefore, the TCSC is neutral from SSR standpoint within this range. A properly designed TCSC may enhance power system stability and avoid risking SSR problems. The TCSC is able to meet the apparently contradictory requirement of increasing transmission capacity with a decrease of the fault levels. A brief description of the new POD structure using PLL, in commercial operation in the Brazilian North-South interconnection since March, 1999, was presented. This TCSC, which is being used mainly for damping power oscillations, is neutral to SSR and features the fault current limitation function. V. REFERENCES
Hingonni, N. G.; Flexible AC Transmission ; IEEE Spectrum, pp 40-45, April, 1993. Tenbrio, A.R.M.; A Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor Modcl for Electromagnetic Transient Studies; MSc Thesis, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology - UMIST, Manchester, UK. 1995. DUM.L.; MODELS rule book; Version July 1994. Martinez, J.A.; Educational Use of EMTP MODELS Ibr the Study of Rotating Machine Transients; IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, Vol. 8, No. 4, pp 1392-1398. November, 1993. Tenbrio, A.R.M.; Jenkins, N; A TCSC Model for Electroinagnelic Transient Studies; Stockholm Power Tech - lntemational Symposium on Electric Power Engineering, Prnc. of Power Electronics, pp 130-135, Stockholm, 1995. Kundur, P.; Power System Stability and Control: McGraw-Hill. 1994. IEEE Subsynchronous Resonance Working Gcoup; First Benchmark Model for Computer Simulation of Subsynchronous Resonance; IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and Systems. Vol. PAS-96, NO. 5. pp 1565-1572, 1977. Anderson, P.M.; Agrawal. B.J.; Van Ness, J.E.; Subsynchronous Resonance in Power Systems; IEEE Press, New Yorl , 1990. Tenorio. A.R.M.; Jenkins. N.; Enhancing Power Systems Dynamics without Risking SSR Phenomena by Means of TCSCs; Proc. of .12Id Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC97). pp 879882, Manchester, UK, 1997. [IO] Tenbrio. A.R.M.. Jenkins, N.; Investigation of the TCSC as a Fault Current Limiter; Proc. of International Conference on Power Systems Transients (IPST97). pp 345-350. Seattle, USA, 1997. [ I I] Alexandrov, G.N.: Nosov. I.M.: The Increase of Effectiveness of Transmission Lines and Their Corridor Utilization; ClGRE session. paper 38-104, Paris, France, 1996. [I21 Larsen, E.V.; Clark, K.; Misk Jr, S. A.; Urbancck. J.: Characteristics and Rating Considerations of Thiristor Controlled Series Compensation. IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. Vol. 9, NO. 2, pp 992-1000, April 1994. [I31 Clark, K.; Larsen, E.V.; Miller, N.W.; Okamoto, H.; Kurita, A.; Modeling and Performance of Multiple Multi-module TCSCs in ATP; CERE session, paper 14-307. Paris, France, 1996. [ 141 C. Gama. R. Tenorio. et. al.. Brazilian North-South Interconnection - Application of Thyristor Controlled Series Compensation (TCSC) to Damp Inter-Area Oscillation Mode. Cigr6 37 Session, Paris, 1998. C. Gama, M. Noroozian, Control Strategy for Damping of Power Swings Using TCSC. Cigd Symposium, Kuala Lumpur, 1999. C. Gama. Gunner Ingestrtlm. Lennan Angquist Brazilian NonhSouth Interconnection - Control Application and Experience with a T C S C FACTS Controllen: Application and Operational Experience (Panel) - IEEE I999 Suininer Meeting, Eclmonton. Alberta. Canada.

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Fig. 10: Layout of the Phasor POD

Line Power (MW)

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30

IV. CONCLUSIONS

The TCSC model developed for the ATP-EMTP program a reliable, easy-to-use, and maintain tool for assessing and analyzing TCSC performance in enhancing power systems.
using MODELS language is

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